Spring Fires

Spring Fires

Special Author's Cut Edition

A Beauvisage/Raveneau/Hampshire Novel

by

Cynthia Wright

Without limiting the rights under copyright(s) reserved above and below, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

Please Note

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

The scanning, uploading, and distributing of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.

Copyright 1983, 2011 by Cynthia Challed Wright. All rights reserved.

Cover by Kim Killion

eBook design by eBook Prep
www.ebookprep.com

Thank You
.

For my wonderful parents, Gene and Priscilla Challed,

with my love and gratitude.

Cast Of Main Characters

LISETTE HAHN—proprietor of Han's CoffeeHouse in 1793 Philadelphia

NICHOLAI BEAUVISAGE*—a man who has been driven back from France, after a decade, by the Revolution

ERNST HAHN—Lisette's ailing father

HYLA FLOWERS—Lisette's co-worker and friend

JAMES STRINGFELLOW—CoffeeHouse barman and friend

Familiar Faces from past books

~

From
CAROLINE:

ALEXANDRE and CAROLINE BEAUVISAGE—Nicholai's brother and sister-in-law

ETIENNE, NATALYA, and KRISTIN—their children

JEAN-PHILIPPE and ANTONIA BEAUVISAGE—Alec's parents

NICHOLAI*—the younger Beauvisage brother

KATYA BEAUVISAGE—the youngest sister, now Lisette's best friend

RANDOLPH EDWARDS—Katya's fiancé

PIERRE DUBOIS—Alec's valet

~

From TOUCH THE SUN:

LION and MEAGAN HAMPSHIRE—a couple now married four years

MARCUS REEMS—Lion's half-brother

BRAMBLE—the Hampshires' cook

WONG—Lion's valet

ANNE BINGHAM—a wealthy Philadelphia socialite

GEORGE WASHINGTON—the President

~

From SILVER STORM:

ANDRE and DEVON RAVENEAU—a sea captain and his wife

MOUETTE and NATHAN—their children

HALSEY MINTER—Andre's first officer

Part 1

They meet but with unwholesome springs

And summers which infectious are;

They hear but when the mermaid sings,

And only see the falling star,

Who ever dare

Affirm no woman chaste and fair.

What madman, 'cause the glow-worm's flame

Is cold, swears there's no warmth in fire

Cause some make forfeit of their name,

And slave themselves to man's desire,

Shall the sex, free

From guilt, damn'd to bondage be?

WILLIAM HABINGTON (1605-1654)

Chapter 1