Showing results by author "Barbara Cartland" in All Categories

The Earl of Wentworth has a fiery and unpredictable temper and is about to fight a duel in Hyde Park with a Frenchman who has insulted him, when he is restrained by his friend, Sir Thomas Babbington, and a helpful Policeman. At the same time the beautiful Temia Brandon is returning home from her Finishing School in France and is longing to see her horse, Lightning, again. Temia discovers that her father has been hiding a dark secret for many years and is now being blackmailed by the odious Lord Alphonse who threatens to reveal the secret and ruin the family’s reputation.

When John Chester returned to England after suddenly inheriting a Dukedom he knew his life had changed forever. But he didn't know just how much. Gina Wilton was like a breath of fresh air. But she was also everything John disapproved of in a young woman, independent, assertive, always ready to contradict him. Yet she had ideas about restoring his dilapidated castle, and he found he needed her help. The more they were together, the more he noticed how pretty she was, how witty and sparkling.

The Duke of Norlington and his sister Lady Latasha are living quietly in the country very happily with their horses. The Duke receives a letter from an old Oxford friend who is now His Royal Highness Prince Kraus of Oldessa, a small Principality in the Balkans. The Prince asks the Duke if his sister would consent to marry his brother, Prince Stephan, as she is related to the Royal family, thereby giving Oldessa British protection from the Russians who are vying to take over as many States as they can in the Balkans.

Schottland, 1850: Nach dem tragischen Tod ihrer Eltern bleibt die schöne Leona Grenville allein und brotlos in der Welt zurück. Eine Reise nach Schottland zu einem alten Freund ihrer Mutter, dem Herzog von Ardness, soll sie zurück ins Leben holen – und tatsächlich ist sie von der wilden Schönheit der Highlands überwältigt. Doch dann gerät ihre Kutsche in ein schweres Unwetter – in der stürmischen Dunkelheit kommt ihr niemand anderes als Lord Strathcairn zur Hilfe, der ihr Zuflucht in seinem Schloss gewährt.

Nach dem Tod ihrer Eltern ist Melinda mittellos und auf die Güte ihrer Verwandten angewiesen. Doch die schöne junge Frau entfacht ausgerechnet das Begehren jenes Mannes, der ihrer Cousine versprochen ist – und fällt somit in Ungnade. Um eine Zweckehe mit einem alten, lüsternen Freund ihres Onkels zu entgehen, flieht Melinda nach London. Dort trifft sie eine mysteriöse Lady, die ihr einen kuriosen Vorschlag macht: Für fünfhundert Guineas soll sie vorgeben, den berüchtigten Marquis von Chard zu heiraten.

London, 1822: In dem Waisenhaus, in dem sie aufwuchs, kümmert die junge Tara sich um einsame Kinder. Die Welt außerhalb ist ein Mysterium für Tara – so ist sie völlig unvorbereitet, als Duke Arkcraig, der Gönner des Heims, sie auf sein Schloss in Schottland beordert. Dort angekommen stellt sie fest, dass sie nicht seine Bedienstete sein soll, sondern seine Braut! Ehe sie es sich versieht findet Tara sich mitten in einem Konflikt zwischen den verfeindeten Clans McCraig und Kildonnon wieder, über denen ein dunkler Fluch zu hängen scheint.

London, 1819: Unter der grausamen Hand ihrer Stiefmutter arbeitet Lalitha härter als jede Magd und lebt im Schatten deren Tochter Sophie: der Herzdame der High Society. Nur Lalitha kennt die Geheimnisse, durch welche sich ihre Schwester ihren Platz in der Gesellschaft sichern – denn Sophie spielt ein kaltherziges Spiel mit zwei Männern, die um ihre Hand buhlen.

1822: Taran MacNarn, verfolgt von den Schatten seiner Vergangenheit, kehrt zurück in das wilde schottische Hochland – denn der Tod seines Vaters hat ihn zum widerwilligen Oberhaupt des MacNarn-Clans gemacht. Doch nicht nur der verlorene Sohn, auch eine uralte Fehde hält Wiedereinzug in Strathnarn: Der benachbarte Kilcraig-Clan nimmt Tarans Neffen gefangen. Er kann nur eins tun, um den Jungen zu retten – er muss die Tochter des Kilcraig-Lairds heiraten. Chola ist ebenso wunderschön wie geheimnisvoll, doch für Taran ist sie nur eine Natter im Nest seiner Familie.

The Marquis of Kexley is just falling asleep beside the beautiful Isobel Heywood, when in a soft voice she suggests that they should be married. Only by pretending to be asleep does he escape answering her and then he realises that because she is a widow, she is extremely dangerous in that she is free for him to marry her. In his other affaires-de-coeur, the women were already married, so he was safe, and he avoided debutantes with ambitious mothers like the plague. Because Isobel is so possessive he thinks it best to leave London at once.

