The Secret of the Glen

Barbara Cartland

2013-02 · The Eternal Collection 44 knyga · Barbara Cartland EBooks ltd

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Alone in the world following the tragic death of her parents, lovely Leona Grenville travels to Scotland to stay with the Duke of Ardness, the widowed husband of her late mother's closest friend. Penniless and grief-stricken, Leona seeks comfort and security, which she hopes the Duke can offer. Exhilarated by the wild beauty of the moors, Leona spirits rise and she begins to believe that in the Highlands she can find happiness and peace again. But the weather swiftly deteriorates and amidst the biting wind and icy rain her coach is involved in an accident. Terrified by the howling storm and stumbling in the darkness she is rescued by Lord Strathcairn, who offers shelter at nearby Cairn Castle for the night. Believing she has found a kindred spirit in her new friend, Leona is devastated by his cold demeanor once he discovers that her true destination is his nearest neighbour, the Duke. Refusing to discuss his change of heart, Lord Strathcairn bids her farewell and arranges for her to leave his home at the earliest possible moment. Crossing the boundary into the Duke's estate she sees the brutal eviction of some crofters and arrives at Ardness Castle angry and determined to confront her new protector. But immediately she is confused. How can the violence she witnessed have been done with the knowledge of the kindly man waiting to greet her? As the Duke lavishes money and attention on his guest, Leona begins to suspect that dark secrets are harboured within the bleak walls of Ardness and wishes she had never left the safety of Cairn Castle. Remembering Lord Strathcairn's whispered promise to always help her, Leona knows that there is only one thing left to do - she must find a way to reach him and escape Ardness Castle and the sinister Duke for ever.

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Barbara Cartland was the world's most prolific novelist, having written an astounding 723 books in her lifetime, including 644 romantic novels that achieved worldwide sales of over one billion copies and were translated into 36 different languages. In addition to romantic novels, she also authored historical biographies, six autobiographies, theatrical plays, and advice books on life, love, vitamins, and cookery. Cartland penned her first book, "Jigsaw," at the age of 21, which became an immediate bestseller, selling 100,000 copies in hardback in England and throughout Europe in translation. Remarkably, between the ages of 77 and 97, she increased her literary output, writing an incredible 400 romances to meet the global demand for her work. She wrote her final book at the age of 97, prophetically titled "The Way to Heaven." Her popularity was immense in the United States, where in 1976 her current books held the number 1 and 2 spots on the B. Dalton bestsellers list simultaneously, a unique achievement. Barbara Cartland became a legend in her lifetime, particularly cherished for her romantic novels. Her works are treasured for their moral messages, pure and innocent heroines, handsome and dashing heroes, blissful happy endings, and above all, her belief in the power of love as the most important aspect of life. Her millions of readers around the world continue to collect her books to read again and again, especially during times of misery or depression, finding solace in the love and happiness that define her stories.