Sword to the Heart (Bantam Series No. 13) by Barbara Cartland

to be pretty and charming, but nothing so unusual, or indeed so breathtakingly lovely.”
    “You are very dramatic, Sir James,” Lord Colwall said scathingly, “but I assure you that whatever Natalia looks like, it will not affect my resolve never again to love any woman—nor, if I can prevent it, to allow her to love me. There is no place for that nauseating emotion in my life.”
    There was a pause and then Sir James said sadly:
    “I can only pray, Ranulf, that time will make you change your mind, or perhaps Natalia will do that.”
    “In this instance, your prayers will undoubtedly remain unanswered,” Lord Colwall said coldly.
    “Then I can only say good-bye,” Sir James said. “It was a very delightful wedding and the County will talk about the Feast which followed it for years to come. I hope that gives you some satisfaction.”
    “It does indeed,” Lord Colwall said lightly. ‘It always pleases me when my plans work out in exactly the manner I intended. Good-bye, Sir James, and thank you for your support.”
    Natalia stood in Le Salon d’Or as if turned to stone.
    She had not moved since she first overheard what Lord Colwall and Sir James were saying in the next room, and as Lord Colwall pushed open the door he saw her.
    Her face was so pale that he was instantly aware that something had occurred.
    “What is it?” he asked. “What is wrong?”
    She did not answer because she felt as if her throat was constricted and it was hard to breathe. Then Lord Colwall realised that the door had been open and she must have overheard what was being said.
    “I was talking to Sir James,” he said and his voice was a little uncertain.
    “I ... heard ... you.”
    Natalia managed to speak the words and now she made her first movement. One small hand crept up to her breast.
    Lord Colwall advanced a little further into the Salon.
    “It was a conversation that was not meant for your ears,” he said. “I feel sure you will understand that whatever I said to Sir James does not in any way alter the respect I have for you.”
    “Re ... spect?” Natalia could hardly breathe the word.
    Lord Colwall walked to the fire-place and stood with his back to the fire.
    “I must commend you, Natalia, on the excellent way in which you received my employees last night and my friends today. I am well aware that it was a great ordeal for a girl brought up as quietly as you have been. But let me tell you that you came through with flying colours!”
    He spoke heavily, choosing his words with care. But now, looking at Natalia’s white face, he realised that what he said had not impinged on her consciousness.
    “I did ... not ... understand,” she said in a very low voice.
    “What did you not understand?” he enquired.
    “That all you ... wanted from a ... wife was that she should ... produce ... an heir.”
    Lord Colwall made a little gesture of impatience.
    “Surely it was obvious? I supposed that your mother would have explained to you that our marriage was advantageous to us both.” There was a silence and then Natalia said:
    “Did you really ... think that I was ... marrying you simply for your ... title and the ... position you could give me ... here?”
    “What else?” he asked in surprise. ‘We did not know each other.”
    “But we did!” Natalia contradicted. “You came to Pooley Bridge. You saw me and after that everything in my life was changed. You arranged my education, you sent me Crusader, and Mama wrote reports to you of my progress every month. She told me so.”
    “It was in fact your mother’s suggestion,” Lord Colwall said. “But surely at such a brief encounter you could hardly expect to engage my affections?”
    Natalia raised her eyes to his and he saw they were dark with pain.
    “I thought you ... loved ... me.”
    For a moment it seemed as if Lord Colwall had also been turned to stone. Then he looked away from Natalia’s eyes to say harshly:
    “How could you imagine anything so absurd? So