A night

May Night, or the Drowned Maiden , 1831 is the third tale in the collection Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka by Nikolai Gogol. It was made into the opera May Night by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1878–79 and also a Ukrainian setting by Mykola Lysenko.

This story comes from the unnamed story-teller (who was previously responsible for «The Fair at Sorochyntsi»). In this tale, a young Cossack named Levko, the son of the mayor, is in love with Hanna.

He comes to her house to talk about marriage and mentions that his father is not pleased with the idea, though he doesn\'t say anything directly and merely ignores him. As they are walking on the outskirts of the village, Hanna asks about an old hut with a moss-covered roof and overgrown apple trees surrounding it.

He tells her the story of a beautiful young girl whose father took care of her after her mother died and loved her dearly. Eventually, he married another woman who she discovered was a witch when she cut the paw of a cat that tried to kill her and her stepmother appeared soon after with her hand bandaged.

The witch had power over her father, however, and eventually she is thrown out of the house and throws herself into the nearby pond in despair. She reigns over a group of maidens who also drowned in the pond, but once, when she got a hold of the witch as she was near the pond, she turned into a maiden and the ghost of the young girl has been unable to pick her out of the group ever since, asking any young man she comes upon to guess for her… The most famous and inspirational works of Nikolai Gogol include The Mantle, Evenings at the Farm, St Petersburg Stories, Taras Bulba, a tale of the Cossacks, The Revizor, The Viy, The Nose, A May Night, Memoirs of a Madman and many more.

A classic Agatha Christie short story, available individually for the first time as an ebook.After a supper of canned lobster and a dessert of canned trifle, three people become ill and Mrs Jones is found dead. Although a bought of botulism is suspected, the Tuesday Night Club is keen to investigate further…

New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn returns with a Jazz Age tale of grand adventure On the verge of a stilted life as an aristocrat\'s wife, Poppy Hammond does the only sensible thingshe flees the chapel in her wedding gown. Assisted by the handsome curate who calls himself Sebastian Cantrip, she spirits away to her estranged father\'s quiet country village, pursued by the family she left in uproar.

But when the dust of her broken engagement settles and Sebastian disappears under mysterious circumstances, Poppy discovers there is more to her hero than it seems. With only her feisty lady\'s maid for company, Poppy secures employment and travels incognitaeast across the seas, chasing a hunch and the whisper of clues.

Danger abounds beneath the canopies of the silken city, and Poppy finds herself in the perilous sights of those who will stop at nothing to recover a fabled ancient treasure. Torn between allegiance to her kindly employer and a dashing, shadowy figure, Poppy will risk it all as she attempts to unravel a much larger plan – one that stretches to the very heart of the British government, and one that could endanger everything, and everyone, that she holds dear.

Raybourn skillfully balances humor and earnest, deadly drama, creating well-drawn characters and a rich setting. Publishers Weekly on Dark Road to Darjeeling.

THE ACOSTAS BOX SETSuperb, passionate six book Modern Romance collection by Susan Stephens featuring the sexy, glamorous Argentinean Acosta familyTHE SHAMELESS LIFE OF RUIZ ACOSTAHolly Valiant desperately needs hot new material for Rock! magazine. Luckily her temporary flatmate, sexy Argentine polo player Ruiz Acosta, is the perfect subject – who wouldn’t want to know everything about the agony and ecstasy of living with a playboy?THE ARGENTINIAN’S SOLACEDiego Acosta’s polo-playing days are over.

Living in self-imposed exile on his island idyll, he finds his nights are now filled with tormenting memories rather than the beautiful women who once graced his king-sized bed. When Maxie Parrish crashes into his solitude, radiating exuberance and a love of life, she burns so brightly he can’t take his eyes off her!A TASTE OF THE UNTAMEDThe wild, unpredictable polo champion Nacho Acosta is restoring his sprawling Argentinian vineyard and he needs a sommelier who can match his exacting tastes… THE MAN FROM HER WAYWARD PASTA paler, quieter Lucia’s gone from owning the dance floor to cleaning it, when a ghost from parties past walks in…Luke Forster would recognise those curves anywhere – he grew up hypnotised by them! The real Lucia Acosta is still in there somewhere, and he’s the man to tempt her out…TAMING THE LAST ACOSTALiving vicariously through a camera lens, photojournalist Romy Winner is happy to stay in the background, capturing other people’s happiness.

