Ravished by a Highlander

by Paula Quinn

  She was a bit surprised to find both sympathy and amusement softening the man’s features when she looked at him.

  “It sounds to me like yer enemies have more to fear from ye, than ye do from them, lass.”

  Isobel shook her head. “I am not foolhardy like Alex. I know that killing one of them would rekindle the feud. It has been ten years since they murdered my father. They have left us alone, and I wish it to stay that way.”

  “Wise,” he said, and Isobel was glad she’d told him. He agreed that she was correct in wanting to leave. Perhaps he would be willing to talk some sense into Alex’s ear.

  “Alex thinks he is not afraid of them, but Oliver Cromwell himself shyt in his breeches at the mention of their name.”

  The handsome stranger paused in his steps for a moment, his smile fading as if something unpleasant had just crossed his thoughts. “Who are these unholy miscreants ye speak of?”

  “The MacGregors,” Isobel told him quietly, hating to even have to utter their names. “Do ye know them, then?” she asked when his eyes narrowed slightly on her.

  As effortlessly as it had appeared the first time, his light smile returned. “I know of them.”

  “Aye,” she sighed, looking forward along their path, “everyone does. They are the infamous and imperishable scourges of Scotland.”

  He did not laugh this time, but seemed to grow uncomfortable in his own clothes. Isobel guessed that he was afraid of the MacGregors too.

  “Ye didna’ tell me why they killed yer father.”

  Isobel didn’t want to talk about it, or even think on it anymore, but if she could persuade this kind gentleman to dissuade her brother… “They believed my father killed the Earl of Argyll during a raid. The Earl was their kin, the Devil MacGregor’s brother-in-law, I was told. Without proof that the Fergussons were even responsible, they murdered my father. The MacGregors are ruthless and cruel. If the Earl was anything like his relatives, he deserved his death.”

  She stopped walking when she realized her stranger had stopped a few paces behind her. She turned and for an instant, wasn’t certain if he was the same man. He stared at her, but not like before. Now, she thought she saw anger slash across the deep amber of his eyes. All traces of anything charming had vanished from his face, leaving his jaw hard, his shapely mouth taut.

  “Is something the matter?” Isobel asked him, not knowing what it could possibly be.

  “Nae, ’tis nothin’. I just recalled that I promised my sister I would show her the king’s theater and she’ll never let me ferget it if I dinna’ keep my word.” His smile flashed and was gone an instant before he was.

  Isobel stood in the garden a bit taken back by the abruptness of his departure. But as she watched him disappear into the Palace, she thought it rather thoughtful of him to care so much about keeping his word to his sister. She smiled. He wasn’t anywhere near gaining the title.

  THE DISH

  Where authors give you the inside scoop!

  From the desk of Paula Quinn

  Dear Reader,

  While doing research for LAIRD OF THE MIST, I fell in love with Clan MacGregor. Their staunch resolve to overcome trials and countless tribulations during a three-hundred-year proscription earned them a very special place in my heart. So when I was given the chance to write a brand-new series featuring Callum and Kate MacGregor’s grown children, I was ecstatic.

  The first of my new four-book series, RAVISHED BY A HIGHLANDER (available now), stars Robert MacGregor, whom you met briefly in A HIGHLANDER NEVER SURRENDERS. He was a babe then, and things haven’t changed. He’s still a babe, but in an entirely different way!

  My favorite type of hero is a rogue who can sweep a lady off her feet with a slant of his lips. Or a cool, unsmiling brute with a soft spot no one sees but his woman. Rob was neither of those men when I began writing his story. He was more. I didn’t think I could love a character I created as much as I loved his father, but I was wrong, and I’m not ashamed to say it.

  Rob isn’t careless with women’s hearts. His smile isn’t reckless but a bit awkward. It’s about the only thing he hasn’t practiced every day of his life. Born to fill his father’s boots as chief and protector of his clan, Rob takes life and the duties that come with his birthright seriously. He’s uncompromising in his loyalty to his kin and unrelenting in his beliefs. He’s a warrior who is confident in the skill of his arm, but not rash in drawing his sword. However, once it’s out, someone’s head is going to roll. Yes, he’s tall and handsome, with dark curls and eyes the color of sunset against a summer-blue loch, but his beauty can best be seen in his devotion to those he loves.

  He is… exactly what a lady needs in her life if an entire Dutch fleet is on her tail.

  I’ll tell you a little about Davina Montgomery, the lass who not only softens Rob’s staunch heart, but comes to claim it in her delicate fingers. But I won’t tell you too much, because I don’t want to reveal the secret that has taken everyone she’s ever loved away from her. She came to me filled with sorrow, chained by duty, and in need of things so very basic, yet always beyond her reach: safety, and the love of someone who would never betray her or abandon her to danger.

  I saw Rob through Davina’s eyes the moment he plucked her from the flames of her burning abbey. A hero: capable, courageous, and hot as hell.

