Suzanne Barclay - Knight's Ransom

Cover Page

Praise Praise for Suzanne Barclay’s previous titles Lion’s Legacy “Magical!” — The Literary Times “A Rare Treasure!” — Rendezvous “Absolutely captivating!” — The Medieval Chronicle “…enough romance, adventure and excitement to please any reader.” — Romantic Times “…fast-paced, action-packed historical romance…” — Affaire de Coeur Knight Dreams “…a fun, fast-paced read with an intriguing plot…” —Kat Martin “I thoroughly enjoyed it.” —Amanda Quick “Suzanne Barclay is an exciting and talented new writer.” —Susan Wiggs

Excerpt Trapped. She was well and truly trapped. Panting with exertion, Cat stared up at the face a scant inch from hers. ’Twas too dark to see, but she could feel their hearts beating in wild counterpoint to each other…and something more alarming. His manhood swelling against her thigh. “Nay,” she cried, renewing her struggles. “Be still.” He let her take more of his weight, making her aware of the power he leashed. “Be still or you’ll goad me into doing that which you fear.” Cat ceased fighting, but didn’t relax, couldn’t. “So…‘tis not just my father’s ruin you want,” she managed to say. “I’d be a fool and a liar if I denied you stir me. I’ve been long without a woman and you’re uncommon fair. But your honor…such as it is…is safe with me. I’d sooner bed a pox-ridden whore as Ruarke Sommerville’s get!”

Dear Reader Dear Reader, With the first three books in her series featuring the Sommerville brothers, Suzanne Barclay earned a nomination for Best Medieval Historical Romance from Romantic Times, a Bookrack award for Series Romance, a 5* rating from Affaire de Coeur and a 5* rating from Heartland Critiques. This month, we are very pleased to be able to bring you the next book in the series, Knight’s Ransom, the story of a French knight who captures the daughter of his enemy to avenge the murder of his family. Don’t miss this exciting return to the ongoing drama of the Sommervilles and the de Laurens. In The Wedding Bargain, Emily French tells the emotional tale of a widow, Charity Frey, who defies her Puritan community and marries Rafe Trehearne, a bondsman who has been wrongly accused of treason. Also this month, RITA Award finalist Laurel Ames is back with Tempted, her new novel that Affaire de Coeur calls an “exciting, unusual, and delightfully quirky Regency.” And Ana Seymour’s sixth title for Harlequin Historicals, Gabriel’s Lady, is the first of two connected books set in the wilds of the Dakota Territory. We hope you’ll keep a lookout for all four titles wherever Harlequin Historicals are sold. 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 Knight’s Ransom Suzanne Barclay www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author SUZANNE BARCLAY has been an avid reader since she was very young; her mother claims Suzanne could read and recite “The Night Before Christmas” on her first birthday! Not surprisingly, history was her favorite subject in school and historical novels are her number-one reading choice. The house she shares with her husband and their two dogs is set on fifty-five acres of New York State’s wine-growing region. When she’s not writing, the author makes fine furniture and carpets in miniature. If you would like to receive a more detailed Sommerville Family Tree, please send a large SASE to: Suzanne Barclay, P.O. Box 92054, Rochester, NY 14692

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

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Epilogue

Copyright

Lion’s Legacy

“Magical!”

— The Literary Times

“A Rare Treasure!”

— Rendezvous

“Absolutely captivating!”

— The Medieval Chronicle

“…enough romance, adventure and excitement to please any reader.”

— Romantic Times

“…fast-paced, action-packed historical romance…”

— Affaire de Coeur

Knight Dreams

“…a fun, fast-paced read with an intriguing plot…”

—Kat Martin

“I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

—Amanda Quick

“Suzanne Barclay is an exciting and talented new writer.”

—Susan Wiggs

Panting with exertion, Cat stared up at the face a scant inch from hers. ’Twas too dark to see, but she could feel their hearts beating in wild counterpoint to each other…and something more alarming. His manhood swelling against her thigh. “Nay,” she cried, renewing her struggles.

“Be still.” He let her take more of his weight, making her aware of the power he leashed. “Be still or you’ll goad me into doing that which you fear.”

Cat ceased fighting, but didn’t relax, couldn’t. “So…‘tis not just my father’s ruin you want,” she managed to say.

“I’d be a fool and a liar if I denied you stir me. I’ve been long without a woman and you’re uncommon fair. But your honor…such as it is…is safe with me. I’d sooner bed a pox-ridden whore as Ruarke Sommerville’s get!”

Dear Reader,

With the first three books in her series featuring the Sommerville brothers, Suzanne Barclay earned a nomination for Best Medieval Historical Romance from Romantic Times, a Bookrack award for Series Romance, a 5* rating from Affaire de Coeur and a 5* rating from Heartland Critiques. This month, we are very pleased to be able to bring you the next book in the series, Knight’s Ransom, the story of a French knight who captures the daughter of his enemy to avenge the murder of his family. Don’t miss this exciting return to the ongoing drama of the Sommervilles and the de Laurens.

In The Wedding Bargain, Emily French tells the emotional tale of a widow, Charity Frey, who defies her Puritan community and marries Rafe Trehearne, a bondsman who has been wrongly accused of treason.

Also this month, RITA Award finalist Laurel Ames is back with Tempted, her new novel that Affaire de Coeur calls an “exciting, unusual, and delightfully quirky Regency.” And Ana Seymour’s sixth title for Harlequin Historicals, Gabriel’s Lady, is the first of two connected books set in the wilds of the Dakota Territory.

We hope you’ll keep a lookout for all four titles wherever Harlequin Historicals are sold.

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

SUZANNE BARCLAY

has been an avid reader since she was very young; her mother claims Suzanne could read and recite “The Night Before Christmas” on her first birthday! Not surprisingly, history was her favorite subject in school and historical novels are her number-one reading choice. The house she shares with her husband and their two dogs is set on fifty-five acres of New York State’s wine-growing region. When she’s not writing, the author makes fine furniture and carpets in miniature.