Sharon Schulze - To Tame A Warrior's Heart

Cover Page

Excerpt An odd expression crossed Nicholas’s face as he looked at her. Catrin followed his gaze and looked down. Her gown had slipped low over her bosom. Her face heated—no wonder he stared! She tugged the fabric higher and pulled her cloak tight about her. A chill swept through her, washing away the pleasurable heat Nicholas had kindled. She must have been mad to let things go so far. From the moment he had touched her, she’d had no control over the situation… No control over herself. She’d become a creature possessed by needs, needs she’d do well to ignore. What had she been thinking, to fall into Nicholas’s embrace so easily? She hadn’t thought at all. It seemed she could not trust herself in Nicholas’s presence. That would not do. She pushed the soft, wonderful feelings deep and tried to bury them beneath her usual prickly facade…

Dear Reader Dear Reader, Sharon Schulze’s very first book, Heart of the Dragon, gained her an RWA Golden Heart Award Nomination, some terrific reviews and a K.I.S.S. Award from Romantic Times. This month the March Madness author returns with To Tame a Warrior’s Heart, a stirring medieval tale about a former mercenary and a betrayed noblewoman who overcome their shadowed pasts with an unexpected love. Don’t miss it. With The Lieutenant’s Lady, her fourth book for Harlequin Historicals, author Rae Muir begins an exciting new Western series called THE WEDDING TRAIL. This month’s story is about a hard-luck soldier who returns home determined to marry the town “princess,” a woman who sees him as little more than a way out of an unwanted marriage. And USA Today bestselling author Ruth Langan is also out this month with Ruby, the next book in her ongoing series THE JEWELS OF TEXAS. Ruby is the delightful tale of a flirtatious young woman and the formidable town marshal who falls under her spell. The Forever Man is a new title from Carolyn Davidson, the author of Gerrity’s Bride and Loving Katherine. This emotional story is about a spinster who has given up on love—until a marriage of convenience to a widower in search of a new life for himself and a mother for his two sons heals her broken heart and teaches her to trust in love again. Whatever your tastes in reading, we hope you enjoy all four books, available 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 To Tame A Warrior's Heart Sharon Schulze www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author SHARON SCHULZE is a confirmed bookaholic who loves reading as much as writing. Although she has a degree in civil engineering, she’s always been fascinated by history. Writing about the past gives her a chance to experience days gone by—without also encountering disease, vermin and archaic plumbing! A New Hampshire native, she now makes her home in Connecticut with her husband, Cliff, teenagers Patrick and Christina, and their miniature dachshund, Samantha. She is the current president of the Connecticut Chapter of RWA; in her spare time she enjoys movies, music and poking around in antique shops. Readers may contact her at P.O. Box 180, Oakville, CT 06779.

Dedication To the Connecticut Chapter of RWA—what a group! Your friendship and support mean more than I can say. Special thanks to my editor, Tracy Farrell, for her patience and encouragement—and for recognizing Nicholas and Catrin when she met them again.

Prologue Prologue England, 1214 After a lifetime spent fighting for others in distant lands, he had finally returned to England to take his rightful place among his kind. Tall, strong, handsome—a warrior blessed with skill and grace upon the battlefield. And between the sheets, rumor had it. Lord Nicholas Talbot appeared the embodiment of knightly virtue, a nobleman born and bred. King John knew better. How it pleased him to bend Talbot to his will, to watch as the arrogant young lord danced warily through the intricacies of Court. Sooner or later, Talbot would trip and reveal his true self to the world. That thought brought a pleasure of its own. But until he did, his liege lord would make use of his skills, send him to the far reaches of the kingdom, if he wished. And if Talbot did not obey, ’twould be an easy task to expose his shame to the world. King John smiled. No matter what the deed, how could Talbot refuse?

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

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Epilogue

Copyright

Catrin followed his gaze and looked down. Her gown had slipped low over her bosom. Her face heated—no wonder he stared! She tugged the fabric higher and pulled her cloak tight about her.

A chill swept through her, washing away the pleasurable heat Nicholas had kindled. She must have been mad to let things go so far.

From the moment he had touched her, she’d had no control over the situation…

No control over herself.

She’d become a creature possessed by needs, needs she’d do well to ignore.

What had she been thinking, to fall into Nicholas’s embrace so easily?

She hadn’t thought at all. It seemed she could not trust herself in Nicholas’s presence.

That would not do. She pushed the soft, wonderful feelings deep and tried to bury them beneath her usual prickly facade…

Dear Reader,

Sharon Schulze’s very first book, Heart of the Dragon, gained her an RWA Golden Heart Award Nomination, some terrific reviews and a K.I.S.S. Award from Romantic Times. This month the March Madness author returns with To Tame a Warrior’s Heart, a stirring medieval tale about a former mercenary and a betrayed noblewoman who overcome their shadowed pasts with an unexpected love. Don’t miss it.

With The Lieutenant’s Lady, her fourth book for Harlequin Historicals, author Rae Muir begins an exciting new Western series called THE WEDDING TRAIL. This month’s story is about a hard-luck soldier who returns home determined to marry the town “princess,” a woman who sees him as little more than a way out of an unwanted marriage. And USA Today bestselling author Ruth Langan is also out this month with Ruby, the next book in her ongoing series THE JEWELS OF TEXAS. Ruby is the delightful tale of a flirtatious young woman and the formidable town marshal who falls under her spell.

The Forever Man is a new title from Carolyn Davidson, the author of Gerrity’s Bride and Loving Katherine. This emotional story is about a spinster who has given up on love—until a marriage of convenience to a widower in search of a new life for himself and a mother for his two sons heals her broken heart and teaches her to trust in love again.

Whatever your tastes in reading, we hope you enjoy all four books, available wherever Harlequin Historicals are sold.

Sincerely,

Tracy Farrell

Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to: