by Amy Jarecki
“I can imagine. He hasn’t called ye out to do battle, has he?”
Angus raised his tankard to his lips. “Not in so many words, but it is unlikely we’ll ever be allies.”
“Unfortunate.”
“However, I have agreed on a truce with Lord O’Doherty, for what it is worth.”
“Marvelous. At least that leaves the door open to visit my sister.”
“Perhaps it would be better if she visited us. I think all parties involved would be more likely to keep their heads attached to their necks.”
“Oh, dear. My guardian’s missive must have been truly dreadful.”
“Aye, and it has been reduced to ash where it should be.”
Finovola reached for the bread and broke off a piece. “I never would have guessed the MacDonald hall would be so festive.”
Anya gestured toward the tables, so proud of being a MacDonald. “There’s a great deal ye wouldn’t have guessed about my clan. I’m afraid our da’s alliance with the MacDougall was, perhaps, misguided as was his opinion of my husband.”
“Rest Da’s soul.”
Anya crossed herself. “If only he knew what I know now.”
“And ye reckon Robert the Bruce’s claim to the Scottish throne is founded?”
“I reckon he is the best man…the only man strong enough to wear the king’s mantle and stand up to Edward. After all, the King of England is the one who declared himself overlord and invaded. He needs to remove his army from Scotland and leave us be.”
“Listen to that.” Finovola kissed Anya’s cheek. “Ye have completely changed your alliances.”
“Mayhap I have, but my eyes are opened. Not that I wish for the war. Every night I pray for a peaceful resolution.”
“Ye mean ye pray for a miracle.”
“I do.”
Angus stabbed his eating knife into a bit of lamb. “If only the English saw it Her Ladyship’s way, picked up their arms, and headed for their hearths, we’d all be at peace.”
Everyone at the table laughed. Of course, it was too idealistic to believe peace would come so simply, but Anya would still pray for it. After all, her brother, Lord O’Cahan, still paid fealty to Ulster and Edward. As did the House of O’Doherty. Whatever truce had been agreed between the sisters’ husbands would dangle on the precipice of fragility until the war ended.
“We’ve spent far too much time speaking of politics. Where are the minstrels?” Anya asked. “I believe I’m in the mood for dancing!”
With her pronouncement, the tables were pushed to the sides and the musicians took their places on the gallery.
Angus offered his hand. “If the Lady of Islay is hankering to kick up her heels, then by all means, let us do so with a country dance.”
“Agreed!” said Chahir as he stood and bowed to his wife. “Shall we?”
Filled with contentment, Anya laughed and danced long into the night…until Angus drew her into his arms and whispered into her ear, “Shall we go above stairs, wife, and continue our dancing in the sanctity of our chamber?”
Epilogue
Seven years later
Anya sat in the window embrasure of the nursery and watched as her three children dashed about in their fine clothing, playing a game of tag. Eoin, now a young man of six, was a natural born leader, always dominating his younger sisters, Marie and Aine.
“Come, Master Eoin,” said Freya, wielding a comb. The maid had volunteered to become the nursemaid with Anya’s firstborn. “Ye cannot meet the king with your tresses looking as if ye’ve been rolling in the hay loft.”
The lad had his father’s blond hair and looks. Marie took after Angus as well, though Aine was the spitting image of her mother with freckles across the bridge of her nose.
“Och, why must I meet the king?” asked Eoin. “I want to go ride my pony.”
“Ye can ride for days to come, but the king’s visit is of utmost importance to your father. And mark me, one day ye will be lord of these lands. And ye’d best learn now, even if ye are lord, duty comes first. Always and forevermore.”
The lad stopped and jutted out his bottom lip.
“Does this mean Da will be home for good?” asked Marie, aged four, as she climbed up on the bench beside Anya.
Anya sighed as she stooped to pick up Aine and balanced the lass of two on her lap. It seemed the wars would never end. “I wish it would be so, except the King of England invaded and we’ve naught but to defend our borders.”
“But our keep is secure,” said Eoin.
“That is because our walls cannot be breached. But we owe fealty to Scotland and to Robert the Bruce, and the MacDonald forces are some of the best fighting men in the kingdom.”
“I like it when Da’s home,” said Marie.
“I do as well,” said Anya.
The babe pulled on Anya’s kirtle laces. “Da, Da!”
“Even the wee one loves her father,” said Freya, raking the comb through Eoin’s hair, yet having no success at taming the lad’s wild locks.
Trumpets sounded from the courtyard. Anya stood with the babe in her arms. “Come, children, we must go to the great hall to attend the ceremony. And remember, ye must remain quiet.”
A month ago, Angus had returned from Bannockburn where Angus and the MacDonald army fought in an enormous battle with thousands of men. After the death of Edward the Longshanks, Anya had prayed that the wars would end, but nay. His son, Edward II maintained the same ill-begotten opinion that he should be overlord of Scotland, and invaded a year past.
By the grace of God, the Scots had been victorious at Bannockburn, and Robert the Bruce’s favor had grown mightily. He was loved by his subjects and young men flocked to his side, eager to take up arms for the kingdom.
This was a day for pride. For so long, her husband had felt as if the king did not appreciate him as he did many of the other nobles, though the tides had turned at Bannockburn. By the show of might from Clan MacDonald, any misgivings Robert the Bruce may have had were wiped away and gone for good.
Anya and the children pattered down to the hall, which was packed elbow to elbow with clansmen and women. Raghnall met them at the entry from the stairwell and led them to a table in front of the dais beside the Dowager Lady Islay.
