Lenora Worth - In Pursuit of a Princess

A PICTURE-PERFECT CRIME

Princess Lara Kincade returned home to New Orleans to continue her late husband’s humanitarian work. She also hopes to force his killer out of hiding. But a priceless painting has put her plans—and life—at risk. Embroiled in a deadly art scandal, Lara must depend on handsome photojournalist Gabriel Murdock to help her expose a murderer. Gabriel’s determination to keep her safe has softened her heart to love’s possibilities again. Somewhere among his photos lies the identity of the murderer, but can they uncover the killer before this heist turns deadly?

“You’ve got me right where you want me, Princess.

And you know I can’t walk away.”

“You mean, not without your story?”

Gabriel got up and came around the table, then lifted her out of her chair. “No, Princess, I can’t leave because of you.”

He saw a new kind of fear in her eyes. A fear of having loved and lost. “I don’t know what you mean.”

He tugged her close. “Yes, you do. You’re a smart woman. Surely you can see it?”

She lowered her gaze. “See what?”

“This,” he said, his fingers lifting her chin. “This, Lara.”

LENORA WORTH

has written more than forty books for three different publishers. Her career with Love Inspired Books spans close to fifteen years. In February 2011 her Love Inspired Suspense novel Body of Evidence made the New York Times bestseller list. Her very first Love Inspired title, The Wedding Quilt, won Affaire de Coeur’s Best Inspirational for 1997, and Logan’s Child won an RT Book Reviews Best Love Inspired for 1998. With millions of books in print, Lenora continues to write for the Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense lines. Lenora also wrote a weekly opinion column for the local paper and worked freelance for years with a local magazine. She has now turned to full-time fiction writing and enjoying adventures with her retired husband, Don. Married for thirty-six years, they have two grown children. Lenora enjoys writing, reading and shopping…especially shoe shopping.

In Pursuit of a Princess

Lenora Worth

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

What is my trespass? What is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

—Genesis 31:36

To Lavender and Landry—two special princesses!

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

DEAR READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

EXCERPT

ONE

“You’ll probably get bored following me around, Mr. Murdock.”

Gabriel managed a smile, his gaze traveling over the regal woman standing in front of him. “I can’t imagine that, Princess Lara. Many men would give their eye teeth to have my job right now.”

The princess stiffened at that comment. “I’m well aware of the paparazzi camped out down near the front gate, Mr. Murdock. Those photographers are more than willing to sell their souls—and mine—for a picture of me. Why, I’ll never comprehend. I’ve accepted that, but I don’t have to like it. However, having a photojournalist follow me around day by day is going to be a bit daunting. And as I said, you’ll get bored. My life is not as exciting as the tabloids seem to think.”

Gabriel didn’t want to feel sorry for the beautiful woman standing by the fireplace, but the grief and doubt on her face did look real. And she had suffered a great loss. “I’m sorry,” he said, wondering why he felt the need, “about your husband. In spite of my being a skeptic of the worst kind, I do believe you two were the real deal.”

She turned and stood against the backdrop of the marble fireplace and an exquisite painting of an Arcadian village over the mantel, her expressive blue-green eyes holding him. “We loved each other. I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks.”

Or him. She didn’t really care what he thought. And Gabriel didn’t blame the woman. He’d read up on his subject enough to know the details. American heiress falls for European prince and the whole world goes wild with fascination at this match made in ratings heaven. In spite of the odds, they get married and will supposedly live happily ever after. But five years into their picture-perfect marriage, the prince is killed in a hunting accident. And the beautiful young princess is left grief-stricken and alone, to carry on their good works all over the world.

A widow for over two years now, Her Royal Highness Princess Lara Barrington Kincade had come home to New Orleans to continue her charitable work by holding an art fundraiser to benefit the Kincade Foundation and to continue building Kincade houses for the HRH Theodore Kincade Home Restoration Project in New Orleans.

Gabriel glanced up at the massive painting over the fireplace. He’d seen pictures of it in displays and magazines. A Benoit, painted in the late-nineteenth century by the French artist Jacques Benoit. An authentic representation of the Arcadians who’d been forced out of Nova Scotia in 1755, but depicted in New Orleans in the true Arcadian art theme of a place of contentment and harmony. This, and the title Arcadian Dreams, made the painting bittersweet. A village within a dream—two distinct themes in one painting. And worth a lot of money, if his guess was right.

“The Benoit is stunning,” he said to take her mind off the masses pushing at the gate. He noted a blinking light on the wall over the painting. A sensor for protection, no doubt.

“Yes.” She turned to glance up at the painting. “It was a wedding gift from my husband.”

So this was how her life played out. Priceless artwork and never-ending philanthropic events.

Gabriel had been assigned to follow the princess around and produce a photo spread with accompanying content. Right now she was preparing for a big art auction and reception to benefit Kincade House. He was supposed to be grateful that he’d been “given” this opportunity at the national magazine where he’d worked for ten years. “Given” being the loose term for punishment. According to his editor at Real World News, Gabriel had gone rogue one too many times to get the pictures and story he wanted.

Nothing like getting the job done while rubbing a third-world dictator and the Secretary of State the wrong way in order to get the best shots. But that wasn’t why he’d been banished to New Orleans to do a fluff piece. He didn’t want to think about the real reason he’d agreed to take this easy assignment.

Gabriel searched for the truth and he told it in his award-winning photographs and tell-it-like-it-is text. While the magazine owner and his editor had published his latest exposé with unabashed glee, they still had to make him pay to save face with the government.

And this was their way of doing that. This was torture for a true reporter and photojournalist. But what a beautiful torture.