An Unexpected Love by Barbara Cartland

shook her hand.
    â€œI will take my leave of you. I hope you have a very pleasant day,” he said and turning Galahad, he trotted off along the road towards the village.
    Ravina watched him go. He rode so well, at one with his horse.
    Sighing for no reason that she could fathom, she made her way up the drive towards the Priory and her appointment with Sir Michael Moore.

CHAPTER SIX
    Trotting up the drive between the neatly laid out gardens, Ravina was once again impressed by the amount of work that had been done to the Priory to bring it back from a dilapidated state to its present glory.
    Twisted chimney pots reared up against the bright blue sky. Over the years ivy and wisteria had been left to run riot over its walls, even hiding the windows and giving the building a frightening aspect from the road, especially to small children.
    Even the village urchins had not dared to climb the stone walls that surrounded the immediate grounds and trespass in the orchards to scrump the fruit, even though the gnarled old trees gave copious bushel loads of apples, plums and pears every year.
    The grounds had remained untouched for years, a rough wilderness for wild life. Foxes and badgers had made their home in the undergrowth. Bats had flown around the eaves and owls could always be heard at night.
    Ravina could remember quite clearly a time when she had been about four or five. She had had a nursemaid, one of the village girls, Beatrice Watson, who worked under Nanny Johnson’s strict regime.
    Beatrice had delighted in creeping into the night nursery and telling little Ravina as she cowered under the sheets that ghosts and ghouls lived in the Priory.
    She used to threaten to send her there to stay if she was naughty.
    As the years passed, Ravina realised it had not been until she had told Nanny Johnson why she was so scared and having nightmares, that Beatrice had suddenly left and returned to Rosbourne to live with her brother Joe.
    Now, as Ravina rode up the drive, there was nothing about the Priory that could scare any child.
    All the vines had been ruthlessly cut back and trained across the walls. Rambling roses and clematis had been added to the trelliswork on the grey stones and their pale yellow and white flowers softened the austere appearance.
    As Ravina arrived at the entrance, an ostler in a black and yellow uniform appeared and helped her to dismount, listening carefully to her instructions as to Sweetie’s welfare following her ride.
    A smartly dressed butler opened the door before she rang the bell.
    â€œWill you come this way, my Lady. Sir Michael is waiting for you in the study.”
    He preceded her across a wide panelled hall, its walls hung with oil paintings of Moore ancestors and tapestries depicting ancient battles.
    Two suits of armour stood on either side of the foot of the stairs. A metal arm on each was raised high in the air, one holding an axe, the other a wickedly sharp sword.
    Ravina shuddered slightly. She had never cared too much for weapons and armour and these looked so lifelike.
    She fancied that she could feel eyes following her across the hall.
    Ravina felt that the overall effect of the entrance hall was far too dark and old–fashioned, but she did know that gentlemen did not always care for lighter colours around them.
    â€œLady Ravina Ashley, Sir Michael.”
    Ravina entered the small study which was lined from floor to ceiling with books. A huge globe stood on an ornate stand and imposing busts of ancient Greeks and Romans gazed down from niches set in the bookcases.
    Ravina peered through the gloom.
    The heavy red velvet curtains were half drawn to keep out the sunshine and she felt a wild desire to fling open the windows, and let the country breeze wash away the overpowering smell of leather, smoke and years of male occupancy!
    Dressed in dark brown country tweeds, Sir Michael rose from his desk and came towards her, his hand outstretched in greeting.
    His plain but