106. Love's Dream in Peril by Barbara Cartland Page A

little surprised at this request. Normally the butler would answer the bell.
    From outside she could hear the sound of voices and horses’ hooves and then a loud neigh. It sounded as if someone rather important had arrived.
    “Go on!” Uncle Edgar urged, impatiently as the bell rang again.
    Adella hurried to the front door.
    Lord Ranulph was standing on the step.
    “Miss May, would you care to accompany me for a drive?” he asked.
    “But – ”
    Adella was very surprised. Surely he knew that she did not want to take Sugar and Spice out in the landau again and expose them to more mockery on Rotten Row.
    “Go along,” Uncle Edgar said, following her into the hall. “Don’t keep him waiting.”
    Lord Ranulph stepped aside so that Adella could join him on the step.
    In front of the steps stood two gleaming golden chestnut horses held by a liveried coachman.
    They were undoubtedly the most beautiful elegant creatures Adella had ever seen and she could not help a little gasp of surprise and delight.
    “Do you like them?” Lord Ranulph asked.
    “Yes, yes I do! But why are they here?”
    He smiled at her.
    “They are Hanoverians. The finest carriage horses in the world. I think they will go rather nicely with your landau, don’t you?”
    The horses tossed their noble heads and then one of them pawed impatiently at the road.
    Adella could not imagine anything so perfect as to drive through the streets of London and through the Park behind such glorious creatures.
    Lord Ranulph’s eyes were fixed on her face and she realised that he was waiting for her to say something.
    “I – they are – beautiful” she stammered. “Are they yours?”
    He shook his head.
    “No. They are yours !”
    “I could not possibly accept such a gift – ” Adella blushed with confusion.
    Lord Ranulph smiled.
    “Please, Miss May, there is no need to protest.”
    “But I cannot accept them – it is too much.”
    “I have discussed the matter with your uncle. The horses are as much his gift as mine, for he has contributed to their purchase.”
    “What do you – mean?”
    “I told him how much I regretted that you did not visit Rotten Row any more in your landau and advised him that perhaps, much as you loved them, your ponies were a little small and slow for driving. And so I offered to go to Tattersalls and choose a more suitable pair for you.”
    “But I – ”
    “Come and make their acquaintance.”
    Lord Ranulph caught her hand and drew her after him down the steps.
    Jim had come up from the Mews. He took the reins from the other groom and then gazed at the horses’ elegant faces with great admiration.
    “’Ere, miss!” he said and offered Adella a handful of sugar lumps.
    At once the horses turned towards her, sniffing at her hands with their velvet noses.
    She gave them the sugar and stroked their glossy satin necks.
    “See – they are your friends, now,” Lord Ranulph said. “I think they would very much like to take you for a spin in the Park. What do you say?”
    And before Adella could compose herself enough to reply, he had given orders to Jim to harness the horses to the landau.
    The Hanoverians trotted so swiftly on Rotten Row that the breeze from them ruffled Adella’s curls.
    It was a wonderful sensation to go so fast, to feel so free again, even though she could not quite forget that Lord Ranulph was beside her.
    There was always something a little awkward about his presence that made it difficult for her to relax.
    For a while he was silent, watching her delight in his gift of the horses and then he spoke,
    “I cannot wait for next Friday.”
    “What do you mean? What is next Friday?”
    “Lady Ireton’s ball. When I shall have the pleasure of my first dance with you.”
    “I am not going,” Adella told him.
    She flinched inwardly as she remembered how the arrogant woman had flicked her whip at Sugar and Spice and the haughty mocking look she had given them as she made her witty remarks about the