An Unexpected Love Read Free Page B

just what I want,’ she said almost aloud, ‘and perhaps one day I will be very happy, wildly and gloriously happy, because I will want nothing but the man I love and the man who loves me.’
    This was the promise she had made herself, that she would never marry except when she felt a deep devoted love for a good man. A love that was returned in every way.
    Which, she thought as she turned over at last on her cool snowy pillows to fall asleep, was probably much more than the bride of that odious dark-eyed stranger in the rose garden would ever know!

CHAPTER TWO
    Ravina was very late for breakfast the next morning. She sped down the shining wooden staircase into the hall of Ashley House, the skirts of her pink silk morning dress rustling as she hurried.
    Her parents were already seated at the table in the breakfast room, her father busy reading The Times and her mother opening her letters.
    Ravina leant over and kissed her father on the forehead, smiling at the usual gruff “good morning, child, you are late.”
    Lord Ashley was a tall, thin, distinguished man in his late forties. Like his father and his grandfather before him, he held a high position in the Foreign Office.
    Ravina had grown up with political discussions with high-ranking foreign officials taking place around her.
    She had often escaped from her nanny and governesses to hide under her father’s big desk in the library.
    She had played happily with her dolls and toys whilst talk of trouble in the Balkans, revolutions and wars were discussed over her head.
    As she grew older and was included officially at dinners and luncheons, she had met several foreign heads of state and Prime Ministers.
    She had learnt how vitally important her father’s work was for European peace. He was adept at defusing potentially explosive situations and Ravina recognised that only his skill at diplomacy had prevented a number of nasty situations from deteriorating into war.
    Her geography lessons had always been easy for her because her parents had travelled all over Europe and she had often accompanied them, much to Nanny Johnson’s annoyance.
    Nanny had very firm views about the place a young lady should take in Society.
    Lady Ashley was small and slender and Ravina was already taller than her. But she had the same honey-gold hair as her daughter and her delicate appearance was at odds with her ability to cope with all the demands made of her as the wife of a senior diplomat.
    This morning she was dressed in deepest lilac, her wide sleeves narrowing to tight cuffs that emphasised the whiteness of her elegant hands and the gleaming diamonds and amethysts that adorned them.
    She shook her head in mock resignation as Ravina kissed her cheek and slid into her chair, ignoring her father’s scowl.
    Being late for a meal was something Lord Ashley hated. He said it was impolite to the cook to eat the food half cold.
    One of the footmen poured Ravina a cup of coffee and she helped herself to bread and honey.
    â€œSo, darling, did you enjoy yourself last night at the ball?” her mother asked. “You were very late arriving home.”
    â€œNot too late really, Mama. And yes, I had a very nice time. Giles was there, of course. And lots of the usual people.”
    â€œAnd I suppose Giles proposed again,” her mother smiled. Like Ravina, she was sure that the young man was not even slightly in love with her daughter. His heart would not even be dented by her constant refusals.
    Ravina frowned, remembering the dark-haired, sarcastic man in the rose garden.
    But she was not going to tell her parents about him. Her reaction to Giles had not been correct and she knew that her mother would not be pleased.
    â€˜Poor Giles. Perhaps,’ Ravina thought, ‘I should have said yes and settled down to be a good wife and the mother of several delightful children. Giles enjoys travelling as I do. And when he inherits the castle, he will have a