Messenger of Love

the long version

LOVE'S DILEMMA Greenwich Palace, in the reign of Elizabeth I: the beautiful Andora Bland arrives from the country to take up her post among the Queen's Maids of Honour... a post which she discovers can be both dangerous and exciting. When Andora meets the dashing Sir Hengist Wake, recently knighted for his buccaneering exploits, she discovers that Sir Hengist is as much a pirate ashore as he ever was at sea. When Andora's old- fashioned, mud-splattered coach rattled into the courtyard of Greenwich Palace, Sir Hengist Wake roared with laughter at the traveling "Ark." Andora was only a country maid, but she had the pride of a tartar. From that moment the new Maid of Honor counted Sir Hengist her enemy.... But not for long. The Queen's most dashing buccaneer began to woo the little country mouse. When he could have the hand of the most beautiful woman in the whole gaudy court, why did Sir Hengist set out to capture Andora's heart? And now that she loved the man she hated, how could Andora trust that traitorous heart?