The Duchess And The Desperado
Morgan Calhoun Was A Wanted Man Morgan knew he would someday prove his innocence, but for now Sarah Challoner needed his protection, and he was determined to guard her with his life… even if it meant loosing both his freedom… and his heart!Sarah's lofty title had proven to be of little use in the rugged lawlessness of the American West, and when exrancher Morgan Calhoun offered her his help, she could only hope that her faith in the desperate man was not a mistake she would later regret!
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“I want you, Mr. Calhoun,” she said, giving him the full force of her compelling gaze.Letter to ReaderTitle PageDedicationAbout the AuthorACKNOWLEDGEMENTChapter OneChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourChapter FiveChapter SixChapter SevenChapter EightChapter NineChapter TenChapter ElevenChapter TwelveChapter ThirteenChapter FourteenChapter FifteenChapter SixteenChapter SeventeenChapter EighteenChapter NineteenChapter TwentyChapter Twenty-OneChapter Twenty-TwoChapter Twenty-ThreeChapter Twenty-FourChapter Twenty-FiveChapter Twenty-SixChapter Twenty-SevenChapter Twenty-EightChapter Twenty-NineChapter ThirtyChapter Thirty-OneCopyright
Welcome to the world of
Harlequin Historicals as we celebrate 10 years of bringing you the best in historical romance.
Thiw month’s books include:
THE TIGER’S BRIDE by USA Today
Western from Mary McBride
THE COURTSHIP OF IZZY McCREE—
Ruthe Langan’s 20th title for Harlequin Historicals
FIRE SONG—a dramatic medieval novel
from Catherine Archer
Our thanks to this month’s
featured writers and to all the authors, editors and booksellers, past and present, who have worked so hard to make Harlequin Historicals what it is today.
“I want you, Mr. Calhoun,” she said, giving him the full force of her compelling gaze.
His groin tightened as the words echoed in his head. I want you. Lord, what he’d give to hear a woman like her saying such words with a more intimate meaning!
“And you’ll be handsomely paid, I do assure you—with no backbreaking work.”
“No, no backbreaking work,” he agreed. “I could live real easy, bein’ your bodyguard—and get killed with an easy bullet.”
Her face paled. “Yes, there is a risk, as you saw this afternoon. But I don’t want to die, either. Perhaps all it will take to discourage this scoundrel is the presence of a strong, intelligent man prepared to defend me.”
“You don’t know me,” he told her, locking his gaze to hers. “You don’t know anythin’ about me, Duchess. Everythin’ I’ve told you could be a lie!”
Dear Reader,
Next month, Harlequin Historicals>® turns ten years old! But we have such a terrific lineup this month, we thought we’d start celebrating early. To begin, award-winning author Laune Grant, who is known for her stirring Medievals and gritty Westerns, returns with a delightful new story, The Duchess and the Desperado. Here, a rancher turned fugitive inadvertently becomes a bodyguard to the very visible Duchess of Malvern when her life is threatened during a goodwill tour of the American West. Don’t miss it!
In The Shadowed Heart by Nina Beaumont, set in eighteenth-century Europe, a beautiful young woman on a quest for vengeance unwittingly falls in love with the man she thinks may have harmed her sister.... Also out for revenge is Jesse Kincaid, of MONTANA MAVERICKS: RETURN TO WHITEHORN fame, when he kidnaps his enemy’s mail-order bride in Wild West Wife by popular Silhouette>® author Susan Mallery.
Rounding out the month is A Warrior’s Honor, the next Medieval in Margaret Moore’s popular WARRIOR SERIES. In this tale a knight is tricked by a fellow nobleman into abducting a beautiful lady, but, guided by honor—and love—seeks to rescue her from his former friend.
Whatever your tastes in reading, you’ll be sure to find a romantic journey back to the past between the covers of a Harlequin Historical>®.
Sincerely,
Tracy Farrell
Senior Editor
Please address questions and book requests to:
Harlequin Reader Service U S.: 3010 Walden Ave., PO. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269 Canadian P.O. Box 609, Fort Ene, Ont. L2A 5X3
To Mary Jo Putney, for teaching me the joys of letters
patent, and, as always, to Michael.
LAURIE GRANT
combines a career as a trauma center emergency room nurse with that of historical romance author; she says living in two worlds keeps her sane. Passionately enthusiastic about the history of both England and Texas, she divides her travel time between these two spots. She is married to her own real-life hero, and has two teenage daughters, two dogs and a cat.
If you would like to write to Laurie, please use the following address: Laurie Grant, P.O. Box 307272, Gahana, OH 43230.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank the Denver Historical Society for
their invaluable assistance regarding the home of Territorial Governor McCook and the hotels of the time.
Chapter One
Malvern Hall,
Herefordshire, England,
1872
“I wish you wouldn’t go,” Sarah heard her sister, Kathryn, mutter as she watched Sarah selecting dresses from her wardrobe and directing the maids in their packing.
Sarah Challoner, Duchess of Malvern, looked over her shoulder at Kathryn and was touched. She thought her younger sibling looked wistful. She smiled. “Going to miss me, are you, Kat?”
Kathryn made a moue of disgust. “Don’t call me that. Thierry says it isn’t dignified.” She turned and gazed out the window that looked over the Malvern Hills in all their glory. “And yes, I am going to miss you. It sounds as if you’ll be gone forever.”
“I cannot call you Kat anymore?” Sarah said in mock dismay, struggling to hide her amusement. “But you have been my little sister Kat since you were born ! Ah...yes, Tilly, I believe I will take the blue foulard,” she said, pointing at a gown the maid held out for consideration.
