The Bastard’s Iberian Bride
By Alina K. Field
Blurb:
Daughter of spies
For a chance at
true freedom, Paulette Heardwyn needs the fortune left her by her inscrutable
father. But she doesn’t know what it is, where it is, or how to find it, and
the only man with answers, the Earl of Shaldon, takes his secrets to the grave.
Worse, the dead earl tries to force her marriage to his bastard son—and leaves
her prey to a traitor seeking the same treasure she’s after.
Soldier, Steward, Bastard
Bink Gibson is
ready to throw off his quiet life as steward to his old commander and head for
India and the chance of prosperity. But before he can leave he’s summoned to
the deathbed of the Earl of Shaldon, a meddling spymaster, a complete
stranger…and his father.
And the Earl has
set a trap Bink will never be able to resist.
Regency Romance, 84,000 words
Heat level: 4 (sensuality and 2 open door love scenes)
Release date: May 5, 2017
Buy Links:
Excerpt:
A
tap at the door brought the innkeeper’s smiling, buxom maid with a flagon of
ale and a pint tankard. Bink thanked her for the drink, and silently, for the interruption,
and started speaking before the door shut on the wench, before the lady across
from him could stop glaring at her and untie her tongue.
“I
know we haven’t gone far, Miss Heardwyn, but it is, if you will remember, the
Sabbath, and in spite of it, we’ve all had a hard day’s labor. The servants are
entitled to a rest. Kincaid and the men will watch over your wagon. Nothing
will go missing.”
She
studied her teacup and worried at her lush lower lip with those perfect white
teeth. She was a beauty, was Miss Heardwyn, much more to his taste than the
flaxen-haired serving wench, and in other circumstances…
“As
to the cost.” She cleared her throat.
“You
are not to worry, miss. I’ve said you will have any monies Shaldon has left me,
and I mean it. I will bear the cost tonight, and tomorrow we’ll make the
arrangements with Bakeley for the rest.”
Her
gaze shot up, eyes flashing. She did not want to be in his debt.
Or…
she did not want to return to Cransdall.
She
stood and walked to the fireplace. The room had gone warm, and he debated
opening one of the casement windows a tad wider.
“Mabel,
wait outside please,” the lady said, her back to the both of them.
Bink
eased out of his chair. “Leave the door open, Mabel. You may stand outside and
eavesdrop but don’t allow anyone else to listen.”
The
maid’s lips quivered as she curtsied and hurried out.
He
turned back to the lady. “Is this where you tell me you will not return to
Cransdall?”
Paulette’s
breath caught. Mr. Gibson had moved up next to her with a great deal of
stealth, close enough to lay hands on her if he wished.
His
big body radiated warmth and suffused her with his scent. Even after a hard day
of riding, the man-scent was subtle, no stronger than her farmer’s had been on
a Sunday morning, dressed in his best. But the yeoman farmer had repelled her.
There was nothing repellant about Mr. Gibson.
She
reached for some calm, trying to still her heart. She was shorter than most
women, true, but even if she’d been tall for a woman, he would still tower over
her. He spread one enormous hand against the mantel and leaned into it, sending
her heart fluttering into her throat.
She
coughed to clear it. She must not let him think her weak. “Returning to
Cransdall is out of the question for me. If you take me there, I will never be
able to leave.”
Quiet
followed, the long silence making her wonder if he’d actually heard.
“Where
do you want to go?” he asked.
This
inn was on the main road, the groom had said. She might have enough money to
get to London, and then a bit more for her keep once she arrived. For a few
days, anyway. Once she located the solicitor and one of her trustees, she would
be provided for, surely.
She
would not tell him those plans.
“What
of your belongings we rescued today?” he asked, before she could speak.
Grrr. He was tricky, this
one. She had not thought that far ahead. “They will be safe at Cransdall,
surely. Kincaid and the grooms can take them back. You can return to your
home.”
“And
you—”
“You
are not my keeper, Mr. Gibson.”
He
studied her for a too-long moment, sending warmth up her cheeks. She would not
look away. She would not give him the satisfaction.
“I’ll
ask you to sleep on it, and we’ll talk again at breakfast.” He reached one long
finger up and swept a lock of hair behind her ear.
His
touch jolted her, too delicate for the man. She could feel her breath rising
and falling like a bellows-blown fire, all deliciously lit up within her, with
a promise of something she couldn’t fathom.
~*~*~*~*~
Author Bio and
links:
Award winning author Alina K. Field earned a
Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature, but her true passion
is the much happier world of romance fiction. Though her roots are in the
Midwestern U.S., after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to
Southern California and hasn’t looked back. She shares a midcentury home with
her husband, her spunky, blonde, rescued terrier, and the blue-eyed cat who
conned his way in for dinner one day and decided the food was too good to
leave.
She is the author of the 2014 Book Buyer’s
Best winner, Rosalyn’s Ring, a 2015
RONE Award finalist, Bella’s Band,
and a 2016 National Reader’s Choice Award finalist, Liliana’s Letter, as well as her latest release, The Marquess and the Midwife. She is
hard at work on her next series of Regency romances, but loves to hear from
readers!
Visit her at:
Thank you for having me as a guest today, Crystal! I look forward to chatting with you at tonight's Writerspace event!
ReplyDeleteNice excerpt. It was lovely chatting with you tonight, we hope to see you again!
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