Return of the Viking Warrior

Return of the Viking Warrior
Michelle Styles

THE VIKING CLAIMS HIS WIFEKara Olofdottar thanked the gods when she married her childhood hero Ash Hringson. But this fearless raider has been gone so long his proud arrogance is the only memory she retains of him. Now she must remarry to protect her lands for her son.But then, on her wedding day, the conquering warrior returns – to gasps of horror and surprise! After all, Ash was supposed to be dead…though to Kara’s starved gaze he seems very much flesh and blood…and less than impressed to find his beautiful wife intent on marrying someone else!

‘What is mine stays mine.’

A muscle jumped in Ash’s jaw as he continued. ‘I trust Valdar the Steady and everyone else understand that now.’

Kara’s mouth went dry. ‘Does that include people?’

‘I look after my own.’

Kara straightened her back and dug her heels into her horse’s flank. ‘Then I was never yours. Seven years you’ve been gone, Ash—seven long years.’

AUTHOR NOTE

For many years one of the stories I wanted to write was a ‘returned from the dead’ story. It has always intrigued me, the way people cope when a person has been through a life-changing experience and has to go back home—only to discover home is not the unchanging place he or she thought it was.

I thought about writing it as a Roman-set novel, then a Regency, and finally knew I had to write it as a Viking story. The characters and their situation really came alive in my mind and it was a relief finally to do justice to a story which I have wanted to write for a long time. Sometimes ideas scream to be written, and sometimes you have to wait until the moment is right to write an idea.

I do hope you enjoy Kara and Ash’s story.

As ever, I love hearing from readers. You can contact me through my website www.michellestyles.co.uk (https://www.michellestyles.co.uk), my blog www.michellestyles.blogspot.com (https://www.michellestyles.blogspot.com) or my publisher. I also have a page on Facebook—Michelle Styles Romance Author—where I regularly post my news.

Return of the

Viking Warrior

Michelle Styles

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

DEDICATION

For my eldest son, William

Born and raised near San Francisco, California, MICHELLE STYLES currently lives a few miles south of Hadrian’s Wall, with her husband, three children, two dogs, cats, assorted ducks, hens and beehives. An avid reader, she became hooked on historical romance when she discovered Georgette Heyer, Anya Seton and Victoria Holt one rainy lunchtime at school. And, for her, a historical romance still represents the perfect way to escape.

Although Michelle loves reading about history, she also enjoys a more hands-on approach to her research. She has experimented with a variety of old recipes and cookery methods (some more successfully than others), climbed down Roman sewers, and fallen off horses in Iceland—all in the name of discovering more about how people went about their daily lives. When she is not writing, reading or doing research, Michelle tends her rather overgrown garden or does needlework—in particular counted cross-stitch.

Michelle maintains a website, www.michellestyles.co.uk (https://www.michellestyles.co.uk), and a blog: www.michellestyles.blogspot.com (http://www.michellestyles.blogspot.com). She would be delighted to hear from you.

Previous novels by the same author:

THE GLADIATOR’S HONOUR

A NOBLE CAPTIVE

SOLD AND SEDUCED

THE ROMAN’S VIRGIN MISTRESS

TAKEN BY THE VIKING

A CHRISTMAS WEDDING WAGER

(part of Christmas By Candlelight) VIKING WARRIOR, UNWILLING WIFE AN IMPULSIVE DEBUTANTE A QUESTION OF IMPROPRIETY IMPOVERISHED MISS, CONVENIENT WIFE COMPROMISING MISS MILTON* (#ulink_94166d91-4b6d-5535-b2d9-770edaf32127) THE VIKING’S CAPTIVE PRINCESS BREAKING THE GOVERNESS’S RULES* (#ulink_94166d91-4b6d-5535-b2d9-770edaf32127) TO MARRY A MATCHMAKER HIS UNSUITABLE VISCOUNTESS HATTIE WILKINSON MEETS HER MATCH AN IDEAL HUSBAND? PAYING THE VIKING’S PRICE

* (#ulink_b50a82be-e4aa-520b-b5fd-79a039242aea)linked by character

And in Mills & Boon® HistoricalUndone!eBooks:

THE PERFECT CONCUBINE

Did you know that some of these novels are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Contents

Chapter One (#u3fc1d30c-0058-5227-94f0-bbdac9ad2224)

Chapter Two (#u7a0ed460-3a3d-5035-9468-23ee6ec360b3)

Chapter Three (#u0b00e5fa-0fa8-5e9e-9513-ffc33cf524a1)

Chapter Four (#u22dca8d3-d615-5fb3-b863-e3486c6a7df4)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

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)

Author’s Historical Note (#litres_trial_promo)