The Merchant's Dilemma

<p>1362. Winchester. Seven months ago accused of bringing plague and death from Winchester Bea Ward was hounded out of Meonbridge by her former friends and neighbours. Finding food and shelter where she could she struggled to make her way back to Winchester again.</p><p><br></p><p>Yet once she arrived she wondered why she'd come.</p><p><br></p><p>For her former lover - the love of her life - Riccardo Marchaunt had married a year ago. And she no longer had the strength to go back to her old life on the streets. Frail destitute and homeless she was reduced to begging. Then in January during a tumultuous and destructive storm she found herself on Riccardo's doorstep. She had no plan beyond hoping he might help her or at least provide a final resting place for her poor body.</p><p><br></p><p>When Bea awakes to find she's lying in Riccardo's bed once more she's thankful thrilled but mystified. But she soon learns that his wife died four months ago along with their newborn son and finds too that Riccardo loves her now as much as he ever did and wants to make her his wife. But <em>can</em> he? And even if he can could <em>she</em> ever really be a proper merchant's wife?</p><p><br></p><p>Riccardo could not have been more relieved to find Bea still alive when he thought he had lost her forever. She had been close to death but is now recovering her health. He adores her and wants her to be his wife. But <em>how</em>? His father would forbid such an unfitting match on pain of denying him his inheritance. And what would his fellow merchants think of it? And their haughty wives?</p><p><br></p><p>Yet Riccardo is determined that Bea will be his wife. He has to find a solution to his dilemma... With the help of his beloved mother Emilia and her close friend Cecily he hatches a plan to make it happen.</p><p><br></p><p>But even the best laid plans sometimes go awry. And the path of love never did run smooth...</p><p><br></p><p><strong><em>The Merchant's Dilemma</em></strong> is a companion novel to the main series of MEONBRIDGE CHRONICLES and continues the story of Bea and Riccardo after the end of the fourth Chronicle <em>Children's Fate</em>. It is a little more romantic and light-hearted than the other Chronicles but if you've enjoyed reading about the lives of the characters of Meonbridge you will almost certainly enjoy reading <em>The Merchant's Dilemma</em> too!</p>