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eBook Category: Erotica/Erotic Romance/Romance
eBook Description: Although reluctant to leave his fiancée, Francois de La Roche reluctantly embarks on a mission at sea for the King. Marooned and forgotten on an island that eventually claims all but 10 of the seventy souls aboard, Francois endures the five long years on her memory alone. However, when he finally sets foot back in France, he believes he's seen and committed too many horrors and is no longer worthy of her. Cosette de Montmorency was forced to accept life as a courtesan in order to support herself and young sister after Francois disappearance. After nine years, she's finally at the top of her game and catches the King's eye. When she is offered the role of his new royal mistress, she makes haste for court. Never expecting to see Francois not only alive, but still working for the King she'd come to court to seduce. The intense attraction they once shared is rekindled, but now forbidden. When their pasts entwine them in a web of court intrigue and lies, will they be able to deny their hearts true desire and work together to unravel the threads? Or will their passion again spell their doom, separating them once more only this time forever?

eBook Publisher: DCL Publications LLC, Published: Australia, 2008
Fictionwise Release Date: March 2008

5 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: eReader (PDB) [301 KB] , ePub (EPUB) [311 KB] , Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [277 KB] , Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [900 KB] , Palm Doc (PDB) [310 KB] , Microsoft Reader (LIT) [263 KB] , Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [310 KB] , hiebook (KML) [694 KB] , Sony Reader (LRF) [387 KB] , iSilo (PDB) [256 KB] , Mobipocket (PRC) [321 KB] , Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [369 KB] , OEBFF Format (IMP) [424 KB]
Words: 93945
Reading time: 268-375 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED
ISBN: 9781921347405

"Cosette has one option left to her--she must catch King Henry's eye. She must seduce him and then become his new mistress or she stands to lose everyone important to her. What she never expected was to see her betrothed. The man she believed had died ten years ago at sea. The man whose disappearance ultimately put her in the position she's in today. Francois has traveled to see the king for one reason only, to inform him of a possible plot against him. But when he sees the woman he has loved for the past ten years, his betrothed that he was forced to leave behind, his plans change. When he begins to believe she could be involved in the plot to bring down the king, he has to decide to turn her in or save her at any cost. Can two lost souls be reunited after so long? Or has time and circumstance forced them apart forever? Meagan Hatfield has written an exciting tale of lost love, secrets, and devious plots. Cosette and Francois were such well-written characters. The love-hate relationship between these two wonderful people, along with the fiery passion that burns up the pages, is all consuming. I was unable to put this one down. Although at times I found the situations the characters had to withstand a little distressing, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting, sexually charged romance because this has to be one of the best I have read. Hats off to this great author. I look forward to reading more of her stories in the future."--Sandra, The Romance Studio

May 1608

Bay of Biscay

Off the coast of Southern France

"Can you see her?"

Francois Gudren peered through the telescope shaft to study the ship, bobbing in the distance. It only took a few twists and turns of the lens before a red flag, with white and green stripes, snapped into focus. At the sight, a lazy half smile curled the corner of his lips.

"Yes, I see her," he replied.

"Well." His first mate, Jean pressed his spectacles to the bridge of his nose and squinted over the railing. "Is she the Basque one you been searchin' for?"

The ship's bow plunged downward from a swell, casting a bracing spray of salt water upon them. Francois swept strands of dark, sodden hair aside and bent to clap the stout man on the shoulder.

"Bring us about," Francois ordered, stuffing the telescope beneath the red sash about his waist. "Phillipe!"

"Aye?" A voice called down from above.

Francois tilted his chin to the lad in the rigging. "Be sure our colors fly high. I will not abide the prize court disallowing seizure on account of one of our blunders again."

"Then it is her," Jean exclaimed, padding behind him.

Francois let loose a sigh, and wheeled around. The gusting winds set his overlarge white shirt to flap agape, sending a refreshing breeze against his heated chest. Propping his hands on his hips, he stared hard upon Jean, certain the sight of him, all togged up in tight black breeches and sash about his middle, projected the look his role as a bloodthirsty pirate captain required.

"Jean, I told you to bring The Vengeance about. The Emak Hila has finally returned to Spain. If we lay in wait for her, she shan't be able wind her way about us and reach shore. She is ours."

"Aye, Capt," he replied, his aged face beaming, as he scurried to take the wheel.

Francois pivoted, spouting off orders to the rest of his crew, who immediately bustled about, manning their different positions. Most ran to the lower decks to ready her sixteen guns, while the rest hastened to the twelve mounted on her upper deck.

As their quarry grew nearer, Francois again stepped up to the rail with his scope. Shoving his sleeves to his elbows, he propped a booted foot upon the lower railing, and set his eye to the rim. A glance showed the "giver of death," as The Emak Hila was named, bestrewn with nigh 80 visible crewmembers. All frantically attempting to get the vessel to tack into the wind, and flee the trap he'd set.

"She's using evasive maneuvering." He slammed his hand down, collapsing the device. "Let's go and get her, men. Unfurl the sails!"

Shadows skirted and swayed in the rigging above. The square and triangle shaped canvasses whipped and cracked, as the sea air billowed them wide. The familiar rush of excitement blasted through his veins at the feel of the Vengeance splicing through the waves with the ease of a razor on skin. At the imminent chase before him, an amused smile twisted his mouth.

Francois rested his forearms on the rail and leaned forward. The sun's bright rays sparked against the gold band dangling from a timeworn leather cord around his neck. At the sight of it, his smile fled and all the air left his lungs.

Cosette.

Her name whispered on the wind like a lover's caress. Francois gritted his teeth as a fresh whip of agony and regret lashed his soul. Pinching his eyes, he leaned his forehead on the wood rail and fought for control. It was useless. His guilt forced him to suffer, forced him to relive the worst day of his life.

Sweat beaded on his brow and his chest tightened as the scenes of that fateful night replayed in his mind. When it was finally over, he opened his eyes. They fixed on the wedding band on his left hand and he wanted to close them again. Wanted to be back in La Rochelle, drinking his life away in that hovel of a tavern his father's death had forced him from.

It should be Cosette's ring he wore on his hand. Instead, he wore a ring of duty, keeping hers hidden beneath his shirt, yet close to his heart. Love. Duty. He scoffed. Such was life, he'd discovered. For it seemed he would forever crave one thing yet be given another. Experience a moment of joy only to be drug through the fiery pits of hell for eternity as a price.