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Authors: Barbara Cartland

100. A Rose In Jeopardy

BOOK: 100. A Rose In Jeopardy
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A Rose in Jeopardy

BARBARA CARTLAND

www.barbaracartland.com

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.

eBook conversion by
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A ROSE IN JEOPARDY

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.

THE BARBARA CARTLAND PINK COLLECTION

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

 Titles in this series

These titles are currently available for download. For more information please see the
Where to buy page
at the end of this book.

  1. The Cross Of Love
  2. Love In The Highlands
  3. Love Finds The Way
  4. The Castle Of Love
  5. Love Is Triumphant
  6. Stars In The Sky
  7. The Ship Of Love
  8. A Dangerous Disguise
  9. Love Became Theirs
  10. Love Drives In
  11. Sailing To Love
  12. The Star Of Love
  13. Music Is The Soul Of Love
  14. Love In The East
  15. Theirs To Eternity
  16. A Paradise On Earth
  17. Love Wins In Berlin
  18. In Search Of Love
  19. Love Rescues Rosanna
  20. A Heart In Heaven
  21. The House Of Happiness
  22. Royalty Defeated By Love
  23. The White Witch
  24. They Sought Love
  25. Love Is The Reason For Living
  26. They Found Their Way To Heaven
  27. Learning To Love
  28. Journey To Happiness
  29. A Kiss In The Desert
  30. The Heart Of Love
  31. The Richness Of Love
  32. For Ever And Ever
  33. An Unexpected Love
  34. Saved By An Angel
  35. Touching The Stars
  36. Seeking Love
  37. Journey To Love
  38. The Importance Of Love
  39. Love By The Lake
  40. A Dream Come True
  41. The King Without A Heart
  42. The Waters Of Love
  43. Danger To The Duke
  44. A Perfect Way To Heaven
  45. Follow Your Heart
  46. In Hiding
  47. Rivals For Love
  48. A Kiss From The Heart
  49. Lovers In London
  50. This Way To Heaven
  51. A Princess Prays
  52. Mine For Ever
  53. The Earl’s Revenge
  54. Love At The Tower
  55. Ruled By Love
  56. Love Came From Heaven
  57. Love And Apollo
  58. The Keys Of Love
  59. A Castle Of Dreams
  60. A Battle Of Brains
  61. A Change Of Hearts
  62. It Is Love
  63. The Triumph Of Love
  64. Wanted – A Royal Wife
  65. A Kiss Of Love
  66. To Heaven With Love
  67. Pray For Love
  68. The Marquis Is Trapped
  69. Hide And Seek For Love
  70. Hiding from Love
  71. A Teacher Of Love
  72. Money Or Love
  73. The Revelation Is Love
  74. The Tree Of Love
  75. The Magnificent Marquis
  76. The Castle
  77. The Gates of Paradise
  78. A Lucky Star
  79. A Heaven on Earth
  80. The Healing Hand
  81. A Virgin Bride
  82. The Trail to Love
  83. A Royal Love Match
  84. A Steeplechase for Love
  85. Love at Last
  86. Search for a Wife
  87. Secret Love
  88. A Miracle of Love
  89. Love and the Clans
  90. A Shooting Star
  91. The Winning Post is Love
  92. They Touched Heaven
  93. The Mountain of Love
  94. The Queen Wins
  95. Love and the Gods
  96. Joined by Love
  97. The Duke is Deceived
  98. A Prayer For Love
  99. Love Conquers War
  100. A Rose in Jeopardy
  101. A Call of Love
THE LATE DAME BARBARA CARTLAND

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

CHAPTER ONE
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.

BOOK: 100. A Rose In Jeopardy
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