Stepping Into The Prince's World. Marion Lennox

      Falling for the secret prince

      Claire Tremaine accepted the post as sole caretaker of a gorgeous island after a professional betrayal left her life in tatters. It’s the perfect place to heal, until her solitude is interrupted by a gorgeous solider who’s shipwrecked on her shores!

      Raoul breaks down Claire’s barriers with his kindness and kisses, but she’s stunned when he’s revealed as Prince of Marétal. She believes they can’t be together...until Raoul whisks Claire to his palace! She’s stepped into the prince’s world—but can Claire capture this prince’s heart?

      I’m royal and there’ll be a worldwide search...

      He couldn’t tell her.

      For some unknown reason a voice in the back of his head was pleading, Not Yet. She thought he was an equal. A soldier—nothing more.

      She’d been battered by people who’d treated her as trash. She was feisty and brave, but she’d retreated to this island hurt.

      He didn’t want her retreating from him. He knew he’d have to tell her, but the voice was almost yelling now.

      Not yet. Not yet.

Dear Reader,

      Stepping into the Prince’s World started life in my dentist’s waiting room. The dentist surgery is understandably not my favorite place to visit, but with a lovely pile of glossies I can block out the thought of what’s ahead. I flicked through the pages, looking at pictures of a certain soldier/prince and thought, what a combination!

      And suddenly I was off and dreaming. By the time I was escorted into the dentist chair I had my own soldier/prince in my head, and a heroine who deserved him. I had shipwrecks and deserted islands, I had chandeliers and tiaras, I had my own kingdom—all I had to do was get rid of one small dental cavity, escape the dentist and go write a book.

      Welcome to Claire and Raoul’s world. Enjoy.

      Marion

      Stepping into the Prince’s World

      Marion Lennox

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      MARION LENNOX has written more than one hundred romances and is published in over a hundred countries and thirty languages. Her multiple awards include the prestigious US RITA® (twice), and the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for ‘a body of work which makes us laugh and teaches us about love.’ Marion adores her family, her kayak, her dog and lying on the beach with a book someone else has written. Heaven!

      For Doug and Natalia. Wishing you a fabulous wedding and an amazing, fulfilling Happy-Ever-After. Welcome home.

      With grateful thanks to Jennifer Kloester, who certainly knows where and how to kick.

      If Our Jen met a prince on a dark night she’d know what to do. :-)

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       Introduction

Dear Reader

       Title Page

       About the Author

       Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

       CHAPTER FIVE

       CHAPTER SIX

       CHAPTER SEVEN

       CHAPTER EIGHT

       CHAPTER NINE

       CHAPTER TEN

       CHAPTER ELEVEN

       CHAPTER TWELVE

       Extract

       Copyright

       CHAPTER ONE

      YOU’RE TO TAKE your place as heir to the throne and find yourself a bride.

      If Crown Prince Raoul Marcus Louis Ferdinand could cut that last order from his grandmother’s letter he would, but he needed to show his commanding officer the letter in its entirety.

      He laid the impressive parchment of his grandmother’s letter before his commanding officer. Franz noted the grim lines on Raoul’s face, picked up the letter and read.

      Then he nodded. ‘You have no choice,’ he told him.

      ‘I don’t.’ Raoul turned and stared out of the window at the massive mountain overshadowing Tasmania’s capital. It was a mere shadow of the mountains of Marétal’s alpine region.

      He needed to be home.

      ‘I’ve known my grandfather’s health is failing,’ he told his commanding officer. ‘But I’ve always thought of the Queen as invincible. This letter might sound commanding, but it’s a plea for help.’

      ‘It is.’ Franz glanced at the letter again. It was headed by the royal crest of Marétal and it wasn’t a letter to be ignored. A royal summons... ‘But at least it’s timely,’ he told Raoul.

      Marétal’s army had been engaged as part of an international exercise in Tasmania’s wilderness for the last couple of months. Raoul’s battalion had performed brilliantly, but operations were winding down.

      ‘We can manage without you,’ he told him. He hesitated. ‘Raoul, you do know...?’

      ‘That it’s time I left the army.’ Raoul sighed. ‘I do know it.