Elizabeth Lane - On the Wings of Love

She would be vulnerable, open to the same hurt and betrayal her mother had suffered. And she was afraid.

Not all men were like her father, Alex reassured herself.

Or like Rafe Garrick.

Only a short time ago she had come up from the beach and gone into his room. She had stood beside his bed, her eyes tracing the strong, stubborn lines of his face, the wave of dark chestnut hair that tumbled onto his forehead. A warm sense of possession had stolen over her. Hadn’t she saved him from the sea? It was almost as if part of his life belonged to her.

Then Rafe Garrick had awakened, banishing all her illusions. He was not the kind of man to be possessed by her or by anyone. He was arrogant. He was quarrelsome. For all she knew, he could be out of his mind. And she would be out of her own mind as well, Alex told herself, if she had anything more to do with him.

HIGH FLIGHT

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,

I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air…

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew –

And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Thanks to the family of John Gillespie Magee, Junior for permission to publish this poem

Elizabeth Lanehas lived and travelled in many parts of the world, including Europe, Latin America and the Far East, but her heart remains in the American West, where she was born and raised. Her idea of heaven is hiking a mountain trail on a clear autumn day. She also enjoys music, animals and dancing. You can learn more about Elizabeth by visiting her website at www.elizabethlaneauthor.com

Previous novels by the same author:

ANGELS IN THE SNOW ( part of Stay for Christmas anthology ) HER DEAREST ENEMY THE STRANGER

By

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Cover Page

Excerpt Sooner or later Alexandra would likely be married. She would be vulnerable, open to the same hurt and betrayal her mother had suffered. And she was afraid. Not all men were like her father, Alex reassured herself. Or like Rafe Garrick. Only a short time ago she had come up from the beach and gone into his room. She had stood beside his bed, her eyes tracing the strong, stubborn lines of his face, the wave of dark chestnut hair that tumbled onto his forehead. A warm sense of possession had stolen over her. Hadn’t she saved him from the sea? It was almost as if part of his life belonged to her. Then Rafe Garrick had awakened, banishing all her illusions. He was not the kind of man to be possessed by her or by anyone. He was arrogant. He was quarrelsome. For all she knew, he could be out of his mind. And she would be out of her own mind as well, Alex told herself, if she had anything more to do with him.

Epigraph HIGH FLIGHT Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there, I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air… Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew – And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God. John Gillespie Magee, Jr. Thanks to the family of John Gillespie Magee, Junior for permission to publish this poem

About the Author Elizabeth Lane has lived and travelled in many parts of the world, including Europe, Latin America and the Far East, but her heart remains in the American West, where she was born and raised. Her idea of heaven is hiking a mountain trail on a clear autumn day. She also enjoys music, animals and dancing. You can learn more about Elizabeth by visiting her website at www.elizabethlaneauthor.com

Other Books By Previous novels by the same author: ANGELS IN THE SNOW ( part of Stay for Christmas anthology ) HER DEAREST ENEMY THE STRANGER

Title Page On the Wings of Love By

Dedication The characters in this story are fictional, except for one. This book is dedicated to the memory of a real-life heroine, Harriet Quimby.

Acknowledgements Acknowledgements: I’m indebted to the authors who provided me with the research needed to write this book. Most notable among my sources were The Pioneers of Flight by Phil Scott (Princeton University Press, 1999), A Picture History of Early Aviation, 1903-1913 by Joshua Stoff (Dover Publications, 1996), Long Island , by Bernie Bookbinder (Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1998), and Nassau County Long Island in Early Photographs by Bette S. Weidman and Linda B. Martin (Dover Publications, Inc. 1981). Special thanks go to children’s author Linda Granfield, who graciously helped with copyright information for the poem “High Flight.” Her fine book, High Flight , tells the story of the poem and the young pilot who died soon after writing it. Finally, I’d like to thank my editor, Demetria Lucas, for her patience and wisdom in helping me transform an unwieldy epic into a love story.

Prologue

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

Epilogue

Preview

Copyright

The characters in this story are fictional, except for one.

This book is dedicated to the memory of a

real-life heroine, Harriet Quimby.

I’m indebted to the authors who provided me with the

research needed to write this book. Most notable among

my sources were The Pioneers of Flight by Phil Scott (Princeton University Press, 1999), A Picture History of Early Aviation, 1903-1913 by Joshua Stoff (Dover Publications, 1996), Long Island , by Bernie Bookbinder (Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1998), and Nassau County Long Island in Early Photographs by Bette S. Weidman and Linda B. Martin (Dover Publications, Inc. 1981).

Special thanks go to children’s author Linda Granfield,

who graciously helped with copyright information for

the poem “High Flight.” Her fine book, High Flight , tells the story of the poem and the young pilot who died soon after writing it.

Finally, I’d like to thank my editor, Demetria Lucas,

for her patience and wisdom in helping me transform

an unwieldy epic into a love story.

Long Island, New York

June 16, 1911

The wind struck without warning out of a calm summer sky. Sharp gusts buffeted the wings of the fragile biplane, causing the craft to pitch and heel like a stricken dragonfly.