Monsoon Mists - historical romance

Monsoon Mists is the final part of my Kinross trilogy and follows the adventures of Jamie Kinross, younger son of the couple in Trade Winds (book 1) and brother of Brice from Highland Storms (book 2).  Here is the blurb and a short excerpt:-

Sometimes the most precious things cannot be bought …

It’s 1759 and Jamie Kinross has travelled far to escape his troubled existence – from the pine forests of Sweden to the bustling streets of India.

Jamie starts a new life as a gem trader, but when his mentor’s family are kidnapped as part of a criminal plot, he vows to save them and embarks on a dangerous mission to the city of Surat, carrying the stolen talisman of an Indian Rajah.

There he encounters Zarmina Miller. She is rich and beautiful, but her infamous haughtiness has earned her a nickname: “The Ice Widow”.  Jamie is instantly tempted by the challenge she presents.

When it becomes clear that Zarmina’s step-son is involved in the plot Jamie begins to see another side to her – a dark past to rival his own and a heart just waiting to be thawed. But is it too late?

Monsoon Mists, excerpt:-

The smile Mr Kinross sent her this time was nothing short of dazzling. Zar was glad she was sitting down as it definitely did something strange to her innards. Then a teasing glint flashed in his eyes.

            ‘So have you thought any more about my proposition?’ he asked.

            ‘Which proposition would that be?’ Zar frowned, caught off-guard by his question.

            ‘To, er … amuse you if you’re in need of a diversion.’

            Zar couldn’t stop her mouth from falling open, but shut it quickly again as she sent him her most quelling glance. ‘Really, Mr Kinross, I don’t know to what you are referring.’

            ‘Oh, I think you do.’

            He was still smiling and Zar felt unaccountably hot all of a sudden. But she was also outraged. She would make it clear to him she was not that kind of woman.

            ‘I’ll have you know I’m a respectable widow. Neither you, nor anyone else, will ever set foot in my bedroom and I’d thank you not to refer to such things again.’

            She turned to stare out the window while she tried to force her breathing to return to normal. For some reason she was having trouble inhaling enough air and it was making her chest heave unbecomingly.

            ‘Now that sounds distinctly like a challenge to me. Would you like to bet on it?’

            ‘What?’ Zar swivelled round and stared at Kinross. The effrontery of the man.

            ‘I’ll wager one hundred rupees that I will. Set foot in your bedroom, that is.’ He raised his eyebrows at her, as if daring her to accept. ‘Say, within the next two weeks?’ he added, a teasing note in his voice.

            ‘I don’t believe I’m hearing―’

            ‘Very well, two hundred rupees. Deal?’

            ‘Now see here, Mr Kinross―’

            ‘You drive a hard bargain, Mrs Miller. Three hundred it is.’

            Zar almost stamped her foot in frustration, but managed to restrain herself at the last minute. ‘I’m not making a wager with you!’

            ‘Ah, you’re afraid you’ll lose. I thought so.’

            His smug expression made Zar see red. She clenched her fists by her side and scowled at him. ‘I am not.’

            ‘Well, then, you almost certainly stand to gain three hundred rupees. That can’t be bad, can it?’

            Zar took a deep breath and tried to think, but Kinross’s quicksilver gaze held hers and jumbled her thought processes. He was right. It would be the easiest money she’d ever earned. But then why was he even proposing such a thing? There must be a catch … For the life of her, she couldn’t think of one though. ‘Oh, very well, I accept your wager. But I’m not meeting you anywhere private for you to hand over my winnings, is that clear?’

            ‘Perfectly.’ He bowed. ‘I will allow you to decide entirely. If you win, of course.’

Buy links:-

Paperback US – http://www.amazon.com/Monsoon-Mists-Christina-Courtenay/dp/1781891672/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407063075&sr=8-1&keywords=monsoon+mists

Kindle US - http://www.amazon.com/Monsoon-Mists-Choc-Kinross-Book-ebook/dp/B00LI7J1C2/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1407063075&sr=8-1&keywords=monsoon+mists

Paperback UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Monsoon-Mists-Christina-Courtenay/dp/1781891672/ref=sr_1_3_bnp_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405864394&sr=1-3

Kindle UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Monsoon-Mists-Choc-Kinross-Book-ebook/dp/B00LI7J1C2/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405864394&sr=1-3

Happy New Year everyone!

