Mystique

May 29, 1995
Strong, independent women are bestselling author Quick's (Mistress) forte, and her newest heroine, Lady Alice, is no exception. A medieval lass of a practical cast, she's lively, determined and sharp-tongued--and she's a whiz of an herbalist, too. At 23, she fears no man, not even Hugh the Relentless, the warrior-knight with whom she initially grapples, and eventually gropes, in order to safeguard a better future for herself and her handicapped, 16-year-old brother. Alice and Hugh strike a bargain and become business partners: she will find the last stolen, mystical Stone of Scarcliffe (which Hugh needs to establish his control over his newly acquired lands); and Hugh will pay for her brother's education on the continent and provide Alice with a dowry. Intrigued by the bold Alice, the knight agrees to her outrageous proposal. However, he makes one of his own: he will support her brother, but, in return, she must become his wife. They set off to find the mystical stone (the key to a hidden treasure), only to find more than they bargained for--a curse, a murder, a villain from the past and, of course, that they are in love. Fast-paced and entertaining, this romance, like Alice, accomplishes everything it sets out to do.

March 4, 1996
Set in the middle ages, Romance author Quick's latest concerns an independent young heroine and a quest for a mystical jewel.