Kidnapped Highland Bride (Ladies of Dunmore Series) (A Medieval Scottish Romance Story)
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KIDNAPPED HIGHLAND BRIDE
LADIES OF DUNMORE SERIES (A MEDIEVAL SCOTTISH ROMANCE STORY)
BRIDGET FREYA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright
Dedication
About The Author
KIDNAPPED HIGHLAND BRIDE
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
EPILOGUE
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Acknowledgement
If You Have Enjoyed This Book…
Publisher’s Notes
COPYRIGHT © 2018, 2019 BY Bridget Freya
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real or dead people, places, or events are not intentional and are the result of coincidence. The characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the author/publisher. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Cover designed by Ms Melody Simmons. Author has the copyrights to this cover.
DEDICATION
I wisnae pushed, I didnae shove, I just met you and fell in you
ANONYMOUS
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This story and future ones will be for my readers that recognise the true meaning of true love!
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to write a different kind of Scottish Romance editorial for your entertainment pleasures.
I hope you will enjoy reading this story as much I have enjoyed writing it!
Have you checked out my other historical Scottish books series?
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*** AMAZON USA ***
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bridget Freya has been obsessed with the Medieval time period at a young age, and started her writing on short journal.. of course the rest is history and she has never looked back.
Her first brush with this wonderful genre was when her grandmother gave her copies of medieval romance stories by Diana Gabaldon.
Bridget's novels are packed with mild sexual tension, twists, with lots of dialogues and an unexpected mystery elements. Read her inspirations as she explored the intricacies of the Medieval and Scottish Highlands Era.
~ Bridget
KIDNAPPED HIGHLAND BRIDE
A MEDIEVAL SCOTTISH ROMANCE STORY
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by
BRIDGET FREYA
PROLOGUE
THE FIRST WEDDING
Castle Dunmore, Scotland,
1744
“Did ye see the one on the fiddle? Eyes like liquid gold, I swear it!” Arabella exclaimed with a gentle laugh.
“Give me a piper any day,” Adeline replied with an equally carefree air about her. Both women looked over at the large man spilling out of his kilt, with bagpipes in his meaty hands.
Laughter burst from each of them and they began mingling through the hundreds of guests that celebrated the day with them. Adeline looked through the people and found Grace, the beautiful bride. Her cousin stood in the arms of her dashing new husband, the former Hanoverian general, Douglas Warwick.
“I’ll be back in a moment,” Arabella said, leaving Adeline with only her glass of sherry in hand, a gift from the groom’s wealthy English father for the party.
Grace was majestically moving to the center of the dancing, gently tugging the groom behind her. As they started to dance, Adeline caught the movement of another man behind them.
His eyes were a similar green as those belonging to Douglas, but with the sloping edges of an Englishman. The deep chestnut hue of his hair seemed to reflect the light at every turn.
However, what truly shocked Adeline was not the man’s attractive features, but rather the fact that his eyes were on her as well. She watched as he made his way through the outskirts of crowds that were now beginning to join the newlyweds on the dance floor.
Before long, he was upon her.
“Hello,” was the only word that came from his exquisitely formed lips.
Although he spoke in Gaelic, his accent was tinged and Adeline knew that he must be the friend of Douglas that Grace kept mentioning.
“H-hello,” she replied, blinking at the intensity of their eye contact.
“Might you be willing to join me for this next dance?” he asked her with a charming smile.
“Aye…” she replied dumbly.
Those lips turned up in a smile at this and he led her to the floor, among the other dancing couples. The waltz was in full bloom and Adeline wondered if he had chosen this one because it was the easiest for an Englishman to do. She thought about whether or not he would ever manage Strip the Willow or even Gay Gordon, but thought it best simply to indulge in this for the time being.
His firm hand placed itself about her waist and she rested a hand on his shoulder, and the other in his.
“You look lovely. My friend tells me you are the dearest friend of the bride?” he asked.
“Aye. And I assume yer friend is the groom?” she asked in reply.
“Indeed. My name is Richard, erm, Lieutenant Richard Holloway. And you are Adeline MacGowan?” he confirmed.
Adeline nodded her head and sensed her stomach doing flips from the knowledge that this beautiful man knew exactly who she was. Her brown eyes were locked on his green ones and she could not help but feel lighter than the air. Snapping back to herself, Adeline dared to ask, “So I assume that ye are a Hanoverian then?”
