Romance
From New York Times bestselling author Bertrice Small—the fourth passionate romance in the Border Chronicles series—The Border Lord and The Lady
Lady Cicely Bowen, daughter of the Earl of Leighton, is sent away by her father when her jealous stepmother threatens her safety. Soon the exiled Cicely becomes best friends with Lady Joan Beaufort, the king's cousin—and when Joan is married to King James I of Scotland she chooses Cicely as one of the ladies accompany her north…
At the Scot's court Cicely finds herself pursued by two men—elegant Andrew Gordon, the laird of Fairlee, and Ian Douglas, the laird of Glengorm, a rough-spoken border lord. When Ian kidnaps Cicely just as Andrew is about to propose, the royal court is sent into an uproar. The queen is demanding the return of her friend and the Gordons are threatening to set the border on fire. But the border lord is difficult to tame—and the lady's heart is even harder to claim.
Read an excerpt from The Border Lord and The Lady:
Chapter 2
Henry of Lancaster had died on the twentieth of March, and his heir was crowned on the ninth of April as King Henry V. The young king was eager to go to war with France. The Earl of Leighton consulted with his friend—and blood relation—Sir William Rogers, as to where he might foster his daughter.
"'Tis a bad time, Robert," Sir William said candidly. "But perhaps there is a chance you can get your lass into an important house if you can offer the king something in return. He's like all the Lancasters, ready to do a favor for a favor."
"He'll need financing for his war," Robert Bowen said. "I can probably aid him there. The Florentine bankers are always looking to make another profit, and I have many friends among them."
"The king will be at Windsor next week," Sir William said. "I'm leaving in another day or two. Ride with me. I can at least get you into his presence."
"You have a new daughter, don't you?" the earl said to his relation.
"Born on the day the old king died," Sir William responded.
"She'll need a husband one day," Robert Bowen said.
"And he'll need a rich wife," Sir William observed. "My lass won't have much, but I thank you for even considering it."
"You don't know what will happen in the next few years," the Earl of Leighton told his kinsman. "Let us wait and see."
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