Free Love and Apollo by Barbara Cartland

hungry.”
    â€œSo am I,” added Valona.
    She went to her cabin, took off her hat, washed her hands and came back.
    The Duke and Lady Rose were sitting at the table and the Steward was bringing in their first course.
    The food was delicious, but Rose kept getting up and going to one of the portholes to look out to see if there was any sign of Gerald.
    â€œI cannot imagine what can be keeping him,” she sighed.  “He only had to go to the Embassy.”
    â€œIf you ask me,” suggested the Duke, “the machine or whatever they use to receive their messages has broken down, or he has been told there is a fire on his Racecourse and all his horses have run away!”
    Valona laughed, but Lady Rose still looked worried,
    â€œThere must be something very wrong.  I hope his mother is not ill.”
    â€œIs she likely to be?” asked the Duke.
    â€œNo, but he is very fond of her.  In fact she is the only one of his endless relatives he really cares about and she always worries about him when he goes away.”
    They finished luncheon and they were just drinking their coffee when Lady Rose gave a little cry.
    â€œHere he is!”
    The Marquis strode into the Saloon.
    Rather strangely, Valona thought, he closed the door behind him.
    â€œWhat has happened?  Why have you been so long?  I have been worrying about you,” cried Lady Rose.
    She jumped up from the table and without thinking that it mattered, she ran towards him.
    â€œI was so afraid that you had had an accident,” she muttered in a low voice.
    The Marquis put his arm round her.
    â€œI have just been informed,” he said quietly, “that my wife is dead !”
    There was a gasp.
    Then the Duke exclaimed,
    â€œDead, Gerald!  But how is that possible?”
    â€œMy secretary has sent me a long cable, explaining that Mavis had one of her bad turns last night and seemed to be unconscious.  The nurse left her alone when she went to have a meal.  Apparently she got out of bed and left the room to go downstairs.  She tripped up over her nightgown, fell and crashed to the bottom.   It killed her .”
    There was silence for a moment and then the Duke mumbled,
    â€œThere is nothing we can say, except, as we all know, it is a merciful release.”
    The Marquis was looking down at Rose and with a murmur she hid her face in his shoulder.
    Valona did not move from the table as she had been right in thinking that they would want be together.
    â€˜I was right,’ she thought.  ‘When I tell Mama, she will understand.  The others will think I was just guessing.’
    It was unexpectedly soon, but there was no account of time where clairvoyance was concerned.
    There was a silence until the door opened and the Steward who had waited on them at luncheon entered.
    â€œNow you’re back on board, my Lord,” he said to the Marquis, “I’ll bring your luncheon.”
    â€œIt’s all right, thank you. I had something to eat at the Embassy.”
    â€œWill you have a drink, my Lord?”
    Because there seemed to be no point in refusing, the Marquis sat down at the table.
    The Steward poured out some wine and withdrew.
    As soon as they were alone, the Duke enquired,
    â€œDo you have to go back home?”
    The Marquis shook his head.
    â€œNo, I sent a cable saying it was impossible. My secretary and manager, who are in charge, will arrange the funeral.”
    Lady Rose was sitting beside him and her hand was in his.
    There was a light in her eyes that had not been there before.
    Valona knew that the wonder of what she had just heard was beginning to sweep over her.
    â€˜Now they can remain together,’ she reflected, ‘and everything will be perfect.’
    The Marquis drank a little of his wine, then he said,
    â€œI have been longer coming back than I meant to because I not only had to send many cables, but I was also making plans for Rose and