An unforgettable, sweeping saga of romance, passion and history rooted in tales of maritime suspense…
Three heiresses…three novels like no other.
Three heiresses…three novels like no other.
UPON YOUR RETURN
Fara risks her heart every time she’s with him, but she cannot deny him.
UPON YOUR HONOR
Chloe never imagined that the man she deceived would be the one man she can’t stop loving.
UPON YOUR LOVE
Adrienne must decide whether to succumb to desire or fight for love.
…Will these remarkable women at last find what they’ve always wanted, or lose more than they can bear?
    |  Fara Bellamont has been back in society for a year after leaving Cluny Abbey, where her uncle sent her long ago. When he chooses a suitor for her for marriage, she fears that she will be forced to marry a stranger and live a miserable life. But, Fara finds herself thrust into an adventure of a lifetime when unforeseen circumstances cause her to place her trust in a strange man for protection. His intervention not only saves her, but puts her in an even more compromising position. Grant Hill, a trading captain, is enchanted by the young heiress not only because of her beauty, but because she is hardly conventional. Underneath her ladylike exterior lies a tigress. Grant cannot help but offer his protection as she is in need and he is far from immune from her charms. Fara just never bargained on the passion that she feels for Grant Hill. As events unfold, she must decide whether her desires and the dictates of her heart should trump the rules of society in this exciting tale. |
 | Deception is a dangerous path… New York City, August, 1891 – Orphaned after the death of her father, Chloe Waverly stows away on La Voyageur to escape the clutches of her cruel fiancĂ©, Lamonte Beckett. Gabriel Hill, a strange and compelling gentleman, comes upon Chloe and promises to protect her without knowing the true circumstances of why she is running away. During their journey, Gabriel doesn’t bargain on being distracted by her fair beauty or succumbing to her many charms. As their attraction to each other grows, so does the danger and Gabriel suspects things are not as they should be. Both are determined to get to New Orleans, where she can start a new life. But, once they reach their destination, events spin out of their control and Chloe is captured by the fiancĂ© she escaped. Gabriel is left wondering if he can overlook her betrayal. Soon he finds himself in a race against time, to reach her before Beckett can exact revenge. |
 | The Hill family saga concludes as loyalties are questioned, faiths will be tested and undying love may come at a terrible cost… Fara Hill, mother and faithful wife, is torn between her family at home and her urge to be at sea. Soon, she learns some disturbing truths. Was the past a fairy tale instead of reality? Chloe Hill, loving wife and young mother, questions her faith when her husband sets an ultimatum she cannot meet. Will she be able to keep her marriage from falling apart? Adrienne Bellamont Hill, born of a valiant captain and a fiery redhead, is untamed to her core and will bow to no man. Then Christian du Plessis enters her life with an offer she can’t refuse. Discovering the man behind the polished gentleman, she is drawn to him in many ways. Holding out for love is a family tradition, but can she resist the temptation of passion? Christian finds this young woman to be a fascinating challenge, and is torn between keeping his distance from her and succumbing to her charms. A fierce battle of wills ensues as he sees she is much more than he ever imagined. But danger lurks, threatening to destroy everything… Can these two strong-willed individuals unite in the cause before time runs out? |
From Upon Your Return
“Monsieur!” she gasped for breath, winded not only from dancing but from his abrupt manner. Her heart began to beat in a sick thud. What did he intend? “Monsieur,” she began again, “what is the meaning of this?”
“I thought we could enjoy a moment alone, away from the crowd.” Through his mask, she could see a lascivious glint in his eyes as he looked her over. “Surely you cannot deny a man what he wants?” He reached to drag her forward with a grip on her arm.
She gasped, in indignation this time. “I certainly can! I will deny you! How dare you treat me like some trollop—”
“Quit your whining,” he grated out before trying to crush his mouth against hers.
She fought him with all she had, teeth, fingernails and as much strength as she could muster. He reared back, swearing. His lip was cut where she’d bitten him and there was an ugly red scratch on his neck where her nails had sunk in. “Leave me alone!” She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth to rid herself of his taste.
“Bitch,” he muttered. “You’ll pay for that.”
“I would listen to the lady if I were you.”
They both swung to see another man dressed in a dinner coat and trousers with a phantom mask over part of his face.
“What business is it of yours?” the man who’d accosted her asked.
“That doesn’t matter. I demand that you now treat her like the lady she is. Apologize.”
A thrill tingled down Fara’s spine. She knew that voice. It was Grant. But if he wanted to remain anonymous, she would play along.
The man beside her shifted uneasily where he stood. “Or?”
“Or you may not make it to the brothel I assume you attend regularly. Suffice it to say you’ll regret it, Monsieur. I may not even go to the trouble of challenging you in a duel.”
He must have seen the sincere threat in Grant’s eyes as well as his rapier, which he always carried at his side. The man turned to Fara. “I am sorry, Mademoiselle. It will not happen again.” He did not wait for a response; he swept past both her and Grant and was out of the alcove before they could stop him.
“Obviously propriety is lost on him.”
She smiled. It was so like him to make light of a bad situation. She remembered she still hadn’t acknowledged that he knew her. Perhaps he did not recognize her? “I would like to thank you, Monsieur, for your intervention.”
“There is no need. I did what any man would have done.”
“Not every man would aid just any woman. I should not have accepted his offer to dance. Before I had a chance to stop him, he dragged me in here. I should not have trusted him.”
“Don’t punish yourself over it. But, it’s true that some strangers can have ulterior motives.”
“But, not all?”
“No, I suppose occasionally someone means well.”
“Would you fit into that category? One that has no ulterior motives?”
