Protected by the Major. Anne Herries

      

      OFFICERS AND GENTLEMEN

       For duty, for honour, for love

      Bound by honour and family ties, three brave men fought for their lives in France…

      Now, back in the drawing rooms of England, they face a new battle as three beautiful women lay siege to their scarred hearts!

      PROTECTED BY THE MAJOR January 2014

      DRAWN TO LORD RAVENSCAR February 2014

      COURTED BY THE CAPTAIN Already available

      AUTHOR NOTE

      This is the second of the Ravenscar cousins’ trilogy. Hallam helped Adam when their cousin Mark Ravenscar was murdered. Now that they have caught the culprit Adam and Jenny are married and Hal turns his mind to his own problems. He has never been able to forget Madeline, the girl he asked to wed him before he joined the army. She turned him down to marry a wealthy lord, but now he has discovered that she is desperately unhappy. Should he forgive her for the pain she caused him and help her in her time of need?

      I hope my readers will enjoy this second book. The third is coming soon.

      Love to you all.

      Protected

      by the Major

      Anne Herries

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      I would like to dedicate this, the second of the cousins’ trilogy, to my editors at HM&B past and present for all the help they have given me over the years.

      Anne Herries lives in Cambridgeshire, where she is fond of watching wildlife and spoils the birds and squirrels that are frequent visitors to her garden. Anne loves to write about the beauty of nature, and sometimes puts a little into her books, although they are mostly about love and romance. She writes for her own enjoyment, and to give pleasure to her readers. Anne is a winner of the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romance Prize. She invites readers to contact her on her website: www.lindasole.co.uk

       Previous novels by the same author:

      THE RAKE’S REBELLIOUS LADY

A COUNTRY MISS IN HANOVER SQUARE* AN INNOCENT DEBUTANTE IN HANOVER SQUARE* THE MISTRESS OF HANOVER SQUARE* THE PIRATE’S WILLING CAPTIVE FORBIDDEN LADY† THE LORD’S FORCED BRIDE† HER DARK AND DANGEROUS LORD† FUGITIVE COUNTESS† BOUGHT FOR THE HAREM HOSTAGE BRIDE THE DISAPPEARING DUCHESS** THE MYSTERIOUS LORD MARLOWE** THE SCANDALOUS LORD LANCHESTER** SECRET HEIRESS BARTERED BRIDE CAPTAIN MOORCROFT’S CHRISTMAS BRIDE (part of Candlelit Christmas Kisses) A STRANGER’S TOUCH† HIS UNUSUAL GOVERNESS PROMISED TO THE CRUSADER COURTED BY THE CAPTAIN‡

*A Season in Town †The Melford Dynasty **Secrets and Scandals ‡Officers and Gentlemen

       And in the Regency series The Steepwood Scandal:

      LORD RAVENSDEN’S MARRIAGE

      COUNTERFEIT EARL

       Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Contents

       Prologue

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Afterword

      Prologue

      ‘Please do not do this,’ the handsome young cavalry officer begged, catching at the girl’s arm as she started to walk away. ‘If you marry him you will break my heart and I know he cannot make you happy, Madeline.’

      She blinked back her tears as she looked at him, her green eyes misty and filled with an appeal that caught at his heart. She was lovely, with her long, naturally wavy hair brushing her shoulders and her soft mouth that had always smiled for him. In her eyes he saw the love she had once declared beneath this very apple tree, but her words were cold and dismissive.

      ‘I pray you let go of my arm, sir. I have accepted the count’s proposal of marriage and the contract is signed. There is nothing I can do.’

      ‘Come away with me now,’ he said, breathing deeply as the wintry sunlight caught the red-gold of her hair. ‘If you are my wife, he can do nothing to prevent it. I know you love me...you swore it to me only last summer.’

      ‘In the summer things were different.’ She turned her beautiful face from him. ‘You do not understand, Hallam. It was all arranged and I...I am happy with my promise. The count is rich and will give me all the things I...require. Besides, I do not love you.’

      ‘You swore you would always love me. We kissed to seal our promise to each other and I was to speak to your father when I returned.’

      ‘You were away too long,’ she said, and her face was proud, cold and withdrawn. ‘And you have no money, Hallam. How can you expect me to share your poverty? If your father had not lost all his money gambling or...’ She pulled away from him, her face turned from his so that he could not read her expression. ‘I should not even have