The Queen's Christmas Summons

The Queen's Christmas Summons
Amanda McCabe

‘Royal courts are glittering places. But there can be many dangers there.’The words of Juan, the shipwrecked Spanish sailor who Lady Alys Drury nursed back to health, echo in her mind as she puts on another courtly smile.Then Alys locks eyes with a handsome man amid the splendour of Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas court—Juan is posing as courtier John Huntley! Alys is hurt at Juan’s deception until she learns he’s an undercover spy for the crown… Even amid the murky machinations of the court, can true love still conquer all?

“Royal courts are glittering places. But there can be many dangers there.”

The words of Juan, the shipwrecked Spanish sailor Lady Alys Drury nursed back to health, echo in her mind as she puts on another courtly smile.

Then Alys locks eyes with a handsome man amid the splendor of Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas court—Juan is posing as courtier John Huntley! Alys is hurt at Juan’s deception until she learns he’s an undercover spy for the crown... Amid the murky machinations of the court, can true love still conquer all?

Praise for Amanda McCabe (#u313f38b3-8dca-5081-a183-163efcbb9c2f)

‘McCabe sweeps readers into the world of the Elizabethan theatre, delighting us with a lively tale and artfully drawing on the era’s backdrop of bawdy plays, wild actors and thrilling adventure.’

—RT Book Reviews on The Taming of the Rogue

‘Including a darling little girl, meddling relatives and a bit of suspense, McCabe’s story charms readers.’

—RT Book Reviews on Running from Scandal

‘McCabe highlights an unusual and fascinating piece of history whilst never losing sight of the romance or adventure.’

—RT Book Reviews on The Demure Miss Manning

Alys put on her courtly smile, prepared to meet another of Ellen’s peacock friends—and the smile froze before it could form.

It had not been an illusion, a fleeting trick of her tired mind. It was him—Juan. Right there before her when she had been so sure she would never see him again—could never see him again. She shivered and fell back a step, suddenly feeling so very cold.

He did not quite look like her Juan, bearded and ragged from the sea. He was just as tall, but his shoulders were broader, and he wore no beard to hide the elegant angles of his sculpted face, his high cheekbones and sharp jawline, his sensual lips. He wore courtly clothes of purple velvet trimmed with silver, a high, narrow ruff at his throat. But his eyes—those brilliant summer-green eyes she had once so cherished—widened when his glance fell on her.

The Queen’s Christmas Summons

Amanda McCabe

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

AMANDA MCCABE wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen—a vast epic, starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class. She’s never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA®, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Booksellers’ Best, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband, one dog and one cat.

Books by Amanda McCabe

Mills & Boon Historical Romance

and Mills & Boon Historical Undone! eBooks

Bancrofts of Barton Park

The Runaway Countess

Running from Scandal

Running into Temptation (Undone!)

Linked by Character

A Notorious WomanA Sinful AllianceHigh Seas StowawayShipwrecked and Seduced (Undone!)

Stand-Alone Novels

Betrayed by His Kiss

The Demure Miss Manning

The Queen’s Christmas Summons

More Mills & Boon Historical Undone! eBooks by Amanda McCabe

To Court, Capture and Conquer

Girl in the Beaded Mask

Unlacing the Lady in Waiting

One Wicked Christmas

An Improper Duchess

A Very Tudor Christmas

Visit the Author Profile page

at millsandboon.co.uk (http://millsandboon.co.uk) for more titles.

For Kyle, for three lovely years—so far

Contents

Cover (#u93b4dabe-9cf8-580b-a5b8-e205eac22a1d)

Back Cover Text (#ucd9c7e3a-3cd9-5c02-b54a-6ec73f7eaed2)

Praise (#ud93f3892-b8e5-5f25-ba5c-c8441e831e99)

Introduction (#ueca87518-415c-547d-aad6-174e6a9453ce)

Title Page (#u681f252c-a0e6-59af-9613-e7e3d8a6b624)

About the Author (#uddf594b6-1fb5-522d-921c-ebc275fb3d17)

Dedication (#u5f910b1a-2027-545b-b12f-b046ff4623ff)