River Of Fire

Prologue
Chapter I
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33

Dear Reader,

What happens when an irresistible woman meets an immovable man, specifically, Kenneth Wilding, the hero of
River
of
Fire
!
Fireworks, that's what!

A passionate man who has learned self-control in the harshest of schools, Kenneth will do what is necessary to save his home and his sister's future. He does not expect to find his path blocked by an equally passionate, uninhibited woman who holds the key to dreams he hasn't dared admit even to himself.

For Rebecca Seaton, the issue is simpler: dare she trust her emotions, and a man who plays merry Hades with her good sense?

The answer for both Kenneth and Rebecca is to grow and change, finding the best in themselves and in their partners. It's a difficult task, made worse by danger and betrayal. But after braving their river of fire, Kenneth and Rebecca find the joy and peace of lasting love. I hope you're as happy for them as I am.

Next year, there will be a spin-off book about Stephen Kenyon, the Duke of Ashburton, who finds a profoundly rewarding life in the shadow of death. Tentatively entitled
One Perfect Rose
, the story of Stephen and Rosalind should be out in early fall '97.

Happy reading always— Mary Jo Putney

OTHER WONDERFUL ROMANCES BY MARY JO PUTNEY

Shattered Rainbows

Angel Rogue

Dancing on the Wind

Petals in the Storm

Thunder and Roses

Veils of Silk

Silk and Secrets

Silk and Shadows

Carousel of Hearts

The Rake and the Reformer

Uncommon Vows

Dearly Beloved

Other Historicals

A SIGNET BOOK

SIGNET

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Books USA Inc.,

New York
,
New York
10014
,
U.S.A.

Penguin Books Ltd,

London
W8 5TZ
,
England

Penguin Books Australia Ltd, Ringwood,

Victoria
,
Australia

Penguin Books Canada Ltd,

Toronto
,
Ontario
,
Canada
M4V 3B

Penguin Books (N.Z.) Ltd,

Auckland
10,
New Zealand

Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: Harmondsworth,
Middlesex
,
England

First published by Signet, an imprint of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc.

First Printing, November,

Copyright © Mary Jo Putney, 1996 . rights reserved

Printed in the
United States of America

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

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If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this "stripped book."

To Binnie:

For support, boundless good nature— and because she
loves
tortured heroes

Sutterton Hall
Bedfordshire
,
England
,1794

The boy's hand hovered over the paper, the fragile length of charcoal poised delicately as he thought. Starting the drawing of his pony had been easy, but what about the legs? How did they move when Albie trotted? Kenneth Wilding conjured up a precise mental image, then made a small sound of satisfaction and bent over his sketch. The right foreleg like that. The hindquarters so.

When he finished, he took the picture to his mother, who was rocking her infant daughter to sleep on the other side of the nursery. He knew she worried about the baby, but she looked up with a smile when he approached.

"Very good, Kenneth," she said after examining the picture. "This isn't just any horse, is it? It's Albie." When he nodded, Lady Kimball continued, "
A
wonderful likeness. He looks ready to run off the page. I couldn't have done better myself."

It was a fine compliment, for his mother drew like an angel. Kenneth returned to his sketchbook with a proud smile. He was starting another drawing of Albie when the nursery door opened, admitting a blast of chilly air from the corridor. His fingers tightened around the charcoal when he saw that the newcomer was his father. Burly, forceful, as rooted in the earth as one of Sutterton Hall's famous oaks.

Lord Kimball frowned at his son. "I told you not to waste time drawing. You should be studying your Latin so you'll be ready for
Harrow
next year."

"Kenneth had finished his Latin lesson, so I told him it was all right to do some sketching," his mother said mildly. "He's really quite talented, Godfrey. When he goes on his Grand Tour, he'll be able to bring back wonderful views of the Continent."

Lord Kimball snorted. "Drawing is for girls. Gentlemen hire artists to sketch their travels." Swooping down on his son, he crumpled the picture of the pony in one hand and tossed it into the nursery fire. "Come with me. The cows are starting to calf and you're old enough to help."

Kenneth made an involuntary sound of protest before pressing his lips together and getting obediently to his feet. "Yes, sir." One day he'd be the fifth Viscount Kimball and he would be responsible for all of the livestock. He must know every inch of Sutterton, as his father did. Nothing mattered more than the land and the people. Nothing.

But before he followed his father from the room, he cast a last, regretful look at the drawing as it charred and fell into ash.