Read 104. A Heart Finds Love for Free Online

mean a lot to me,” the Duke said, “and when I return, still a bachelor thanks to your wonderful wedding dress, I will tell you all about it.”
    “It’s a promise you must keep. In the meantime I will find somewhere where we can be photographed, which will look as if a wedding is really taking place.”
    “That is most kind of you and then I will be here tomorrow afternoon at three o’clock. As soon as I have changed into my wedding clothes we will be photographed. Shall I pay you now or tomorrow for the gown?”
    Alnina drew in her breath.
    It seemed marvellous that she could have made so much money with so little effort.
    When the men, who had bought pieces of furniture came to the house, they had spent hours looking at them from every angle and they made sure that they were taking the best of the particular pieces they required.
    One man, who had wanted to buy a writing table, had insisted on going into every room before he finally decided to buy the one he had seen first.
    Alnina realised that the Duke was waiting for her to answer his question and she replied,
    “I would be most grateful if I could have the one thousand pounds immediately as there are so many people waiting for their payment. When one gets paid, the others are not so pressing as they are when I have nothing to give any of them!”
    “I understand. If I can sit down at your writing table, Miss Lester, I will give you a cheque.”
    “You will be more comfortable downstairs,” Alnina suggested.
    The Duke took a last look at the wedding dress.
    “It is certainly the finest I have ever seen,” he said, “and actually I have been to China.”
    “How lucky you are. I would love to go to the East and I will think of you amongst the wonderful mountains of the Caucasus. Are you going to climb them?”
    “I hope so.”
    As the Duke spoke, he thought that it would be a mistake to tell anyone why he was going back there and what he was really seeking.
    He walked to the door and Alnina followed him.
    “Do you really have to sell this house?” he asked as they walked down the stairs, “and if you do, where are you going to live?”
    “I wish I knew the answer to that question, but unfortunately Charles’s debts have to be paid and there are still a great number outstanding.”
    The Duke thought it very hard on her, but after all it was not his business and, as he walked into the study, he told himself that it would be a mistake to become involved.
    He wrote out a cheque for one thousand pounds and he could see by the delight in Alnina’s bright eyes how much it meant to her.
    In spite of his desire not to be involved he asked,
    “Surely you have relatives who would help you pay off Charles’s debts?”
    “They are all very old and the majority of them are quite poor, Your Grace. I remember Papa was thought of as the rich man of the family, but even he could not employ as many people as he wished to on the land and we were obliged to cut down the servants in the house.”
    “I suppose that would happen in a great number of families,” the Duke said.
    He thought as he spoke it was an idiotic remark.
    No families of his acquaintance had had their sons killed in a duel.
    “I expect I will manage,” Alnina said bravely, “and thank you, thank you for helping me with this cheque. I can assure you it will be very gratefully received by those who have waited so long to be paid.”
    As he walked towards the front door, he thought again that it was very sad for such a young and pretty girl to have to cope with anything so overwhelming.
    He picked up his hat from the hall and now, as he walked down the steps, he was thinking again that it would be silly of him to become involved even though this pretty girl had supplied him with exactly what he required for his own problem.
    As they reached the chaise, the Duke said,
    “Thank you once again for saying that I may come tomorrow and be photographed with you. I forgot to tell you that I don’t want