Christina x

http://christinacourtenay.com/

https://www.facebook.com/christinacourtenayauthor?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/PiaCCourtenay

 

The Gilded Fan by Christina Courtenay

The Gilded Fan, a historical romance and adventure story, is now available in paperback and e-book formats.  It is set in 17^th century Japan and during the English Civil War and features a half-Japanese heroine who is forced to flee her country of birth when the Shogun (ruler) decides to evict anyone with foreign blood.

Blurb:

How do you start a new life, leaving behind all you love?

It’s 1641, and when Midori Kumashiro, the orphaned daughter of a warlord, is told she has to leave Japan or die, she has no choice but to flee to England. Midori is trained in the arts of war, but is that enough to help her survive a journey, with a lecherous crew and an attractive captain she doesn’t trust?

Having come to Nagasaki to trade, the last thing Captain Nico Noordholt wants is a female passenger, especially a beautiful one. How can he protect her from his crew when he can’t keep his own eyes off her?

During their journey, Nico and Midori form a tentative bond, but they both have secrets that can change everything. When they arrive in England, a civil war is brewing, and only by standing together can they hope to survive …

Excerpt:

Before Nico had time to do more than open his eyes wide in surprise, he found himself lying on his back in the dirt with all the air knocked from his lungs. Midori sat on top of him pointing a very sharp knife at his throat as he gasped to regain his breath. He stared at her in shock.

‘What the hell …? How did you …?’

A wave of fury surged through him, but he managed to hold his temper in check. This had gone beyond absurd. It was downright ridiculous.

It had been almost too easy and Midori knew she’d taken him by surprise only because he hadn’t expected to be attacked by a female. He was a big man, after all, and she was tiny in comparison, so he hadn’t been on his guard. She’d simply hooked her right leg behind his left one and pushed hard, then quickly jumped down on top of him as he fell, pulling out her knife. Luck had been on her side this time, but she was sure he’d never allow it to happen again. She would have to take advantage of her victory immediately.

            The interview hadn’t been going according to plan, so Midori had known she had to do something drastic. She couldn’t fail. To go back to her brother without securing passage on board the captain’s ship would be to lose face. She had to prove to him she could fend for herself. With renewed determination, she gripped the handle of her knife and drew in another calming breath. It wouldn’t do to sink to this barbarian’s level; she must stay calm and reasonable. Slowly, she felt her inner harmony returning.

Several expressions flitted across the captain’s face – astonishment, anger and possibly a small measure of admiration. Midori waited in silence, her knife poised by his neck. She could see him debating with himself, but his next words indicated that although he wasn’t prepared to give in gracefully, he was wavering slightly.

‘We’re not going to England, so you’d have to find your way from Amsterdam to wherever you’re headed,’ he growled. ‘By yourself.’

‘Well, there must be ships that sail to London. It’s not that far, is it?’ Midori had no idea if this was true, but decided to take a chance. She wasn’t actually going to London, but knew it was England’s main city, so she was sure she could reach her destination from there somehow.

‘London?’ His eyebrows descended even further. ‘Your relatives live there?’

‘Um, nearby I believe, yes.’ To distract the man from the fact that she was lying, Midori gave him a dazzling smile. ‘So, you see, I’ll be all right if only you can take me as far as Amsterdam.’

The captain blinked and stared at her. She saw him swallow hard, then he closed his eyes and uttered what sounded like a groan. ‘Very well,’ he gritted out. ‘You may sail with us. I can’t guarantee your safety, but I’ll do my best. It might not be enough, though. Do you understand?’

            ‘Perfectly. When do we sail?’

            ‘We’re sailing with the tide the day after tomorrow. I’ll require your payment by tomorrow evening. A thousand pieces of silver.’

            Midori didn’t bat an eyelid at this preposterous amount, although she couldn’t help wondering if Ichiro had brought such an enormous sum. ‘Five hundred,’ she said. ‘I’ll bring you half of it tomorrow, and the rest I will give you when we reach Amsterdam safely.’

            ‘I didn’t say the price was negotiable.’ His blue gaze had turned to steel.

