Anne Mather - Brittle Bondage

Mills & Boon is proud to present a fabulous collection of fantastic novels by bestselling, much loved author

ANNE MATHER

Anne has a stellar record of achievement within the

publishing industry, having written over one hundred

and sixty books, with worldwide sales of more than

forty-eight MILLION copies in multiple languages.

This amazing collection of classic stories offers a chance

for readers to recapture the pleasure Anne’s powerful,

passionate writing has given.

We are sure you will love them all!

I’ve always wanted to write—which is not to say I’ve always wanted to be a professional writer. On the contrary, for years I only wrote for my own pleasure and it wasn’t until my husband suggested sending one of my stories to a publisher that we put several publishers’ names into a hat and pulled one out. The rest, as they say, is history. And now, one hundred and sixty-two books later, I’m literally—excuse the pun—staggered by what’s happened.

I had written all through my infant and junior years and on into my teens, the stories changing from children’s adventures to torrid gypsy passions. My mother used to gather these manuscripts up from time to time, when my bedroom became too untidy, and dispose of them! In those days, I used not to finish any of the stories and Caroline , my first published novel, was the first I’d ever completed. I was newly married then and my daughter was just a baby, and it was quite a job juggling my household chores and scribbling away in exercise books every chance I got. Not very professional, as you can imagine, but that’s the way it was.

These days, I have a bit more time to devote to my work, but that first love of writing has never changed. I can’t imagine not having a current book on the typewriter—yes, it’s my husband who transcribes everything on to the computer. He’s my partner in both life and work and I depend on his good sense more than I care to admit.

We have two grown-up children, a son and a daughter, and two almost grown-up grandchildren, Abi and Ben. My e-mail address is mystic-am@msn.comand I’d be happy to hear from any of my wonderful readers.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Cover

About the Author Mills & Boon is proud to present a fabulous collection of fantastic novels by bestselling, much loved author ANNE MATHER Anne has a stellar record of achievement within the publishing industry, having written over one hundred and sixty books, with worldwide sales of more than forty-eight MILLION copies in multiple languages. This amazing collection of classic stories offers a chance for readers to recapture the pleasure Anne’s powerful, passionate writing has given. We are sure you will love them all!

Title Page Brittle Bondage Anne Mather www.millsandboon.co.uk

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

Copyright

RACHEL poured herself a second cup of coffee, and tried not to be aware that her daughter was scowling at her across the width of the pine kitchen table. The postman had just been, so she could distract herself by pretending to study the bills and circulars that made their regular flight through her letterbox. Well, only one bill this morning, she saw with some relief, running her thumb under the flap of the plain brown envelope. Her eyes widened at the sum the electricity company was demanding, and she made a mental note to ask Daisy to be more economical in her use of lights and heating in future. Her daughter seemed to think it was perfectly natural to turn on every utility in the house as soon as she got home. Rachel had lost count of the number of times she had gone into Daisy’s bedroom and found the television running in her absence. She couldn’t even take a shower without leaving sound and vision on.

‘You’re not really going to marry him, are you, Mum?’

Abandoning the sullen silence she had maintained all through breakfast, Daisy propped her elbows on the table and assumed a pleading look. Evidently she had decided that silence would get her nowhere. A more constructive approach was needed, and she didn’t have a lot of time.

‘Aren’t you going to be late?’ Rachel responded obliquely, unwilling to get into another argument, when there was no time to pursue it. ‘Oh, and remember to take your trainers out of the bathroom. It’s just as well they weren’t muddy. The last time you went running——’

‘Mum!’ Daisy’s tone was urgent now. ‘You can’t just not talk about it.’ She paused. ‘If you are thinking of marrying Mr Barrass, don’t you think I should be asked my opinion? I don’t want to go and live at that gloomy old place. I like living here. This is our home.’

‘I know that,’ Rachel sighed. ‘But, unfortunately, we can’t always do what we want. Besides, this house is too big for just the two of us, Daisy. And obviously Simon can’t move in with us.’

‘Why can’t he?’

‘You know why.’ Rachel picked up her cup and carried it to the sink. ‘Kingsmead isn’t just Simon’s home. It’s a working farm.’ She took a breath. ‘And in any case, this house belongs to your father. I don’t think he’d be too enthusiastic about another man moving in.’

Daisy hunched her shoulders. ‘Have you told Daddy what you’re going to do?’

‘No.’ Rachel turned away and ran some hot water into the sink. She had wondered if Daisy might have mentioned Simon on her last visit with her father, but evidently Daisy had hoped that if she didn’t mention it, it might all go away.

‘Why not?’

Rachel steeled herself not to make some comment she might later regret, and turned back to her daughter. ‘Daisy, we can’t talk about this any more now. I suggest you go and wash your hands and collect your school bag. The bus will be here soon, and you don’t want to miss it.’