Below the Salt Series by Elizabeth Rose

♥ He's been hired to guard her, but not even the best armor can keep one's heart from breaking ♥Lady with a Sword:Lady Raven Blake has trained alongside her twin brother, Rook for years. She is intrigued with weapons and skilled at wielding a sword. Raven likes excitement in her life, but her father wants her to start acting like a lady. To her horror, he's planned a tournament, and whichever nobleman wins will receive her hand in marriage as the prize... more♥ He's been hired to guard her, but not even the best armor can keep one's heart from breaking ♥Lady with a Sword:Lady Raven Blake has trained alongside her twin brother, Rook for years. She is intrigued with weapons and skilled at wielding a sword. Raven likes excitement in her life, but her father wants her to start acting like a lady. To her horror, he's planned a tournament, and whichever nobleman wins will receive her hand in marriage as the prize.Infuriated, Raven comes up with an idea to ruin this plan and stay single. Now, all she needs is the help of the armorer who her father has foolishly assigned as her bodyguard, trying to keep her out of trouble.The Armorer:Jonathon Armstrong is an armorer, swordsmith, and blacksmith who knows not only how to create weapons, but how to use them too. At times he has even hired out his sword and served as a mercenary to the nobles. Lord Corbett Blake has a trusted friendship with Jonathon and approaches him, offering him a temporary position as his new castle smith. However, what he really wants Jonathon to do, is to be his unruly daughter's bodyguard during the day and only work at the smithy at night.Jonathon can't turn down a noble's request, even though everyone knows the lord's daughter has no trouble protecting herself. And when the beautiful Lady Raven tricks him into making her a suit of armor in secret, he falls into a situation that could easily bring about his demise. If being dragged into her deceptive plan doesn't land him in the dungeon, something else surely will. Jonathon has grown fond of the woman. He's lost his heart to the noblewoman, and she has returned the feelings for him.Two people from such different walks of life are not allowed to be together. Love between a noble and a commoner is forbidden, and can only mean trouble in the end.Love has no bounds, but marriage has rules. A noble must never wed anyone from below the salt.(This series features the next generation from Elizabeth's Legacy of the Blade Series.) less

◆ Desire is seeded and attraction blooms where it is strictly forbidden ◆The Knight:Sir Rook Blake has seen his twin sister fall in love with someone from below the salt and swears he will never make that mistake. As the eldest son of Lord Corbett Blake, Rook is betrothed to a lady he's never met and expected to produce noble heirs. To his dismay, his betrothed has a reputation for being demanding, snobby, and hard to please.Rook has just acquired his own manor, but the grounds are in disrepair... more◆ Desire is seeded and attraction blooms where it is strictly forbidden ◆The Knight:Sir Rook Blake has seen his twin sister fall in love with someone from below the salt and swears he will never make that mistake. As the eldest son of Lord Corbett Blake, Rook is betrothed to a lady he's never met and expected to produce noble heirs. To his dismay, his betrothed has a reputation for being demanding, snobby, and hard to please.Rook has just acquired his own manor, but the grounds are in disrepair. The garden needs to be transformed for the wedding before his haughty betrothed arrives. Hiring a master gardener seems like a good idea, until he realizes the gardener has sent his daughter, Primrose in his place. On a strict timeline and with no other choice, Rook accepts her help but doesn't believe the girl can give him what he wants or needs.The Gardener's Daughter:Primrose Ashdown knows all about plants, having worked with her father, a master gardener, for most of her life. She was the force behind the famous labyrinths and flower gardens of the nobles that has made her father a favorite with those from above the salt. When her father has an accident at the last minute, Primrose goes in his place to fulfill the next job. She's heard of the arrogant, womanizing, dark-haired lord named Rook and is afraid he will be nothing but trouble.Primrose is serious about her work, so when Rook doesn't feel she is capable of the challenge, she decides to show him exactly what she can do. And that goes beyond the garden. She is a woman with a mind of her own, and he is a man who doesn't believe she should have one. Their wits meet, and somehow the games between them turn into foreplay, causing Primrose to fall for a man she never even expected to like.Love has no bounds but marriage has rules. A noble must never wed anyone from below the salt.(This series features the next generation from Elizabeth's Legacy of the Blade Series.) less

