Free An Angel Runs Away by Barbara Cartland

it was something he would never do because he disliked people trampling about on his carpets and intruding into what he thought of as a private part of his life.
    By the time dinner was ended and the ball had started, she found it impossible to think about anything except how thrilling it was to be part of it all.
    As she was receiving by the side of the Marquis and the Duchess, it was quite obvious to everybody that the ball was being given for her and she would undoubtedly be the talk of the gentlemen who came from the Clubs in St. James’s.
    It was when about half the guests invited after dinner had arrived, that standing beside the Duchess and the Marquis, Ula was aware of who was coming up the stairs directly behind those who were just being presented.
    There was no mistaking her uncle’s rather pugnacious face and the scowl between his eyes which she knew meant that he was very annoyed.
    Nor could she miss the expression of anger in her aunt’s face and when she looked at Sarah she realised how furious she was.
    The Duchess greeted them first.
    “How delightful to see you both,” she said in her soft voice, holding out her hand first to the Countess and then to the Earl.
    “It is a long time since we have had the pleasure,” he said somewhat grudgingly.
    “We must talk about the old days later on,” the Duchess said graciously.
    The Earl passed the Marquis, while the Countess lingered behind to talk to the Duchess.
    “Nice to see you, Chessington-Crewe!” the Marquis said genially.
    “I missed you the other day when you called on me,” the Earl replied. “What happened?”
    “Oh, something of no consequence,” the Marquis replied in an unconcerned manner. “We must talk about it another time.”
    It was then that the Earl moved to face Ula.
    One moment he looked hard at her and he looked so furious that she instinctively took a step back as if she was afraid that he was going to strike her.
    Then, without saying a word, he walked on.
    The Countess reached the Marquis a moment later and then faced Ula.
    She almost gasped as she took in Ula’s appearance, the expensive and unusual gown she was wearing and the elegance of the way her hair was dressed. And her eyes did not miss the necklace of real pearls the Duchess had lent her.
    She looked her up and down as though she was a creature that she found singularly unpleasant and then, as her husband sat down, she walked on without speaking.
    Lady Sarah halted in front of the Marquis.
    “I have missed you,” she said in a low voice.
    Her face turned up to his was so beautiful that Ula could not imagine how any man could resist such loveliness.
    “I am delighted that you were able to come tonight,” the Marquis said in a non-committal voice.
    He would have turned to the next guest had not Lady Sarah held on to his hand.
    “When shall I see you?” she asked.
    “Later this evening, I hope,” he replied.
    It was not the answer she wanted, but he firmly removed his hand from hers to hold it out to the next guest who had already greeted the Duchess.
    There was nothing Lady Sarah could do but move on another step and this brought her in front of Ula.
    The expression on her face changed completely and she was no longer beautiful, but almost ugly in her fury.
    “I will kill you for this!” she hissed in a voice that only Ula could hear.
    Then she walked on.
     

chapter four
    The band was soft and melodious, the ballroom looked entrancing with its pink candles.
    As Ula was besieged by would-be partners asking to be introduced to her, she thought everything was exactly as she had dreamt it would be, only even more marvellous.
    She was, however, although she tried to suppress it, acutely conscious of her uncle’s and aunt’s and Sarah’s hatred, which seemed to vibrate at her across the room.
    She tried not to look in their direction, but when she did so, she was thankful to find that Sarah was surrounded by young men, so that she could not complain on that