Kate Kingsley - The Scout's Bride

Cover Page

Excerpt “I’m not jealous.” She was astounded by his presumption. “I don’t mind jealousy,” he went on, as if he had not heard her. “It’s indifference that pains me.” “You’re about to feel some real pain,” she warned ominously. He yelped when she applied the alcohol to his arm. Kneeling beside him again, she placed a pad on the wound to cushion it. Her fingertips felt soft and cool against his skin as she wound a length of gauze around his arm, tying it expertly. But she never met his eyes. “I don’t know what to make of you, Rebecca Emerson,” he murmured, reaching out to cup her chin in his big hand. “Nor I, of you.” She looked at him at last. “Then we’re starting even,” he whispered, tracing the line of her lips with his thumb before he bent to kiss her….

Dear Reader Dear Reader, Everyone at Fort Hayes, Kansas, expected Rebecca Emerson to return East when her husband died. But Rebecca was determined to remain on the frontier, even if it meant accepting the help of the rugged army scout who had become her unwanted protector. Kate Kingsley’s new Western, The Scout’s Bride, is a marriage-of-convenience story you won’t want to pass up. USA Today bestselling and multiaward-winning author Ruth Langan’s new series, THE JEWELS OF TEXAS, moves into full swing with this month’s Jade, the story of a small-town preacher who surrenders his soul to the town madam. Don’t miss this wonderful story from one of our readers’ all-time favorite authors. This month’s Lady Thorn, from Catherine Archer, the story of a Victorian heiress who falls in love with a sea captain, is—in the words of the reviewer from Affaire de Coeur—”impossible to put down.” And Josh Colter and Alexandria Gibson discover they are both looking for the same man in Susan Amarillas’s new Western, Wyoming Renegade. Susan’s last two books have won her 5 ratings from Affaire de Coeur, and fans have been eagerly awaiting this tale of two people who must choose between family, and love and honor. Whatever your taste in reading, we hope you’ll keep an eye out 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 The Scout’s Bride Kate Kingsley www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication To Denny, my husband, my best friend and the hero of my own story

About the Author KATE KINGSLEY loves to write historical romance. And having been raised in south Louisiana, she certainly has the background to bring history to life. Kate, who now lives in the San Francisco Bay area, has a strong background in advertising and media. She also does volunteer work at a local hospital, enjoys reading, biking and especially traveling—whenever she can find some extra time. With her daughter in college, Kate has a bit more time to spend with her husband, an actor and television announcer whose sexy voice can be heard on numerous network and cable programs.

Author’s Note Author’s Note In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the government of the United States built a string of forts across the frontier. Fort Chamberlain could have been one of them.

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

Epilogue

Copyright

“I don’t mind jealousy,” he went on, as if he had not heard her. “It’s indifference that pains me.”

“You’re about to feel some real pain,” she warned ominously.

He yelped when she applied the alcohol to his arm. Kneeling beside him again, she placed a pad on the wound to cushion it. Her fingertips felt soft and cool against his skin as she wound a length of gauze around his arm, tying it expertly. But she never met his eyes.

“I don’t know what to make of you, Rebecca Emerson,” he murmured, reaching out to cup her chin in his big hand.

“Nor I, of you.” She looked at him at last.

“Then we’re starting even,” he whispered, tracing the line of her lips with his thumb before he bent to kiss her….

Dear Reader,

Everyone at Fort Hayes, Kansas, expected Rebecca Emerson to return East when her husband died. But Rebecca was determined to remain on the frontier, even if it meant accepting the help of the rugged army scout who had become her unwanted protector. Kate Kingsley’s new Western, The Scout’s Bride, is a marriage-of-convenience story you won’t want to pass up.

USA Today bestselling and multiaward-winning author Ruth Langan’s new series, THE JEWELS OF TEXAS, moves into full swing with this month’s Jade, the story of a small-town preacher who surrenders his soul to the town madam. Don’t miss this wonderful story from one of our readers’ all-time favorite authors.

This month’s Lady Thorn, from Catherine Archer, the story of a Victorian heiress who falls in love with a sea captain, is—in the words of the reviewer from Affaire de Coeur—”impossible to put down.” And Josh Colter and Alexandria Gibson discover they are both looking for the same man in Susan Amarillas’s new Western, Wyoming Renegade. Susan’s last two books have won her 5 ratings from Affaire de Coeur, and fans have been eagerly awaiting this tale of two people who must choose between family, and love and honor.

Whatever your taste in reading, we hope you’ll keep an eye out 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

To Denny,

my husband, my best friend

and the hero of my own story

loves to write historical romance. And having been raised in south Louisiana, she certainly has the background to bring history to life. Kate, who now lives in the San Francisco Bay area, has a strong background in advertising and media. She also does volunteer work at a local hospital, enjoys reading, biking and especially traveling—whenever she can find some extra time. With her daughter in college, Kate has a bit more time to spend with her husband, an actor and television announcer whose sexy voice can be heard on numerous network and cable programs.

In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the government of the United States built a string of forts across the frontier.

Fort Chamberlain could have been one of them.

Arid and constant, the wind swept in from the prairie. It whistled between the buildings of Fort Chamberlain, snatching the tune from the instruments of the regimental band, nearly drowning out the clatter of the returning cavalry. Gusts raised dust devils and snapped the tattered flag, but did little to cool the sweltering afternoon.