Excerpt from the Book

January 1752

El Alcázar, Sevilla, Spain

With her face lifted skyward at the yellowing dusk dancing through the foliage, Graciana Lucca pulled in the unique citric scents of orange blossoms and sweet early honeysuckle. Unlike her home in the northern region of Spain, Sevilla hosted an abundance of springlike features, tickling her senses as the cool nights needed no more than a light shawl, unlike any winter season she’d ever experienced before her recent change in abodes. The cedar trees with their aromatic boughs bent and twisted as a canopy for her stroll through the palace gardens, an oasis for those invited into the realm of the royals.

A gate squeaked behind her at a distance. She spun and clutched her chest, her heart beating rapidly. The fear should have lessened by now. She was nowhere near the shadows of her past. Joining the royal family’s household promised hope and peace. Where was it? The danger surely had not followed her.

Graciana lowered her hand and shook the tendrils of tension and fathoms away. One last scan of the swaying trees helped redirect her focus.

I’m safe. The vast gardens are enclosed behind an old fortress wall. Who can get past the guards?

Closing her eyes briefly, she took a deep breath. With the fresh, cleansing burst of air, Graciana settled into her evening walk.

Sitting on the stone tiled ledge of a sparkling pool, she ran her fingers over the crystal-clear water. Orange blossoms floated in circles about the pond. She could grow here like the orange trees, blossom and bloom and produce a good life. Shed the pains of her past. She’d only been here a week, barely enough time to roam a quarter of the gardens. Exploring outside would keep her sane and centered on something other than herself. God’s creation held so much more appeal than fear.

Sanity from the beauty, unless she let every creak and scrap startle her.

Her home with her parents, the count and countess of Remoras, and her younger sister and brother rested a four days journey to the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains. No orange trees or palm trees vied for her attention there.

She’d promised her mother to treat this time apart as an adventure, one of privilege. How could she be herself if she was incognito? No longer the daughter of a wealthy landed count. Now, she existed as a companion to her aunt and a tutor for the prince’s children.

What if I don’t like children in general?

Her siblings weren’t much younger than her twenty years. Youth of fifteen and eighteen years would act nothing like one to eight-year-olds. She’d have to do her best in order to remain with her aunt.

The darkness under an arch leading to the palace played havoc with her common sense after her mind chased an invisible stalker.

I am safe.

Want to know more about the book?

1752 Spain. Unexpected plans. A fight for the royal family.
And secrets unearthed beneath a canopy of orange blossoms.
Graciana Lucca must flee her beloved home in search of protection from an unwanted suitor. Escaping to Sevilla, she is surprised to obtain a role as one of the tutors to the royal children of Prince Carlos and Princess Amalia. Yet her peaceful respite is short-lived when she becomes ensnared in the dangerous schemes of a devious duke.
As a member of the king’s secret service, Francisco Torres is placed within the prince’s court under the guise of a tutor to investigate threats against the royal family. His suspicions linger on the mysterious lady who arrived from the north. Is she somehow linked to the strange occurrences within the kingdom?
To protect the royal family, Graciana and Francisco must step out in faith to work together and undercover truth while fighting the blossoming feelings between them. Will they succeed in stopping the duke—or lose their hearts and lives in the fray?
Discover romance and faith in 1752 Spain through this standalone novel from the Elements of Hope series where fire, air, water, and earth meet elements of the heart.

Get your copy here!

About the Author

Marguerite Martin Gray is an award-winning author of over a dozen novels and novellas. She enjoys the study of history, especially when combined with fiction. An avid traveler and reader, she teaches French and Spanish online. She currently lives in North Louisiana with her husband and rescue pets. Her two adult children and two grandsons keep her young.

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