Until Argentinian polo champion turned Special Forces soldier Kruz Acosta challenges her to step out of the shadows – and into his bed!CHRISTMAS NIGHTS WITH THE POLO PLAYERLucy Lavender knows she should resist wickedly sexy boss, and Brazilian polo champion, Gabe Ortoya. Playboy Gabe is vet Lucy\'s ticket to a career in equine medicine and she\'s going to make full use of her valuable new contact, which means no mixing business with pleasure….

She’s having the boss’s baby!Kara Redman has been Blake Benedict’s righthand woman for almost a year, and she prides herself on keeping their relationship purely professional – until a business trip to Italy proves to be her undoing!The heat of the Italian sun stokes the flames of passion, and after hours Kara can’t resist the invitation into her boss’s bed! But one night with Blake has shocking consequences – Kara is having the boss’s baby!

Actions speak louder than words!Beautiful Mina Hart has overcome her hearing impairment to become a leading theatre actress. But one stolen night with a gorgeous stranger turns into headline news when it’s revealed he is the Prince of Storvhal.

Devastated when he accuses her of using him for publicity, Mina travels to his icy Scandinavian country to proclaim her innocence. But, hiding in his car, she falls asleep and wakes up at Prince Aksel’s private retreat!A heavy snowfall traps them, and now she must rely on her senses to read this haunted and intensely private Prince!Discover more at www.

millsandboon.co.

When Carlie Myers woke up from a blow to the head, two years were erased from her memory. She couldn\'t recall how she\'d gotten to Alaska, or why she was being blamed for murder.

And she didn\'t know if the sexy stranger who claimed to be her husband was telling the truth…Rugged Sean McCabe wanted justice for his partner\'s murder. Yet one look in the deep green of Carlie\'s eyes and he knew she was innocent.

Which meant she needed protection. He\'d told her a white lie to keep her close–yet how would Sean keep his \'wife\' safe and satisfied without putting his heart in jeopardy?.

A short story from the hilarious author of A GIRL CALLED SUMMER – find out what Summer was up to before her Ibiza adventures!Summer has been seeing her boss, David, on the sly for a few months now. But while David is keen to make things public, Summer isn’t quite so sure. With a night out with old friends on the cards, Summer needs to decide whether she can take their relationship to the next level, or if she needs to break free for good…A cracking short story that takes place just before the events of A GIRL CALLED SUMMER.

William Sydney Porter known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer.

His wit and plot twists were adored by his readers, but often panned by the critics. Collected Short Stories includes Psyche and the Pskyscraper,.

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The death of a gangster draws super-spy Paul Chavasse into a breathtaking adventure on the high seas – an unforgettable tale from one of the true masters of modern thriller writing, the bestselling author of Midnight Runner and The Keys of Hell.Caught in the nets of a local fishing boat, the body of gangland boss Harvey Preston is dragged from the English Channel, wrapped from head to toe in heavy chain. British intelligence suspects a connection with a cross-channel smuggling ring. But as undercover agent Paul Chavasse embarks on what will be one of the most dangerous cases in his extraordinary career, he soon discovers that this is no small-time operation – and the ruthless men behind it will stop at nothing to protect their precious cargo.

A cold night\'s silent majesty hides a bitter secret…Though she is deeply loved by her parents, the fact that Lydia Brand is adopted has always made her different from her close-knit Amish community. But as Christmas approaches and she begins to search for answers about her biological parents, more questions surface.

