To Tempt a Rake - By Cara Elliott Page 0,118
who was sleeping with whom, so that late night tiptoeing through the corridors wouldn’t result in any embarrassing trip-ups.
Glittering balls, sumptuous banquets, fanciful medieval jousts, spectacular fireworks—the daily list of extravagant entertainments was mind-boggling. Party girls Princess Bagration and the Duchess of Sagan vied with each other to see who could attract the most influential men to their soirees. As for other pleasures, well, let’s just say they all were intent on having a good time. In fact, the Tsar of Russia—a notorious skirt-chaser—had to have a whole new wardrobe sent from St. Petersburg because he gained so much weight partying every night!
But why, you might ask, is Kate plunging into the midst of such frivolous festivities? And how is a rake like Marco going to help her get out of hot water? Well, you’ll just have to read TO TEMPT A RAKE to find out!
From the desk of Amanda Scott
Dear Reader,
Most books grow from the seeds of isolated ideas. One reads about an unusual historical incident, or finds an odd phrase that triggers a string of thoughts, or overhears a comment on a bus or plane that stirs an idea for a situation or a character.
I was seeking such seeds as I began to plot HIGHLAND MASTER. I’d started with a vague notion of Romeo and Juliet, simply because I always want to create a basic conflict between the hero and heroine. But I did not want the simple “Capulets think Montagues are dreadful and vice-versa”. When I found myself wondering what would happen if a Montague were dropped into a nest of Capulets with a mission to accomplish, the gray cells began churning. That is the moment when a writer begins asking herself, “What if?”
What if my Scottish Romeo had sworn to kill Juliet’s father? In medieval Scotland, blood oaths and blood feuds were common. What if someone in authority over that Scottish Romeo, knowing nothing about his oath or the feud, sends him on a vital diplomatic mission to the Scottish Capulets?
Then, since one also seeks to raise the stakes, what if Romeo has somehow managed to swear a second oath in direct conflict with his oath to kill Juliet’s father? What if he cannot keep either oath without breaking the other?
What if he meets his Juliet and falls for her without realizing that her father is the man he has sworn to kill?
Research soon drew me to the great Clan Battle of Perth in 1396, which was to all intents and purposes a trial by combat between Clan Chattan and Clan Cameron, the two largest, most powerful Highland clan confederations. Thirty “champions” from each clan fought on the North Inch of Perth before the King of Scots and his court. When I read that only one (unknown) Cameron had survived, and did so by flinging himself into the river Tay, which swept him into the Firth of Tay and most likely on into the North Sea, I knew that I had found my hero.
In my story, Scotland’s finest swordsman, Sir Finlagh “Fin” Cameron, the last man of his clan standing against eleven men of Clan Cameron, escapes from the great clan battle, manages to avoid being swept out to sea and—calling himself simply “Fin of the Battles”—joins the service of Davy Stewart, the bedeviled heir to the Scottish throne. Seeking to ally himself with the Lord of the North and the Lord of the Isles against his scheming uncle, the Duke of Albany, Davy sends Fin of the Battles back into the Highlands to arrange for a secret meeting with the great lords, hosted by the powerful Captain of Clan Chattan, known to all and sundry as “the Mackintosh.”
Entering Clan Chattan territory, Fin is felled by a mysterious arrow and rescued by the lady Catriona Mackintosh, granddaughter of Clan Chattan’s captain and, yes, also daughter of the clan’s war leader, Shaw Mackintosh, the very man whom Fin swore to his dying father on the battlefield that he would kill.
I hope you enjoy HIGHLAND MASTER. In the meantime, Suas Alba!
Sincerely,
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Welcome
Dedication
A Preview of Too Wicked to Wed
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 Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Epilogue
The Dish
Also by Cara Elliott
Praise for The Circle of Sin Novels
Copyright
ALSO BY CARA ELLIOTT
To Sin with a Scoundrel
To Surrender to a Rogue
PRAISE FOR
The Circle of Sin Novels
To Surrender to a Rogue
“4 Stars! Elliott’s ability to merge adventure, romance, and an intriguing historical backdrop will captivate her readers and earn their accolades.”
—RT Book Reviews
“With mystery, intrigue, laughter, and hot, steamy passion… what more could any reader want?”
—TheRomanceReadersConnection.com
“Another fantastic read from Cara Elliott, can’t wait until the next book.”
—SingleTitles.com
“An exciting adventure to read. There was drama, there was sorrow, there was passion, romance, and a great ending… a great book!”
—DigiScrapping.com
To Sin with a Scoundrel
“HOT… Charming characters demonstrate her strong storytelling gift.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Has everything a reader could desire: adventure, humor, mystery, romance, and a very naughty rake. I was absorbed form the first page and entertained throughout the story. A warning to readers: If you have anything on your schedule for the day, clear it. You won’t be able to put To Sin with a Scoundrel down once you start reading.”
—SingleTitles.com
“Steamy… intriguing.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Fast-paced… a fun tale… fans will appreciate Lady Ciara as she challenges her in-laws, the Ton, and love with the incorrigible Mad Bad Hadley at her side.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Delightful… filled with fun and some suspense and lots and lots of sexual attraction.”
—RomanceReviewsMag.com
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2011 by Andrea DaRif
Excerpt from Too Wicked to Wed copyright © 2011 Andrea DaRif
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Forever
Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Visit our website at www.HachetteBookGroup.com.
www.twitter.com/foreverromance.
Forever is an imprint of Grand Central Publishing. The Forever name and logo is a trademark of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.
First eBook Edition: February 2011
ISBN: 978-0-446-55852-5