“All rise and behold Robert the Bruce, King of Scots!” bellowed the High Steward, who had accompanied the king on this visit.
Benches scraped across the floor. Trumpets on the gallery heralded a fanfare.
Holding her daughter on her hip, Anya craned her neck to witness the king’s approach. All this time had passed, yet his wife and daughter were still imprisoned in England. It made her think of how fortunate she had been that Angus had chosen not to take her to the monastery.
As the king approached in his fine velvet robes, Anya dipped into a curtsey, checking behind her skirts to ensure Marie did the same while Eoin bowed. Bless Raghnall, he reminded the lad of his manners.
The king took his place on the dais, followed by his knights Boyd, Campbell, and Douglas. “This is a day of celebration in recognition of the might of Clan MacDonald!” the Bruce boomed, thrusting out his arms to a raucous cheer.
“Come forward, Angus Og MacDonald, Lord of Islay.”
Anya’s heart hammered as she watched her husband approach through the aisle. Standing tall and broad-shouldered, he posed a magnificent picture of a braw and mighty Highlander.
Aine thrust out her chubby finger. “Da, Da!”
“Shh,” Anya hushed the child, grasping her hand and kissing it.
Eoin clung to his mother’s skirts as Angus climbed the stairs and kneeled.
The king raised his bejeweled scepter. “In recognition of the MacDonald prowess on the battlefield at Bannockburn, I hereby grant ye the lands in Lochaber, Ardnamurchan, Morven Duror, Glencoe, and Mull. And henceforth, ye shall be known as Angus Og MacDonald, Lord of the Isles!”
As the crowd cheered, Anya’s heart took flight, watching her husband receive that which he had desi
red, that which he had fought for all of his life. And though only the king’s men were allowed on the dais this night, as soon as Angus shook the hands of the knights, he immediately came down and joined his family. Lifting Marie and Eoin onto his hips, he kissed them both.
Anya curtseyed. “Congratulations, my love.”
“Con-lations, Da!” Eoin echoed.
Grinning, Angus reached out with a single finger and tugged his wife and youngest into an intimate circle, though it was Anya’s lips he kissed, his gaze focused only on her. “Och, none of this would have mattered if ye were no’ at my side, wife. I love ye more than life itself.”
Author’s Note
Thank you for joining me for Highland Raider. I have always loved this time in history and have been excited to finally write about it. Though this is a work of fiction, I did fashion the story around Angus Og MacDonald, Lord of Islay. There are many spellings of his name. Some ancient references refer to Aonghus Óg of Clann Dubhghaill. Of course, there were few spelling conventions at the time and I used the more modern spelling of the clan name since the Dubhghaills eventually became the MacDonalds. It is also possible that the Lordship of the Isles was granted to Angus’ son, Eoin. However, I found more than one reference referring to Angus himself as Lord of the Isles and thus wove the grant of the title into the story. It is true that Robert the Bruce had his misgivings about Angus early on in his kingship, but after the MacDonalds proved their might in the Battle of Loudon Hill and then again in the Battle of Bannockburn, Angus gained favor with the king.
Angus married Aine O’Cahan (or O’Cathan as some records show). One reference said she had a sister named Finovola, another said Fingola. Aine was the daughter of Lord Guy O’Cahan, who held the Lordship of Keenaght. The O’Cahan seat was Dunseverick Castle in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The feud between the clans and the girls’ tenure at Carrickfergus is pure fiction, but it made for quite a twisted feud.
I hope you enjoyed the story and will consider leaving a review. Next in the series, Arthur Campbell will have his romance in Highland Beast. I hope you will join in the fun!
Hugs ~ Amy
Also by Amy Jarecki
The King’s Outlaws
Highland Warlord
Highland Raider
Highland Beast
* * *
Highland Defender
The Valiant Highlander
The Fearless Highlander
The Highlander’s Iron Will
* * *
Highland Force:
Captured by the Pirate Laird
The Highland Henchman
Beauty and the Barbarian
Return of the Highland Laird
* * *
Guardian of Scotland
Rise of a Legend
In the Kingdom’s Name
The Time Traveler’s Destiny
* * *
Highland Dynasty
Knight in Highland Armor
A Highland Knight’s Desire
A Highland Knight to Remember
Highland Knight of Rapture
Highland Knight of Dreams
* * *
Devilish Dukes
The Duke’s Fallen Angel
The Duke’s Untamed Desire
* * *
ICE
Hunt for Evil
Body Shot
Mach One
* * *
Celtic Fire
Rescued by the Celtic Warrior
Deceived by the Celtic Spy
* * *
Lords of the Highlands series:
The Highland Duke
The Highland Commander
The Highland Guardian
The Highland Chieftain
The Highland Renegade
The Highland Earl
The Highland Rogue
The Highland Laird
* * *
The Chihuahua Affair
Virtue: A Cruise Dancer Romance
Boy Man Chief
Time Warriors
About the Author
Known for her action-packed, passionate historical romances, Amy Jarecki has received reader and critical praise throughout her writing career. She won the prestigious 2018 RT Reviewers' Choice award for The Highland Duke and the 2016 RONE award from InD’tale Magazine for Best Time Travel for her novel Rise of a Legend. In addition, she hit Amazon’s Top 100 Bestseller List, the Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Bookscan Bestseller lists, in addition to earning the designation as an Amazon All Star Author. Readers also chose her Scottish historical romance, A Highland Knight’s Desire, as the winning title through Amazon’s Kindle Scout Program. Amy holds an MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland and now resides in Southwest Utah with her husband where she writes immersive historical romances. Learn more on Amy's website. Or sign up to receive Amy’s newsletter.
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