The Daughter of the Strong

After years of loyal service to Ethelred the Unready, Tremen of Southby has received the greatest prize that any third son of a nobleman could hope for: Lands of his own. And not just any parcel of much-coveted property, but Burkshire Keep, a significant holding along a key section of the Welsh coast. All he has to do now is keep it from falling into the hands of the marauding Vikings, defeat the scheming Robert (who desires the Keep above all else), and woo the warrior maiden who lives there--Hallie, his wife by proxy. <p> Of the three tasks, the first two are quickly proved the easiest to accomplish by far. Fortunately for Tremen, a lifetime of battle has strengthened his right arm. He's confident that, given enough time, enough patience--and enough birch switches freshly cut from the garden--eventually, he'll bring even a head-strong woman like his wife to heel...that is, if she doesn't outrun, out-fight, or even outright kill him first.</p>