Soon it seems that the deaths of two women in her small town may not be coincidences, after all. And her pursuit of the truth has left her only with hints of a dark secret and threats from an unseen adversary.

While she does her best to stave off advances from her parents\' preferred suitor, Lydia discovers that her heart truly belongs to the man who\'s been there all along: her friend Josh Yoder.It\'s only with his help that Lydia can ensure that the stillness of a winter\'s night means peace… and not danger.

THE CHRISTMAS BASKETMore than ten years ago, high-school sweethearts Noelle McDowell and Thomas Sutton planned to elope—but then he jilted her. This Christmas, Noelle is home to celebrate the holidays, and she and Thom discover they are still in love.

Now only the decades-old rivalry between their mothers stands in the way of a second chance together.THE SNOW BRIDEIt\'s a month before Christmas and Jenna Campbell is flying to Alaska to marry a man she met on the Internet—until her seatmate takes it upon himself to change her plans.

Which is how Jenna ends up stranded in tiny Snowbound, Alaska, alone with Reid Jamison (plus a bunch of eccentric old men and a few grizzly bears). And then there\'s a blizzard… Maybe she\'ll be a Christmas bride after all!.

‘I’m your payment, Mr Merrick.’ When notorious Jonas Merrick finds the wife of his greatest enemy up to her neck in debt to him, he offers her a bargain – she can work off the debt…in his bed.

But Jonas is more than a little surprised when her innocent, naive sister arrives in her place, bravely offering herself to the scarred, brooding rake.Unexpectedly moved by young Sidonie’s beauty, innocence and wit, the ruthless loner finds her seduction a much more compelling prospect.

Instead of a martyr in his bed, he wants seven days to make her come willingly.But when the week is up and the world intrudes…will beauty claim her beast?Book One in THE SONS OF SIN seriesTHE SONS OF SINSEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUES BEDA RAKE’S MIDNIGHT KISSWHAT A DUKE DARESA SCOUNDREL BY MOONLIGHTDAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES (Novella).

He’s supposed to find her… …not seduce her! Greek tycoon Zach Gavros has one mission: to track down the long-lost granddaughter of the mentor who helped him rise from the streets of Athens to unrivalled success. But Zach quickly realises that introducing feisty Katina to Greek society could be more trouble—and temptation—than anticipated! Especially when their startling passion only confirms the power this untouched heiress has to undo him…

Drawing on considerable experience as both parents and professionals in the paediatric profession, the best-selling parenting experts Dr. William and Martha Sears have produced the definitive guide to the frequently fraught and troublesome topic of sleep.

The Sleep Book is designed as a practical and contemporary guide to parenting, ensuring you can get your child to sleep and making sure night time isn’t dreaded. Containing the latest medical research, and providing informed and considered advice on all the issues, this book offers guidance and support to keep you and your child rested and refreshed.

Includes advice on all aspects of sleep such as:• 8 infant sleep facts every parent should know• 31 ways to get your baby to sleep and stay asleep• Bedwetting• Hidden medical causes of night waking• Sleep trainers• Night weaning – 12 alternatives for the all-night nurser• Night terrors• 5 reasons why high need infants sleep differently• Sleep safety• SIDS: the latest research on how sleeping with your baby is safe• Co-sleeping: Yes, No, SometimesAn invaluable resource for parents of young children, The Baby Sleep Book provides guidance on how to get your baby to sleep, what to do if he wakes up to often, what to do if he sleeps to much. It also helps with moving the place of sleep, sleepwear, managing the sleep time of more than one child, and night time feeding.

How could popular Josie Williams arrive dateless at her class reunion?Hiring Callum McCloud for the night was the perfect solution. The lean, sexy hunk was hers for a few hours of dinner, dancing and pretend kisses. But when he ended the evening making heated love to Josie, she was ready to hire him again! Callum escorted her only as a favor – he\'s no gigolo, just a globe-trotting engineer.But after a taste of Josie he can\'t say no to a repeat performance. Especially when she shows him her sexual fantasies wish list – and he\'s hell-bent on making every sizzling wish come true! Except what will happen when they realize their mutual lust has turned into something more?

