Free Love and Apollo by Barbara Cartland Page A

myself.”
    He turned to smile at Lady Rose as he spoke.
    She made a little sound that was half a sob and half a cry of joy and then hid her face against his shoulder.
    â€œOh, Gerald,” she murmured.  “Is it really true?”
    â€œIt is really true, my darling, and that is why I had to plan very carefully what we would do next.  I want you and Arthur to approve.”
    â€œI will approve of anything , anything you desire,” cried Lady Rose.
    The Marquis looked down at her.
    For a moment neither of them could speak.
    Then after what seemed a long silence, he said,
    â€œI have discovered rather cleverly, without anyone becoming aware of what I was doing, a small local Church where we can be married immediately without using our titles.”
    â€œ Married !” whispered Lady Rose.
    â€œThe Priest in charge is a very old man, rather deaf and slightly doddery, who will marry us without asking any questions and will just be grateful for a donation towards his Church.”
    â€œAre you saying, Gerald, we are to be married immediately?”
    â€œOf course we are going to be married,” replied the Marquis. “But no one at home will know about it until we return and, for various reasons that I have not yet worked out, it will not be for at least six months.”
    â€œBut we will be married?” Lady Rose asked as if it was the only thing she had heard.
    â€œYou will be my wife and we will never lose each other again – never .”
    The Duke and Valona had been listening to this as if mesmerised.
    Now, as if the Duke had suddenly found his voice, he asked,
    â€œAnd what about the King?  What about our Royal mission to Larissa?”

CHAPTER FOUR
    There was silence and then the Marquis said quietly,
    â€œThere is only one person who can help us and I am prepared to go down on my knees if necessary to beg her to do so.”
    He was looking at Valona as he spoke.
    She stiffened as he continued,
    â€œPlease, Valona, only you could take Rose’s place and, if I may say so, you are far more Royal than she is.”
    â€œI cannot do it.  Just how could I?” she murmured almost beneath her breath.
    The Marquis moved closer to her and sitting down in the chair next to hers, he took her hand in his.
    â€œNow listen carefully to me, Valona, from what I have gathered from the Ambassador, the King has not long to live, so your marriage, I am sure, will be in name only.”
    He could feel Valona’s fingers trembling in his.
    â€œIf you become Queen of Larissa, you will be in a very distinguished position.  If you decide to stay on, you will be able to ask your mother to come and join you.  I am sure she would be pleased to make friends in Greece once again and to be with you.”
    Valona was now listening wide-eyed.
    â€œYou are intelligent enough to understand that to be the Queen of Larissa, if only for a short while, will be so completely different to living in a Grace and Favour house in Hampton Court and forgotten until you were useful to Queen Victoria.”
    â€œThat is indeed true,” interposed the Duke, “at the same time you are asking a great deal of Valona, who only came out here to be Lady-in-Waiting to Rose and we were very thankful to her for agreeing to take the position.”
    He hesitated over the last words.
    He had been about to say that they had only asked Valona because they had not wanted to take someone older who was more sophisticated and who would gossip.
    The Marquis understood what he meant.
    â€œWe are deeply grateful to you,” he said to Valona, “for coming and I shall be even more grateful if you will make me the happiest man in the world and let me marry Rose.”
    As if Lady Rose thought Valona was hesitating, she added quickly,
    â€œOh, please , please, Valona, do help us.  You know how much I love Gerald and how unhappy I have been at having to leave him.”
    Her voice broke