            ‘No?’ Midori smiled sweetly and lifted her eyebrows, while pricking him with her dagger. A tiny droplet of blood appeared on his sunburned skin.

            Captain Noordholt gave her a furious look, before turning the tables on her with a minimum amount of effort. He grabbed the hilt of her knife with lightning speed, twisting it out of her grip and throwing it to the ground. Then he shoved her off and jumped to his feet in one fluid motion. With another glare he turned on his heel and stalked off.

            ‘Six hundred and not a piece less,’ he called over his shoulder before disappearing inside the house.

            Midori sat in the mud and stared after him. ‘What an extraordinary man,’ she muttered. He could obviously have heaved her off at any time, but he’d let her think she had the upper hand. And then he gave in to her demands? It didn’t make sense to her, but she was grateful all the same.

            She wondered if she would ever understand these foreigners.

Longer Excerpt here:

http://www.choc-lit.co.uk/The_Gilded_Fan_by_Christina_Courtenay_-_Extract.pdf

To Purchase:

Kindle edition http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gilded-Fan-Choc-Lit-ebook/dp/B00AN9NX1G/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358604804&sr=1-1

Paperback edition http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Gilded-Fan-Christina-Courtenay/dp/1781890080/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1358604804&sr=1-1

www.christinacourtenay.com

Twitter - @PiaCCourtenay

HIGHLAND STORMS by Christina Courtenay

Highland Storms (Historical romance)

Blurb: -

Who can you trust?

Betrayed by his brother and his childhood love, Brice Kinross needs a fresh start. So he welcomes the opportunity to leave Sweden for the Scottish Highlands to take over the family estate.

But there’s trouble afoot at Rosyth in 1754 and Brice finds himself unwelcome. The estate is in ruin and money is disappearing. He discovers an ally in Marsaili Buchanan, the beautiful redheaded housekeeper, but can he trust her?

Marsaili is determined to build a good life. She works hard at being housekeeper and harder still at avoiding men who want to take advantage of her. But she’s irresistibly drawn to the new clan chief, even though he’s made it plain he doesn’t want to be shackled to anyone.

And the young laird has more than romance on his mind. His investigations are stirring up an enemy. Someone who will stop at nothing to get what he wants – including Marsaili – even if that means destroying Brice’s life forever …

Excerpt:-

Marsaili Buchanan was pulled back from the brink of sleep by the soft growling of her deerhound, Liath. It started as a low rumble inside the big dog’s chest and throat, and grew in volume while the animal raised his head and stared fixedly at the door. Since Liath was snuggled around Marsaili’s feet, the vibrations could be felt all the way up her legs. Her heart skipped a beat as she held her breath, waiting to see who was coming up the stairs to her tower room this time.

‘They never give up, do they, boy,’ she whispered and sat up, putting her palm on Liath’s flat skull. She felt the rumbling more strongly there and stroked the dog’s wiry neck, keeping her hand near his collar in case she needed to hold him back. It was a distinct possibility.

She’d been plagued with night-time suitors like this for a while now, even though she never encouraged any of the men in the household or on the estate. Her face and figure seemed to inspire lust in any male between the ages of fifteen and fifty, no matter how much she covered it up. She silently cursed fate for giving her this dubious blessing. It brought her nothing but trouble.

The latch moved softly. Since it was well-oiled and silent, Marsaili wouldn’t have heard it if she hadn’t been forewarned. The door didn’t open though, the bar she’d had installed recently saw to that. The latch dropped with a clink and she heard a snort of frustration. This was followed by a muted thud, presumably a shoulder pushing against the door. When this didn’t produce the desired result either, a man’s voice muttered an oath. A harder shove which made the wooden planks quiver seemed to conclude the assault. Marsaili bit her lip hard to keep from making a sound.

‘Marsaili? It’s me, Colin.’ The whisper was clearly audible and seemed to hang in the air for a moment.

Marsaili almost gasped out loud. That was one voice she’d never thought to hear outside her door. She’d believed Colin Seton, the estate manager, too proud to go sneaking around at night.

‘Mr Seton? What’s the matter?’ she asked, trying to sound as if she’d just been woken up. ‘Is something amiss?’

