Hope's
Betrayal - synopsis.
One
wild, winter's night two worlds collide.
Known
for his ruthless efficiency, Captain George Huntley is sent to stamp out
smuggling on the south coast of England
With
Hope as bait, the Captain sets a trap to catch the rest of the gang. But in a
battle of wills, with his reputation at stake, George Huntley starts to respect
feisty, independent Hope. Challenged by her sea-green eyes and stubborn loyalty
Huntley now faces a new threat - his growing attraction to a sworn enemy. But a
love where either Hope betrays her own kind, or Captain Huntley is
court-marshaled, is not an easy destiny to follow.
EXCERPT - Injured during a smuggling run, Hope wakes to
face the naval officer who captured her.
Hope kept her
eyes closed as she became conscious of a man's heavy tread pacing the room. She
waited until he was at the window and opened her eyelids a fraction. With the
light behind him she saw an athletic man with wide shoulders, tall enough to
have to stoop under the sloping eaves. Her stomach felt hollow with foreboding,
for without doubt, this was the same man who'd pursued her over the dunes.
He must have
sensed a change in her breathing, for suddenly he turned. He stared, with
piercing blue eyes that penetrated her soul. Dressed in a naval uniform, the
jacket cuffs ringed with gold braid, the man exuded authority. He continued to
stare, his face unreadable; wilful, she decided, and yet uncommonly handsome.
She blushed and reached for the covers, pulling them up to her chin.
"So, enough
pretending. You are awake at last." His voice, deep and melodic, brooked
no argument.
"Please,
sir, where am I?"
"Under
house arrest." He growled, obviously no friend. And yet, she touched her
bandaged head, someone had taken care of her.
"You are in
pain?" His consideration was surprising.
"Not so
much now."
The answer
pleased him. "Good, then you have some explaining to do."
"Please,
sir, who are you?"
The man threw
her a sideways glance and started to pace.
"Captain
Huntley, RN. And you are?"
She decided
against lying, her name alone couldn’t incriminate her family.
"Hope
Tyler."
"Well Miss
Tyler, have you the slightest idea how much trouble you're in?"
"Yes."
The Captain
stared at the ceiling. "A man died because of your felony. A Revenue man.
He leaves a wife and three children."
"I'm so sorry."
She whispered in distress.
"His fellow
officers are baying for blood."
Hope trembled,
things were worse than she imagined.
"Someone
must hang for his death."
Her throat
closed over.
"Be it
you…or the man who pulled the trigger….my men don’t care." Captain Huntley
stepped closer, his presence dominating the room. She couldn’t breathe, he
seemed made of granite, his eyes like flints, sparking with anger. "But
I'm different." His expression softened imperceptibly. "I like to
think of myself as a fair man."
Hope nodded, to
encourage him.
"Any fool
can see you are just a bit-player, a lackey. The men I want are the leaders,
those who finance the contraband and organise the landings. Tell me who they
are, and I shall intercede on your behalf with the authorities."
"What if I
don’t know their names?"
His wide mouth
twitched downward. "Then I cannot help you."
She would have
shaken her head had it not been too painful. "The men you speak of aren't
stupid. They will know I am taken, and know if I betray them. If I do… they
will come for my family."
"Then put
them behind bars."
"It's too
risky. This way, it's only me."
He tried to hide
it, but he looked surprised. She saw him drinking in the logic of her words and
a shadow darkened his face. Clasping his hands behind his back, he turned to
stare through the window.
"Tell
me," he said benignly, "what does it feel like to be abandoned?
Because that's what the smugglers did. Sailed away without a backward glance
and left you to your fate."
http://www.amazon.com/Hopes-Betrayal-Huntley-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0084ND8ZY
Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hopes-Betrayal-Huntley-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0084ND8ZY/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1338065185&sr=1-3