A scorching encounter in the Cuban heat… Now, she’s carrying her boss’s baby! The wild vibrancy of Kitty’s new home in Havana must be infectious. Why else would the naturally cautious rum distiller have succumbed to the sudden desire to seize one night with a stranger? But if it’s shocking to learn that César is actually her powerful, elusive boss, it’s nothing compared to Kitty’s latest realisation… she’s pregnant!

Search-and-rescue leader Buzz Malone thought losing the only woman he\'d ever loved was the worst blow life could deal. He was wrong.

Finding out that he had a son—a son his ex-wife, Kelly, had kept secret—was worse. Especially when that child was lost in the Rocky Mountains, pitted against a raging forest fire.

Tirelessly trekking through the mountains with Buzz by her side, Kelly soon realized that the wilderness wasn\'t the only thing on fire. For the passion that had always flared between them now burned hotter than ever.

A masquerade ball is plunged into darkness… A woman is poisoned… A millionaire bachelor becomes a father… As a blackout gripped Grand Springs, Colorado, CEO Jonathan Steele was having quite a night. First, Cynthia Morgan–aka «Cinderella»–drank poison meant for him. Then his blackmailing half brother and sister-in-law were murdered, leaving Jonathan with his newborn baby nephew.In thirty-six hours, Jonathan\'s life had changed forever. Then grateful-to-be-alive Cynthia offered to move into his home as a temporary nanny, a serious challenge to Jonathan\'s bachelorhood…

His revenge…her secret Nicolas Dupre made billions as a theatrical entrepreneur in New York and London – a far cry from his small Australian bush town roots. But then he received a request to return to Rocky Creek, and everything he’d tried to forget… …Serina, whom he hadn’t seen since that last night, when they’d shared passion like hungry animals. Nicolas had never forgiven her for how she’d wronged him. Here was his chance to claim one final bedding and closure… Only Serina had a secret that could change his life…

Carole Mortimer is one of Mills Boon’s best loved Modern Romance authors. With nearly 200 books published and a career spanning 35 years, Mills Boon are thrilled to present her complete works available to download for the very first time! Rediscover old favourites – and find new ones! – in this fabulous collection…Bound to his will for Christmas…When school teacher Lily Barton flies to Rome to see her brother at Christmas, the last thing she expects is to be kidnapped by demanding, sinfully attractive Count Dmitri Scarletti! Captivated by his magnetic charm, can she defy his demands?Dmitri’s sister has eloped with Lily’s brother and until he finds them, he’s holding Lily hostage. But soon Lily’s fiery nature incites a white-hot heat that even the Count can’t resist. Now he has just one night beneath the mistletoe to fulfil his every desire…

Like Cinderella at the ball… Lilley’s fairytale wish is about to be granted. She’ll swap her grey suits for a fabulous dress and killer heels, and dance the night away with the man every other woman wants…but only for one night. When the clock strikes twelve…Alessandro Caetani does not do happy-ever-afters. In fact his charm extends only as far as getting his Little Mouse secretary into bed. Lilley has never taken such a risk before, but this is her night of living dangerously…Who is going to call time on the fairytale ending?

H.A.

R.P.

Field Report\'From: Celestian, Earthbound OperativeRe: Operation True LoveMission: Unite hopelessly star-crossed soul mates.Complications: Subject Trick Templeton is one ornery West Texan who lets no woman get too close.

For subject Brandy Mitchum, protecting her baby girl and paying the bills trumps romance.Plan of Action: By night, Brandy will dream of Trick until her heart realizes he is her beloved Midnight Man.

By day, boss Trick and employee Brandy will be helpless to avoid each other–divine handiwork, I dare say.\'Results: Daily contact has created a crisis situation.

