Follow Your Heart by Barbara Cartland Page B

certainly had too many late nights when he was at the Foreign Office. I remember him telling me that the Germans could never be persuaded to retire to bed at a reasonable hour and the French usually went home when it was dawn!”
    Della chuckled.
    â€œI have heard him tell that story and that is why here we retire to bed early and rise early.”
    â€œIndeed you do,” exclaimed the Duke. “When I looked out from my bedroom window yesterday morning just after I had been called, I saw you riding through the Park and down towards the woods.”
    â€œI love your woods, Your Grace, I always feel happy in them.”
    â€œThen I do hope they will be always be at your disposal, my dear.”
    Once again she felt that a cold hand was touching her. He was warning her, threatening her, that if she did not do what he wanted the woods would be closed to her and so would his stables.
    With an effort Della forced herself to reply lightly,
    â€œI am relying on Your Grace to leave early tonight and then everyone else will depart too.”
    There was a pause before the Duke said in a low voice,
    â€œI feel that Jason has not had a chance to talk to you this evening, so I will send him over to see you tomorrow afternoon. Shall we say about three o’clock?”
    Della did not answer.
    She felt it was unnecessary, the Duke knew she dared not refuse to see his son.
    It was fortunate that it was now time for her to withdraw with the ladies and leave the gentlemen to their port.
    Della rose to her feet and they followed suit as she moved towards the door.
    â€œThat was such a delicious dinner, Della,” gushed Lady Southgate as they walked down the passage. “Do tell your cook how much I enjoyed it.”
    â€œI will not forget to do so,” replied Della. “Like everyone else she loves to be praised.”
    â€œOf course,” agreed Lady Southgate, “and I want you to come and praise my puppies, they really are adorable . ”
    â€œI am very much looking forward to seeing them and I am sure Uncle Edward will want one.”
    â€œI have already promised to give him the best of the litter and the Earl intends to have one too.”
    Della thought it sounded as if Jason intended to settle down, but at the same time she could not prevent herself from shivering.
    The ladies walked upstairs to tidy their hair and powder their noses.
    When they returned to the drawing room, both the married couples had asked her and Lord Lainden to dinner the following week.
    They all sat down in the comfortable chairs and one of the ladies said,
    â€œI was very surprised to see Lord Rannock here this evening. I had no idea he had returned from abroad.”
    Lady Southgate laughed.
    â€œThe village has talked of nothing else since he arrived. It is only now that they have learned that his wife has died.”
    â€œAnd a very good job too,” added the lady who had started the conversation. “From what I have heard about her it would be impossible for anyone to accept her, so he was wise enough not to bring her to England.”
    â€œI am sure he will settle down now and enjoy being at Wood Hall,” continued Lady Southgate. “How could he be anything else in such a lovely house?”
    â€œAnd, of course,” agreed the other lady, “with all those wonderful horses.”
    She looked at Della.
    â€œYou do not know how much I envy you being allowed to ride them. Jimmy has promised he will buy me a new mount as a birthday present, but I feel we shall never be able to compete with His Grace’s stables.”
    â€œI do not think anyone could,” answered Della cautiously.
    The gentlemen now entered the drawing room.
    After a short while the Duke announced,
    â€œAs our host and I enjoy what can be called an early night, I am going to leave.”
    â€œThere is really no hurry at all,” said Lord Lainden quickly.
    â€œOn the contrary, Edward, Della tells me you