Praise for the novels of
SUSAN WIGGS
âWiggs has a knack for creating engaging characters, and her energetic prose shines through the pages.â
âPublishers Weekly on Enchanted Afternoon
Enchanted Afternoon is âa bold, humorous and poignant romance that fulfills every womanâs dreams.â
âNew York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd
âWith its lively prose, well-developed conflict and passionate characters, this enjoyable, poignant tale is certain to enchant.â
âPublishers Weekly on Halfway to Heaven (starred review)
âWiggsâ writing shimmersâ¦. Her flair for crafting intelligent characters and the sheer joy of the verbal sparring between them makes for a delightful story youâll want to devour at once.â
âBookPage on Halfway to Heaven
âWith this final installment of Wiggsâs Chicago Fire trilogy, she has created a quiet page-turner that will hold readers spellboundâ¦.â
âPublishers Weekly on The Firebrand
âOnce more, Ms. Wiggs demonstrates her ability to bring readers a story to savor that has them impatiently awaiting each new novel.â
âRomantic Times on The Hostage
âIn poetic prose, Wiggs evocatively captures the Old South and creates an intense, believable relationship between the lovers.â
âPublishers Weekly on The Horsemasterâs Daughter
âThe Charm School draws readers in with delightful characters, engaging dialogue, humor, emotion and sizzling sensuality.â
âCosta Mesa Sunday Times
Special thanks to Tom McEvoy and his Jet Skiâthe Neptune of mobile marine mechanics. Also to Alistair Cross for advice on the proper way to sabotage a schooner.
Heartfelt thanks to landlubbers: Joyce Bell, Christina Dodd, Betty Gyenes, Debbie Macomber and Barbara Dawson Smith.
Thanks to Laura Shin, whose superb editorial skills brought out the very best in the manuscript.
And finally a big thank-you to Carol and Don Audleman for the most convivial tavolo comune.
Whidbey Island, Washington
1894
âDonât scream, or Iâll shoot,â warned a low-pitched voice.
Leah Mundy jerked awake and found herself looking down the barrel of a gun.
Sheer panic jolted her to full alert.
âIâm not going to scream,â she said, dry-mouthed. In her line of work she had learned to control fear. Lightning flickered, glancing off the dull blue finish of a Colt barrel. âPlease donât hurt me.â Her voice broke but didnât waver.
âLady, thatâs up to you. Just do as youâre told, and nobodyâll get hurt.â
Do as youâre told. Leah Mundy certainly had practice at that. âWho are you,â she asked, âand what do you want?â
âWho I am is the man holding this gun. What I want is Dr. Mundy. Sign outside says he lives here.â
Thunder pulsed in the distance, echoing the thud of her heart. She forced herself to keep the waves of terror at bay as she blurted, âDr. Mundy does live here.â
âWell, go get him.â
âI canât do that.â
âWhy not?â
She swallowed, trying to collect her wits, failing miserably. âHeâs dead. He died three months ago.â
âSign says Dr. Mundy lives here.â Fury roughened the insistent voice.
âThe signâs right.â Rain lashed the windowpanes. She squinted into the gloom. Beyond the gun, she couldnât make out anything but the intruderâs dark shape. A loud snore drifted down the hall, and she glanced toward the noise. Think, think, think. Maybe she could alert one of the boarders.
The gun barrel jabbed at her shoulder. âFor chrissakes, woman, I donât have time for guessing gamesââ
âIâm Dr. Mundy.â
âWhat?â
âDr. Leah Mundy. My father was also a doctor. We were in practice together. But now thereâs just me.â
âJust you.â
âYes.â
âAnd youâre a doctor.â
âI am.â
The large shape shifted impatiently. She caught the scents of rain and brine on him. Rain and brine from the sea and something elseâ¦desperation.
âYouâll have to do, then. Get your things, woman. Youâre coming with me.â
She jerked the covers up under her chin. âI beg your pardon.â
âYouâll be begging for your sorry life if you donât get a move on.â
The threat in his voice struck like a whip. She didnât argue. Spending three years with her father back in Deadwood, South Dakota, had taught her to respect a threat issued by a man holding a gun.
But sheâd never learned to respect the man himself.
âTurn your back while I get dressed,â she said.
âThatâs pretty lame, even for a lady doctor,â he muttered. âIâm not fool enough to turn my back.â
âAny man who bullies unarmed people is a fool,â she snapped.