An Unexpected Love by Barbara Cartland

expression. But she felt reassured.
    Yes, it was just as she had thought.
    Bobby was trying to scare her for some stupid reason of his own. She would think no more about his warning.
    Leaving Nanny, Ravina felt a frisson of excitement, but when she entered the drawing room, she found Sir Richard and Dulcie deep in conversation.
    Ravina was unaware of the gleam of appreciation in Sir Richard’s eyes as he looked at his young hostess, although she was aware that Dulcie, wearing a neat sensible dress in green, had raised her eyebrows at her cousin’s bare shoulders.
    â€œGood evening, Lady Ravina. I trust you had an interesting day at the Priory?”
    â€œGood evening, Sir Richard. Yes, indeed. It is a fascinating old house and Sir Michael has been most fastidious in his restoration work. And did your day go as planned? I trust your horse is now fully recovered.”
    â€œRavina! You sound as if you are keen for Sir Richard to leave us,” Dulcie said sharply.
    Ravina felt the colour rush into her cheeks but Sir Richard just laughed.
    â€œI am sure Lady Ravina has been far too busy today to give my absence a second thought. But I know you will be pleased to hear that my stallion is now back to his old self and I shall be taking my leave of you very soon.”
    Ravina made automatic remarks of sorrow, but inside her head, her thoughts were whirling.
    He was leaving and there was no reason why they should ever meet again.
    Gibbs announced that dinner was served and the three of them made their way into the dining room.
    He had lit candles on the table and Ravina was aware that Sir Richard was watching her across the dancing flames as she toyed with her soup and pushed the roast chicken around her plate.
    Conversation over the meal was polite and bland.
    When the last dishes had been removed, Ravina led the way into the drawing room where coffee was waiting for them.
    But Dulcie shook her head, saying she would never sleep if she drank coffee so late in the day and wishing them both good night, she withdrew.
    Gibbs served Sir Richard with a glass of brandy, leaving the two of them alone.
    The night had grown chilly and a small fire was crackling in the grate.
    â€œYour appetite seemed poor this evening, Lady Ravina,” Sir Richard commented, warming the bowl of his brandy glass between his hands. “I hope you have not overexerted yourself today. Inspecting houses that are in a state of disrepair can be tiring.”
    Ravina scowled.
    â€œThe majority of the building work has long been finished at the Priory,” she said. “Sir Michael did not show me any area that was unsafe. It is the adornment and furnishing of the house that are his next requirements.”
    â€œAnd do you feel your tastes and Sir Michael’s are similar?” he asked, gazing into the dancing flames.
    â€œThat is a very odd question, sir. Do you feel that one person’s view of beauty differs from another’s?”
    â€œYes, I do,” he replied calmly. “Indeed, I have no doubts that my ideas of what would make a home beautiful would be far removed from Sir Michael’s.”
    Ravina felt a flash of annoyance.
    She pushed aside the memory of her distaste at the overpowering and old-fashioned atmosphere that Sir Michael was already introducing into the Priory.
    â€œI suppose we learn first from our parents what they consider tasteful and beautiful and add our own opinions as we grow older,” she said.
    Sir Richard took a sip of brandy.
    â€œI must admit that having met your father, I can only imagine that his ideas would be beyond reproach.”
    â€œThat was in Greece, was it not?” Ravina asked. “Where you met?”
    There was a silence for a couple of heartbeats, before Sir Richard said,
    â€œYes, I was there on business and happened to make your father’s acquaintance. That was when he mentioned that Dorset would be a good area to look for a small estate when I