A Virgin Bride by Barbara Cartland

impossible for the Earl to bring a case against him.
    The Duke of Lynbrook was always welcomed at Windsor Castle and there was little doubt that the Queen would approve of his daughter’s marriage, especially if it was to someone as ‘illustrious’ as himself.
    That they would then be accepted enthusiastically by Society went without saying.
    No one could complain that the new Duchess of Rockinston did not have a family tree as good as his own.
    â€œBlue blood should go to blue blood.”
    How many times had his relatives said that to him?
    He knew that everyone respected the Duke and his wife’s beauty was still referred to every time her name was mentioned, even after her early demise.
    â€˜I have been exceptionally astute,’ he told himself.
    At the same time he was wondering just how he would cope with a wife who was so much younger.
    He thought of the many debutantes who had been presented to him and from whom he had escaped as soon as possible – and he imagined that she would be like them.
    Those he had talked to, and there were very few, he had found incredibly dull. They were either very shy or, when they did make an effort to speak, they talked, in his opinion, utter nonsense.
    He could imagine nothing more dreary in the long winter evenings than if his new wife either had nothing to say or indeed too much!
    But he knew he should be eternally grateful that he could be engaged at a moment’s notice to someone who would be acceptable not only to his mother and family but also to the Queen.
    Because the Queen had been fond of Rock’s father, she had always been extremely pleasant to him.
    He had been summoned to Windsor Castle on odd occasions and the Queen congratulated him on his horses.
    She had always made it abundantly clear that she was genuinely pleased to see him and he supposed that one day when she was older, his wife would take her traditional place as the Lady of the Bedchamber.
    Then they would both have to be frequently at Windsor Castle, which he did not look forward to with much enthusiasm as he found the pomp and ceremony a bore.
    â€œI don’t want to be married – and that is the truth!” Rock exclaimed not once but a dozen times when he was alone in his cabin.
    *
    When next morning they anchored in front of his castle, he felt depressed.
    Certainly, as far as his mother was concerned, she would be thrilled that he was at last seeing what she called ‘sense’.
    But he knew that even though he had no intention of confiding in anyone else, he would have to tell her the truth, no matter how horrified she might be by it.
    Sighing heavily he stood up straighter, mentally preparing himself for the day ahead.
    Because he had sent her a telegram to say that he was arriving, he was not at all surprised when the moment the yacht appeared the pipers began to play.
    When he stepped ashore there were servants in their kilts and his mother’s companion waiting to welcome him.
    Then, accompanied by the pipers, he walked through the garden and up the long flight of steps to The Castle itself, which had been constructed high above the sea with a magnificent view over the bay.
    â€œHow is my mother?” he asked her companion.
    â€œVery excited to be seeing you, Your Grace,” she replied. “She has been quite active recently despite the fact that the doctor keeps advising her to rest.”
    Rock nodded, his mother was not the type of woman to spend her days resting.
    In fact, during his last visit Rock’s mother had said to him,
    â€œI told them, dearest, that I can rest in the grave!”
    She now exclaimed in delight at seeing him, telling him animatedly, almost before he asked, of the prospects for the grouse shooting in the autumn and that the river was full of salmon.
    â€œThen I will certainly return again to Scotland as soon as possible,” he responded.
    â€œBut why are you here now, Rock?” she demanded. “I