Cassandra Austin - The Unlikely Wife

Cover Page

Excerpt This was not the lady’s first kiss. Something in her blood responded. He tasted it on her lips, smelled it on her perfumed skin. Suddenly he hated the game; he wanted this to be real. Raising his head, he let the breeze cool his face. He would have stepped away from her, but the tight space made it difficult. He waited for her eyes to open, then grinned down at her. “I pity the poor man who marries you, my dear.” The saucy smile returned. “I should be deeply wounded by those words, Lieutenant, but with that drawl, you could say just anything. Now, tell me why you pity my future husband.” “Because he’ll never be able to let you out of his sight.” The dimples deepened. Her hands went around his neck, pulling him toward her as she whispered, “Why would he want to?” “Good question.”

Dear Reader Dear Reader, Entertainment Escape. Fantasy. These three words describe the heart of Harlequin Historical novels. If you want compelling, emotional stories by some of the best writers in the field, look no further. Cassandra Austin made her writing debut in 1993 with Wait for the Sunrise, which earned her scores of fans and set the tone for her tender and emotional Westerns. Critics have described her work as “charming,” “enlightening” and “not to be missed.” Her latest, The Unlikely Wife, is all that, mingled with a delightful humor that only a heroine like the confident, flirtatious Rebecca Huntington can evoke. She is the very unusual bride of army officer Clark Forrester, and is his colonel’s daughter. Don’t miss the sparks flying! A roguish nobleman and a shy chatelaine forced to wed prove that opposites do, indeed, attract in The Welshman’s Bride, another terrific medieval story by the talented Margaret Moore. Author Janet Kendall makes her writing debut with Hunter of My Heart, an exciting Regency tale about two Scottish nobles bribed into marrying to protect their past secrets. Rounding out the month is Maggie and the Maverick, the last of Laurie Grant’s DEVLIN BROTHERS books. Wounded in the war, single dad Garrick Devlin reconstructs his life with the help of a dainty Texas Yankee who wins his respect and teaches him to love again. Whatever your tastes in reading, you’ll be sure to find a romantic journey back to the past between the covers of a Harlequin Historical® novel. 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 Unlikely Wife Cassandra Austin www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author CASSANDRA AUSTIN has always lived in north central Kansas, and was raised on museums and arrowhead hunts; when she began writing, America’s Old West seemed the natural setting. A full-time writer, she is involved in her church’s activities as well as the activities of her three grown-tonearly-grown children. Her husband farms, and they live in the house where he grew up. To write to her, send a SASE to: Cassandra Austin, Box 162, Clyde, KS 66938.

Dedication To Jonathan, Eden and Paul For all the times you let me write when you would rather have had cookies. You turned into fine adults anyway.

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

Copyright

Something in her blood responded. He tasted it on her lips, smelled it on her perfumed skin. Suddenly he hated the game; he wanted this to be real.

Raising his head, he let the breeze cool his face. He would have stepped away from her, but the tight space made it difficult. He waited for her eyes to open, then grinned down at her. “I pity the poor man who marries you, my dear.”

The saucy smile returned. “I should be deeply wounded by those words, Lieutenant, but with that drawl, you could say just anything. Now, tell me why you pity my future husband.”

“Because he’ll never be able to let you out of his sight.”

The dimples deepened. Her hands went around his neck, pulling him toward her as she whispered, “Why would he want to?”

“Good question.”

Dear Reader,

Entertainment Escape. Fantasy. These three words describe the heart of Harlequin Historical novels. If you want compelling, emotional stories by some of the best writers in the field, look no further.

Cassandra Austin made her writing debut in 1993 with Wait for the Sunrise, which earned her scores of fans and set the tone for her tender and emotional Westerns. Critics have described her work as “charming,” “enlightening” and “not to be missed.” Her latest, The Unlikely Wife, is all that, mingled with a delightful humor that only a heroine like the confident, flirtatious Rebecca Huntington can evoke. She is the very unusual bride of army officer Clark Forrester, and is his colonel’s daughter. Don’t miss the sparks flying!

A roguish nobleman and a shy chatelaine forced to wed prove that opposites do, indeed, attract in The Welshman’s Bride, another terrific medieval story by the talented Margaret Moore. Author Janet Kendall makes her writing debut with Hunter of My Heart, an exciting Regency tale about two Scottish nobles bribed into marrying to protect their past secrets.

Rounding out the month is Maggie and the Maverick, the last of Laurie Grant’s DEVLIN BROTHERS books. Wounded in the war, single dad Garrick Devlin reconstructs his life with the help of a dainty Texas Yankee who wins his respect and teaches him to love again.

Whatever your tastes in reading, you’ll be sure to find a romantic journey back to the past between the covers of a Harlequin Historical® novel.

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

has always lived in north central Kansas, and was raised on museums and arrowhead hunts; when she began writing, America’s Old West seemed the natural setting. A full-time writer, she is involved in her church’s activities as well as the activities of her three grown-tonearly-grown children. Her husband farms, and they live in the house where he grew up. To write to her, send a SASE to: Cassandra Austin, Box 162, Clyde, KS 66938.

To Jonathan, Eden and Paul

For all the times you let me write when you would rather have had cookies. You turned into fine adults anyway.

Kansas, 1867

“The window’s so dirty I can barely see out,” Cousin Alicia Evans said.

“There’s nothing to see anyway,” responded Aunt Belle.

Rebecca Huntington’s only response to her companions’ conversation was a muttered “Hmm,” which she assumed they took as agreement. She didn’t agree, however. She leaned slightly into the aisle, quite pleased with the view. Since the train had pulled out of Kansas City that morning, she had been keeping close watch on the activities of a very good-looking soldier. His uniform told her he was a cavalry lieutenant. He was clean-shaven, something slightly unusual in the West. She thought his choice to shave could have been vanity; he had the most magnificent jaw she had ever seen, strong, square and welldefined. It would have been a shame to cover it.