HOW TO TAME A RAKE
Country girl Wilhelmina Corbet is certain that her betrothed, Blake, Viscount Dangerfield disapproves of just about everything about her.
Excerpt:
At first, she thought it a pile of autumn leaves. On closer inspection she found a fox cub. As she knelt down to him, he lifted his head, his dark eyes pleading.
“Oh, you poor, poor thing,” she said, stroking the red-gold coat. How beautiful he was.
He’d hurt a leg, probably in one of those horrid traps. It was broken, dangling at an odd angle.
She knew just what to do about it. She’d splinted one of her dogs back home when he broke his
leg jumping from a high wall.
Picking the cub up carefully, she cradled him against her chest. He didn’t struggle.
Perhaps he knew that she was a friend, or was too weak to care.
Willy carried him along the path. As she rounded the corner of the house, she came face to face with Blake.
“I’m glad to see you out and about,” he began. He looked surprised. “What on earth do you have there?”
“A fox cub. He’s hurt his leg. I’ll have to splint it.”
“You’ll do what?”
“A splint. You use a straight piece of . . .”
“I know what a splint is, Willy! But this is fox hunting country. We can’t keep a fox here.”
“Why not? When his leg is healed he will go and join the other foxes.” Her lip trembled.
“And then you can hunt him down and kill him.”
“For Lord’s sake!” Blake searched her face as she hugged the animal in her arms.
“Come on, then. It’s destroying your gown. Fortunately, that’s no great loss.” He turned and
headed back towards the stables. “We’ll get my groom to splint it.”
“And feed and water him until he’s strong again?” she called after him.
“All right!”
Early the next morning, Willy returned to the stables. Blake found her there. The fox
had a stall all to itself. He was sitting up, his ears pricked. “Won’t be long before its leg is
mended,” he said. “Then you must let it go, Willy.”
“Of course. He’s a wild thing.” She stroked the fox’s back.
“Arrangements have been made for you and my mother to go to London. Tomorrow.”
Willy gazed up at him. “You’ll look after Felix?”
“Who?”
“That’s his name. Felix. “Promise you’ll look after him after I’ve gone.”
Blake tilted his head, gazing down at her. “You are a strange girl, Willy. I would have
expected you to be far more interested in your trip to London.”
She stood and shook out her skirts. “I’m very excited, I assure you. I must go and pack.”
“The maids will do it,” he called after her. “But you can leave most of your clothes
behind.”
Willy had a strange impulse to turn and poke her tongue out at him. But she didn’t want
him to think her a child. She put her fingers to her lips. She would always remember her first
kiss.
STIRRING PASSIONS
Kate Kilgarth is on the scent of a good mystery. She just wishes her childhood friend, Laurie would stop trying to thwart her and join in.
Excerpt:
She had glanced in every room when they'd arrived and surmised that Sir
Harold's study must be on the floor above. There was no one about as she climbed the stairs. The first room she came to made her gasp in surprise. It was Sir Harold's bedroom. On the wall above the bed was an enormous crest of ostrich feathers from which purple silk drapes cascaded. Kate gazed at it spellbound, then quickly fled through a door beside the monstrous bed. This was quite obviously a gentleman's study. A large desk and leather chair sat at one end. Running over to it, Kate saw with dismay that the desktop was covered in reams of paper. She looked back at the door then began quickly searching through. She didn't know what she should be looking for. Most were government business, and tradesman's bills. Nothing leapt out at her.
Surely, Sir Harold would not leave anything suspicious out for the servants to see, she thought despondently. She opened the drawers of the desk and gasped. Inside one was an evil looking pistol, and a set of keys.
Above the fireplace at the far end of the room hung a painting in a heavy, gilt frame. It was a depiction of Judith, holding Holofernes bloody head in her
hands. Both repelled and fascinated, Kate was drawn to it, and when she moved closer, she found a wooden safe hidden behind a screen. She was sure one of the keys in the drawer would fit it, but it was too late to do anything about it now.
She had been gone too long and her absence would soon be noticed. She left the study and walked across the bedroom, just as Sir Harold appeared at the door.
"I didn't expect to find such an adornment in my bedroom, Miss Kilgarth," he said, quickly crossing the room.
"I came in search of a mirror, Sir Harold," Kate answered.
"My curls needed attention." She attempted to go around him.
He placed a hand on her arm, halting her progress. "You are a perfect angel. You have no need of mirrors, Katherine."
His voice was husky and far too close to her ear. It sent a shiver running up her spine.
"There you are, Kat. You've been an age and you did promise me another game of cards before we left." Laurie stood in the doorway. Kate had never been so glad to see him.
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully. Mercifully, Laurie didn't have an opportunity to lecture her. Kate felt relieved, but by the time she retired to bed, her mind was spinning from trying to find a way to return and open the
safe.
She had just placed her head on the pillow when the bedroom door opened. A figure stood highlighted by the candlelight flickering in the hall.
