by Phoebe Conn
"Yes, I hope so."
"And you? Have you been happy, too?"
Alanna shook her head. "Without you? No."
Hunter reached for her hand. "I've not been happy without you either. Is there room for me to live here with you?"
Perplexed by his question, Alanna didn't know how to answer. "Do you want to live here with us?"
"Only until the boy is old enough to be weaned. I won't leave here without him."
Alanna's eyes began to fill with tears. "Have you changed your mind?" she asked. "You no longer want to give him away?"
Hunter had never seen Alanna cry, not when Elliott had been killed, or they had almost died fighting the Abenaki, or even when she had told him goodbye. That she would cry now made no sense at all to him. "How I came to my decision is a long story that I'll tell you at another time, but yes, I want us to raise Christian. I want him to be our son, yours and mine."
Tears continued to well up in Alanna's eyes and began to trickle slowly down her cheeks. She caught Christian and made him a part of the hug she gave her husband. "I love you so much," she vowed.
"Then why are you crying?"
"I'm sorry. I can't help it."
With the joy of holding his wife and baby in his arms, Hunter was on the verge of tears himself. Christian began to squirm, and they let him go to continue circling them with unsteady steps. That Hunter had once hated Melissa enough to reject her son now seemed like the worst mistake of his life, and he was relieved he had come to his senses in time to make his family whole.
"Isn't Christian ready for a nap?" Hunter asked his wife.
"Soon, and the harder he plays, the longer he sleeps."
With that inspiration, Hunter saw that his little boy had a very good time indeed. Then he and his bride celebrated his homecoming with a passion flavored with warm kisses and husky laughter that lasted the whole afternoon. War with France was still on the horizon, and troubled times lay ahead, but for them, the battles were over, and all three of them had won.
The End
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followed by an excerpt from
DEFIANT DESTINY
The Hearts of Liberty Series
Book Two
Author's Note
The French and Indian War extended from 1754 to 1763. During this time France and Great Britain battled not only for possession of the Ohio Valley, but also for control of America, India, and the high seas. George Washington's skirmish at Great Meadows marked the beginning of the war. While Hunter, Byron, and Elliott Barclay are fictional characters, the conflicts described in this book were actual historical events. Like George Washington, many of the historical figures who gained prominence during the French and Indian War went on to greater fame during the American Revolution.
Gen. Edward Braddock's tragic defeat was a terrible blow to the British cause. It wasn't until William Pitt became England's Secretary of State in 1757, that the tide of the war turned in Britain's favor. When a peace treaty was agreed upon in Paris in 1763, England gained not only Canada, but also all French lands east of the Mississippi with the exception of New Orleans. France's ally, Spain, received all French territory west of the Mississippi and regained Guadeloupe, Martinique, and other islands in the West Indies from England. Britain kept Florida, but returned Havana and Manila to Spain.
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DEFIANT DESTINY
The Hearts of Liberty Series
Book Two
Excerpt from
Defiant Destiny
The Hearts of Liberty Series
Book Two
by
Phoebe Conn
New York Times Bestselling Author
DEFIANT DESTINY
Reviews & Accolades
"...a love story that blossoms in the most unlikely place."
~Rendezvous
"...little known historical facts [and] engaging characters will surely entertain"
~RT Magazine
The road inclined gradually as it led away from the bay, and, walking with her head down, Arielle would have run right into a well-dressed Englishman at the corner, had he not seen her coming and stepped out of the way.
"Bonjour, mademoiselle," he offered warmly.
Not fooled by the young man's pleasant greeting, Arielle replied in English. "It is madame, but because I will not bother to speak to the likes of you again, you will have no need to remember."
A well-bred Virginian, Byron Barclay had merely extended the usual courtesy one stranger showed another back home, and he was taken aback by the fierce hostility of the young woman's response. However, he was not so badly insulted that he failed to notice she was exceedingly comely, and he studied her with an openly curious glance. She was tall, and very blonde. Her blue eyes were framed with long dark lashes, and while filled with a furious disgust, held an unusual hint of aqua that lent a unique beauty to her delicate features.
Byron had learned many of the Acadians could trace their roots to Normandy, and back centuries, even further to Viking invaders. Clearly, this lovely fair creature had a Norman heritage. Then he realized she had spoken fluent, if slightly accented, English. He was relieved, for he had already exhausted what French he knew.
"We have scarcely met," he argued. "Are you always so hasty in your judgments?"
"When it comes to British swine, yes!" Arielle would have struck him with her basket had he not already moved aside. She dismissed him with a curt nod and continued on her way.
Byron had arrived on a supply ship that very morning, and wanting to see something of Grand Pré he had been out for a stroll before offering his services to John Winslow, the man overseeing the British occupation. While having no wish to confront a jealous husband, he was sufficiently intrigued by the irate young woman to follow at a discreet distance.
Unaware that she had inspired his admiration, Arielle did not once glance over her shoulder as she walked home. She lived on the edge of town, in a small frame house that was indistinguishable from its neighbors. There was a sprinkling of flowers in the yard, but the path leading to the front door was overgrown with weeds.
Taking care not to be seen from a window, Byron moved past the house before turning back to study it at length. He put his hands on his hips and pursed his lips thoughtfully. A fresh coat of paint would have made the unassuming dwelling utterly charming, but clearly the owners lacked either the pride, or the funds, to maintain it properly.
Unlike the neglected front yard, the lush kitchen garden in the rear promised an abundance of produce. He had heard the Canadian winters were severe and that its residents had to cultivate and harvest great amounts of food to survive in good health.
Turning back to the road, Byron walked on toward the farms where the meadows were filled with ripening wheat. Cows were grazing contentedly, and the peacefulness of the countryside belied the area's uncertain future. In the distance, wooded hills framed the idyllic scene. Restless, he turned back and gazed out toward the Bay of Fundy. The view had a pristine clarity in the fresh morning air, but if all of Grand Pré's residents shared the blonde's view, Byron doubted he would enjoy his stay.
He laughed to himself then, for, embittered after battling the French in the Ohio Valley, he hadn't come to Acadia to vacation, but to do whatever damage he could.
Defiant Destiny
The Hearts of Liberty Series
Book Two
~
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Defiant Destiny
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I'm a former kindergarten teacher. Ricardo Montalban's commercial for Silhouette Romances one summer inspired me to write a book of my own. My teaching colleagues expected a charming children's book, until I explained I was writing a big, lusty historical romance set in early California.
My first book, LOVE'S ELUSIVE FLAME, was written in the days when editors encouraged authors to write long lavish love stories with lengthy sea voyages, travel across continents and all manner of fights, brawls, duels, kidnappings and any other mayhem we could work in. The deep conflicts between the beautiful heroine and the brave hero kept readers up all night to make certain the lovers had their happy ending.
I'm thrilled to make The Hearts of Liberty Series, SAVAGE DESTINY, DEFIANT DESTINY, FORBIDDEN DESTINY, WILD DESTINY and SCARLET DESTINY, available as ebooks.
www.phoebeconn.com
Table of Contents
Cover
Dedication
Part I
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Part II
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Author's Note
Excerpt from DEFIANT DESTINY - The Hearts of Liberty Series, Book 2
Meet Phoebe Conn