The Ravenscraig Legacy Collection: A World of Magical Highland Romance

by Allie Mackay

  She could see in his eyes that he knew how happy he’d just made her.

  Proving it, he grinned and offered her his arm. “Come, sweetness, shall we go share our good news with my men?”

  Kira nodded, not about to say no.

  Epilogue

  Castle Wrath

  Scottish Highlands, One Modern-Day Year Later

  “I knew it was a waste of money to come here.” George Bedwell stood in the middle of the National Trust for Scotland’s Castle Wrath car park, his resentful stare fixed on the closed Visitor Centre. “We’ve spent half our vacation time bugging those people, and no one has offered a clue as to what happened to Kira or that man of hers. If he even was ‘Aidan of Wrath’.”

  “You know he was.” Blanche Bedwell looked on as the last coach tour bus of the day belched a plume of exhaust fumes before rumbling out of the fast-emptying parking lot. “Just because we haven’t found out anything, doesn’t mean fate wasn’t good to them.”

  Her husband snorted and hitched up his belt. “She promised she’d try and leave some kind of sign for us. With all the nutty far-seeing and time travel she was capable of, you’d think she’d have been able to manage something as simple as leaving us a clue.”

  “Now, George-”

  “Och! A thousand pardons.” A tall, dark-haired man bowed courteously. “I didn’t mean to bump into you,” he said, adjusting the deep blue National Trust for Scotland gift-bag he held before him.

  Flashing a smile, he straightened. “I trust this lass can help you. She has the answers you seek.”

  “What?” George Bedwell put back his shoulders and huffed. But when he adjusted his camera strap, ready to scald the nosy bugger with an angry, all-American stare, he could only splutter and gape.

  The man was gone.

  In his place, a young girl stared at them, her eyes wide. A badge declared her to be an employee of the National Trust and she held a clutch of business folders pressed to her breast.

  “Oh! I’m sorry. I was day-dreaming and didn’t see you.” She smoothed a hand through hair so like Kira’s, George Bedwell’s jaw dropped.

  “It’s all right, dear.” Blanche touched her arm. “We were distracted, too. That man-”

  George stomped on her toe.

  The girl smiled, looking more like Kira by the moment. “I don’t know who you mean, but maybe I can be of service? It’s after hours, but if you have any questions about the site, just ask.”

  “Ahhh, errrr ….” George hesitated, the back of his neck flaming.

  He’d definitely ingested too much haggis at the hotel ceilidh the night before.

  “Your ring.” His wife peered at the girl’s hand. “I’ve seen that design before.”

  George shot her a glare. “Pay her no heed,” he said to the girl. Ignoring his wife, he brushed at his jacket, trying to look distinguished.

  With luck, Blanche would follow his lead and not say something that would embarrass them.

  “Our daughter once had a ring like that,” she said anyway. “She-”

  “Oh? That’s amazing. I wouldn’t have thought that possible.” The girl glanced down at her heavy gold ring.

  A Celtic-looking piece, engraved with slender-stemmed trumpets, birds, and delicate swirls.

  “You see, it’s an old family design,” she explained. “The ring has been passed down through the centuries.” She cast a glance at the closed Visitor Centre. “An uncle of mine believes it goes back to Aidan of Wrath and his wife, Katherine.”

  Blanche coughed.

  George frowned. “Katherine?”

  The name was the reason for his foul humor.

  They’d been so close, everything falling into place until they’d stumbled across the archives claiming Aidan of Wrath had wed and lived his long life with a woman called Katherine, not Kira.

  The girl nodded, once more looking so much like Kira, their hearts stopped.

  “Ach,” she cooed, her soft, Highland voice drawing them in, letting them hope. “Katherine is only the name in the annals.” Lifting her hand, she touched the gold ring, her smile going wistful. “There are actually two rings. A man’s and a woman’s, both with a simple ‘A’ and ‘K’ engraved on the inside. No one knows what Aidan of Wrath’s wife’s name really was. Unfortunately, history has lost her true name. Scholars replaced it with Katherine because of the ‘K.’

  “We see.” Blanche slid a glance at her husband.

  He was frowning again, his gaze on the perimeter wall of the Castle Wrath grounds. “Did this Katherine have any children?” he asked, clasping his hands behind his back as he stared down at Wrath Bay.

