Read 108. An Archangel Called Ivan Online
Authors: Barbara Cartland
BARBARA CARTLAND
Copyright © 2007 by Cartland Promotions
First published on the internet in September 2013 by Barbaracartland.com
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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.
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It then suddenly struck Arliva with a feeling of horror that maybe she would never find anyone who would love her for herself.
She wanted the love her father and mother had had for each other which was why he had never married again, although at times he must have been very lonely.
‘I just want to be loved for myself,’ she thought. ‘I don’t want anyone who pretends to care for me because they want my money or anything else I possess.’
Yet she could not stop herself worrying that it was something she might never find.
She felt as if her money was encircling her with tight cords that would prevent her from ever knowing the meaning of real love, the love that everyone wanted, the love of a man and a woman simply because he was the other half of herself.
‘That is what I want,’ Arliva said to herself, ‘but because I am so rich it is a gem I will never find. Even if I want to believe a man loves me I will be quite certain that he will be grasping for that great fortune which exists in my name. Oh, please God, what shall I do?’
The prayer came directly from her heart.
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Her publishers finally could not keep up with this phenomenal output, so at her death she left 160 unpublished manuscripts, something again that no other author has ever achieved.
Now the exciting news is that these 160 original unpublished Barbara Cartland books are ready for publication and they will be published by Barbaracartland.com exclusively on the internet, as the web is the best possible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.
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.
“I have always believed in angels and that a very special Guardian Angel looks after me and guides me all through my life.”
Barbara Cartland
Arliva walked away from the noise and laughter in the ballroom towards her sitting room.
She had just found that she had left her evening bag on the table after dinner and, as she wanted a handkerchief out of it, she must find out where it could be.
She was almost certain that the servants would have taken it into her sitting room and put it on the writing table, as there would be no doubt that it was hers.
It was gold and had been given to her on one of her birthdays by her father.
It had her initials on it in diamonds and contained an attractive powder compact that had been another present which also had her initials displayed in precious stones.
In point of fact the whole front of the compact was sprinkled with them.
It was just another indication of her wealth.
At her father’s large house in Park Lane she was able to hold an evening party at which everyone in the
Beau Monde
was to be present.
Arliva had made a tremendous impact on the Social world from the moment she first appeared in it.
As her father had died when she was just seventeen, she had stayed quietly in the country for a year.
When she appeared this Season, she was nearing nineteen and had completely astounded the Social world.
It was not surprising because she was immensely rich, which, as the Dowagers said to each other was always an ‘Open Sesame’ to the
Beau Monde
.
She was also extremely beautiful.
It’s really most unfair the other
debutantes
muttered amongst themselves that Arliva should have so much to make her the most talked about, the most beautiful and the most successful
debutante
of the Season.
Lord Ashdown, her father, had been a most brilliant diplomat and he had contributed enormously to the huge British Empire presided over by Queen Victoria.
He had been rich and influential before he became a diplomat, but his success then had lain in the fact that his father had been an extremely clever man and he had done a great deal for the countryside he lived in.
When Lord Ashdown had shown, while he was still at Oxford, that he had an exceptional brain and great charm that was the hope and ambition of every budding diplomat, his father had wisely insisted that he become proficient in every foreign language.
When he was later offered an apprenticeship to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Secretary said,
“He knows more languages than I do and I cannot imagine anyone who would be more useful to us at this or any other moment.”
It was then that Lord Ashdown realised that he was in his element.
He travelled from country to country and, because he was handsome and when it suited him flirtatious, a large number of women fell willingly into his arms.
But surprisingly he did not marry.
It was because he enjoyed his life so much as a bachelor he felt he would find himself tied down, however attractive his wife might be, and he would feel confined in a way he was certain he would hate.