100. A Rose In Jeopardy
Read 100. A Rose In Jeopardy Online
Authors: Barbara Cartland
A Rose in JeopardyBARBARA CARTLAND
Copyright ©
2013
by Cartland Promotions
First published on the internet in January 2013 by Barbaracartland.com
ISBNs
978-1-78213-329-2 Epub
978-1-78213-330-8 Mobi
The characters and situations in this book are entirely imaginary and bear no relation to any real person or actual happening.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher.
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Rosella now felt utterly alone and yet she suddenly found herself whispering,
“Help me, please, please. Help me!”
She thought longingly of Aunt Beatrice. She had missed her terribly, but never so much as at this moment.
And for the first time in a long while, she missed her Mama and her Papa, whom she had so few memories of, only their loving voices and the embrace of their arms.
She clung onto herself desperately.
If only there was someone in the world to hold her, to care for her and speak gentle kind words –
Suddenly she felt that someone was watching her, and she looked up to see the portrait of the young man in the turban hanging on the wall above her.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked him. “Look at me. I am in such despair!”
Her tears welled up in her eyes once again, but then she realised that his smile was not mocking but bold and happy.
His bright dark eyes seemed to be comforting and encouraging her.
“
I
care for you – ” he was almost saying.
Barbara Cartland was the most prolific bestselling author in the history of the world. She was frequently in the Guinness Book of Records for writing more books in a year than any other living author. In fact her most amazing literary feat was when her publishers asked for more Barbara Cartland romances, she doubled her output from 10 books a year to over 20 books a year, when she was 77.
She went on writing continuously at this rate for 20 years and wrote her last book at the age of 97, thus completing 400 books between the ages of 77 and 97.
Her publishers finally could not keep up with this phenomenal output, so at her death she left 160 unpublished manuscripts, something again that no other author has ever achieved.
Now the exciting news is that these 160 original unpublished Barbara Cartland books are ready for publication and they will be published by Barbaracartland.com exclusively on the internet, as the web is the best possible way to reach so many Barbara Cartland readers around the world.
The 160 books will be published monthly and will be numbered in sequence.
The series is called the Pink Collection as a tribute to Barbara Cartland whose favourite colour was pink and it became very much her trademark over the years.
The Barbara Cartland Pink Collection is published only on the internet. Log on to
www.barbaracartland.com
to find out how you can purchase the books monthly as they are published, and take out a subscription that will ensure that all subsequent editions are delivered to you by mail order to your home.
If you do not have access to a computer you can write for information about the Pink Collection to the following address :
BarbaraCartland.com
Camfield Place
Hatfield
Hertfordshire
AL9 6JE
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 1707 642629
Fax: +44 1707 663041
These titles are currently available for download. For more information please see the
Where to buy page
at the end of this book.
- The Cross Of Love
- Love In The Highlands
- Love Finds The Way
- The Castle Of Love
- Love Is Triumphant
- Stars In The Sky
- The Ship Of Love
- A Dangerous Disguise
- Love Became Theirs
- Love Drives In
- Sailing To Love
- The Star Of Love
- Music Is The Soul Of Love
- Love In The East
- Theirs To Eternity
- A Paradise On Earth
- Love Wins In Berlin
- In Search Of Love
- Love Rescues Rosanna
- A Heart In Heaven
- The House Of Happiness
- Royalty Defeated By Love
- The White Witch
- They Sought Love
- Love Is The Reason For Living
- They Found Their Way To Heaven
- Learning To Love
- Journey To Happiness
- A Kiss In The Desert
- The Heart Of Love
- The Richness Of Love
- For Ever And Ever
- An Unexpected Love
- Saved By An Angel
- Touching The Stars
- Seeking Love
- Journey To Love
- The Importance Of Love
- Love By The Lake
- A Dream Come True
- The King Without A Heart
- The Waters Of Love
- Danger To The Duke
- A Perfect Way To Heaven
- Follow Your Heart
- In Hiding
- Rivals For Love
- A Kiss From The Heart
- Lovers In London
- This Way To Heaven
- A Princess Prays
- Mine For Ever
- The Earl’s Revenge
- Love At The Tower
- Ruled By Love
- Love Came From Heaven
- Love And Apollo
- The Keys Of Love
- A Castle Of Dreams
- A Battle Of Brains
- A Change Of Hearts
- It Is Love
- The Triumph Of Love
- Wanted – A Royal Wife
- A Kiss Of Love
- To Heaven With Love
- Pray For Love
- The Marquis Is Trapped
- Hide And Seek For Love
- Hiding from Love
- A Teacher Of Love
- Money Or Love
- The Revelation Is Love
- The Tree Of Love
- The Magnificent Marquis
- The Castle
- The Gates of Paradise
- A Lucky Star
- A Heaven on Earth
- The Healing Hand
- A Virgin Bride
- The Trail to Love
- A Royal Love Match
- A Steeplechase for Love
- Love at Last
- Search for a Wife
- Secret Love
- A Miracle of Love
- Love and the Clans
- A Shooting Star
- The Winning Post is Love
- They Touched Heaven
- The Mountain of Love
- The Queen Wins
- Love and the Gods
- Joined by Love
- The Duke is Deceived
- A Prayer For Love
- Love Conquers War
- A Rose in Jeopardy
- A Call of Love
Barbara Cartland, who sadly died in May 2000 at the grand age of ninety eight, remains one of the world’s most famous romantic novelists. With worldwide sales of over one billion, her outstanding 723 books have been translated into thirty six different languages, to be enjoyed by readers of romance globally.