For the record, the word "parlour" is not used, nor is the relatively recent insidious "lounge", except about airports, hotels and liners.' 'Boys should be taught at a very early age - six or seven - to say "Sir" to an older man.' 'When there are servants, the plates for the first course are never put on the table until everyone is seated.''I cannot stress too often that on every formal occasion, whether it is Luncheon, a Bazaar or a Meeting, a hat should be worn.'

Smart, sassy and cynical about men, 21-year-old Syke Standish wants neither a husband nor a life of boring domesticity. She wants freedom, adventure... danger. And in the rugged land of Mariposa, she finds all three when she is kidnapped by the daring South American revolutionary, El Diablo. Imprisoned in his network of secret caves in the mountains, Skye plots an escape. Yet the longer she spends with this Che Guevara -like bandit, the more she learns about his devotion to the local people he fights for.

Daughter of the Earl of Longwood, a gentleman gambler, and the Countess of Longwood, a society beauty, Lady Yolanda Wood has an exciting if unconventional childhood travelling around the casinos and racecourses of Europe. But life changes dramatically after the tragic death of her father, and she and her ravishing mother are left penniless and alone. In mourning for her husband, and dependent on the kindness of selfmade millionaire Oliver Garrack, the Countess's gratitude swiftly turns to romance and Yolanda finds herself with a stepfather she neither likes nor respects.

After the death of her great-uncle, orphan Lady Rosanna Donnington was overwhelmed to learn he had left her his vast fortune. It was then her life changed and she became the target of unscrupulous fortune hunters. But she was determined to marry only for love. When the loutish Sir Walter Fenwick insisted she marry him, Rosanna decided enough was enough. She fled London and journeyed to Donnington Hall, her new country estate.

Lady Lolita Vernon, daughter of the late Earl of Walcott and Vernon, has run away. Her stepfather, Ralph Piran, is forcing her to accept the attentions and perhaps an offer of marriage from his business partner, Murdock Tanner, who is very rich but old and repulsive. While she is trying to cover her tracks in London she bumps into a small boy, Simon, who is weeping because he has been beaten cruelly by his stepmother.

The Marquis and Marquise de Castillon, together with their young son Jean-Pierre, were forced to flee France for England when the French Revolution broke out in 1789. Jean-Pierre was educated at Eton and only returned to Paris when Napoleon came to power. It was not long before he joined Napoleon's Army, survived the Retreat from Moscow and was badly wounded at the Battle of Waterloo. Whilst in hospital, he became friends with Colonel Hubert Dawlish who was in the next bed.

The Earl of Bracken is meeting his good friend Captain Charles Kenwood at his Club in St. James's Street. He has just returned from a visit to Syria where he had been introduced to Sheik Abu Hamid, the owner of the most magnificent Arab horses the Earl has ever seen. They are both keen to buy horses from the Sheik who is reluctant to sell unless his greatest wish can be fulfilled.

Hugo, Earl of Ruven, is sailing home after ten years in India, where he served with his regiment. His grandfather, the old Earl, has died and Hugo has inherited the title and estate of Castle Ruven. He has also inherited his late brother's fiancee, Felice de Lisle. No one who sees the handsome man standing at the rail with his face turned toward the approaching coast suspects the truth. During one of the first battles of the Indian Mutiny, Hugo was severely injured. The new Earl of Ruven is returning home blind.

Justina Mansell, the youngest daughter of Lord and Lady Mansell, is told that her sister has been invited to visit India, but cannot accept. So Justina jumps at the chance to go in her place. Her aunt arranges for her to be chaperoned on board ship by the stately Mrs. Arbuthnot, who is travelling with her two daughters and her little terrier, Muffin. Justina is quickly attracted to the good-looking Sir Thomas Watson who is most attentive and much admires her beauty when he joins the Arbuthnot table for dinner.

Simona Bell, the lovely daughter of Lord Belgrave, has been invited by her friend, Karoline von Honentaal to stay with her family in Berlin. Simona finds that Karoline's father, the Baron, owns an amazing collection of art which interests her greatly. Alone for a moment, she finds her way into the Baron's private Sanctuary, where she admires an unusual Sedan Chair. Hearing voices and frightened she might be discovered, she slips into the Sedan Chair and closes the door.

Major Michael Moore has been playing a very dangerous part in the Great Game in India where he foils a plot to kill the Viceroy who tells Michael he is now a marked man and that he must return to England immediately. To his astonishment on his way home he reads in a newspaper that following the death of his grandfather he has become the Duke of Grangemoore.