The Rogue

by Allison Butler

  ‘Keila, you were a bairn and moved often. None would—’

  ‘And you are kind to make excuses for me.’ She forced a brittle smile and continued forward along the front of the house as Adair fell into step on her right. ‘Then Lady Ross found a way to gift me my very own home, something few in my position are granted.’ Keila’s gaze travelled the solid beauty of Drummin House, her first true home. ‘I never met her, but I thank her for her generosity and thoughtful kindness every day.’

  As they turned the corner into the shade cast by the house to head back up the other side, Keila slowed and pressed her open hand against the stones where the sun hadn’t yet reached this day. She removed her hand and captured the cold in her palm. She glanced over her shoulder at the man standing patient and silent behind her. ‘And then you came.’

  Once again she resumed their walk and stepped out into the sunshine bathing the front of Drummin House. Moira and Wallis had moved to where Janet sat enjoying the day and together, Keila and Adair crossed the open ground and stopped in front of the stable. Keila lifted one hand, grasped the solid wooden handle of one of the double doors and then released her hold. She turned and looked Adair in the eye.

  ‘You came here wounded, yet you teased and assisted, protected and charmed. You spoke of people you care for, people I’ve never met, but through your words, they are people I feel I know.’ She took a step closer. ‘Then you touched me and made my skin burn like a fever. You set my heart to racing with excitement and passion with only a smile or a look. You kissed me and I saw stars.’ She swallowed. ‘You spoke words of love … and I told you I can never give up Drummin House, my home.’

  Adair made to speak and Keila held up her hand. ‘Please. I need to say this.’ Her eyes misted. She glanced down at her feet and forced her gaze to find his once more. ‘And then you left and I wandered about this house I love, this home of mine. I touched the walls and felt nothing. And then I remembered the feel of you.’

  Keila stepped so close they stood toe to toe. She reached for his hand and pressed her palm to his. The warmth of his flesh brought her skin to life and swelled her heart. ‘Since you came I have discovered you are the mirth missing from my life. You are the happiness that fills my every day.’ She cupped his face with her other hand. ‘I foolishly believed the most important thing in my life was Drummin House, but you have shown me that as wonderful as it may be, without the people we care for within, Drummin House is nothing more than a place of shelter. Nothing more than stone.’

  Keila cradled his other cheek and stared into his eyes. ‘I love you, Adair.’ The pads of her thumbs trailed across his cheeks. ‘My heart is yours and wherever you go is where I long to be.’

  Adair’s eyes sparkled a brilliant blue as he searched her gaze. ‘Are you certain, Keila?’

  She smiled up at him. ‘As long as I am in your arms, Adair, I am home.’

  His powerful arms wrapped about her and pulled her softness against the hardness of his chest. ‘I love you, Keila.’ Then his mouth lowered and covered hers, calling forth the longing and the passion he’d shown her she possessed. Keila lifted onto her toes and circled her arms about his neck, making demands of her own, as tears of joy spilled from the corners of her eyes and ran down the sides of her cheeks.

  ‘Are the pair of you planning to make the rest of us wait all the day through?’

  Moira’s voice drove Keila and Adair apart quicker than a pail of cold water.

  Keila stepped back, but Adair caught her hand and refused to let go. She looked at him and the thrill of his smile awaked her own.

  ‘Wipe the foolish grins off your faces and help me load the last of our possessions,’ Moira said with a teasing hint in her tone.

  Keila clutched his hand and turned him about as Moira led Nettle and Mist, who were already hitched to the loaded cart, out of the stable.

  Adair peered down at her. ‘You really are sure.’ It wasn’t a question, but a trace of uncertainty and awe laced his tone.

  ‘Aye,’ she said with a squeeze of his hand. ‘Janet, Moira and I all agreed soon after you left yesterday. We spent most of the night packing our things.’

  He glanced at all three women and his nephew Wallis. ‘Then let’s finish loading the rest and be on our way.’

  ***

  Working together, they soon had the remaining few things loaded into the cart. Adair walked over to where his mother sat relaxed and absorbing the sunshine. He crouched beside her. ‘Are you ready?’

  She smiled up at him. ‘Aye. I’m looking forward to meeting yer family in the Borders.’

  Adair glimpsed her trepidation. ‘They are good people and will not pass any judgement. You will like them and they you.’

  She inhaled and nodded. He scooped her into his arms and carried his mother to where the cart sat ready and waiting in front of the stable and placed her onto the cloud of pillows Moira still fussed over.

  ‘And the rogue thinks this dragon has been tamed,’ Moira muttered under her breath as she jostled him aside. ‘I’ll see to Janet. You see to your nephew and your “lady love”.’ Moira failed to hide the tilt of her lips.

  Wearing a smile of his own, Adair turned to do her bidding and approached Wallis who was checking on his horse’s saddle nearby.

  ‘Ready, Wallis?’

  ‘Aye, Uncle Dair.’ Adair’s chest filled with warmth at the use of his new status.