Writing her first book ‘Jigsaw’ at the age of 21, Barbara became an immediate bestseller. Building upon this initial success, she wrote continuously throughout her life, producing bestsellers for an astonishing 76 years. In addition to Barbara Cartland’s legion of fans in the UK and across Europe, her books have always been immensely popular in the USA. In 1976 she achieved the unprecedented feat of having books at numbers 1 & 2 in the prestigious B. Dalton Bookseller bestsellers list.
Although she is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Romance’, Barbara Cartland also wrote several historical biographies, six autobiographies and numerous theatrical plays as well as books on life, love, health and cookery. Becoming one of Britain's most popular media personalities and dressed in her trademark pink, Barbara spoke on radio and television about social and political issues, as well as making many public appearances.
In 1991 she became a Dame of the Order of the British Empire for her contribution to literature and her work for humanitarian and charitable causes.
Known for her glamour, style, and vitality Barbara Cartland became a legend in her own lifetime. Best remembered for her wonderful romantic novels and loved by millions of readers worldwide, her books remain treasured for their heroic heroes, plucky heroines and traditional values. But above all, it was Barbara Cartland’s overriding belief in the positive power of love to help, heal and improve the quality of life for everyone that made her truly unique.
“
Flowers have always been an important part of my life. Their beauty and serenity are a constant inspiration and for me to look at the full bloom of a pure untouched rose is to glimpse a little piece of Heaven
.”
Barbara Cartland
1880
Lady Rosella Ryland reached out her hand to gently touch the glorious pink rose hanging down from the trellis above her head.
It was such a perfect shape with its cluster of curled petals, the most beautiful flower on the old rambling rose bush that had been there as long as she could remember.
“Happy birthday Rosella,” she whispered sadly to herself, as she breathed in the divine scent of the rose in the warm summer air of the walled garden at New Hall.
It was the first of June and she had just become seventeen years old.
But there was no one to remember that this was a very special day, for her beloved Aunt Beatrice, who had brought her up, was dead and she had no other close family who might wish her a happy birthday or send her a present or even a card with their good wishes.
“Your Ladyship.”
There was a crunch of boots on the path behind Rosella. Thomas, the gardener’s boy was hurrying towards her with a shallow basket over his arm.
Dear Thomas –
he
had remembered what day it was and he was bringing her a present.
But as he came closer, she saw that the basket was empty except for a pair of secateurs.
“I thought you might like – ” Thomas stammered, looking shyly at her from under the fair hair that hung over his forehead like a pony’s mane, “ – to cut some of the flowers, like you used to, my Lady.”
Rosella could not help the tears that stung her eyes.
It was not that Thomas had forgotten her birthday. After all, he was just the gardener’s boy! Why should he have remembered that today was such a special occasion for her?
The staff at New Hall had been deeply shocked by her aunt’s sudden death and were most preoccupied with what might happen to them in the future, as Lord Carlton Brockley, Lady Beatrice’s brother, would be coming soon to take up residence and no one knew what kind of a man he might be to work for.
Thomas would be no exception to that, of course. He might even fear that he would lose his job.
No – it was not the fact that he had not wished Rosella ‘happy birthday’. It was the memory of so many happy times she had spent in the walled garden, gathering flowers to take to her aunt, that suddenly caused Rosella’s heart to ache.
Every morning she used to cut some of the finest blooms of whichever flowers were in season and take them to her aunt, where she sat on the yellow silk sofa in the drawing room after breakfast with her constant companion, Pickle, the grey parrot, in his cage by her side.
As Rosella stood there in the bright sunshine on her birthday, struggling to hold back her tears, she remembered another day, just one month before, when she had hurried back to The Hall through a shower of soft spring rain, her arms full of white lilac and huge crimson peonies.
“
Hello, hello
!
Good morning, my dear
!” Pickle called out from his cage, as she entered the drawing room, ruffling his grey feathers and holding his head on one side to stare at her.
