A Gamble with Hearts

Sample

Barbara Cartland

The Prince of Wales buys for Carlton House an exquisitely painted 15th century picture of "The Virgin of the Lilies" by Stefan Lochner. Both he and his close friend the Marquis of Fane are entranced by it. They are, however, stunned when the dealer brings them a picture by Van Dyke painted a hundred and fifty years later, and the Madonna in it has the same beautiful face as the Lochner. How the Marquis is determined to track down the forger. How he discovers Cyrilla and how their love for each other brings them both misery and frustration until eventually they find happiness. About a girl who forges art and gets caught. The Marquis put his arm around her, kissing her passionately, possessively, until she turned her face away. "I will not frighten you," he said, imploring, "but, my darling, you are not only divine and ethereal, but also human. Let me take you away -- find a house -- we will be alone!" He kissed her once again and departed. It was then she gave a cry that seemed to come from the very depths of her being, "I love him," she sobbed, "I love him. But... I am not a... I cannot do... what he asks!"

Sample

Barbara Cartland

Pandia looked down at the book in her hand. Then as if he could not wait for her answer Lord Silvester asked: "Have you thought about me?" "It would be... difficult to think of anything... else." "That is what I hoped," he said. "Your face is always before my eyes, and even when you are not there I feel you beside me." He paused, then he said: "Look at me! I want to see your eyes! I want them to tell me what you think." The way he spoke made Pandia quiver, and once again the flicker of fire was there. She knew as they moved within her that she wanted him to kiss her, and she was afraid when he looked into her eyes that he would know exactly what she desired. Very slowly she obeyed him because it was impossible to do anything else. As she raised her eyes to his she was spellbound. She could see the fire blazing within him, and as something wild and wonderful leapt within her, she was drawn to him as if by a magical power that was irresistible....

Sample

Susannah Hayden

Percy Morgan's life is shrouded in shadows-her past hidden and her future unknown. Where she has come from is her secret, but even Percy can't say what has drawn her to a burgeoning lumber camp. She watches as the small community wrestles with its own identity, afraid to share her own struggle to discover her own self worth. As hardened as she is by her past, Percy cannot resist the gentle nudges of the people around her. Her gruff exterior begins to soften under the friendship of the few women in the camp, and she has begun to attract the attention of the camp's doctor, Joshua Wells. The light of human and divine love beckon Percy to take a risk. Can she reopen the pain of the past and allow healing to begin?

Sample

(by) Barbara Cartland

The Duke of Oswestry was being blackmailed into marriage by his former mistress, who finds herself pregnant, but he knew that the child is by other man. He rescued the young inocent Udela, after his evil brother planned to send her to a London's brothel. He feigns a betrothal to save them both. After her father dies, Udela Hayward does not know what will become of her. Then Lord Julius Westry, on a visit to Udela's rural village, offers her employment in London. At first she is delighted, but then she realizes that the destination of the carriage sent to meet her is a fashionable bawdy house. She runs away and by chance she finds the Duke of Owestry, Lord Julius' brother, who until now had been unaware of how low Julius - the black sheep of the family - had sunk in pursuit of money. The Duke, a cynic in love, is the most eligible bachelor of London society, but he is being blackmailed into marriage by a scheming lady of fashion. With Udela's arrival, it occurs to him that he can solve both their dilemmas - *if* Udela will pretend to be engaged to him. The bargain is struck, but pretense has a way of being transformed by truth in this exciting story of the discovery of love.