Intent had been a little night matchmaking, but the powerful result is beyond anything even heaven can control….

As an ordinary Australian, Marina knows she\'ll never be the love of James, Lord Winterborne\'s life. James is a blue-blood, but what he feels for Marina is red-blooded passion! Marina tries to deny her attraction to the rakishly good-looking British aristocrat and concentrate on the real reason she\'s flown to England.But when the opportunity arises for her to become His Lordship\'s mistress just for one night, the temptation to succumb is overwhelming….

The kiss that Dr. Greg Shaw and Dr. Jess Saunders shared last Christmas was straight out of a fairy-tale! Then Greg left without a word… Now Greg is back and he’s a changed man—with a big decision to make. But his feelings for Jess are just the same, as are Jess\'s for him—which leads to a shock pregnancy!Will Greg realise what really matters in life, and that Jess and the baby are the most precious gifts he’ll ever receive?

For twenty-four hours only… Lucas Mallory – star attraction of a celebrity charity auction.Tall, dark, handsome and fabulously wealthy, he was every woman\'s dream date.

Georgia Harding – successful businesswoman. She wanted to impress her father at his sixtieth birthday party by taking along the perfect man – so she bid for Lucas!Warned about his reputation, Georgia told herself that he wasn\'t her type.

But she hadn\'t bargained on Lucas\'s lethal sex appeal – or his determination to give her value for money… .

After Olivia Dobson is jilted at the altar, she endures another humiliation: a substitute groom! The elder brother of her runaway betrothed has taken matters into his own hands. Shy Olivia has long held a secret attraction for Andrew Richardson, the handsome Earl of Ashcombe.

But when she\'s wedded, bedded and dispatched alone to his country estate, the timid beauty discovers one night of passion has ignited a bold inner fire.While his lovely green-eyed bride is out of sight, she is not far from Andrew\'s mind–and when Olivia is abducted by French spies, the earl fears he may lose what he\'s only just found.

Yet the wife he races to rescue is a far cry from the gentle bride he abandoned. She\'s a woman who dares to demand forever after from her husband….

Terry McCaleb\'s enforced quiet lifestyle on the island of Catalina is a far cry from the hectic excitement of his former role as an FBI profiler. However, when small-time criminal Edward Gunn is found dead, McCaleb becomes embroiled in a..

Three unrepentant scoundrels infamous for being perilous to love… Handsome as the devil and twice as tempting, Robin ‘Puck’ Blackthorn lives for the pleasures of the moment. His only rule – never dally with an innocent woman. But when an encounter at a masquerade ball leaves him coveting the one woman who refuses to succumb to his charms, Puck realises that some rules were made to be broken…Scandalised to discover that the masked man with whom she’d shared a dance is the ton’s most celebrated rake, Regina Hackett vows to keep her distance. Yet when her dear friend vanishes, it is to Puck that Regina must turn.And as they embark on a dangerous journey through London’s darkest alleys, Regina will discover that beneath Puck’s roguish façade lies a man who will stop at nothing to protect her…

One night will change their lives forever…Georgia Bailey is closing up her little charity shop in Oakbarrow when she gets a mysterious late night call from a stranger, threatening to jump off the town’s bridge.Something about the man’s voice is faintly familiar but all she can do is stay on the line and after talking for hours, losing sense of time passing, coax him back from the edge.

The next morning, Georgia walks to work, buys a festive latte from Leo (who she’s had a crush on for months!) at the local coffee shop, and is shocked when she suddenly recognizes the voice from last night…A heartwarming festive love story that reminds us that even in the darkest of times, hope is always just around the corner!Readers love Jaimie Admans:‘I\'m a big fan of Jaimie Admans and absolutely love her sense of humour and lively writing.’‘I cannot wait for Jaime Adams to write more books.

’‘A round of applause, Miss Admans, a round of applause.’‘The one thing Jaimie Admans does well is endearing characters.

’‘This is an author that I will definitely be reading more from.’.

