The Maiden And The Warrior
The War Within Is Always Hardest Won, Lucien de Montregnier knew, for he daily battled demons from his past.Still, his fighting prowess had won him an unexpected boon: Lady Alayna of Avenford, a hellcat with a heart who alone could save him from his greatest enemy - himself!Widowed before she was truly a wife, Alayna of Avenford now found herself claimed as a war prize by Lucien de Montregnier, a warrior as well known for his fierce nature as he was for his skill in battle. She despised him, of course. But why, then, did his merest glance ignite her very soul?
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“My kisses do not please you, madam?”
Lucien ground out, annoyed as much with his own show of weakness as with her perfidy.
“You know they do not,” she answered coolly.
“I think you are lying. Do not disappoint me, Alayna. You have always been brutally honest.” He forced himself to relax his grip, sending her stumbling back. “So tell me, what may I do to please you?”
Her lip curled as she tilted her head to its familiar angle. “Why do you keep taunting me in this cruel game? I cannot wait to be rid of you! You will regret it when my mother arrives.”
“And what do you imagine will happen then, my lady love?” Dension dripped from every word.
Alayna did not flinch She leveled her emerald gaze at him and said, “Then I will see your head served to me upon a silver platter for what you have done…!”
Dear Reader,
March is the time of spring, of growth, and the budding of things to come. Like these four never-before-published authors that we selected for our annual March Madness Promotion. These fresh new voices in historical romance are bound to be tomorrow’s stars!
Among this year’s choices for the month is The Maiden and the Warrior by Jacqueline Navin, a heartrending medieval tale about a fierce warrior who is saved from the demons that haunt him when he marries the widow of the man who sold him into slavery. Goodness also prevails in Gabriel’s Heart by Madeline George. In this flirty Western, an ex-sheriff uses a feisty socialite to exact revenge, but ends up falling in love with her first!
Last Chance Bride by Jillian Hart is a touching portrayal of a lonely spinster-turned-mail-order-bride who shows an embittered widower the true meaning of love on the rugged Montana frontier. And don’t miss A Duke Deceived by Cheryl Bolen, a Regency story about a handsome duke whose hasty marriage to a penniless noblewoman is tested by her secret deeds.
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:
Silhouette Reader Service
U S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3
JACQUELINE NAVIN
lives in Maryland with her husband and three small children, where she works in private practice as a psychologist. Writing has been her hobby since the sixth grade, and she has boxes full of incomplete manuscripts to prove it. She decided to take writing seriously five years ago. The Maiden and the Warrior is the result.
When asked, as she often is, how she finds time in her busy schedule to write, she replies that it is not a problem—thanks to the staunch support of her husband, who is not unused to doing the dinner dishes and tucking the kids into bed. However, finding time to do the laundry—that’s a problem.
Jacqueline would love to hear from readers. Please write to her at this address: c/o P.O. Box 1611, Bel Air, MD 21014.
To my parents, John and Patricia Lepore, for their unequivocal support and for teaching me an important lesson in real-life love.
To my children, Kelly, Lindsey and Lucas, whom I adore beyond imagining.
And to Mick, without whom I could never have done it. For your faith and strength and unfailing belief in me, I thank you. YOU are one in a thousand.
England, 1180
Lucien de Montregnier stood over his opponent, his sword pressed against the tender flesh of the other’s neck so that the wicked edge raised a thin line of blood. Every fiber in his body was alive, humming with emotion, his mind exploding with a heady mixture of bitterness and joy. This moment, the one for which he had waited an eternity, was at last here. He had dreamed of it for so very long that the intensity filled him with exquisite, almost painful, rapture. His breath came in great gulps and a thunderous pulse pounded in his ears, but his hand was steady.
His captive said, “I will pay any ransom you demand.”
De Montregnier grinned, feeling a surge of victory that left him trembling. “I have enough riches,” he replied.
He could see by Edgar du Berg’s sly expression that his mind was racing over possibilities. Patiently Lucien waited, watching every nuance of the other man’s face, savoring the intoxicating knowledge that he had this man, his long-despised enemy, at his mercy.
Apparently du Berg decided on his tactic, saying, “Let us bargain, like reasonable men. I have no quarrel with you. I do not even know who you are. You have attacked me without cause, and have fought for two days. You were very clever to strike the day after my wedding, when my men and I are the worse for the night’s revelries. I can tell you, that is why it was so easy for you to breach the outer walls.”
