Love and Apollo by Barbara Cartland Page B

Windsor Castle.
    â€˜Valona will enjoy every moment of it,’ he told himself.  ‘She has managed to cheer up Rose a little today, for which I am very grateful.’
    That night when the girls retired to bed, Lady Rose asked Valona,
    â€œYou are praying for me to your special star?”
    â€œYes, I am, Rose, but you must pray to your own star as well.  I strongly suspect it does not work for anyone else.”
    She spoke very seriously and so obviously believed in every word she was saying that Lady Rose did what she was told.
    When she repeated to the Marquis what Valona had told her, he said,
    â€œNow I think of it, I have heard that is one of the beliefs of the people of Piracus, but it didn’t do much good for the poor Prince.  The throne was shaky before he inherited it and I doubt if that country will ever again have a Royal Ruler.”
    â€œTheir star did not look after them properly,” Lady Rose responded.
    â€œPerhaps they were a bit remiss with their prayers and we can only hope, my darling one, that your star will listen to you.”
    As there was nothing more to say, he kissed Lady Rose tenderly.
    And for a moment they were both transported into a special Heaven of their own.
    *
    The next port of call was Naples.
    Despite its poverty Valona thought how attractive the City was.
    The others became a little interested as well and the Duke took them to Pompeii.
    Valona was shocked to see how cruelly the people living there at the time had suffered, their daily lives caught forever in the molten lava.  Yet she found the ruins entrancing, so much still remained of what had once been a great City.
    They drove back along narrow roads with the sea on one side of them.
    Valona slipped her hand into the Duke’s.
    â€œI never thought the day would come when I would see Pompeii,” she sighed.  “I have read about it and have seen pictures of it, but nothing can be the same as seeing it for myself.  I will treasure this memory forever.”
    â€œThere is a great deal more of the world to see!  Why, I think it would be a good idea if at the end of your visit you wrote a guide book telling people like yourself, who have always stayed at home, the difference between what they read and what they would actually see.”
    â€œThere are never going to be enough words in the English dictionary to describe it properly!”
    The Duke laughed.
    â€œI cannot believe that would stop you.  I have come to the inevitable conclusion that you are a most determined young lady, who will doubtless end up instructing a whole lot of people what they should do whether they want it or not!”
    Valona knew he was teasing her and laughed too.
    â€œI will try not to be a dictator, Cousin Arthur, but at the same time I do find myself seeing things, which could have been much better described in the books I have read about them.”
    The Duke threw up his hands in mock horror.
    â€œThe one thing I am scared of is an overly clever woman who believes she is always right.  Women should be soft, sweet, gentle and quiet.”
    Naturally Valona argued strenuously with him on this statement.
    Their arguments on any subject always ended in the same way with them both laughing rather helplessly.
    The Duke was very aware that the party travelling to Larissa would have been unbelievably gloomy if it had not been for Valona.
    She even made Lady Rose laugh and smile as well as the men, as she always had something unusual to say.
    She had already made friends with the Captain and many of the ordinary seamen of the crew.
    The Duke observed that when she talked to them and enquired about their wives and families, the men never became over-familiar.  They treated Valona with as much respect as they gave him.
    He thought it so extraordinary that she had these skills after living such a quiet life at Hampton Court.
    Although she had received some instruction from various teachers,