Terms of Surrender

The War Between the States not only destroyed all Michael Cantrell loved, it left the young, former Confederate cavalry officer without faith or hope, a solitary, haunted man trying to escape his demons in the vast western frontier. Then, one spring day along the Wind River, he finds himself suddenly in the thick of another life-and-death struggle -- Annie Devlin's war.Desperate to hang on to her ranch and her life, waylaid by gunmen hired by a powerful rancher who covets her land, Annie and her young brother, Robbie, fight a furious, rapidly losing battle for their lives.When all seems lost, into the fray steps a cold-eyed, steel-nerved stranger -- Michael Cantrell -- who saves Annie and Robbie, but is himself grievously wounded.With Annie's care, Michael recovers not only his strength but a portion of his embittered soul as well. Fighting his powerful feelings for her, convinced he has nothing to give, Michael determines to stay with the Devlins only long enough to ensure their safety against the treachery that would destroy them.Reluctantly, Michael, who for years has known only loss, allies himself with a stubborn, courageous young woman who will take his heart by storm and test the limit of his honor, his mettle -- and his passion.A finalist for the prestigious Orange Rose Award, "Terms of Surrender" takes the reader on a stirring adventure that is also a heartfelt, emotional journey.