"Kat, are you awake?"
"For goodness sake, Laurie. You'll get us into the worst trouble," she said. "Come in and shut the door."
As he closed the door behind him, the room became too dark to see. She felt him sit beside her on the bed. "I'd better not light the candle," he said in a whisper. His breath feathered her hair. "What were you up to, tonight?"
"I had a quick look around. I didn't find anything," she said crossly. For some reason she was finding it hard to breathe. What was wrong with her? It was only Laurie.
A hand came out to touch her, alighting on her breast and disappearing again as if scalded. "Damn it all, Kate," Laurie said in a low voice. "I want you to promise you'll stop this madness."
There seemed such a gulf between them. She wanted to lean against him and fill it with her body. "Lie down for a minute. We'll talk about it."
"This is madness, Kat," he said as he lay down beside her. The length of his body through the bedclothes seemed to set hers on fire.
"This is cozy isn't it?" she said breathlessly.
Laurie rolled over partly on top of her. She welcomed the blissful weight of him.
"God, Kat. What are you doing to me," he groaned. His lips found her neck.
"You know how much I care for you. Promise me you'll stop this."
"How can I promise, Laurie, when Jason's life is in danger?"
"It's Jason, now is it?" he asked as he moved away. "So that's the way it is. You're in love with the fellow."
"I'm not, Laurie," she said as she felt him leave the bed.
The door opened and closed, leaving her alone in the darkness. "I'm not."
Review: This is an exceptional romance that is full of action, adventure and danger. Set at a fast pace, this tale carries you through the twists and turns and keeps you intrigued with the adventure that Kate is going through.COFFEE TIME ROMANCE
LOVE AND WAR
Selena Wakefield is only too aware that her new husband married her for her money. She was quite prepared for that, but not how he keeps disappearing – and before the marriage is even consummated! He has come seriously ill, with bruises on his body he refuses to tell her about.
Excerpt:
At the end of the third week, Gyles was sitting in the morning sun, gazing out the window. Selena saw him impatiently push back a lock of blond hair.
"You need a shave and your hair needs cutting. As you no longer have your batman and we don't have a manservant. I'll send for a barber in the village."
"You do it."
She gave a nervous laugh. "Aren't you afraid I'll cut your throat?"
He grinned. "Make a good job of it if you do."
She went away and found his shaving things and a sharp pair of scissors. She returned to throw a towel around his shoulders as he lay back in the chair.
She soaped his face carefully, taking in every loved feature she longed to kiss. As she leaned over him, he moved his knee, positioning it between her legs. A thrill went through her. Unnerved, her hand shook and she hesitated, before making a small scrape at his cheek.
"Not like that, woman," he said, taking it out of her hands. "Fetch me a mirror."
She gave him a hand mirror and watched his long fingers grip the razor as he expertly shaved off the beard. "You get used to this in the army," he said, as he tidied his sideburns.
"You never talk about your army days."
"Maybe some day I will." The note of finality in his voice warned her not to pursue it.
He wiped his face with a towel. "That feels better. How do I look?"
He still had dark circles under his eyes. She took a breath, aware of just how sick he'd been. "Much better."
She picked up the scissors. His hair was almost shoulder length. "How short shall I make it?"
"Just lop off a couple of inches," he said indifferently. She leaned in, feeling his shoulder press into her stomach as she ran her fingers through his hair. The gold strands were as silky to the touch as they appeared. She combed it and cut the ends with only the sound of their breathing and the click of the scissors in the quiet room. The atmosphere seemed heavy with expectation as her fingers touched the nape of his neck. His hair was so thick it slid away from the scissor blades, making her fear she would hack it out of shape. She
parted it and cut it in sections, tuffs of hair falling onto the sheet and the floor.
She moved around to face him and see what she had done. He was looking up at her, his expression one she hadn't seen before. The edgy look she was used to was bsent. To be replaced by what? Trust? Not love, surely. She dare not hope for such a thing.
He put an arm around her hips and pulled her onto his lap.
"Give me a kiss."
"You're not well enough yet," she said, pushing him away and jumping up. Although every fiber of her being yearned to kiss him, she was afraid to give in to him. She knew if she did all her resolve would be gone, and the war that waged between them, he for her acquiescence, she for his respect if
not his love, would be lost.
WHEN DANGER FOLLOWS
Excerpt:
Angela retreated to the garden to commune with her chickens. When Caitlin came out to find her she said, “There’s a battle of wills going on between those two and I doubt Vanessa will win it.” She threw feed around and made clucking noises. “She’s acting dumb. You don’t try to push a guy like Jake around without a very good reason. And you get on with his kids. That’s not too hard, surely.”
“Of course not. They’re great kids.” Caitlin helped her shut the gate. “Shall we goback?”
Angela grimaced. “If we must.”
Harry offered Caitlin another riding lesson. Glad to be back on a mates footing with him, she grabbed the opportunity eager for a few hours away from the house.