♥ Will love letters from a secret admirer bring joy or cause trouble? ♥The Lassie:Lady Lark is the daughter of the well-known Scottish chieftain, Storm MacKeefe. Needing time away from her clan, she goes to Blake Castle in England to be with her cousins and to clear her head. Lark is unwed but has a four-year-old daughter, Florie. A foolish act has tarnished her reputation and she is hoping to start anew... more♥ Will love letters from a secret admirer bring joy or cause trouble? ♥The Lassie:Lady Lark is the daughter of the well-known Scottish chieftain, Storm MacKeefe. Needing time away from her clan, she goes to Blake Castle in England to be with her cousins and to clear her head. Lark is unwed but has a four-year-old daughter, Florie. A foolish act has tarnished her reputation and she is hoping to start anew.Wanting the best for her daughter, Lark requests that a tutor be sent from the monastery to teach the girl. No monk will come, but a scribe named Dustin answers her call. Lark doesn't believe she'll ever fall in love again after the father of her child has deceived her, ruined her reputation, and deserted her. However, shortly after the arrival of the scribe, she starts to receive love letters and romantic poems from a secret admirer. It makes her feel alive again.The Scribe:Dustin Styles was left as a baby, abandoned on the stairs of the church. Raised by monks, he's lived his life inside the cloistered walls, but has never taken holy vows. Instead, he's focused on his studies, mastering the art of being a scribe and tutor to the nobles.A summons from the castle arrives, asking for a tutor to teach a young girl. Only boys are allowed to be learned so the monks turn down the request. Dustin is intrigued by the circumstances and volunteers to go. Once there, he meets the single mother, Lady Lark, and immediately loses his heart to her. They start to become close while he teaches her daughter, and she confides in him since she doesn't seem to have many friends. He can't express his feelings for her since she is from above the salt. So, instead he woos her as a secret admirer, sending her love letters, only able to watch her reaction from afar. However, sometimes even good intentions turn bad, and instead of spreading joy, those same intentions can bring trouble knocking at the door.Love has no bounds but marriage has rules. A noble must never wed anyone from below the salt.(This series features the next generation from Elizabeth's Legacy of the Blade Series.) less

She healed his body. Now he wants to heal her heart.The English Lord:On his return trip from the borderlands, Lord Robin Blake sees bandits attacking a young woman in the snow. He comes to her aid and fights off the ruffians, but not before he is wounded. To make matters worse, he is thrown from his horse and breaks through the ice. From underwater, he sees the silhouette of an angel in a flurry of snow. It is the woman he's helped, now coming to assist him... moreShe healed his body. Now he wants to heal her heart.The English Lord:On his return trip from the borderlands, Lord Robin Blake sees bandits attacking a young woman in the snow. He comes to her aid and fights off the ruffians, but not before he is wounded. To make matters worse, he is thrown from his horse and breaks through the ice. From underwater, he sees the silhouette of an angel in a flurry of snow. It is the woman he's helped, now coming to assist him.She tells him her name is Sage and takes him to a nearby monastery where she works as a healer. Her expertise at healing doesn't go unnoticed, but Robin also sees something else. Sage is not only heartbroken about something, but also shaken, and frightened for her life. He decides she is hiding at the monastery, staying there for sanctuary from whoever it is who wants to hurt or kill her. It is close to Christmas and Connor decides he'd like to take her back to the castle for the holiday to spend time with her and to protect her while he tries to learn her secret.The Healer:Sage Hillock is the town's herbalist. Since the death of her parents, she has been raising her younger siblings by herself but has become worried about their safety. She uses the garden at the monastery to do her healings, but her home is only a small, unprotected hut made of wattle and daub. A noble she's tried to heal recently has died and now someone is trying to kill her in revenge.When a handsome lord comes to her rescue and is injured because of her, she wants nothing more than to heal him, hoping he will not die too. The man is kind and she feels comfortable and safe around him. So when he offers to take her back to the castle for Christmas, she accepts, knowing her siblings will be protected there. Life has been rough and this is exactly what her family needs since it was on Christmas that they lost their parents, making this the hardest time of year. Sage accepts the knight's noble invitation, not telling him until afterwards that her siblings will be traveling with them.Love has no bounds but marriage has rules. A noble must never wed anyone from below the salt.(This series features the next generation from Elizabeth's Legacy of the Blade Series.) less