A sad smile played on Richard’s lips and he glanced away while still keeping the rhythm of the dance.
“I am. Although I must admit that seeing all that my friend has experienced of late, I have felt my loyalties…Well, I am working to understand the differences between the two sides and to listen to the voices of both,” he replied diplomatically.
Adeline nodded but remained quiet. She knew that Richard was only allowed to remain under a temporary truce that the laird had declared for a few select soldiers that Douglas had chosen. Richard was
one of only three Englishmen permitted to attend the wedding. The others were Douglas’ father and one of his cousins, who was stationed in Kent.
Grace had told Adeline all of this, but upon actually meeting one of the men and seeing how gentle and smooth he was, she was utterly taken aback. His open-mindedness toward the Scots was soothing.
“And how long will ye be with us here at Dunmore?” she asked.
Richard inhaled as if in deep thought. “The truce will allow me to remain another week, but I believe I will return to Fort Amswold before that. From there, I shall wait until my orders guide me.”
Adeline nodded again. She was finding it difficult to keep her attraction at bay and the news that he was leaving sooner than he had to meant that Richard had no real desire to remain at Dunmore, although he would still be in Scotland for some time.
“Well, it seems the dance is over,” Adeline said, noticing the final note held by the fiddle. All around them, couples dropped their arms and looked at one another longingly, wishing they could continue to dance with the same person. However, that was not considered proper, just as it would not be for Richard and Adeline to dance with one another so soon again.
“Indeed it is. Might I call upon you later in the evening for another?” he asked respectfully.
Adeline felt her smile light up. “That would be lovely. Perhaps later,” she replied with grace. This man that stood before her was tall and strong, and seemed to have the most exquisite elegance about him. There was something very calm in his demeanor and Adeline felt that he was seeking nothing but her attention.
Their eyes remained locked for a moment and Adeline smiled, watching him as he looked her up and down. Finally, she sensed that it would not be appropriate for them to remain so close for much longer.
They parted gently and Adeline spotted her dear friend Colla, the daughter of the laird, who was now wed to Beiste, a former stable boy who they’d discovered had quite royal roots.
“Well, me goodness, look who found herself an Englishman!” Colla exclaimed, hugging Adeline.
“I ken, Grace and Douglas make quite a fine pair,” Adeline replied with a blush. She knew that Grace was referring to her dance with Richard, but hoped to draw the attention away from herself and toward Grace and Douglas instead.
“Ye ken that isnae what I meant, but we can leave it for now. Anyway, how’s it been?” Colla asked.
Adeline smiled falsely. How could she tell Colla about her loneliness? “It has been lovely to see my dear friends so well off. And look at ye! A mother!” she exclaimed.
“Aye, I am at that! Beiste likes what it’s done to me chest. Look at these things!” Colla laughed, noting her bosom had grown even fuller.
Adeline had always been slighter than her friends. When she was younger, she had envied their womanly curves, but now she tried to embrace her body as her own, even if it was not quite what she desired it to be.
“Ye look magnificent,” Adeline said with a smile.
“As do ye. And I think that lieutenant has noticed. He is rather handsome, isnae he?” she prodded again.
“Aye, perhaps, but I’m not here for a husband. If I find one then all is well, but if not, I think I will do just fine,” Adeline replied.
She considered her attraction to Richard and having noticed his kindness, but thought that it was likely just the intrigue at a man who was foreign and forbidden. He clearly had no long-lost Scottish mother, as Douglas had. He was a Hanoverian and an Englishman, and there was little more to it than that.
Besides, there was Camry. She didn’t love him, but he was a nice man and very attractive. His older brother, Callum, had been interested in Grace and Adeline had been enraged when Grace had thought to choose Callum instead of Douglas merely for convenience.
Could she now choose his brother for the same reason? Or was that the most purely hypocritical thing she could possibly choose to do?
None of it mattered just now. She had an evening of festivities to enjoy and being distracted by her lack of love was no reason to mope. She would see her friends, dance, and drink sherry.
It was upon making this decision that Adeline twirled around and bumped right into Camry Grennock, and a large splash of sherry found its way onto his jacket.
Adeline gasped, embarrassed by her clumsy mistake, but also relieved that his jacket was black and it had not gotten on her pale lavender dress. “Oh please forgive me,” she asked, wide-eyed, rushing to the table for a cloth to help Camry wipe away the drink. She had nearly reached the table before she was stopped.
