The truth behind the hero
Officer Jack Trestain may have been one of Wellington’s most valued code-breakers, but since Waterloo, he’s hung up his uniform. If only he could just as easily put aside the tortured memories he carries deep within… Perhaps enchanting French artist Celeste Marmion might be the distraction he so desperately craves?
Except Celeste harbors secrets of her own, and questions that she needs Jack’s help to solve! With Celeste’s every touch an exquisite temptation, how close can Jack get without revealing his darkest secret of all?
Comrades in Arms
War heroes, heartbreakers…husbands?
Comrades in Arms
War heroes, heartbreakers…husbands?
The close friendship between Lieutenant Colonel Jack Trestain and Major Finlay Urquhart was forged in the heat of Waterloo’s battlefield.
Famed for their daring and courage, these are Wellington’s most elite soldiers, but now they’re facing their biggest challenge yet—falling in love!
If you enjoy
THE SOLDIER’S DARK SECRET
you won’t want to miss the second in this fabulously intense and dramatic duet from Marguerite Kaye!
Look out for Finlay’s story, coming soon.
Praise for
Marguerite Kaye
“A poignant, sensual historical romance that kept me reading late into the night.”
—Romance Junkies on Rumors that Ruined a Lady
“Kaye offers up another sexy romp…with characters who stay with fans long after the last page.”
—RT Book Reviews on Unwed and Unrepentant
“Each novella is a passionate love story in its own right; each a testament that love can survive everything—even war.”
—RT Book Reviews on Never Forget Me
“The stories in this novel do a good job of capturing the many different aspects of the war and the type of relationships likely to crop up during its occurrence. Fans of the era will find much to enjoy in this charming little book.”
—All About Romance on Never Forget Me
“Daring. Dangerous. Delightful. Kaye’s new Regency romance is a riveting and thrilling adventure.”
—RT Book Reviews on Outrageous Confessions of Lady Deborah
Marguerite
Kaye
The Soldier’s
Dark Secret
Born and educated in Scotland, Marguerite Kaye originally qualified as a lawyer but chose not to practice. Instead, she carved out a career in IT and studied history part-time, gaining first-class honors and a master’s degree. A few decades after winning a children’s national poetry competition she decided to pursue her lifelong ambition to write, and submitted her first historical romance to Harlequin. They accepted it, and she’s been writing ever since. You can contact Marguerite through her website at margueritekaye.com.
Books by Marguerite Kaye
Harlequin Historical
and Harlequin Historical Undone! ebook
Comrades in Arms
The Soldier’s Dark Secret
Princes of the Desert
(linked to Armstrong Sisters)
Innocent in the Sheikh’s Harem
The Governess and the Sheikh
The Sheikh’s Impetuous Love-Slave (Undone!)
Armstrong Sisters
Highland Brides
The Highlander’s Redemption
The Highlander’s Return
Stand-Alone Novels
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Epilogue
Historical Note
Excerpt
Chapter One
England—August 1815
The small huddle of women and the bedraggled children who clung to their skirts stared at him as one, wide-eyed and unblinking, struck dumb and motionless with fear. Only the compulsive clutching of their mother’s protective fingers around the children’s shoulders betrayed the full extent of their terror. He was accustomed to death in combat, but this was a village, not a battlefield. He was accustomed to seeing enemy causalities, but these were civilians, women and young children...
Jack Trestain’s breathing became rapid and shallow as he tossed and turned in the throes of his recurring nightmare. He thrashed around on the sweat-soaked sheets. He knew he was dreaming, but he couldn’t wake from it. He knew what was coming next, but he couldn’t prevent it unfolding in all its horror.
His boots crunched on the rough sun-dried track as he walked, stunned, around the small village, his brain numb, unable to make sense of what his eyes were telling him. The sun burned the back of his neck. He had lost his hat. A scrawny chicken squawked loudly, running across his path, making him stumble. How had the mission turned into such a debacle? How could his information, his precious, carefully gathered knowledge of the enemy’s movements, have been so wrong?
It was not possible. Not possible. Not possible. The words rang in his head over and over. He was aware of his comrades’ voices, of orders being barked, but he felt utterly alone.
The cooking fires were still burning. From a large smoke-blackened cauldron the appetising aroma of a herb-filled stew rose in the still, unnaturally silent air. He had not eaten since yesterday. He was suddenly ravenous.
As his stomach growled, he became aware of another, all-pervading smell. Ferrous. The unmistakable odour of dried blood. And another. The sickly-sweet stench of charred flesh.
As the noxious combination seared the back of his throat, Jack retched violently, spilling his guts like a raw recruit in a nearby ditch. Spasm after spasm shook him, until he had to clutch at the scorched trunk of a splintered tree to support himself. Shivering, shaking, he had no idea how long the girl had been looming over him...