Michelle Styles - Return of the Viking Warrior

A muscle jumped in Ash’s jaw as he continued. ‘I trust Valdar the Steady and everyone else understand that now.’

Kara’s mouth went dry. ‘Does that include people?’

‘I look after my own.’

Kara straightened her back and dug her heels into her horse’s flank. ‘Then I was never yours. Seven years you’ve been gone, Ash—seven long years.’

For many years one of the stories I wanted to write was a ‘returned from the dead’ story. It has always intrigued me, the way people cope when a person has been through a life-changing experience and has to go back home—only to discover home is not the unchanging place he or she thought it was.

I thought about writing it as a Roman-set novel, then a Regency, and finally knew I had to write it as a Viking story. The characters and their situation really came alive in my mind and it was a relief finally to do justice to a story which I have wanted to write for a long time. Sometimes ideas scream to be written, and sometimes you have to wait until the moment is right to write an idea.

I do hope you enjoy Kara and Ash’s story.

As ever, I love hearing from readers. You can contact me through my website www.michellestyles.co.uk, my blog www.michellestyles.blogspot.comor my publisher. I also have a page on Facebook—Michelle Styles Romance Author—where I regularly post my news.

Return of the

Viking Warrior

Michelle Styles

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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DEDICATION

For my eldest son, William

Born and raised near San Francisco, California, MICHELLE STYLEScurrently lives a few miles south of Hadrian’s Wall, with her husband, three children, two dogs, cats, assorted ducks, hens and beehives. An avid reader, she became hooked on historical romance when she discovered Georgette Heyer, Anya Seton and Victoria Holt one rainy lunchtime at school. And, for her, a historical romance still represents the perfect way to escape.

Although Michelle loves reading about history, she also enjoys a more hands-on approach to her research. She has experimented with a variety of old recipes and cookery methods (some more successfully than others), climbed down Roman sewers, and fallen off horses in Iceland—all in the name of discovering more about how people went about their daily lives. When she is not writing, reading or doing research, Michelle tends her rather overgrown garden or does needlework—in particular counted cross-stitch.

Michelle maintains a website, www.michellestyles.co.uk, and a blog: www.michellestyles.blogspot.com. She would be delighted to hear from you.

Previous novels by the same author:

THE GLADIATOR’S HONOUR

A NOBLE CAPTIVE

SOLD AND SEDUCED

THE ROMAN’S VIRGIN MISTRESS

TAKEN BY THE VIKING

A CHRISTMAS WEDDING WAGER

(part of Christmas By Candlelight ) VIKING WARRIOR, UNWILLING WIFE AN IMPULSIVE DEBUTANTE A QUESTION OF IMPROPRIETY IMPOVERISHED MISS, CONVENIENT WIFE COMPROMISING MISS MILTON * * linked by character And in Mills & Boon® Historical Undone! eBooks: THE PERFECT CONCUBINE Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk THE VIKING’S CAPTIVE PRINCESS BREAKING THE GOVERNESS’S RULES * * linked by character And in Mills & Boon® Historical Undone! eBooks: THE PERFECT CONCUBINE Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk TO MARRY A MATCHMAKER HIS UNSUITABLE VISCOUNTESS HATTIE WILKINSON MEETS HER MATCH AN IDEAL HUSBAND? PAYING THE VIKING’S PRICE

* (part of Christmas By Candlelight ) VIKING WARRIOR, UNWILLING WIFE AN IMPULSIVE DEBUTANTE A QUESTION OF IMPROPRIETY IMPOVERISHED MISS, CONVENIENT WIFE COMPROMISING MISS MILTON * * linked by character And in Mills & Boon® Historical Undone! eBooks: THE PERFECT CONCUBINE Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk THE VIKING’S CAPTIVE PRINCESS BREAKING THE GOVERNESS’S RULES * * linked by character And in Mills & Boon® Historical Undone! eBooks: THE PERFECT CONCUBINE Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk TO MARRY A MATCHMAKER HIS UNSUITABLE VISCOUNTESS HATTIE WILKINSON MEETS HER MATCH AN IDEAL HUSBAND? PAYING THE VIKING’S PRICE * linked by character And in Mills & Boon® Historical Undone! eBooks: THE PERFECT CONCUBINE Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk linked by character

And in Mills & Boon® Historical Undone! eBooks:

THE PERFECT CONCUBINE

Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

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

Author’s Historical Note

Chapter One

Early autumn, AD 793—Sand, Raumerike,

south-eastern Norway

Seven years and Ash Hringson refused to think about how many thousands of miles it had been since he last set foot in Sand, the capital of Raumerike. He would have preferred to go straight home to Jaarlshiem, but he had a duty to inform the king of his travels and his plans for the future.

Ash rubbed a hand over his chin, fingering the small half-moon scar there. He had seen over thirty battles and minor skirmishes since he’d left. His face might be clear of all but the most minor scars, but he walked with a distinct limp, the legacy of a battle three years ago, which aggravated the injury he had received in a Frankish dungeon. He knew that he was not the same carefree youth who had left Raumerike’s shores, with a thirst for adventure and the certainty of a glorious future. In his mind, Raumerike and all he’d left behind remained the same.

A great unexpected feeling of long-awaited belonging rose up in his throat. He was in his home country. On his native soil. A foreigner no longer.

Ash gave a wry smile. He must have done enough to regain some measure of his father’s respect. Hanging his head in shame or walking in the shadows of life was no longer his destiny. He’d become a leader of men rather than a coward who left others to die in a fiery inferno.

The town had seen a few changes over the seven years he’d been gone, expanded with an air of bustling prosperity, but the streets were laid out the same. The blacksmith where he’d purchased his first sword looked to be under different management and the king’s hall appeared to have been rebuilt. The market by the quayside was larger with a broader range of fabric and fur, but the fishmonger still traded in the right-hand corner, calling about fresh herring and salted cod.

Several market dwellers gave him sideways glances, paled slightly and turned away the closer he came, hurriedly pulling the shutters down. Ash’s hand tightened instinctively on his sword’s hilt. He forced it to relax.