He did not realize that the apparently ancient man who swept the courtyard of Montsalvat was Dagobert de Pereille, a man whose demise he had once ordered, a man he believed was dead. The king never knew of the cave on the far side of the hill, the one where a pair of infidels hid with shaggy ponies until the royal company was long out of sight. He toured the village and tasted the cheese and pronounced himself satisfied.
The king blessed Eustache de Sidon for being a loyal vassal and accepted that knight’s plan to join the men sworn to God’s service in the old keep. He also accepted the pledge of fealty from the knight Eustache had chosen to succeed him in administering the area, a tall, strong man with eyes of clearest silver, name of Thierry de Havre. There was a resolve in this warrior that inspired confidence in his skills and the king respected Eustache’s choice. That the knight was married was an indication that he would be steadfast in defending the land that was his home.
The king marveled that the knight’s wife allowed her skin to tan so dark in the sun, but assumed her to be of peasant stock. Their daughter clung to her mother’s skirts, and ’twas clear the knight was fond of the child. A family man, in the king’s view, was the best choice for administration and he accepted this knight’s pledge of fealty gladly.
The king never realized that this knight, too, was a man whose execution he had ordered, much less a man he believed to be dead.
The king, well pleased, rode south, to sail for Palestine from the port of Aigues-Mortes. He died on that, his second, crusade of the dysentery that had plagued him once before, and his son took the crown of France after him.
Montsalvat became once again the fortress it had always been after the visit of the king, and the knight’s daughter grew up with the wind in her hair. She had a mark upon her chest, identical to that of her father and her grandfather, though no one saw it outside of her own family.
The vine had borne fruit yet again but because this girl’s father had chosen more modestly than was his due, Montsalvat remained in peace and prosperity. And if father and son examined the old banner once in a while, admiring the handwork and telling tales of the past, they did so in secret, well content with what Thierry and Kira wrought in these ancestral lands.
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Unicorn Bride
Book 1 of the Unicorn Trilogy
For generations, legend had stalked the battlements of the fortress Montsalvat. And now Alienor de Perpignan found herself promised in marriage to the man at the heart of the oft-whispered tales: Dagobert, Count de Pereille. A near-mythic being rumored to be a beast by day – and more than a man by night.
That Alienor was his true-destined bride, Dagobert de Pereille had no doubt. Indeed, with her exotic beauty and blade-bright spirit, she could be none other. But could he who bore the mark – and the curse – of ancient kings ever trust her enough to open his heart?
“Another delicious Delacroix delight!”—Affaire de Coeur
Unicorn Bride
Book #1 of the Unicorn Trilogy
Available Now!
The Jewels of Historical Romance
Fabulous Firsts Boxed Sets
I belong to the Jewels of Historical Romance, a group of twelve bestselling historical romance authors.
The Jewels of Historical Romance have two boxed sets called Fabulous Firsts. Each bundle includes six full-length historical romances and is specially priced. Each of the Jewel authors has one book in Fabulous Firsts, and it's a first-in-series title. This is a terrific opportunity to sample the works of all twelve of us!
The Blue Collection
More than 1700 pages—six novels from six New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors! Each book is the first in a beloved series. From the majesty of medieval castles to the glittering ballrooms of the Regency, read an enchanting novel from six of the twelve Jewels of Historical Romance! The Blue Collection includes:
A KNIGHT IN TARNISHED ARMOR by Jill Barnett
THE BRIDE WORE BLUE by Cheryl Bolen
MIDNIGHT MARRIAGE by Lucinda Brant
THE FORBIDDEN DUKE by Darcy Burke
LADY DANGER by Glynnis Campbell
GATHER THE STARS by Kimberly Cates
The Red Collection
More than 2000 pages—six novels from six New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors! Each book is the first in a beloved series. From the majesty of medieval castles to the glittering ballrooms of the Regency, read an enchanting novel from six of the twelve Jewels of Historical Romance!
THE MacKINNON'S BRIDE by Tanya Anne Crosby
THE BEAUTY BRIDE by Claire Delacroix
ROGUE'S HONOR by Brenda Hiatt
THE VISCOUNT'S CHRISTMAS TEMPTATION by Erica Ridley
LOST IN TEMPTATION by Lauren Royal
SILVER STORM by Cynthia Wright
The Jewels also have a website which you can find right here.
The Jewels have a Facebook reader group, called the Jewels Salon. If you're a Facebook fan, come on over and join the fun!
The Jewels also send out several newsletters. The Jewels Flash is short and sweet and goes out weekly. The Jewels also produce a longer quarterly newsletter which provides an update on all member authors. You can subscribe to both here.
About the Author
Deborah Cooke sold her first book in 1992, a medieval romance called Romance of the Rose published under her pseudonym Claire Delacroix. Since then, she has published over fifty novels in a wide variety of sub-genres, including historical romance, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, fantasy romance, time-travel romance, women’s fiction, paranormal young adult and fantasy with romantic elements. She has published under the names Claire Delacroix, Claire Cross and Deborah Cooke. The Beauty, part of her successful Bride Quest series of historical romances, was her first title to land on the New York Times List of Bestselling Books. Her books routinely appear on other bestseller lists and have won numerous awards. In 2009, she was the writer-in-residence at the Toronto Public Library, the first time the library has hosted a residency focused on the romance genre. In 2012, she was honored to receive the Romance Writers of America’s Mentor of the Year Award.
Currently, she writes contemporary romances and paranormal romances under the name Deborah Cooke. She also writes medieval romances as Claire Delacroix. Deborah lives in Canada with her husband and family, as well as far too many unfinished knitting projects.
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Visit Deborah’s Website and Blog
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Visit Claire’s Website and Blog
More Books by Claire Delacroix
Harlequin Historicals
UNICORN BRIDE
PEARL BEYOND PRICE
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Rogues & Angels
ONE KNIGHT ENCHANTED
ONE KNIGHT’S RETURN
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Time Travel Romances
ONCE UPON A KISS
THE LAST HIGHLANDER
THE MOONSTONE
LOVE POTION #9
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The Bride Quest
THE PRINCESS
THE DAMSEL
THE HEIRESS
THE COUNTESS
THE BEAUTY
THE TEMPTRESS
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The Rogues of Ravensmuir
TH
E ROGUE
THE SCOUNDREL
THE WARRIOR
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The Jewels of Kinfairlie
THE BEAUTY BRIDE
THE ROSE RED BRIDE
THE SNOW WHITE BRIDE
The Ballad of Rosamunde
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The True Love Brides
THE RENEGADE’S HEART
THE HIGHLANDER’S CURSE
THE FROST MAIDEN’S KISS
THE WARRIOR’S PRIZE
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The Brides of Inverfyre
THE MERCENARY’S BRIDE
THE RUNAWAY BRIDE
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The Champions of St. Euphemia
THE CRUSADER’S BRIDE
THE CRUSADER’S HEART
THE CRUSADER’S KISS
THE CRUSADER’S VOW
THE CRUSADER’S HANDFAST
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The Brides of North Barrows
Something Wicked This Way Comes
A Duke By Any Other Name
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Short Stories and Novellas
BEGUILED
An Elegy for Melusine
To learn more about Deborah’s contemporary and paranormal romances,
please visit
DeborahCooke.com
Pearl Beyond Price Page 29