They rode out before noon. Caitlin found she was becoming acclimatized to the heat.
They rode for almost an hour before Harry dismounted to rest his horse. He held Caitlin’s reins
for her to do the same. “About three kilometers from here are some Aboriginal cave paintings,”
he said. “People come from all over the world to see them.”
She was far more confident in the saddle. In fact, she was ready to surprise Jake with
what she could do. She was just waiting for the opportunity.
“Can we make it to the caves and back before dark?” She had no wish to add to the
unsettled atmosphere at Tall Trees.
“With time to spare. I’ve brought torches and water. Look, even a couple of sandwiches.
Hungry?”
Eyeing the squashed bundle of plastic wrap, she said, “Who made them? Columbine?”
“Funny girl. I did. Ham-and-tomato or cheese-and-tomato.”
“I guess beggars can’t be choosers.” Caitlin took the cheese-and-tomato and began to
unwrap it.
Harry laughed. “That’s very ungracious of you, Caitlin. Water?” He handed her a bottle. “Eat up, the land levels out ahead and I want to see how well you can gallop.”
She sat down on a rock to eat and then jumped up again as a fat lizard came to claim it.
“I sometimes feel like I’ve come to another planet,” she said crossly, backing away as the lizard
stared up at her and made a loud, hissing sound.
“A goanna.” Harry said, dismissing it.
It looked menacing to her. A hawk floated in the sky above them and the goanna suddenly came to life, crawling away out of sight. Relieved, Caitlin moved away, but she was aware she was not top of the food chain here and it put her constantly on the alert.
They mounted their horses again and she showed off how much she’d improved. Far less like a sack of potatoes thumping about in the saddle, but still lacking the grace and ease of the men.
Harry passed her easily and headed towards a rocky outcrop in the distance.
“Wait,” she called. “Columbine doesn’t have legs like Thunderbolt.”
He returned and circled her. “Talking about legs,” he said teasingly.
“Down boy,” she replied, grinning. They’d arrived at the outcrop and she saw the mouth
of the caves that probably ran deep into the earth.
They tied up the horses in some shade from a pile of rocks. “I’m not about to wander
miles underground, Harry.”
“We don’t have to go very far,” he replied, as she followed him inside.
They moved deeper into the cave, away from the entrance, the light from their torches
bouncing off the rock walls.
“Ow!” Caitlin yelled, freaking out as something slithered past her.
“What is it now?” Harry asked in a wry tone, his voice echoing around her.
“Something ran over my foot,” she said indignantly.
“Probably just a snake.”
“A snake!” she flinched, her sweaty fingers almost dropping the torch.
Harry’s torch raked the ground at her feet. After a brief look, its glow returned to the
cave wall. “A small carpet python. It’s gone now.”
“Harry,” she said firmly. “I don’t intend to die of snake bite here in this cave.”
“Shush, Woman,” he said. “Look.”
Caitlin aimed her torch where Harry was pointing his, then held her breath. The wall was covered with animals and strange images painted in clay and earth colors. They almost came to
life in the light of their torches. “Amazing.” she said. “How old would these be?”
“Hundreds of years, I reckon.”
She let out her breath. “Some look like creatures from outer space.”
“They symbolize the Aboriginal Dreamtime.”
“The Dreamtime?”
“The Aboriginal take on the afterlife.”
It was deathly quiet in the cave. The cool darkness wrapped itself around Caitlin and she
shivered.
She felt his hand warm on her shoulder. “You’re shaking. Are you okay?”
They made her think of death. Of Blaine, Mary and Max. And her own mortality. “I’ve
never seen anything like this, that’s all,” she whispered.
“The place is getting to you. Come outside.”
In the dazzling sunlight spots danced before her eyes. She almost welcomed the heat. it
warmed her and made her feel alive. “Harry, what if that had been a poisonous snake in there
and it bit me. What would you have done?”
“You should know about that.” He searched around the ground and selected a small,
reasonably straight branch, then pulled off his belt. “Give me your leg.”
“What!”
“Your leg,” he grinned. “It’s safe with me.”
Caitlin put her leg up on the rock beside him. He carefully rolled up the bottom of her
jeans to the knee. “You’d find two puncture wounds where it bit you,” he said, touching her calf
gently. He placed the branch against her leg, and then deftly wound the belt around it firmly,
winding upwards. “You have to immobilize the limb. It stops the poison from spreading. I
sucked the poison out once when a young cowhand got himself bit, but that’s not advised any
more, they need the venom for snake identification.”
“What about an antivenin ?”
“The Doc down in the town keeps some handy, but if you’re bitten by a Brown or a
Taipan you don’t have much time.”
“Can I have my leg back before you cut off the circulation?”
“You’re no fun. Come on, time to head back. You do want to get back before dark?”
“Yes, please!”
“We’ll have to ride flat out.” |
