Sacred Vows in The Pleasure Garden
ISBN-13:978-0-373-60554-5
Harlequin Spice
April 2011
Featuring: Cara, Edmund, Gregory

Sacred Vows in the Pleasure Garden-Harlequin Spice
April 2011

Many lifetimes ago, the beautiful May Queen found exquisite seduction not with her husband, but in the arms of the Green Man--the passionate ruler of all that is warm and light. And thus began the earth’s most torrid love triangle.

Now three women of diverse eras are drawn to the mystical site of the Celtic queen’s tragic demise. Their fiery obsession ignited by Beltane Magic is barely perceived, but erotically felt. With each kiss, their passion would break an ancient curse— and reunite a love most profound.…

Driven by an unseen force, a Celtic maiden seduces the one man forsaken by law and principle—an Englishman soon for the priesthood.…

Man would tear them apart~
fate would reunite them...

Cara knew that to step into the ancient labyrinth would defy the law decreed by the King of England to separate the Gaels from the Nobles of English Dublin. But from the moment their eyes met at the faire, she knew that forbidden or not, they held a destiny that would end in love or destruction. Even so, she followed him into the labyrinth...

Read Excerpt

Forbidden. The reality that Edmund and his friend, Gregory could be held in high treason of the English king was the last thing on Edmund’s mind as he stared at the lovely creature walking through the crowd toward them. Fair-skinned, with luxurious red hair, she sauntered with ease, greeting vendors, charming all with whom she came in contact, offering them a smile from lips that Edmund found himself wanting to taste. He took another sip of the mead Gregory had handed to him and watched as the object of his infatuation accepted an apple from a kindly old man. His eyes followed as she brought the apple to her mouth and she took a bite, her eyes closing in pleasure of its sweet taste. Edmund could fairly taste the juices himself and licked his lips in response. She curtsied to the old man in thanks and he offered her a toothless smile before waving her on.

Not before this moment had Edmund ever seriously doubted his future in the priesthood, a future designed by his parents and was without discussion. Nonetheless, he questioned it now, for his next breath hinged on capturing just one glance from this fair beauty. Edmund was mesmerized.

“Aha, now there is a flower ripe for picking, eh Edmund?” Gregory slapped Edmund on the shoulder, biting into his apple with a noisy slurp. “Good enough to eat.”

Edmund jabbed Gregory in the ribs to end his annoying gibberish. With the her every step, the air seemed to pull in as though the center of his world was closing around him. His heart pounded against his ribs. “On my oath, she is no common woman. Are you blind? Do you not see how the magic surrounds her? She is the envy of all she passes.”

“Oh, my boy,” Gregory chuckled, “surely, it is by magic you are smitten, of that there is no doubt.” Gregory huffed. “But do you see her escorts? Am I the blind one, then? Surely, were she as respectable and fine a woman as you say, she would not be left unattended.” He munched on an apple, his attention flitting from one maiden to another in the surrounding crowd. “And to remind you my friend, may I say our purpose in coming here today was to merely sample only, not to find a wife.” He chuckled.

It was midday and dark clouds had rolled in playing hide and seek with the sun, casting long shadows over the lush spring valley. Here, beyond the newly imposed English barricade barring the Gaels from the English, the ancient rites of spring were being celebrated. Plentiful food and drink mingled with mirth and promiscuity caused Edmund and his friend, Gregory to ignore the new statutes by the English king which expressly forbid interaction of any kind with the Gaelic people. The crown feared that Gaelic influence was taking over the English mindset and weakening his position in Ireland. For most, the decree was difficult enough to abide by with family intermarriages already taken place and it was nearly impossible to enforce. But for Edmund and Gregory’s fathers, both deeply entrenched in the influential governing bodies, they needed to be cautious of the risks.

All of which were inconsequential at this moment. Edmund was mesmerized.

“Shall we draw straws, then to see who shall try to win her favor?”

Edmund gave his friend a glaring look as a warning to stay clear of her, even though he had no idea of what to say were she to speak.