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Protected by the Major - Carol Townend - Читать любовный роман онлайн в женской библиотеке LadyLib.Net
Protected by the Major - Carol Townend - Скачать любовный роман в женской библиотеке LadyLib.Net
Herries Anne
Protected by the Major
Аннотация к произведению Protected by the Major - Carol Townend
Sullied, Shamed and Surrendered!Bound by marriage to a cruel lord, Madeline no longer dares to remember the innocent love she once shared with Major Hallam Ravenscar.But when her husband offers her favors to a notoriously depraved marquis to settle his debts, Maddie knows she must escape. Her good name compromised, Maddie must withstand the scandal that looms in the wake of her departure. Should she turn to noble, honorable Hallam, or would she end up tainting him with her shame?Officers and GentlemenFor duty, for honor, for love
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OFFICERS AND GENTLEMEN
OFFICERS AND GENTLEMEN
For duty, for honour, for love
Bound by honour and family ties, three brave men fought for their lives in France…
Now, back in the drawing rooms of England, they face a new battle as three beautiful women lay siege to their scarred hearts!
PROTECTED BY THE MAJOR January 2014
DRAWN TO LORD RAVENSCAR February 2014
COURTED BY THE CAPTAIN Already available
AUTHOR NOTE
This is the second of the Ravenscar cousins’ trilogy. Hallam helped Adam when their cousin Mark Ravenscar was murdered. Now that they have caught the culprit Adam and Jenny are married and Hal turns his mind to his own problems. He has never been able to forget Madeline, the girl he asked to wed him before he joined the army. She turned him down to marry a wealthy lord, but now he has discovered that she is desperately unhappy. Should he forgive her for the pain she caused him and help her in her time of need?
I hope my readers will enjoy this second book. The third is coming soon.
Love to you all.
Protected
by the Major
Anne Herries
I would like to dedicate this, the second of the cousins’ trilogy, to my editors at HM&B past and present for all the help they have given me over the years.
Anne Herries lives in Cambridgeshire, where she is fond of watching wildlife and spoils the birds and squirrels that are frequent visitors to her garden. Anne loves to write about the beauty of nature, and sometimes puts a little into her books, although they are mostly about love and romance. She writes for her own enjoyment, and to give pleasure to her readers. Anne is a winner of the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romance Prize. She invites readers to contact her on her website: www.lindasole.co.uk
Previous novels by the same author:
THE RAKE’S REBELLIOUS LADY
A COUNTRY MISS IN HANOVER SQUARE AN INNOCENT DEBUTANTE IN HANOVER SQUARE* THE MISTRESS OF HANOVER SQUARE* THE PIRATE’S WILLING CAPTIVE FORBIDDEN LADY† THE LORD’S FORCED BRIDE† HER DARK AND DANGEROUS LORD† FUGITIVE COUNTESS† BOUGHT FOR THE HAREM HOSTAGE BRIDE THE DISAPPEARING DUCHESS** THE MYSTERIOUS LORD MARLOWE** THE SCANDALOUS LORD LANCHESTER** SECRET HEIRESS BARTERED BRIDE CAPTAIN MOORCROFT’S CHRISTMAS BRIDE (part of Candlelit Christmas Kisses) A STRANGER’S TOUCH† HIS UNUSUAL GOVERNESS PROMISED TO THE CRUSADER COURTED BY THE CAPTAIN‡
*A Season in Town †The Melford Dynasty **Secrets and Scandals ‡Officers and Gentlemen
And in the Regency series The Steepwood Scandal:
LORD RAVENSDEN’S MARRIAGE
COUNTERFEIT EARL
Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk
Contents
Prologue
‘Please do not do this,’ the handsome young cavalry officer begged, catching at the girl’s arm as she started to walk away. ‘If you marry him you will break my heart and I know he cannot make you happy, Madeline.’
She blinked back her tears as she looked at him, her green eyes misty and filled with an appeal that caught at his heart. She was lovely, with her long, naturally wavy hair brushing her shoulders and her soft mouth that had always smiled for him. In her eyes he saw the love she had once declared beneath this very apple tree, but her words were cold and dismissive.
‘I pray you let go of my arm, sir. I have accepted the count’s proposal of marriage and the contract is signed. There is nothing I can do.’
‘Come away with me now,’ he said, breathing deeply as the wintry sunlight caught the red-gold of her hair. ‘If you are my wife, he can do nothing to prevent it. I know you love me...you swore it to me only last summer.’
‘In the summer things were different.’ She turned her beautiful face from him. ‘You do not understand, Hallam. It was all arranged and I...I am happy with my promise. The count is rich and will give me all the things I...require. Besides, I do not love you.’
‘You swore you would always love me. We kissed to seal our promise to each other and I was to speak to your father when I returned.’
‘You were away too long,’ she said, and her face was proud, cold and withdrawn. ‘And you have no money, Hallam. How can you expect me to share your poverty? If your father had not lost all his money gambling or...’ She pulled away from him, her face turned from his so that he could not read her expression. ‘I should not even have come to meet you. My father will be furious. Please go away now, Hallam...and do not bother me again with your unwanted attentions.’
This time Hallam released his grip on her arm. ‘Bother you with my attentions? No, indeed, Miss Morris, I shall not. I believed your protestations of love and your lying smiles, but I was a fool. Run back to your father and your bridegroom-to-be and I wish you joy of him.’
He turned and strode away, leaving her standing beneath the apple tree where they had promised undying love just a few short months earlier. Madeline stared after him, her pale face turned to stone and the tears slowly slipping down her cheeks.
She longed with all her heart to call him back, but it was too late. She’d had no choice but to send him away, for her father had signed the contract despite her pleas to wait for Hallam’s return.
‘Even if he comes it will not serve,’ Sir Matthew said to his only daughter. ‘I am ruined, Maddie, and Lethbridge holds my notes. Would you see your mother and sister thrown on the parish—and me in my grave? I could not live with the shame if Lethbridge took everything. You are my only hope.’
‘But I do not love him!’
‘Foolish child,’ her father said. ‘Marriage and love have nothing to say to each other. Marry Lethbridge and live in the style you were meant to live, and, when you have given him his heir, he will probably tire of you and leave you to sleep alone. Perhaps then you may look elsewhere for love if you are discreet.’
‘Papa!’ Madeline stared at him in horror. She knew that it was often the case that both men and women looked for love outside marriage, but she had wanted something different. She had hoped for love—but how could she deny her father when he would be ruined if she refused the count’s offer? ‘Very well...if it is your wish.’
‘My dear good girl,’ her father said and kissed her brow. ‘I knew you would not let me down.’
Madeline had had no choice, but pride would not let her tell Hallam that she had been the victim of emotional blackmail. She knew that he would not have understood that she must do her duty. No, it was best if he thought her heartless, but it had broken her heart to see the pain and disappointment in his eyes.
‘Oh, Hallam,’ she whispered as she turned to walk back through the meadows to her father’s house. ‘Oh, Hallam, I loved you so...’
But she must put away all thought of love and do her duty. Madeline knew that the count was a jealous man and she sensed that he might be cruel if he were thwarted. She must try to make him a good wife, even though she was dead inside.
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