Hunter Of My Heart

Hunter Of My Heart
Janet Kendall

Manacled By A Wedding Ring!That was what Sabrina Barrington would be if forced to marry. The secret she guarded made it impossible for her to be anyone's bride, much less the enigmatic Earl of Kenilworth's! But blackmail had prompted her wedding vows, and made her his unwilling prisoner…The ghosts of the past were all too solid for Hunter Sinclair, yet to ensure a future for those he loved, he would do anything - even marry Sabrina Barrington, a woman whose mystery both infuriated and intoxicated him, heart and soul!

“If you point a gun, you had better be prepared to use it.” (#u57fe97ce-ec90-586e-ae7d-210ae2f1fbb7)Letter to Reader (#uabca3021-db58-54b3-abeb-6dade7500107)Title Page (#u182ce048-54c4-5f2d-b289-f7878c8cfec4)About the Author (#ue33d2e4c-817d-5f9d-8e79-b290970d9a60)Dedication (#u23b03cdb-432e-596c-9ff6-94cf28a38fe3)ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (#u0240d917-5bf2-5181-a274-43020a96a058)Prologue (#u8b7dbf76-4add-58a0-b486-579fbdef652d)Chapter One (#udddf6cec-876a-554d-bbcd-2e30f11aacf1)Chapter Two (#u37d3bed1-9dd7-560c-b279-7c505b8e7f0a)Chapter Three (#u6210ee02-c51f-52b0-9d93-8a344b22dcda)Chapter Four (#ubcc52669-17b4-503e-a452-03f271fc92fb)Chapter Five (#u330cfc59-0106-5b51-9927-5fe098ca8efe)Chapter Six (#u82c4b2f1-1350-5246-87e1-76b2c5991d3b)Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Twenty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Twenty-Four (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Twenty-Five (#litres_trial_promo)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

“If you point a gun, you had better be prepared to use it.”

With unblinking eyes, he stood erect. Hands on his hips. Legs apart.

Sabrina held his gaze and knew his rigid stance was a dare.

Aiming the pistol to the right of Kenilworth, she pointed at a lone birch. “Don’t move, milord.” As she lowered the hammer, his body stiffened. “Now, look to your left. Should I try for the left or the right branch?”

“To your right. It’s farthest from me.”

Gritting her teeth, she focused and fired. Wood crackled and snapped. Birds squawked. She smiled, feeling an odd satisfaction. Somehow, the act replaced the dignity Kenilworth had stolen.

“Luck,” Kenilworth murmured, eyeing the severed branch.

Feeling the challenge in his single word, her blood started to hum. She shifted her gaze to just below his waist and adjusted her aim.

“If that’s where you want to shoot me, go ahead...!”

Dear Reader,

Entertainment. Escape. Fantasy. These three words describe the heart of Harlequin Historical novels. If you want compelling, emotional stories by some of the best writers in the field, look no further.

We think Janet Kendall is one of the best new writers in the field. Her debut book, Hunter of My Heart, is a captivating tale set in Regency England. Here, the heroine’s powerful and dangerous grandfather is so desperate for an heir that he’ll stop at nothing to get one, namely forcing a marriage between his granddaughter and the mysterious duke of Kenilworth. But when their unexpected passion turns to love and trust, they triumph in the end!

Maggie and the Maverick is a heartwarming new Western by Laurie Grant. With the help of newswoman Maggie Harper, Garrick Devlin, wounded in the Civil War, finally learns to love again. And don’t miss Cassandra Austin’s The Unlikely Wife, the story of a handsome officer who falls for his commander’s flirty daughter during a journey to an army fort

Rounding out the month is The Welshman’s Bride by award-winning author Margaret Moore. Forced to marry after being caught in a compromising position, a roguish Welsh nobleman and a demure chatelaine learn to appreciate their differences and fall in love.

Whatever your tastes in reading, you’ll be sure to find a romantic journey back to the past between the covers of a Harlequin Historical

novel.

Sincerely,

Tracy Farrell

Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to:

Harlequin Reader Service

U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont., L2A 5X3

Hunter of my Heart

Janet Kendall

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

JANET KENDALL graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Colorado and worked there as a personnel counselor.

She was born and raised in Durango, Colorado. With not a lot to do in a small mining and tourist town, cowboys, eastern gents and Native Americans stirred her imagination. They became heroes. This, coupled with a Texan husband and a mother-in-law whose family is from England, fueled her love of history more. So she began to write in her favorite genre. Romance. When she’s not writing, reading romances, or doing research, she tends her other passion, her flower garden and rare orchid collection.

She and her husband live in the Chicago suburbs. Janet would love to hear from her readers. Please write to her at: P.O. Box 3003, Naperville, Illinois 60565.

To my loving husband, who believed in me and

supported my writing from the first day. To my mom and dad, the best parents a child could have.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To Jean Newlin and Laura Renken for their thoughtful

critiques as I was writing the final version of this book.

To the best den mothers in the world:

Susan Elizabeth Phillips, whose advice challenges me as

a writer, Cathie Linz, who taught me to persevere and the

real meaning of “creative,” and to Jimmie Morel writing

as Lindsay Longford, whose keen sense of direction

kept me on the right path.

Finally to my editor, Margaret O’Neill Marbury,

who took the chance.

I thank you all.

Prologue

London, March 1825

The unmistakable smell of sweat and passion greeted Hunter Sinclair as he opened the door.

The butler had been right. Hunter’s father wasn’t alone and thus had broken his word. To witness the infidelity would give Hunter proof and another reason to sever their bargain.