THE PRINCESS Claire Delacroix Dell Historical Romance September 1998 ISBN# 0-440-22603-1 {Click here to buy this book} There is rarely such a talent that comes along such as Claire Delacroix's. Claire's talent for spinning yarns and weaving make-

Tullymullagh Castle has been besieged and taken by none other than Henry of Anjou. Tullymullagh is the ancestral home of King Connor of Tullymullagh, and his only daughter, Princess Brianna. Henry grants Tullymullagh Castle and all of its environs to mercenary Gavin Fitzgerald who's fought long and hard to gain this coveted bit of land for England. But neither expected to encounter such a woman as Brianna who is a strong headed woman set on protecting her heritage and saving Tullymullagh from its new ruler. Henry refuses to allow this mere slip of a girl to cause him such trouble and is determined to bring her under control. He orders her to wed, certain that it will break her will, and gives her the choice of one of Gavin's three sons, Luc of Llanvelyn, Burke de Montvieux and Rowen de Montvieux. Brianna refuses, citing that she will marry only for love, as her parents before her. Henry will have none of it. He will see her married. Reluctantly, Brianna agrees but only on her terms. She sets the brothers out on a quest to discover something that will make her laugh. And the brothers who comes back with the gift that makes her laugh the longest and loudest will win her heart, willingly, forever.

Luc of Llanvelyn has ideas of his own. He is Gavin's bastard son, and though he is summoned on orders from Henry II, it is known that Gavin prefers that Brianna marries Burke de Montvieux. He is the chosen heir to Montvieux and Gavin's favorite son. Luc stays behind in the bride's quest, refusing to waste his time. He's only obeyed Henry's call to Tullymullagh so that he might confront his father about the title to Llanvelyn. It had been promised to him eleven years previously but because of Gavin's dislike of Luc, he's not granted the seal to transfer. Luc will confront his father at Tullymullagh then return home. Only he's not prepared when Brianna's charms begin to awaken long buried memories and feelings. Her friendship inspires his trust and he tells her a secret so deep that he's never once told of it...until now. It's then that he realizes that he's wasting his life alone in Wales. His heart aches for love and must find something to make Brianna laugh so that she will chose him above his brothers. The biggest challenge will be his father, Gavin who's championing Burke as the best suitor.