“Dinnae worry about it,” he replied quickly, snatching her hand to keep her from getting too far.
Adeline was unsure how to respond by being stopped in this way. A piece of her wanted to feel rage that he should try to hold onto her like this and take away her freedom. The other side of her felt certain that the flips in her stomach were a sign that she cared about him.
Camry’s blue eyes looked over her entire frame. The flips returned and Adeline was confused beyond measure. Had she missed this? Had she not realized that he had been gazing at her the whole night as well?
The music began and he silently led her to the dance floor, where they enjoyed a twirl without any words. People came in and out between them in the choreographed movements, but Adeline remained uncertain of this dance with a man who seemed to be so confident that he could hold sway over her.
The dance ended and Adeline silently curtseyed to her partner before moving off the floor and finding Arabella.
“Well, ye do seem to be the most sought-after woman here this evening,” she said with little amusement. Arabella knew that Adeline did not enjoy this sort of attention to this extent. Nevertheless, it indeed seemed that there were eyes on her from all directions.
“Dinnae be ridiculous. Camry is an old friend and that Englishman only danced with me because he is the groom’s dearest friend and I’m the bride’s. That’s the only reason for it all,” she replied with a blush rushing to her cheeks.
“Ye really think so?” Arabella teased.
“I pray to God,” Adeline replied with a scoff. She wanted to hide and catch her breath for just a moment. She could come back soon, but just a quick escape to the balcony might give her a chance to recover from all the attention.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” she said in a rush, making her way through the throngs of people and quickly rushing outside of the door until she found a room with fewer people and open doors leading to a wide balcony.
She stepped out into the cool, late winter air. Spring was coming soon. With it would come the rains, but at least the bitter cold was starting to fade. The air burned Adeline’s lungs, but she needed it for just a moment.
After a time of resting from all the commotion inside, she inhaled once more, stood tall, and made her way back into the main hall.
“There ye are,” Arabella said, ushering her friend close to her side. “Feel better?”
“Aye. I just needed to get some air,” she replied.
“I ken. Dinnae worry, I ken what ye’re like and I understand. But ye have to get used to it now. I saw Colla, who loves the attention, under the weight of it. And then Grace, who simply endured it. But I dinnae want to see ye break from the pressure. Remember, ye are bigger than what they expect of ye,” Arabella encouraged.
Adeline nodded her head. She needed to hear this.
After another half hour of talking with Arabella, Adeline noticed from the corner of her eye that Richard was coming close again. He walked toward the two ladies with his drink in hand, and finished it quickly, placing the empty glass on a table.
“Forgive me for the interruption, but I wished to ask Miss Adeline for another dance?” he requested respectfully.
Arabella smiled at Adeline and took her cup from her.
Adeline stared up at Richard again, and into those green eyes. How could she resist such a man? And if she tried, would she ever succeed?
A Need To Breathe
“Yes, well, it was nice to see my friend in such a good situation,” Richard replied from behind the screen where he was changing.
It had been difficult to be at Fort Amswold. The whole troop was aware of Richard’s decision to maintain his friendship with Douglas, despite the fact that they all considered him a traitor.
Major Dashfield, a beast of a man with enormous strength and terrifying eyes, had been particularly resolved to make his life a misery when he was called to serve at another camp, where the battle was becoming fiercer.
“How is the general?” Mr. Hudson asked.
“Well, he is no longer a general, but that seems to suit him just fine. I heard that his father had quite the mess to clean up as a result, but for the most part, it has all fizzled to gossip and slander and there is little real danger for him. So I think he is well now. Well and with a beautiful wife,” Richard replied.
“Yes, she must be rather exquisite. The general was a good looking man and could have had the pick of them, that’s for sure. And how about you? You never talk about a sweetheart back home,” Mr. Hudson commented.
With that, all of Richard’s carefully constructed distractions shattered. He had been quite irritable since the day of the wedding and easily realized that it was his attraction to Adeline, but he had worked hard to build a wall around those thoughts. Now that wall was broken and visions of her face spilled into his mind.
“I have none,” he said brusquely.
“Is that so? Such a shame, you are a good man as well and I am sure you would have them fawning all over you,” Mr. Hudson encouraged. He was a gentle man, almost grandfatherly in the ways he cared for Richard and the others.
“Yes, well, for now I shall remain a mere soldier and await my turn with women,” he replied stoically. Internally, Richard was deeply anguished by the thoughts of Adeline that continually crept into his mind.