Jewel Under Siege — Christina Hollis

Constantinople,1097, and the First Crusade has ground to a halt outside the great city. One of the besiegers, Emil Selest, is determined to make it all the way to Jerusalem. He's not going to starve in the mud like his companions. Secretly making his way into the city, he has an accident while foraging in the garden of young local widow, Elena Rethel. She rescues him from certain death and hides him in her home.



Harbouring an enemy brings Elena nothing but trouble. Emil's astonished to find she runs her own business. He disapproves, although she does it with a flair he never thought a woman could show. He's also unhappy to see her employing workers of faiths he's been taught to hate. When he sees how her whole workforce pulls together, he begins to warm toward them.



Emil's attitudes challenge Elena's deepest loyalties, and his warnings anger her. He accuses her of being soft on her little son, Milo. Elena resents the way Milo thrives under Emil's regime of tough love, as it means her nervous child turns into a noisy, lively individual. She begins to regret the day she let Emil into her life, until she discovers he's not the only one who can make rash and ridiculous mistakes.



Despite Emil's advice, Elena offers help to the feckless charmer Robert Curthose. Robert is Duke of Normandy, and takes advantage of her generosity to use her house as free lodgings. He fills it with his men and horses. Emil intervenes to throw them out, but his relationship with Elena suffers as much as her house and her stores.



It isn't until Emil leaves to board the ship that will take him out of her life forever that Elena realises how much she owes him, and how much she will miss him. Emil has regrets, too. He grabs the first excuse to head back to Elena's shop. After a tense and awkward exchange, they both admit their faults. Emil lets the Crusade leave without him, and asks Elena to marry him. She accepts, and they look forward to a wonderful future together.

About the Author

Christina Hollis is the best-selling author of many romantic novels for Harlequin, and an award-winning writer of short stories. You can find a regularly updated list of her published books at http://www.christinahollis.com