Elizabeth Lane - Apache Fire

Cover Page

Excerpt This was a man who trusted no one. A man alone, his spirit raw with unhealed wounds. Had he known many women? Surely he had. Latigo’s rugged features and dark, feral grace would be enough to draw the gaze of any female he passed. But love? Rose mentally shook her head. Loving a man like Latigo would be like loving the wind. His knuckles brushed her leg as he reached for the wrappings again. The unexpected touch sparked a ripple of awareness through Rose’s body. She turned to find him looking up at her, his eyes intent but guarded. “Who are you?” she whispered again, quivering as his gaze pierced her defenses like a stone-tipped arrow. “To you—no one and nothing,” he murmured. “A passing ghost with the first light of sunrise.” “So when will you go?” Rose heard herself asking…

Dear Reader Dear Reader, This month we’ve covered all the bases. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll find romance. We are thrilled to bring you Apache Fire by longtime historical and contemporary romance author Elizabeth Lane. As with all of her books, this Western sizzles with emotion and romantic tension. It’s the story of a beautiful young widow with a newborn son, who finds love and hope in the arms of the Native American army scout she’s hiding on her. ranch. In Lost Acres Bride by rising talent Lynna Banning, a rugged, by-the-book cattleman must contend with the female spitfire who inherits a piece of his land—and gets a piece of his heart! And Tori Phillips returns with another of her CAVENDISH CHRONICLES, Three Dog Knight, about a shy earl and an illegitimate noblewoman who forge a marriage of convenience based on trust, and later love, despite the machinations of an evil sister-in-law. Rounding out this month is Blackthorne, Ruth Langan’s first medieval novel in nearly four years! Packed with intrigue and emotion, this is the tale of a haunted widower, the lord of Blackthorne, whose child’s governess teaches him how to love again. Whatever your tastes in reading, you’ll be sure to find a romantic journey back to the past between the covers of a Harlequin Historicals® novel. Sincerely, Tracy Farrell, Senior Editor Please address questions and book requests to: Harlequin Reader Service U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269 Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

Title Page Apache Fire Elizabeth Lane www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author ELIZABETH LANE has traveled extensively in Latin America, Europe and China, and enjoys bringing these exotic locales to life on the printed page, but she also finds her home state of Utah and other areas of the American West to be fascinating sources for historical romance. Elizabeth loves such diverse activities as hiking and playing the piano, not to mention her latest hobby—belly dancing.

Dedication For Alec September 23, 1997

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

Epilogue

Copyright

Had he known many women? Surely he had. Latigo’s rugged features and dark, feral grace would be enough to draw the gaze of any female he passed. But love? Rose mentally shook her head. Loving a man like Latigo would be like loving the wind.

His knuckles brushed her leg as he reached for the wrappings again. The unexpected touch sparked a ripple of awareness through Rose’s body. She turned to find him looking up at her, his eyes intent but guarded.

“Who are you?” she whispered again, quivering as his gaze pierced her defenses like a stone-tipped arrow.

“To you—no one and nothing,” he murmured. “A passing ghost with the first light of sunrise.”

“So when will you go?” Rose heard herself asking…

Dear Reader,

This month we’ve covered all the bases. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll find romance. We are thrilled to bring you Apache Fire by longtime historical and contemporary romance author Elizabeth Lane. As with all of her books, this Western sizzles with emotion and romantic tension. It’s the story of a beautiful young widow with a newborn son, who finds love and hope in the arms of the Native American army scout she’s hiding on her. ranch.

In Lost Acres Bride by rising talent Lynna Banning, a rugged, by-the-book cattleman must contend with the female spitfire who inherits a piece of his land—and gets a piece of his heart! And Tori Phillips returns with another of her CAVENDISH CHRONICLES, Three Dog Knight, about a shy earl and an illegitimate noblewoman who forge a marriage of convenience based on trust, and later love, despite the machinations of an evil sister-in-law.

Rounding out this month is Blackthorne, Ruth Langan’s first medieval novel in nearly four years! Packed with intrigue and emotion, this is the tale of a haunted widower, the lord of Blackthorne, whose child’s governess teaches him how to love again.

Whatever your tastes in reading, you’ll be sure to find a romantic journey back to the past between the covers of a Harlequin Historicals® novel.

Sincerely,

Tracy Farrell, Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to:

Harlequin Reader Service

U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

www.millsandboon.co.uk

has traveled extensively in Latin America, Europe and China, and enjoys bringing these exotic locales to life on the printed page, but she also finds her home state of Utah and other areas of the American West to be fascinating sources for historical romance. Elizabeth loves such diverse activities as hiking and playing the piano, not to mention her latest hobby—belly dancing.

For Alec

September 23, 1997

Arizona Territory

April 7, 1876

Latigo’s vision was a red blaze of pain. He sagged over the neck of his spent mustang, teeth clenched as he battled to stay conscious. He had been riding most of the night, every lurch of the horse like a lance thrust into his bleeding shoulder. The Colby Ranch couldn’t be much farther unless, in this cursed stupor, he had somehow become lost.

The ghost face of the waning moon hung low in the western sky. Startled by hoofbeats, a miniature owl exploded out of its burrow and flapped screeching into the darkness.

Latigo cursed, fighting pain as he struggled to calm his spooked mount. He had lived all his life in the desert, and he was as much at home here as the sharp-nosed coyotes that ranged along the lonely arroyos. But tonight he was no coyote. He was wounded prey, and in the danger of darkness even the wind’s familiar voice was an alien moan.

With excruciating effort, he focused his eyes on the notched peak that was his beacon point. He could feel his life oozing through the makeshift bandage that covered the bullet wound in his shoulder. In the seven hours since the ambush, he had lost a dizzying amount of blood. If John Colby refused him shelter…