Diana Hall - Warrior's Deception

Cover Page

Excerpt From the corner of her eye, Lenora saw a shadow swoop down on her. A huge mail-covered hand appeared out of nowhere, yanking her from her horse, and her back hit against a hard wall of metal. Stunned, she found herself breathless and dumped into the lap of an armor-clad knight. “Let go of me!” She kicked and thrashed her legs, trying to free herself. “Who are you?” She twisted in her captor’s grasp and her eyes traveled up to the knight’s face. A wide nosepiece on his helmet obscured his face. Only his eyes were visible. The hard-fought air she had strived for escaped her lungs in a low, desperate sigh. “Nay, it cannot be!” The knight’s dark gray eyes glowered at her, and a current of fear whorled through her. “I’ve come to settle our bet, Lady Lenora.” Roen de Galliard removed his helmet, tucked it under his arm and shook his head like a mighty golden lion. “Among other things.” He wrapped his viselike arm around her waist and pulled her tightly toward him….

Dear Reader Dear Reader, When we ran our first March Madness promotion in 1992, we had no idea that we would get such a wonderful response. Our springtime showcase of brand-new authors has been so successful that we’ve continued to seek out talented new writers and introduce them into the field of historical romance. During our yearly search, my editors and I have the unique opportunity of reading hundreds of manuscripts from unpublished authors, and we’d like to take this time to thank all of you who have given us the chance to review your work. In Warrior’s Deception, Diana Hall’s powerful first book, a young woman suddenly finds herself married to a forbidding knight who has been ordered to protect her from the intrigue and danger that threaten her family. And be sure to keep an eye out for our other three March titles. Western Rose by Lynna Banning, the story of a rancher and a schoolteacher who must work out their differences before they accept their love. Fool’s Paradise by Tori Phillips, the charming tale of a noblewoman and the jester who becomes her protector. And The Pearl Stallion, the story of an adventurous voyage by Rae Muir. Four new talents, four great stories from Harlequin Historicals. Don’t miss a single one! 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 Warrior’s Deception Diana Hall www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author DIANA HALL If experience feeds a writer’s soul, then I must be stuffed. I’ve worked as a pickle packer, a ticket taker at a drive-in movie, a waitress, a bartender, a factory worker, a truck driver cementing oil wells in south Texas, a geological technician with oil companies, a teacher, a part-time ecological travel agent and now an author. The only job I’ve kept longer than five years is wife and mother. A geographical accident, I was meant to live in the South. After high school I left rural Ohio and attended college in Mobile, Alabama. There I fell in love with balmy nights and the beaches of the Gulf. I now live in a suburb of Houston, Texas, with my understanding husband, a beautiful daughter, a sedate, overweight collie and a hyperactive dalmatian.

Dedication To Rick for all his love and support. To Jessica for her wonderful character names. To Debbie, Michele, and Merydith for all their help. To Jean, Dee, and Margaret for their energy and belief. Thanks

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

Epilogue

Copyright

A huge mail-covered hand appeared out of nowhere, yanking her from her horse, and her back hit against a hard wall of metal. Stunned, she found herself breathless and dumped into the lap of an armor-clad knight.

“Let go of me!” She kicked and thrashed her legs, trying to free herself. “Who are you?” She twisted in her captor’s grasp and her eyes traveled up to the knight’s face.

A wide nosepiece on his helmet obscured his face. Only his eyes were visible. The hard-fought air she had strived for escaped her lungs in a low, desperate sigh. “Nay, it cannot be!” The knight’s dark gray eyes glowered at her, and a current of fear whorled through her.

“I’ve come to settle our bet, Lady Lenora.”

Roen de Galliard removed his helmet, tucked it under his arm and shook his head like a mighty golden lion. “Among other things.” He wrapped his viselike arm around her waist and pulled her tightly toward him….

When we ran our first March Madness promotion in 1992, we had no idea that we would get such a wonderful response. Our springtime showcase of brand-new authors has been so successful that we’ve continued to seek out talented new writers and introduce them into the field of historical romance. During our yearly search, my editors and I have the unique opportunity of reading hundreds of manuscripts from unpublished authors, and we’d like to take this time to thank all of you who have given us the chance to review your work.

In Warrior’s Deception, Diana Hall’s powerful first book, a young woman suddenly finds herself married to a forbidding knight who has been ordered to protect her from the intrigue and danger that threaten her family.

And be sure to keep an eye out for our other three March titles. Western Rose by Lynna Banning, the story of a rancher and a schoolteacher who must work out their differences before they accept their love. Fool’s Paradise by Tori Phillips, the charming tale of a noblewoman and the jester who becomes her protector. And The Pearl Stallion, the story of an adventurous voyage by Rae Muir.

Four new talents, four great stories from Harlequin Historicals. Don’t miss a single one!

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

If experience feeds a writer’s soul, then I must be stuffed.

I’ve worked as a pickle packer, a ticket taker at a drive-in movie, a waitress, a bartender, a factory worker, a truck driver cementing oil wells in south Texas, a geological technician with oil companies, a teacher, a part-time ecological travel agent and now an author. The only job I’ve kept longer than five years is wife and mother.

A geographical accident, I was meant to live in the South. After high school I left rural Ohio and attended college in Mobile, Alabama. There I fell in love with balmy nights and the beaches of the Gulf. I now live in a suburb of Houston, Texas, with my understanding husband, a beautiful daughter, a sedate, overweight collie and a hyperactive dalmatian.

To Rick for all his love and support. To Jessica for her wonderful character names. To Debbie, Michele, and Merydith for all their help. To Jean, Dee, and Margaret for their energy and belief.