Patricia Thayer - The Man, The Ring, The Wedding

A lone ruby ring in a velvet case... A lone ruby ring in a velvet case... It all began when a young Vittoria Perrone fell madly in love with an American pilot during the Second World War. But their love put sweet Vittoria in danger sa the soldier left, promising to one day claim her as his bride. Time passed and Vittoria’s family pledged her to another, Giovanni Valente Just before the day that promised to be her darkest—her wedding day—her beloved American, Enrico Covelli, returned, asking for her hand in marriage Vittoria pleaded to be released from her marital obligation. Angry, Giovanni took the Perrone family betrothal rings, snatched the bride’s band and placed it an his little finger, swearing never to give et up. Forevermore, the Covelli family was to be cursed! Fifty years later the her remained ... only to be lifted if the heirloom ruby rings were rejoined in the name of love and returned to the rightful heir, Vittoria’s lovely firstborn granddaughter, Angelina Covelli. This is Angelina’s story ... Letter to Reader Dear Reader, The end of the century is near, and we’re all eagerly anticipating the wonders to come. But no matter what happens, I believe that everyone will continue to need and to seek the unquenchable spirit of love...of romance. And here at Silhouette Romance, we’re delighted to present another month’s worth of terrific, emotional stories. This month, RITA Award-winning author Marie Ferrarella offers a tender BUNDLES OF JOY tale, in which The Baby Beneath the Mistletoe brings together a man who’s lost his faith and a woman who challenges him to take a chance at love...and family. In Charlotte Maclay’s charming new novel, a millionaire playboy isn’t sure what he was Expecting at Christmas, but what he gets is a very pregnant butler! Elizabeth Harbison launches her wonderful new theme-based miniseries, CINDERELLA BRIDES, with the fairy-tale romance—complete with mistaken identity!—between Emma and the Earl. In A Diamond for Kate by Moyra Tarling, discover whether a doctor makes his devoted nurse his devoted wife after learning about her past... Patricia Thayer’s cross-line miniseries WITH THESE RINGS retums to Romance and poses the question: Can The Man, the Ring, the Wedding end a fifty-year-old curse? You’ll have to read this dramatic story to find out! And though The Millionaire’s Proposition involves making a baby in Natalie Patrick’s upbeat Romance, can a down-on-her-luck waitress also convince him to make beautiful memories...as man and wife? Enjoy this month’s offerings, and look forward to a new century of timeless, traditional tales guaranteed to touch your heart! Mary-Theresa Hussey Senior Editor, Silhouette Romance Please address questions and book requests to: Silhouette Reader Service U.S.: 3010 Walden Aye., PO. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269 Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3 Title Page The Man, The Ring, The Wedding Patricia Thayer www.millsandboon.co.uk Dedication To all the new brides and grooms in my family this year. Amy and Kelly Klossner, Heather and Chris Beam, and especially to my son and his wife, Brett and Daralynn. Here’s to a lifetime of love and romance. To Millie Caggiano—thanks for sharing your big Italian family with me. About the Author PATRICIA THAYER has been writing for fourteen years and has published over ten books with Silhouette. Her books have been nominated for the National Readers’ Choice Award, Virginia Romance Writers of America’s Holt Medallion and a prestigious RITA Award. In 1997, Nothing Short of a Miracle won the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Special Edition. Thanks to the understanding men in her life—her husband of twenty-eight years, Steve, and her three sons—Pat has been able to fulfill her dream of writing romance. Another dream is to own a cabin in Colorado, where she can spend her days writing and her evenings with her favorite hero, Steve. She loves to hear from readers. You can write to her at P.O. Box 6251, Anaheim, CA 92816-0251. Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Epilogue Copyright

A lone ruby ring in a velvet case...

It all began when a young Vittoria Perrone fell madly in love with an American pilot during the Second World War. But their love put sweet Vittoria in danger sa the soldier left, promising to one day claim her as his bride.

Time passed and Vittoria’s family pledged her to another, Giovanni Valente Just before the day that promised to be her darkest—her wedding day—her beloved American, Enrico Covelli, returned, asking for her hand in marriage

Vittoria pleaded to be released from her marital obligation. Angry, Giovanni took the Perrone family betrothal rings, snatched the bride’s band and placed it an his little finger, swearing never to give et up. Forevermore, the Covelli family was to be cursed!

Fifty years later the her remained ... only to be lifted if the heirloom ruby rings were rejoined in the name of love and returned to the rightful heir, Vittoria’s lovely firstborn granddaughter, Angelina Covelli.

This is Angelina’s story ...

Dear Reader,

The end of the century is near, and we’re all eagerly anticipating the wonders to come. But no matter what happens, I believe that everyone will continue to need and to seek the unquenchable spirit of love...of romance. And here at Silhouette Romance, we’re delighted to present another month’s worth of terrific, emotional stories.

This month, RITA Award-winning author Marie Ferrarella offers a tender BUNDLES OF JOY tale, in which The Baby Beneath the Mistletoe brings together a man who’s lost his faith and a woman who challenges him to take a chance at love...and family. In Charlotte Maclay’s charming new novel, a millionaire playboy isn’t sure what he was Expecting at Christmas, but what he gets is a very pregnant butler! Elizabeth Harbison launches her wonderful new theme-based miniseries, CINDERELLA BRIDES, with the fairy-tale romance—complete with mistaken identity!—between Emma and the Earl.

In A Diamond for Kate by Moyra Tarling, discover whether a doctor makes his devoted nurse his devoted wife after learning about her past... Patricia Thayer’s cross-line miniseries WITH THESE RINGS retums to Romance and poses the question: Can The Man, the Ring, the Wedding end a fifty-year-old curse? You’ll have to read this dramatic story to find out! And though The Millionaire’s Proposition involves making a baby in Natalie Patrick’s upbeat Romance, can a down-on-her-luck waitress also convince him to make beautiful memories...as man and wife?

Enjoy this month’s offerings, and look forward to a new century of timeless, traditional tales guaranteed to touch your heart!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor, Silhouette Romance

Please address questions and book requests to:

Silhouette Reader Service

U.S.: 3010 Walden Aye., PO. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

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

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To all the new brides and grooms in my family this year. Amy and Kelly Klossner, Heather and Chris Beam, and especially to my son and his wife, Brett and Daralynn. Here’s to a lifetime of love and romance.

To Millie Caggiano—thanks for sharing your big Italian family with me.

PATRICIA THAYER

has been writing for fourteen years and has published over ten books with Silhouette. Her books have been nominated for the National Readers’ Choice Award, Virginia Romance Writers of America’s Holt Medallion and a prestigious RITA Award. In 1997, Nothing Short of a Miracle won the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Special Edition.