Love in the Highlands by Barbara Cartland

every reason to be pleased with her work.
    The gold of the room had inspired her to dress her darling in a dress of gold coloured satin, edged with a lavender ruche. Over this was a half skirt of lavender satin, and beneath the gold dress peeped a white silk petticoat with a white lace flounce.
    At the back the dress fell away to a train, embroidered with sprays of purple and gold pansies. The bosom was cut low, not immodestly, but low enough to show the dainty diamond pendant. Lavender satin slippers and white gloves completed Lavina's appearance.
    "My daughter is a credit to you, ma'am," said the Earl, who was always extremely polite to Mrs Banty, because he was afraid of her.
    "Thank you, My Lord." The dresser accepted his tribute graciously, and melted away.
    The Earl sighed with pleasure as he stood back to take another look at his daughter.
    "There won't be a lady there to match you."
    "There won't be any other ladies there at all, Papa," she said with a laugh.
    "Oh but there will be. The Marquis has invited several other guests from the locality. There's the vicar, the mayor, and their wives, and I believe the rest are poor relations who live on the estate."
    Lavina's mouth dropped open.
    "I thought he never entertained like this."
    "It seems he's made an exception."
    "And bringing members of his family to meet me – "
    "Well, he's doing it properly, which is very much to our purpose."
    "Or his," Lavina thought. But she said nothing.
    There was a knock on her door. Jill opened it, and admitted the Marquis.
    He was splendidly dressed in black evening clothes, set off by a gleaming white embroidered shirt, at the top of which nestled a diamond pin.
    Lavina had to tell herself not to stare. It crossed her mind that she had never seen a man look so handsome.
    He inclined his head graciously in her direction.
    "My compliments, ma'am," he said. "You are a bride of whom any man would be proud."
    "I'm glad you feel that I'm a credit to you sir," Lavina replied with equal graciousness.
    "There is only one thing needed to make your appearance perfect," he said. "Would you honour me by wearing these?"
    Then she saw that he was carrying a large black box, which he opened, revealing the most astounding set of jewellery she had ever seen.
    There was a necklace, a diadem, a bracelet, ear-rings, and two brooches, all in the most fabulous emeralds, set in gold.
    "These are the Elswick emeralds," the Marquis explained. "Anyone seeing you wearing these will have to believe in the reality of the engagement."
    He turned slightly to show the jewels to Mrs Banty.
    "I should value your opinion ma'am," he said meekly.
    "Very nice and suitable," she asserted.
    "Which would you suggest for tonight?"
    Mrs Banty considered.
    "The necklace, the diadem and the ear-rings," she said.
    "A bracelet?"
    "That would be a little too much," she declared firmly.
    "Then if you will be so good."
    He stood back to allow Mrs Banty to do what was necessary.
    When the jewellery was in place Lavina knew that she had never looked so magnificent. She looked, in fact, like a Marchioness.
    "Some relatives of mine are here," the Marquis observed. "They will certainly recognise these jewels. If the Queen's messenger arrives I shall make sure that he too understands the implications, and – well, anyone else."
    "Anyone else?" Lavina queried.
    "I'm hoping that the local newspaper may send a representative. I told Hunsbury to drop a hint while he was there delivering the telegram, and he thinks it fell on fertile ground. If somebody tries to gatecrash, the doormen have been instructed to let them in."
    There was no doubting it. Lavina had to admit that the Marquis was playing his part well.
    Just before they departed the Earl murmured to his daughter,
    "You two look very fine together, my dear."
    And she murmured back,
    "Papa, you have windmills in your head."
    "Yes my dear, if you say so."
    She went down to dinner on the Marquis' arm, to be introduced to the local