Anne Gracie

Bride by Mistake - The Devil Riders Anne Gracie Original edition

At the age of thirteen, in the middle of a war, Isabella was saved from a forced marriage to a man she hated when handsome young English Lieutenant Luke Ripton married her. Lieutenant Ripton, tall, dark, and as beautiful as an archangel. He placed her in a convent school, and left. She waited -- like a princess in a tower dreaming of her prince -- for eight years. Now those dreams have withered and Bella is taking charge of her life... Here's a short excerpt:"I'm leaving the convent." Bella's announcement was followed by a stunned silence. "Is he comi--" Paloma began. "Nobody is coming for me, Paloma." Bella glanced at Sister Beatriz, who was still asleep, and said in a lowered voice. "I'm leaving anyway.""I don't believe you. What will you do? How will you support yourself? Who will protect you? It's dangerous--""I will support myself, " Bella said. "And I will protect myself. I won't stay here, waiting forever for someone to rescue me. Life isn't a fairy-tale.""Isabella Ripton," said a voice from the doorway.All the girls jumped guiltily. "Isabella," Sister Josefina repeated as she entered the door. She was the youngest and prettiest of the nuns, merry and lively and dedicated to her vocation. "Tidy yourself. Reverend Mother wants you in her office. You have a visitor!""A visitor? Who?" In eight years, Bella had never had a visitor. Sister Josefina smiled. "Can't you guess?"Mystified, Bella shook her head."An Englishman."Bella froze.Sister Josefina nodded. "Tall, dark, and as beautiful as an archangel."Bella couldn't move a muscle. She couldn't utter a word or marshall a single coherent thought."A very stern, very masculine archangel." Sister Josefina sighed. And a blush rose on her cheeks.