  We both knew Rob was perfect for her, and for the first time, I saw hope in Davina’s eyes—and her beauty can best be seen when she looks at him.

  Travel back to the Scottish Highlands with Rob and Davina and discover what happens when duty and desire collide. And I love to hear from readers, so please visit me at www.paulaquinn.com.

  Enjoy!

  From the desk of R. C. Ryan

  Dear Reader,

  Are you as intrigued by family dynamics as I am? I know that, having written a number of family sagas, I’ve been forced to confront a lot of family drama. But fiction mirrors real life. And in the real world, there’s nothing more complicated or more dramatic than our individual relationships with the different members of our families.

  We read a lot about mother–daughter and father–son relationships, not to mention sibling rivalry. Psychologists tell us life paths are often determined by birth order. And yet there are always exceptions to the rule—the child of poverty who builds a financial empire. The man with a learning disability who lifts himself to the ranks of genius. The girl who loses a leg and goes on to run marathons.

  And so, while I’m fascinated with family dynamics, and our so-called place in the universe, I’m even more intrigued by those who refuse to fit into any mold. Instead, by the sheer force of their determination, they rise above society’s rules to become something rare and wonderful. Whether they climb Mount Everest or never leave the neighborhood where they were born, they live each day to the fullest. And whether they change the world or just change one life, they defy the experts and prove wrong those who believe a life’s course is predetermined.

  In MONTANA DESTINY, the second book in my Fool’s Gold series, Wyatt McCord returns to the Lost Nugget Ranch after years of living life on the edge, only to lose his heart to the fiercely independent Marilee Trainor, a loner who has broken a few rules of her own. These two, who searched the world over for a place to belong, will laugh, love, and fight often, while being forced to dig deep within themselves to survive.

  I hope you enjoy watching Wyatt and Marilee take charge of their lives and forge their own destinies.

  www.ryanlangan.com

  From the desk of Robin Wells

  Dear Reader,

  “So, Robin—what’s your latest book about?”

  I get that question a lot, and I always find it difficult to answer. I usually start off by describing the plot in varying degrees of detail. Here’s the short version:

  STILL THE ONE is the story of Katie Charmaine, a hairdresser in Chartreuse, Louisiana—the same colorful small town where my previous book, BETWEEN THE SHEETS, took place. Katie lost her
husband in Iraq, and she thinks she’ll never love again. But when her first love, Zack Ferguson, returns, she feels the same irresistible attraction that stole her heart at seventeen. To Katie’s shock, he’s accompanied by the teenage daughter Katie gave up for adoption at birth. The daughter, Gracie, has a major attitude, a smart mouth—and is now pregnant herself.

  The medium-length version adds: Gracie’s adoptive parents were killed in a car accident, and when she discovers her birth parents’ identities, she locates Zack first. She wants him to declare her an emancipated minor and give her a nice wad of cash. Instead, Zack takes Gracie to Chartreuse, where he and Katie share custody until Gracie turns eighteen.

  The long version gives still more detail: Zack and Katie experience the ups and downs of parenting a difficult teenager, while rediscovering the love that initially drew them together. Can they forgive each other for their past mistakes? Can Zack overcome his commitment-phobic ways? Can Katie get beyond her feelings of disloyalty to her late husband and her fear of opening her heart again? Can Gracie let go of her anger and open her heart to Katie?

  The long version still doesn’t fully cover everything that happens, but then, a book is much more than a plot. So I also answer the “what’s your book about?” question by citing the following themes present in STILL THE ONE:

  Romance. There’s nothing like the heady feeling of falling in love, and nothing worse than believing you’re falling alone.

  Family. This book is about some of the ways that families shape us, for better and for worse.

  Grief. Love doesn’t die, even though people do. How do we get past the feeling that loving someone else is disloyal to the deceased? How do we ever find the courage to care that deeply again, knowing how much it hurts to lose someone you love?

  Mistakes. Teenagers aren’t known for making wise choices, but adults don’t always make the best decisions, either. Regardless of age, we all can get lost in the moment, make incorrect assumptions, repeat a destructive pattern, or neglect to say something that needs to be said.

  Blessings. Sometimes mistakes that have haunted us for years can turn out to be life’s biggest blessings.

  Forgiveness. How do we let go of hurts—especially big, bad ones? Once we’ve been hurt by someone, can we ever fully trust that person again?

  And last but not least, Love. If I had to give a single answer to what my book is about, this would be it. I believe that love has the power to heal and redeem and transform anyone and any situation, no matter how hopeless it may seem, and that’s the major underlying theme of this novel—and all my novels, come to think of it. I hope you’ll drop by my website, www.robinwells.com, to see a short video about the book, read an excerpt from my next novel, and/or let me know your thoughts. I love to hear from readers, and I can be reached at my website or at P.O. Box 303, Mandeville, LA 70470.

  Here’s hoping your life will be filled with love, laughter, and lots of good books!