Her Highland Protector

‘I imagine not, after what almost happened today,’ Niall murmured sympathetically.

Not only that. But how could she admit that she hadn’t been able to sleep because of the way he’d intruded on her thoughts. The way she’d kept remembering the taste of him, the scent of the wild outdoors that clung to him. She couldn’t, so she merely nodded.

He closed his eyes briefly. ‘I felt sure the man in the market was going to carry you away. It makes me go cold every time I think of it.’

‘Your arrival was timely,’ she whispered, gazing up into his eyes, mesmerised by the heat she saw in their depths.

Slowly his hand lifted to her shoulder—a light touch, but searing—and she welcomed the contact, the feeling of not being quite so alone as she had been since her father died.

His other hand cradled her cheek. Warm. Callused. Yet infinitely gentle. She held her breath, fearful and wanting. Revelling in his touch when she knew she should shove him away. And knowing she did not want to.

It is not often that I can point to a particular inspiration for one of my stories, but I can for this one. My theme for HER HIGHLAND PROTECTOR came after a visit to Lulworth Castle in Dorset. It was built as a hunting lodge, and after several renovations was used during the Regency era as a country house by several illustrious tenants. It is now a burned-out shell. It was the picture displayed on one of the walls of that building that stayed with me long after I had returned home—a painting of the burning castle in the background, and neighbours and holidaymakers watching the ‘show’. Over time, this lingering image became a major scene in this book.

I do hope you enjoy Niall and Jenna’s story and will visit me at my website http://www.annlethbridge.com If you are interested in my rambles around Britain as I seek ideas for my stories you can find lots of pictures at http://www.regencyramble.blogspot.com

ANN LETHBRIDGE has been reading Regency novels for as long as she can remember. She always imagined herself as Lizzie Bennet, or one of Georgette Heyer’s heroines, and would often recreate the stories in her head with different outcomes or scenes. When she sat down to write her own novel it was no wonder that she returned to her first love: the Regency.

Ann grew up roaming Britain with her military father. Her family lived in many towns and villages across the country, from the Outer Hebrides to Hampshire. She spent memorable family holidays in the West Country and in Dover, where her father was born. She now lives in Canada, with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and a Maltese terrier named Teaser, who spends his days on a chair beside the computer, making sure she doesn’t slack off.

Ann visits Britain every year, to undertake research and also to visit family members who are very understanding about her need to poke around old buildings and visit every antiquity within a hundred miles. If you would like to know more about Ann and her research, or to contact her, visit her website at www.annlethbridge.com. She loves to hear from readers.

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I would like to dedicate this book to all the people who work on my beautiful covers, as well as the wonderful staff at Harlequin Mills & Boon who make it possible for you to read my stories. I would particularly like to thank Bill and Lin, who suggested I visit Lulworth and who cheerfully put up with hours of my poking around in odd corners, taking pictures. Thank you.

Heart pounding in her ears, Lady Jenna Aleyne gazed at the three shabby ruffians blocking the road and cursed her ill luck. The horse picking up a stone in its hoof the moment she was out of sight of the castle had been bad enough, but three men intent on mischief looked like a disaster in the making.

On a normal day, she would have been accompanied by a groom, but this morning she’d heard through one of the local lads that a tinker in the market carried news of Braemuir, if she was interested.