Free Love in the Highlands by Barbara Cartland

of.
    "And when he did so, I thought your fortitude was much to be commended."
    Lavina pulled herself together.
    "We all have to make sacrifices, Papa."
    "And you made yours nobly." He patted her hand. "But would you like me to have a quiet word with him, to make sure that he doesn't do such a thing again?"
    "I don't think so, Papa dear," she said quickly. "It wouldn't be very polite, would it, when he is doing so much for us?"
    "You're quite right," the Earl agreed solemnly. "And if it should happen again – well, you will just have to be brave about it."
    "Whatever you say, Papa."
    "Goodnight, my dear."
    The Earl kissed her goodnight before leaving the cabin, closing the door quietly behind him.
    Lavina cuddled down under the sheets, with a blissful feeling that the boat carrying her across the water was leaving all her problems behind.
    She fell asleep with a smile on her lips.
*
    Next day she spent much of her time looking over the ship's rail, knowing that they were moving ever closer to Aberdeen, the nearest port to Ballater, where her unknown Scottish relatives lived.
    The Earl had shown Lavina the letter from his cousin, inviting them to arrive at any time. Even so, she wondered how they would feel at a visit with no warning.
    That evening, as soon as dinner was over, she once more left her father and the Marquis to get to know each other, which they seemed to be doing really well.
    But instead of going to her cabin she stood watching the distance lights from the shore, for now they were travelling close enough to the shore to see it most of the time.
    Just a few yards away from this part of the boat was the Music Room. It was Lavina's mother who had insisted on putting a small piano in the saloon, for Lavina's sake.
    The little girl had always loved the music her mother played for her. Her father used to hold her hands and make her dance to the tunes.
    She smiled now thinking of those happy memories that would stay with her always.
    Closing her eyes, she conjured up the sound of a piano in her mind, seeing her mother sitting there, dreamily playing a dance tune. It was called 'The Summer Waltz', and the child had loved it.
    "Again, Mama, again!" she had cried, clapping her hands in glee.
    And Mama had played it for her as often as she wanted.
    As she grew older Lavina had learned to play the violin, and an instrument was kept on board for her. There had been such joy in playing with dear Mama. And then Mama had died, and the joy had died with her.
    Suddenly Lavina opened her eyes. She was not dreaming. Somebody really was playing 'The Summer Waltz' on the piano, just as her mother had once done.
    She crept along the corridor and quietly opened the door of the music room, wondering who could play so well. And there, to her astonishment, she saw the Marquis sitting at the piano.
    His back was to the door, so that he had no idea that anyone was listening to him.
    It had never, for one moment, occurred to her that this harsh man might be musical. But perhaps, she thought, the solitary life he had chosen had made him turn to music as a way of assuaging his loneliness.
    For a moment she stood in the doorway hesitating.
    Then she slipped across the carpet without making a sound and sat down in one of the chairs. For an hour she sat very still and silent, listening to him with deep pleasure as he played a large spectrum of pieces, sad, joyful, sweet and melancholy.
    It seemed to Lavina that his soul was in every note. In this way he could communicate, but apparently in no other way, and she began to feel sad for him.
    Then she realised that he had started to play 'The Summer Waltz' again. Moving as though she could not prevent herself, she reached into the low cupboard where her violin was kept, and quietly drew it out.
    Very slowly and very softly she began to play, joining in with the Marquis. There was the briefest possible hesitation in his playing, but then he continued, without looking round. She wondered if he guessed