‘Come now, girl, you know why I’m here. You’ve been holding out for long enough, it’s time you were rewarded.’

His voice was slightly louder, but still low. Marsaili didn’t know why he bothered trying to keep it down. Her room was at the top of one of the towers of Rosyth House and there was no one immediately below her at the moment. He must be aware of this.

‘I beg your pardon?’ She sat up straighter, glaring in the direction of the door. Holding out for what? Him? How on earth did he reach that conclusion? She just wanted to be left alone, not be importuned by a widower old enough to be her father.

‘The finest looking woman in all the Highlands deserves only the best. Can’t blame you for setting your sights high. Let me in now, you can trust me to look after you right.’

Rage bubbled up inside Marsaili’s throat and threatened to choke her. The words she longed to hurl at Seton were so stacked up, she couldn’t spit them out. All that escaped her was a noise of frustration, but Liath felt her wrath and gave voice to it on her behalf. His growling grew into a crescendo of menace that reverberated around the small room

‘Marsaili?’

She managed to control her vocal chords at last. ‘Please leave, Mr Seton and I’ll forget we ever had this conversation. I’m sorry, but you’ve misunderstood.’

‘Eh? You’re just being stubborn now and you know it. No need to be coy, you’ve made your point.’ His voice was beginning to sound strained, as if he was keeping his temper in check, but only just.

Marsaili didn’t know what to reply. She didn’t want to antagonise the man, but on the other hand she had to make him understand she wasn’t available to anyone. As if to emphasise her thoughts, Liath gave a short bark, and although she couldn’t see him, Marsaili knew he was probably baring his fangs as well. She felt her heart beating harder, the sound of her pulse almost drowning out the dog’s noise inside her ears. She took a deep breath. ‘I meant what I said. Anyone who wants to court me can do so in daylight.’ Not that it would do them any good since I don’t want any of them.

‘Who said anything about courting? Your mother –’

She cut him off abruptly. ‘What my mother chose to do was up to her. It has nothing to do with me and I’ll live my life as I see fit. I’m a respectable woman.’

‘Rubbish! You’re no better than you should be. Hoity-toity by-blow of a –’

‘Mr Seton! You’ve said enough.’ Marsaili was shaking with fury, but was determined not to enter into a lengthy argument with him.

Seton cursed long and fluently. Finally, he hissed, ‘That dog isn’t allowed in the house, you know. I’ll see it’s put where it belongs from now on, in the stables.’

‘You can’t! I have the mistress’s express permission to keep him in here. The dog stays,’ she said firmly, trying not to let her voice tremble the way the rest of her body was doing. It was true after all, but would he leave it at that? She waited again, holding Liath’s collar in a tight grip, while Seton made up his mind.

The door was stout, but she knew Seton was both strong and determined. Fortunately, so was Liath. Marsaili was reluctant to let the dog loose on anyone because she’d seen what those powerful jaws could do, but if she was cornered, she’d have no other choice.

‘We’ll just see about that,’ Seton snarled before giving the door a vicious kick. Soon after, she heard footsteps disappearing down the stairwell. She breathed a sigh of relief and threw her arms around the dog’s neck, burying her face in the shaggy fur.

‘Thank you, Liath, good boy. You’re the best.’ He licked her hand in acknowledgement of this tribute and leaned against her until her limbs stopped shaking.

They’d won this time, but Marsaili knew that from now on she’d have to be on her guard at all times, both for herself and for Liath. There was no saying what Seton would do and now he’d put all his cards on the table, there was no going back. He wasn’t the type to give up easily and she’d probably wounded his pride. He would use every means at his disposal to have his way.

Well, she’d be ready for him. Just let him try!

Buy links: Highland Storms is published by Choc Lit on 1^st November 2011, (ISBN: 978-1-906931-71-1). It is available from www.amazon.co.uk For further details on where to purchase this book please see http://www.choc-lit.com/html/highland_storms.html

Link to longer excerpt - http://www.choc-lit.com/First___second_chapter_-_Highland_Storms_by_Christina_Courtenay.pdf

(For a short author bio, please see previous blog regarding The Scarlet Kimono or check out my website at www.christinacourtenay.com )

Thank you!

Christina