Counterfeit Bride – Sara Craven

‘Luis telephoned me from the first stop he made. He wished me to check on Teresita on his behalf. He could hardly do so without telling me what had happened, although …’ He stopped suddenly. ‘Although you never expected that he would bring me here,’ Nicola supplied drily. It was his turn to flush. ‘Well—perhaps not. But I am delighted, I assure you. It is time he was married.

He has been lonely, I think.’ Nicola lifted her eyebrows. ‘That’s not the word I would have chosen.’ ‘Señorita Tarrant!’ He looked more flustered than ever. ‘He is only a man after all, not a saint. And besides ‘Besides, I shouldn’t know such things,’ she finished for him, making herself smile. ‘And please call me Nicola.’ He smiled too, delighted and plainly relieved at the shift in the conversation.

‘I shall be pleased to do so. I hope we can be friends.’ ‘I hope so too.’ She looked around. ‘This courtyard is charming.’ There was a well in the centre, with a stone seat around it, and above it a parched-looking tree providing shade. Nicola wondered whether the well held water, but looking at the brazen sky she was inclined to think it was purely decorative.

‘I am glad you like it,’ said Ramon. ‘It is cool here in the evenings, which makes it a pleasant place to sit. And when there are parties, the servants hang lanterns in the tree, and around the gallery.’ ‘Are there many such parties?’ ‘Not for some time, but all that will change now.’ He meant there would be celebrations in honour of Don Luis’ marriage, she thought. Well, as far as she was concerned, the lanterns would remain in storage for the foreseeable future.

Yet, she could imagine how the courtyard would look when it was lit by the lights from the house, and the tree, instead of the glare of the sun, and when perhaps a golden moon swung above it in the night sky. There would be exotic foods laid out on white-clothed tables, and the enticing smell of meat grilling over charcoal. And above the murmur of voices and laughter, the swish of silks and the flutter of fans, would rise the sound of a mariachi band.

It was all so real that for a moment Nicola felt dazed, as if she had suffered a time-slip—as if the hacienda was speaking to her in some strange way. What nonsense, she told herself forcibly.

Being secretary to her aunt Bianca Layton, the famous and temperamental film actress, wasn’t all glamour by any means—but Alix managed to cope with the job pretty well. Until she fell in love with Liam Brant, who told her, ‘You’re not my type,’ and forced Alix to realise that of course she wasn’t, because Liam obviously had set his sights on Bianca! DARK SUMMER DAWN It was only because her stepsister Julie was begging her to come to her wedding that Lisa was returning to Stoniscliffe and her family.

After what had passed between her and Dane Riderwood she had never wanted to set foot there again. And now, even for Julie’s sake, could she face meeting him again? WITCHING HOUR It was bad enough for Morgana and her mother to have to face the fact that their home was entailed and they would have to give it up—but things became even worse when the heir, a distant cousin, turned up to take over. And threatened to take over Morgana’s emotions as well .. . Could she survive the double threat?

SUMMER OF THE RAVEN The last thing Rowan had wanted was to leave London and go to live in the Lake District-but by the terms of her father’s will she and her stepmother Antonia were stuck with each other. What was far worse, chough, was that Rowan was also stuck with Came Maitland, Antonia’s cousin—who was the one man in the world Rowan wanted, and who was totally out of reach.

COUNTERFEIT BRIDE BY SARA CRAVEN MILLS & BOON LIMITED 15-16 BROOK’S MEWS LONDON W1A 1DR All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the Author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the Author, and all the incidents are pure invention. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Original hardcover edition published 1982 Australian copyright 1982 Philippine copyright 1982 First Australian paperback edition 1983 © Sara Craven 1982 ISBN 0 263 74033 1 Set in Monophoto Times 10 on 10 pt.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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• ISBN: 0263740331
• Pages: 221
• Language: English (en)

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• Estimated Reading Time: 296.24 minutes
• Total Words: 59,247
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