The Blacksheep Prince's Bride. Martha Shields
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THE EDENBOURG TATTLER
Word has it that Rowena Wilde, lady-in-waiting to Princess Isabel, has devoted herself to caring for the two-year-old son of gorgeous royal cousin Jake Stanbury—the number-one suspect in King Michael’s disappearance!—while the Americans are still on Edenbourg soil. However, what started as a simple “favor” seems to have escalated into something a bit more long-term—for Jake has just proposed marriage to the lovely virgin! But will a secret Rowena holds in her heart keep their temporary arrangement from becoming a lifetime commitment?
Now Nicholas is missing, too!
Or is he?
Code Name: Prince (SR#1516) by Valerie Parv
Dear Reader,
The year is off to a wonderful start in Silhouette Romance, and we’ve got some of our best stories yet for you right here.
Our tremendously successful ROYALLY WED series continues with The Blacksheep Prince’s Bride by Martha Shields. Our intrepid heroine—a lady-in-waiting for Princess Isabel—will do anything to help rescue the king. Even marry the single dad turned prince! And Judy Christenberry returns to Romance with Newborn Daddy. Poor Ryan didn’t know what he was missing, until he looked through the nursery window.…
Also this month, Teresa Southwick concludes her much-loved series about the Marchetti family in The Last Marchetti Bachelor. And popular author Elizabeth August gives us Slade’s Secret Son. Lisa hadn’t planned to tell Slade about their child. But with her life in danger, there’s only one man to turn to.…
Carla Cassidy’s tale of love and adventure is Lost in His Arms, while new-to-the-Romance-line Vivienne Wallington proves she’s anything but a beginning writer in this powerful story of a man Claiming His Bride.
Be sure to come back next month for Valerie Parv’s ROYALLY WED title as well as new stories by Sandra Steffen and Myrna Mackenzie. And Patricia Thayer will begin a brand-new series, THE TEXAS BROTHERHOOD.
Happy reading!
Mary-Theresa Hussey
Senior Editor
The Blacksheep Prince’s Bride
Martha Shields
To Lisa Turner
Books by Martha Shields
Silhouette Romance
*Home Is Where Hank Is #1287
*And Cowboy Makes Three #1317
*The Million-Dollar Cowboy #1346
Husband Found #1377
The Princess and the Cowboy #1403
Lassoed! #1461
The Blacksheep Prince’s Bride #1510
MARTHA SHIELDS
grew up telling stories to her sister in the back seat of the family Rambler on the way to visit their grandparents in Florida. A way to pass the time turned into a love of words, which led to an education in journalism. Fresh out of college, Martha discovered romance novels and finally found a focus for her writing. Martha lives in Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband of over twenty years, a college-age daughter and a Cairn “terror” who can’t believe he’s not in Kansas anymore. During the day, Martha tries to make college courses sound exciting, and at night, she escapes the pressures of the day by weaving tales of romantic worlds, hoping readers can do the same.
You can keep up with Martha’s new releases via her Web site, which can be reached through the author page at www.eHarlequin.com.
Contents
Chapter One
Rowena Wilde hated this house.
The Dowager Cottage was a dismal place. Built three centuries ago of native granite, the three-story “cottage” sat on the edge of the cliff like an old woman hunkered down against the storms blowing off the North Sea.
It was where extraneous queens grieved for lost husbands, relived former glory and waited to die.
As she stood with one hand wrapped around a cold iron spoke on the front gate, Rowena recalled the times she’d accompanied Princess Isabel as she visited her grandmother, who’d died three years ago. They’d sipped tea in the gloomy parlor with heavy velvet curtains shutting out the light. Though central heat had been installed years ago, the house was never warm. Even with a blazing fire. Even in the middle of July.
Rowena had known she’d have to stay here when she and Isabel had concocted this plan. Which was one reason she’d been half-hoping Jake Stanbury would refuse to accept her as his son’s nanny.
The cottage was full of ghosts, and Rowena had never been comfortable around ghosts.
The other reason, of course, was Jake.
Jake and the Dowager Cottage. Alone, each was a daunting prospect. Together…
Rowena shivered despite the bright April afternoon sunlight.
Both Jake and the cottage got her blood pumping, but for vastly different reasons—all related to fear.
Which was ridiculous.
Taking a deep breath, Rowena marshaled her inner resolve.
There was nothing to be afraid of. The cottage was just a pile of stone. She could dissipate the gloom by tearing down curtains and turning on lamps. And Jake…
Well,