The Bride Of Spring. Catherine Archer

      “My lord, we must converse on a most important matter.

      “I would have you know that though we are wed and I am forced to accompany you to your lands…I do not intend to be your wife in any other sense.”

      Benedict’s brows rose in shock. She had come right out and denied him her bed.

      “You seek to send me from you?”

      She bit her lip with uncertainty, but there was defiance in her eyes. “I do.”

      He shook his head in disbelief. “You have no right to do so. I am your husband.”

      “You will not be so lest you force me.”

      He moved toward her, his anger a tight ball in his belly. “What makes you think I would force you?”

      Her gaze widened. “I…I simply assumed…”

      “I have never forced myself upon any woman—never had to.” His gaze raked her meaningfully.

      Dear Reader,

      Spring is in full bloom and marriage is on the minds of many. That’s why we’re celebrating marriage in each of our four outstanding Historicals romances this month!

      We are delighted with the return of Catherine Archer, who captures the essence of our theme with The Bride of Spring, book two of her outstanding SEASONS’ BRIDES miniseries. Filled with emotion and wry humor, this medieval tale highlights intrepid heroine Raine Blanchett, who, realizing she must marry to protect her young brother, decides to have some say in the groom. She cleverly orchestrates a “forced” marriage, unaware that the man she has chosen, intriguing knight Benedict Ainsworth, will become her true love.

      Another heroine who knows her mind is Lady Sara Fernstowe in Lyn Stone’s My Lady’s Choice, in which Sara determines to wed the semiconscious and oh-so-handsome warrior she’s just saved from near death. Award-winning author Cheryl Reavis brings us a powerful story about a second chance at love and marriage in The Captive Heart. Here, a British officer’s wife is imprisoned by her husband, but rescued by a Native American frontiersman.

      And don’t miss Tanner Stakes His Claim, book two of Carolyn Davidson’s terrific EDGEWOOD, TEXAS miniseries. It’s a darling marriage-of-convenience tale between a squeaky-clean Texas sheriff and the amnesiac—and pregnant—saloon singer he can’t stop thinking about.

      Enjoy! And come back again next month for four more choices of the best in historical romance.

      Sincerely,

      Tracy Farrell,

      Senior Editor

      The Bride of Spring

      Catherine Archer

      

www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Available from Harlequin Historicals and CATHERINE ARCHER

      Rose Among Thorns #136

      * Velvet Bond #282

      * Velvet Touch #322

      Lady Thorn #353

      Lord Sin #379

      Fire Song #426

      † Winter’s Bride #477

      † The Bride of Spring #514

      This book is dedicated to all of my readers.

      Thank you so much for your letters and for making it possible for me to do the work I love.

      Contents

       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 One

      England, 1461

      Raine Blanchett waited among the courtiers gathered outside King Edward’s audience chamber. She, unlike the other finely garbed nobles, was not here to see the king.

      Raine was in search of a husband. The knowledge that she must find one soon was beginning to press more firmly upon her with each passing day. Yet the long month she had been at court had seen no development as far as her hope of finding a husband was concerned.

      Coming to court had seemed such a grand notion when she had told her brother, William, and their childhood nurse, Aida, of the decision. Arriving here had shown her that even the best propositions are not always simple to carry out in practicality.

      Raine was honest enough to admit that it was her own fault that things were not going well. She did not want just any man. A handsome face and a witty tongue would not suffice. She wanted a man who would look after her eleven-year-old brother and his estates until he came of age. She wished for this man to do so without succumbing to an unacceptable urge to “dip into the pot.”

      What he looked like, his age—naught mattered but that he would be fair and honest and strong. Strong enough to keep Cousin Denley from thinking he could continue to harass them. In the last weeks before her decision to come to court, his persistent offers of marriage had changed to clumsily veiled threats to force her, should she not come around.

      Raine knew that William would not fare well under such as he. It was no secret that the dull-witted Denley wanted to marry her so that he could gain control of the vast holdings her brother had inherited six months ago, when their father died.

      The thought of her father’s death brought a now familiar ache to her chest, but Raine refused to give in to her sorrow. She knew her father had wanted her to go forward, to look after her brother and his heritage. Though neither of them had ever spoken of his utter despair after her mother’s death, her father’s dependence and trust in Raine had begun that day. She had the sense that he would want her to do whatever she must in order to see that William and the lands were taken care of. Raine meant to do just that.

      When she had first arrived at court, Raine had gone about the usual method of meeting