The Treasure Is Love — Barbara Cartland

Major Tyson Dale returns home victorious from the wars against Napoleon to find his estate fallen into decay and the title stolen by his uncle. While drowning his sorrows at the local posting house, he overhears a plot to abduct a beautiful young girl. Determined to save her, he outwits the villains and hides the lovely girl in his crumbling mansion.

"This has been a dream," Vania said, "but I can never... awaken to how I was before. Even if you will not... have me, Tyson, I am yours!"

Tyson rose from the sofa and went towards the open window. Then he turned.

"Come here!" The words were a command and almost be-fore he had spoken them Vania ran across the room to him.

"Tomorrow we have to leave each other through no fault of our own," he said. "But because fate is against us, I am going to say goodbye to you now."

For a moment Vania did not move. Then, suddenly, fiercely, Tyson's lips came down on hers. His kiss grew more demanding, more insistent, and the rapture she felt deepened until it embraced the whole world and touched the stars above them.

"This is love!" Vania thought to herself. "This is love as I always knew it would be if only I could find it...."