  ‘Good, we’ll be on our way soon.’ As soon as he stole another kiss from the woman he loved and who loved him in return.

  Adair found her standing between the stable and the ale shed, her attention fixed beneath the Scots pines at the bend in the river where Rory now lay at rest. He slid his arms about her waist and locked his hands across her stomach, pulling her back into his body. ‘Are you alright?’ He asked against the softness of her hair.

  ‘Aye.’ Her hands settled over his. ‘I was just saying goodbye.’ She released a sigh. ‘I have one more farewell to make and then we can leave.’

  He made to release her, but she held his hands about her. ‘Stay.’ She stepped around in a half circle and he moved with her until they stood looking at Drummin House.

  Adair held his silence to allow Keila the time she needed to say goodbye to the home she loved and now planned to leave. For him. He felt her even breaths lift and lower her shoulders and waited until he couldn’t remain silent any longer.

  ‘Are you truly sure, Keila?’

  Barely a moment passed before she tipped her head back, giving him an open view of her dry-eyed smiling face. ‘I’ve never been more certain about something in my life.’ Relief flowed through Adair as he stared down into her beautiful emerald eyes. ‘I hope someone who needs a home finds Drummin House and fills it with love and happiness.’

  ‘As you have filled me,’ Adair said, turning her about and gathering her in his arms. ‘Ah, Keila.’ He slowly shook his head in wonder. ‘I came to the Highlands searching for who I was and have found so much more.’ He pressed a gentle kiss filled love and wonder against her lips. ‘I love you, Keila. Will you be my wife?’

  Keila stretched up onto her toes, slid her hands up over his shoulders and with a smile against his lips whispered, ‘Aye, my rogue.’

  THE END

  Author’s Note

  Alexander Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan was the fourth illegitimate son of the future King Robert II of Scotland and of Elizabeth Mure of Rowallan, but became legitimated in 1349 upon his parents’ marriage. He is remembered for his destruction of the royal burgh of Elgin and its cathedral. His nickname, the Wolf of Badenoch, was earned due to his notorious cruelty and avarice, but there is no proof he was called the Wolf during his lifetime.

  Alexander did marry the widowed Euphemia I, Countess of Ross, but they had no children, a fact he blamed on his wife, who had only one son to her first husband. It is said Alexander had around forty illegitimate children to different women, one of which was his long-time mistress, Mariota de Athyn, with whom he ha
d a number of children. Having long deserted his wife to live with his mistress, and at a time when marital law was the prerogative of the Church, on November 2 1389, Alexander Stewart, the Earl of Buchan was ordered to return to his wife by Bishops Alexander Bur of Moray and Alexander Kylquhous of Ross. Buchan agreed, but failed to keep his promise.

  Euphemia I, Countess of Ross was encouraged to seek a divorce and in 1392 her appeal to the Avignon papal court was successful and the marriage was annulled. Buchan lost all claims to Euphemia’s lands, which were returned to her son, Alexander Leslie, from her first marriage, who became Earl of Ross in right of his mother.

  Euphemia of Ross died as Abbess of Elcho 1398, and was buried in Fortrose Cathedral.

  During my research of the Wolf of Badenoch, I discovered conflicting dates concerning his death. One account said he died in 1394, while another, 1405. For the timing of Adair and Keila’s story, and to have the Wolf alive and to make a brief appearance and have Adair meet him, I chose to go with the latter date. Alexander Stewart was buried in Dunkeld Cathedral, Perthshire. His tomb is topped by an effigy in armour and is one of the few Scottish royal monuments to have survived from the Middle Ages.

  On a personal note, I wanted to write about a condition known as dementia in one of my stories. In The Rogue, Rory has a mild form of dementia compared to some who suffer what can be a sad and cruel disease.

  Dementia describes a collection of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain. It is not one specific disease. Dementia affects thinking, memory, manner, mood, speech, hunger, thirst, actions, behaviour, emotions and often changes loved ones to strangers.

  I have been privileged to care for many men and women with different forms and levels of dementia. I have also had the honour of meeting their loving families and friends and my heart goes out to all of them.

  Heroes and Heroines All

  Thanks for reading The Rogue. I hope you enjoyed it.

  If you’d like to know more about me, my books, or to connect with me online, you can visit my webpage www.allison-butler.com, follow me on Twitter @AllisonButler17, or like my Facebook page Allison Butler - Author | Facebook.

  You can also follow me through my publisher’s page here www.escapepublishing.com.au

  Reviews can help readers find books, and I am grateful for all honest reviews. Thank you for taking the time to let others know what you’ve read, and what you thought.

  You’ve just read a book in my Highland Bride series. The other book in this series is The Protector.

  If you liked this book, my other books are The Healer and The Thief from my Borderland Brides series.

  This book was published by Escape Publishing. If you’d like to sample some more great books from my fellow Escape Artists, please turn the page.

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  ISBN: 9781489229984

  Title: The Rogue

  Copyright © 2016 by Allison Butler

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechani
cal, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises (Australia) Limited, Level 13/201 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2000.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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