The Castle

Beautiful, flirtatious and romantic Valeria Montford is used to attracting admiring glances from the most eligible young men in Society. But galloping through the French countryside she discovers that pride definitely comes before a fall. A confident horsewoman, she is mortified when she is thrown in full view of Lord Charles Waterford. Embarrassed, and missing the usual praise for her equine skills, she decides that she hates Lord Waterford for making her feel humiliated.
Then she meets Sir Peter Cousins – devastatingly handsome, exciting and slightly dangerous. Enchanted by Sir Peter's charm and obvious admiration Valeria becomes even more contemptuous of Lord Waterford's quieter nature.
Back in England, Valeria's beloved father sadly confesses that a cad has defrauded him of his fortune. He can see only one way to pay his creditors and escape total financial ruin – Valeria must make a good marriage, and he already has a prospective suitor in mind.
Still dreaming of Sir Peter and horrified at the prospect of a marriage without love, Valeria's heart is thrown into confusion. So when Lord Waterford suggests that she helps him restore his Castle she seizes the chance to escape, hoping against hope that Sir Peter will find her and offer a proposal that will satisfy everyone.
In London, as the cream of Society prepares for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, Valeria is faced with the most difficult decision of her life. Should she accept her father's choice of suitor and assure her family's place in Society? Or hold out for the man she really loves?
But just as Valeria comes to understand the true nature of love, friendship and security it seems that she has lost all chance of happiness forever.

Barbara Cartland was the world's most prolific novelist who wrote an amazing 723 books in her lifetime, of which no less than 644 were romantic novels with worldwide sales of over 1 billion copies and her books were translated into 36 different languages.
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, theatrical plays and books of advice on life, love, vitamins and cookery.
She wrote her first book at the age of 21 and it was called Jigsaw. It became an immediate bestseller and sold 100,000 copies in hardback in England and all over Europe in translation.
Between the ages of 77 and 97 she increased her output and wrote an incredible 400 romances as the demand for her romances was so strong all over the world.
She wrote her last book at the age of 97 and it was entitled perhaps prophetically The Way to Heaven.
Her books have always been immensely popular in the United States where in 1976 her current books were at numbers 1 & 2 in the B. Dalton bestsellers list, a feat never achieved before or since by any author.
Barbara Cartland became a legend in her own lifetime and will be best remembered for her wonderful romantic novels so loved by her millions of readers throughout the world, who have always collected her books to read again and again, especially when they feel miserable or depressed.
Her books will always be treasured for their moral message, her pure and innocent heroines, her handsome and dashing heroes, her blissful happy endings and above all for her belief that the power of love is more important than anything else in everyone's life.