Heart's Demand (46 page)

There was a man with her, walking slightly behind as if he was a servant or companion. He was a bit younger than Lord Radcliffe, and he was dressed all in black, like a pirate or a bandit. Lord Radcliffe didn’t know him and, not liking strangers to approach unannounced, he frowned.

They seemed a peculiar couple to be out so early when everyone else was just breaking their fast. What could have lured them out on such a cold, snowy morning?

The woman stopped and studied the castle. She hadn’t noticed Lord Radcliffe watching her, and he wondered as to her purpose.

She glanced over her shoulder and murmured to the man who was with her. He nodded stoically and gestured for her to continue on. She turned toward Lord Radcliffe again, and she lowered her hood.

She was older, perhaps fifty or so. Her hair had once been blond, but it had whitened to a striking silver color. She wore an odd pair of spectacles, the lenses tinted.

Finally she saw him. For an eternity, they were frozen in place, and as Lord Radcliffe assessed her, a surprising sense of recognition settled in. She was someone he knew. She was someone he had always known. She was someone for whom he’d always been searching, someone who had come to find him. And she had.

He stared and stared, breathless as she reached up and removed her spectacles. She swiped at her eyes, and he realized she was crying. But he also realized that her eyes were very, very blue.

“Mother?” he gasped, and he began to run.

THE END

CHERYL HOLT
is a
New York Times
,
USA Today,
and Amazon “Top 100” bestselling author who is currently celebrating the release of her fortieth novel.

She’s also a lawyer and mom, and at age forty, with two babies at home, she started a new career as a commercial fiction writer. She’d hoped to be a suspense novelist, but couldn’t sell any of her manuscripts, so she ended up taking a detour into romance where she was stunned to discover that she has a knack for writing some of the world’s greatest love stories.

Her books have been released to wide acclaim, and she has won or been nominated for many national awards. She is considered to be a master of the romance genre, and for many years, she was hailed as, “The Queen of Erotic Romance.” She is also renowned as, “The International Queen of Villains.” She is particularly proud to have been named “Best Storyteller of the Year” by the trade magazine
Romantic Times
BOOK Reviews.

She lives and writes in Hollywood, California, and she loves to hear from fans. Visit her website at
www.cherylholt.com
.

Praise for New York Times Bestselling Author

CHERYL HOLT

“Best storyteller of the year…”

Romantic Times Magazine

“A master writer…”

Fallen Angel Reviews

“The Queen of Erotic Romance…”

Book Cover Reviews

“Cheryl Holt is magnificent…”

Reader to Reader Reviews

“From cover to cover, I was spellbound. Truly outstanding…”

Romance Junkies

“A classic love story with hot, fiery passion dripping from every page. There’s nothing better than curling up with a great book and this one totally qualifies.”

Fresh Fiction

“This is a masterpiece of storytelling. A sensual delight scattered with rose petals that are divinely arousing. Oh my, yes indeedy!”

Reader to Reader Reviews

Praise for Cheryl Holt’s “Lord Trent” trilogy

“A true guilty pleasure!”

Novels Alive TV

“LOVE’S PROMISE can’t take the number one spot as my favorite by Ms. Holt—that belongs to her book NICHOLAS—but it’s currently running a close second.”

Manic Readers

“The book was brilliant…can’t wait for Book #2.”

Harlie’s Book Reviews

“I guarantee you won’t want to put this one down. Holt’s fast-paced dialogue, paired with the emotional turmoil, will keep you turning the pages all the way to the end.”

Susana’s Parlour

“…A great love story populated with many flawed characters. Highly recommend it.”

Bookworm 2 Bookworm Reviews

BOOKS BY CHERYL HOLT

HEART’S DEMAND

HEART’S DESIRE

HEART’S DELIGHT

WONDERFUL

WANTON

WICKED

SEDUCING THE GROOM

LOVE’S PERIL

LOVE’S PRICE

LOVE’S PROMISE

SWEET SURRENDER

THE WEDDING

MUD CREEK

MARRY ME

LOVE ME

KISS ME

SEDUCE ME

KNIGHT OF SEDUCTION

NICHOLAS

DREAMS OF DESIRE

TASTE OF TEMPTATION

PROMISE OF PLEASURE

SLEEPING WITH THE DEVIL

DOUBLE FANTASY

FORBIDDEN FANTASY

SECRET FANTASY

TOO WICKED TO WED

TOO TEMPTING TO TOUCH

TOO HOT TO HANDLE

FURTHER THAN PASSION

DEEPER THAN DESIRE

MORE THAN SEDUCTION

COMPLETE ABANDON

ABSOLUTE PLEASURE

TOTAL SURRENDER

LOVE LESSONS

MOUNTAIN DREAMS

MY TRUE LOVE

MY ONLY LOVE

MEG’S SECRET ADMIRER

THE WAY OF THE HEART