It’s 1996, and Reacher is still in the army. In the morning they give him a medal, and in the afternoon they send him back to school.

That night he’s off the grid. Out of sight, out of mind.

Two other men are in the classroom—an FBI agent and a CIA analyst. Each is a first-rate operator, each is fresh off a big win, and each is wondering what the hell they are doing there.

Then they find out: A Jihadist sleeper cell in Hamburg, Germany, has received an unexpected visitor—a Saudi courier, seeking safe haven while waiting to rendezvous with persons unknown. A CIA asset, undercover inside the cell, has overheard the courier whisper a chilling message: “The American wants a hundred million dollars.

”For what? And who from? Reacher and his two new friends are told to find the American. Reacher recruits the best soldier he has ever worked with: Sergeant Frances Neagley.

Their mission heats up in more ways than one, while always keeping their eyes on the prize: If they don’t get their man, the world will suffer an epic act of terrorism.From Langley to Hamburg, Jalalabad to Kiev, Night School moves like a bullet through a treacherous landscape of double crosses, faked identities, and new and terrible enemies, as Reacher maneuvers inside the game and outside the law.

A\'PIEU Good Night Water Sleeping Mask

Winner of the Crossword Prize for non-fiction, ‘“Curfewed Night’” is a passionate and important book – a brave and brilliant report from a conflict the world has chosen to ignore.\' Salman RushdieBasharat Peer was a teenager when the separatist movement exploded in Kashmir in 1989.

Over the following years countless young men, fuelled by feelings of injustice, crossed over the Line of Control to train in Pakistani army camps. Peer was sent off to boarding school in Aligarh to keep out of trouble.

He finished college and became a journalist in Delhi. But Kashmir – angrier, more violent, more hopeless – was never far away.

In 2003 Peer, now a young journalist, left his job and returned to his homeland. Drawing a harrowing portrait of Kashmir and her people – a mother forced to watch her son hold an exploding bomb, politicians living in refurbished torture chambers, picturesque villages riddled with landmines – this is above all, a story of what it really means to return home – and the discovery that there may not be any redemption in it.

Lyrical, spare, gut wrenching and intimate, Curfewed Night is a powerful and intensely moving debut, combining the insight of a journalist with the prose of a poet.\'A passionate and important book – a brave and brilliant report from a conflict the world has chosen to ignore.

One Night in ParadiseThough Queen Elizabeth I’s court at Richmond was a hotbed of illicit liaisons, beautiful Adorna Pickering remained unscathed. Yet the one man she couldn’t resist had a reputation blacker than sin. And though Adorna didn’t want to be just another easy conquest, she’d willingly forsake everything she held dear for one night in Sir Nicholas Rayne’s arms…A Most Unseemly SummerCapable and determined Lady Felice has had to learn how to take care of herself. So she is shocked when the surveyor of her family’s new home, Sir Leon Gascelin, forces her to accept him as her temporary guardian. Is it to stop tongues wagging because they reside under the same roof? Or has she deliberately been sent to this dangerously attractive gentleman to be well and truly tamed?

The sequel to the explosive New York Times bestselling debut AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, that’s captivated readers worldwide. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt Elias and Laia as they flee the city of Serra.

Laia and Elias are determined to break into the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison to save Laia’s brother, even if for Elias it means giving up his last chance at freedom. They will have to fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene? Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own-one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape … and kill them both.

Forbidden Passion Since his father’s scandalous affair, Colm Hancourt has lived life on his own terms…until he comes face to face with Eve, the daughter of his father’s mistress! Eve has always lived in the shadow of her mother’s scandalous affair, but with one kiss that sets tongues wagging, could the latest Winterley scandal be the start of something special?•To escape her family’s scandals, Eleanor Hancourt lives as ordinary governess Nell Court. But when Fergus the new estate manager arrives, her quiet existence is disrupted. He may be unspeakably arrogant, but he’s also irresistible! But is he who he really says he is…