♥ Destiny brings them together but will status rip them apart? ♥The Innkeeper, David Stone's worries are abundant and his troubles many. When an entourage of nobles enters his establishment one stormy night, his life turns upside down. His tavern is suddenly overcrowded and he is short on help. Now, a pregnant noblewoman is giving birth on his bed!One of the nobles, Lady Martine, takes his interest, fainting in his arms after she helps his mother deliver a baby... more♥ Destiny brings them together but will status rip them apart? ♥The Innkeeper, David Stone's worries are abundant and his troubles many. When an entourage of nobles enters his establishment one stormy night, his life turns upside down. His tavern is suddenly overcrowded and he is short on help. Now, a pregnant noblewoman is giving birth on his bed!One of the nobles, Lady Martine, takes his interest, fainting in his arms after she helps his mother deliver a baby. Being so close and even touching a noblewoman is something that doesn't usually happen to a commoner like David. The woman's essence is as sweet as roses and her skin is as smooth as silk. Looking at the beautiful angel in his arms, he can't stop wondering what it would be like to kiss her. But a thought like this is only going to get him into deep trouble.The Lady Martine Blake is frightened but has no choice but to assist when her sister-by-marriage starts giving birth too early. Overwhelmed by the experience, Martine stumbles out into the adjoining tavern afterwards, ending up in the handsome innkeeper, David Stone's arms.David is a blessing in disguise. He seems to understand what she is going through and is easy to talk to. Even if he is a mere commoner. Martine finds comfort in his presence and discovers solace in his arms. Caught up in the moment and too tired to think straight, Martine allows herself to express her feelings for this man, which ends up in a few kisses shared between them. It is something neither of them planned and also something that never should have happened. Even moments of true passion will not change who they are.Martine returns to the tavern a few days later while helping out her uncle who is away fighting for the king. She comes to collect the rent and discovers David is four months behind in payments. It is now her duty to confiscate the inn from David and his family, taking from them not only their business but also their home. Doing this breaks her heart and also dooms any relationship that had started to brew between them.Will the feelings of attraction shared between a commoner and a noble suddenly end when one is about to lose everything and the other is the one to take it all away from them? Sometimes, even the best laid plans can go awry, leaving only the hope of a strong love to rectify irreparable damage. Love has no bounds but marriage has rules. A noble must never marry anyone from below the salt. (This series features the next generation from Elizabeth's Legacy of the Blade Series.) less

◆A midwife on the run finds safety in the arms of a handsome knight.◆The For four years Maggie Whitlock has been on the run with her brother and young daughter, moving from town to town and never staying in one place long. After her midwife mother was blamed for the death of a noblewoman and her baby, she was executed. Now those same nobles are coming for Maggie!Maggie acts as mother, provider and protector to her brother and daughter, but beneath her tough exterior she is laden with guilt... more◆A midwife on the run finds safety in the arms of a handsome knight.◆The For four years Maggie Whitlock has been on the run with her brother and young daughter, moving from town to town and never staying in one place long. After her midwife mother was blamed for the death of a noblewoman and her baby, she was executed. Now those same nobles are coming for Maggie!Maggie acts as mother, provider and protector to her brother and daughter, but beneath her tough exterior she is laden with guilt. She can't help but think she is to blame for the loss of her mother, since she birthed her own baby that night and took her mother's attention away from the noble. When she and her family wander into Saltwood Castle during a knighting, they are broke, hungry and tired. In a weak moment she accepts help from a knight, and even though she despises nobles she finds herself oddly attracted to Sir Evan Blackmore.The Sir Evan Blackmore has been newly knighted and couldn't be happier. During the celebration, the castle courtyard is crowded and he accidentally knocks a little girl to the ground. He meets Maggie, the girl's mother, and finds out Maggie is a widow and also a midwife. He's taken vows as a knight to help orphans and widows and decides this is the first step to prove he is an honorable knight and has truly earned the title of Sir.He hires Maggie to tend to his pregnant cousin, offering to give Maggie not only a job but also food and a home for her family. So why doesn't she seem eager to accept his offer? As Evan watches this strong, brave girl live through her struggles, he loses his heart to her. But Maggie is keeping secrets which he soon discovers when her past comes back to haunt her and he is dragged into a whirlwind situation that threatens more lives than just one.Can a woman on the run stop longing enough to face her true feelings for a knight although she despises nobles and swore she would never trust them again? Love has no bounds but marriage has rules. A noble must never wed anyone from below the salt. (This series features the next generation from Elizabeth Rose's Legacy of the Blade Series.) less