“Perhaps when I first came into the alcove…”
His eyes beneath his mask seemed to bore into her very soul. In a way, she knew she was toying with Grant, that he probably thought she didn’t know it was him, and was appalled that she would flirt with simply any man. What was he feeling? Her heart raced in a strange, exhilarating way, and her breaths were more shallow. If he did know it was her, did he care?
“But, not now?” she teased.
“Now I just might have ulterior motives…”
“Oh?”
The alcove curtain was closed so there was no reason to fear being seen. A part of her didn’t care if they were caught without her having a chaperone. The fact that she wasn’t supposed to be here because of her mourning period added to the risk. It was enticing. She closed the distance between them by approaching him, placing her hands on his chest. “I want to thank you.”
“I told you it wasn’t necessary.” His voice sounded suddenly husky.
“I think it is.” Their lips were inches apart and they stood that way for what seemed an eternity. When Fara thought she would go mad with the waiting, he lowered his lips to hers, softly questing. Their mouths lingered, lost in sensation and the essence of one another until finally he pulled away. Through their masks and the silence of the alcove, there was an element Fara couldn’t quite pinpoint. Temptation perhaps? She wanted to give in to the unspoken need, but it would be idiocy to act on it.
Grant whispered, “Mademoiselle Bellamont, you are a tease.”
He had accused her of it before, but now she could only sigh. “You would know if I was teasing, Capitaine.” At his frown, she shook her head. Reality returned just as it always did. There were obligations. Grant then escorted her back to Helene and Rosalie and they left the governor’s mansion. Part of her could only muse what it might have been like if they’d had nothing to worry about. Could she have a chance with Grant? Her heart needed to believe in the possibility.
“I thought we could enjoy a moment alone, away from the crowd.” Through his mask, she could see a lascivious glint in his eyes as he looked her over. “Surely you cannot deny a man what he wants?” He reached to drag her forward with a grip on her arm.
She gasped, in indignation this time. “I certainly can! I will deny you! How dare you treat me like some trollop—”
“Quit your whining,” he grated out before trying to crush his mouth against hers.
She fought him with all she had, teeth, fingernails and as much strength as she could muster. He reared back, swearing. His lip was cut where she’d bitten him and there was an ugly red scratch on his neck where her nails had sunk in. “Leave me alone!” She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth to rid herself of his taste.
“Bitch,” he muttered. “You’ll pay for that.”
“I would listen to the lady if I were you.”
They both swung to see another man dressed in a dinner coat and trousers with a phantom mask over part of his face.
“What business is it of yours?” the man who’d accosted her asked.
“That doesn’t matter. I demand that you now treat her like the lady she is. Apologize.”
A thrill tingled down Fara’s spine. She knew that voice. It was Grant. But if he wanted to remain anonymous, she would play along.
The man beside her shifted uneasily where he stood. “Or?”
“Or you may not make it to the brothel I assume you attend regularly. Suffice it to say you’ll regret it, Monsieur. I may not even go to the trouble of challenging you in a duel.”
He must have seen the sincere threat in Grant’s eyes as well as his rapier, which he always carried at his side. The man turned to Fara. “I am sorry, Mademoiselle. It will not happen again.” He did not wait for a response; he swept past both her and Grant and was out of the alcove before they could stop him.
“Obviously propriety is lost on him.”
She smiled. It was so like him to make light of a bad situation. She remembered she still hadn’t acknowledged that he knew her. Perhaps he did not recognize her? “I would like to thank you, Monsieur, for your intervention.”
“There is no need. I did what any man would have done.”
“Not every man would aid just any woman. I should not have accepted his offer to dance. Before I had a chance to stop him, he dragged me in here. I should not have trusted him.”
“Don’t punish yourself over it. But, it’s true that some strangers can have ulterior motives.”
“But, not all?”
“No, I suppose occasionally someone means well.”
“Would you fit into that category? One that has no ulterior motives?”
“Perhaps when I first came into the alcove…”
His eyes beneath his mask seemed to bore into her very soul. In a way, she knew she was toying with Grant, that he probably thought she didn’t know it was him, and was appalled that she would flirt with simply any man. What was he feeling? Her heart raced in a strange, exhilarating way, and her breaths were more shallow. If he did know it was her, did he care?
“But, not now?” she teased.
“Now I just might have ulterior motives…”
“Oh?”
The alcove curtain was closed so there was no reason to fear being seen. A part of her didn’t care if they were caught without her having a chaperone. The fact that she wasn’t supposed to be here because of her mourning period added to the risk. It was enticing. She closed the distance between them by approaching him, placing her hands on his chest. “I want to thank you.”
“I told you it wasn’t necessary.” His voice sounded suddenly husky.
“I think it is.” Their lips were inches apart and they stood that way for what seemed an eternity. When Fara thought she would go mad with the waiting, he lowered his lips to hers, softly questing. Their mouths lingered, lost in sensation and the essence of one another until finally he pulled away. Through their masks and the silence of the alcove, there was an element Fara couldn’t quite pinpoint. Temptation perhaps? She wanted to give in to the unspoken need, but it would be idiocy to act on it.
Grant whispered, “Mademoiselle Bellamont, you are a tease.”
He had accused her of it before, but now she could only sigh. “You would know if I was teasing, Capitaine.” At his frown, she shook her head. Reality returned just as it always did. There were obligations. Grant then escorted her back to Helene and Rosalie and they left the governor’s mansion. Part of her could only muse what it might have been like if they’d had nothing to worry about. Could she have a chance with Grant? Her heart needed to believe in the possibility.
I have published 22 books under various pen names: Marie Lavender, Erica Sutherhome, Kathryn Layne and Heather Crouse. I plan to re-release them all under the same name. In the past, I had two short stories published in a private university publication.
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