  “Oh, there were many.” The girl beamed at him even if he wasn’t looking. “Her firstborn was named George.”

  “Indeed?” George nodded, ready to believe at last.

  And when they drove away a short while later, their eyes damp and their hearts content, a shadow materialized in the middle of the car park. A shimmering, crackling cloud that took on more density the closer it drifted to the low stone wall at the edge of the castle grounds.

  Then, just when it appeared as if all Ameri-cains and tour buses were finally gone, a tall, dark-haired man stepped out of the mist and dusted his hands. Then he winked at the burly, bushy-bearded man sitting on the wall.

  “That was well done.” Bushy-beard slapped his thigh, then stood. “Great fun to watch.”

  “It was the least I could do.” The dark haired man adjusted the shop bag he carried. “Though, next time, I think you should do the honors.

  “What?” Bushy-beard wriggled his eyebrows. “And spoil your fun?”

  The dark-haired man looked past him to Wrath Isle, his lips curving in a slow smile. “My fun is about to begin.”

  Bushy-beard looked skeptical. “Down on that accursed isle?”

  “Nae, you loon. I feel a need to go have a closer look at our ring.”

  His friend lifted a brow. “The ring or the girl wearing it?”

  The dark-haired man laughed. “If you have to ask, you don’t know me as well as you should.”

  With that, he clapped Bushy-beard on the arm, then turned and set off across the car park towards the Visitor Centre, his grin broadening with each step he took.

  It was good to be alive.

  Author’s Footnote

  As with all my books, Highlander in Her Dreams was inspired by my own adventures in Scotland. The settings are real although I usually change the names. I love these places dearly and hope to have painted them as beautifully as they truly are. My goal as a writer is to ‘take you there,’ transporting you into the magical world of Highland Scotland. I want readers to feel as if they are there, alongside my characters.

  Castle Wrath really exists. It is a delightfully romantic ruin on Skye, its true name being Duntulm. I fudged the truth by having the National Trust for Scotland turn the site into a major tourist attraction at the end of Highlander in Her Dreams. Thank goodness, that isn’t so. It just suited my story to add such a twist. If you visit Skye, I hope you’ll make the journey out to the ruins. They are deliciously atmospheric and you never know what you might find there. Perhaps an Aidan of your own, as the ruins are indeed haunted.

  Regarding Spean Bridge Mill, it is also quite real. The name is the correct one. I was a bit hard on Spean Bridge Mill in the story, but that angle fit the telling of the tale as I hope you’ll agree. I actually love the place and always nip in there when I am driving along Scotland’s scenic A-82. I have used the classic red ‘call box’ there many times. Often when I’ve done so, RAF fighter jets would roar by overhead, jolting me and disrupting my call. Those fond memories spurred me to have the same thing happen to Kira and Aidan.

  Ravenscraig Castle is pure fiction, but based on several castle hotels and country manor estates I know and love in Scotland.

  Thank you for reading Highlander in Her Dreams. If you love Scotland as much as I do, I hope the hours spent with Kira and Aidan took you there.

&n
bsp; Wishing you Highland Magic!

  Allie Mackay / Sue-Ellen Welfonder

  If you liked Highlander in Her Dreams, you might also enjoy Allie’s magic-filled short stories…

  Falling In Time

  When love calls across the ages…

  Aspiring writer Lindy Lovejoy knows all about happy endings. But when she travels to Scotland to research Celtic myth and lore, she never expected a chance to live her own storybook romance, until a stop at mystical Smoo Cave whisks her back in time and into the arms of Rogan MacGraith, a Highland hero who’d burn up the pages of the steamiest Scottish romance novel.

  The Seventh Sister

  A story of love, legend, and magic

  Down-on-her-luck American artist Maggie Gleason returns to Ireland, hoping to put old hurts behind her. Instead, revisiting the fishing village that enchanted her twelve years before only reopens wounds – until the unexpected appearance of roguish pub owner Conall Flanagan proves that the Ancient Isle is a magical place where anything can happen and true love always stands the test of time.

  Also available are Allie/Sue-Ellen’s full-length novellas…

  The Taming of Mairi MacKenzie

  A Return to Kintail Novella

  In a remote Highland glen, the fate of a battle-weary warrior’s clan depends on a mysterious woman whose special gift might save all he holds dear, but when they join forces, the passion that consumes them poses a greater threat: a forbidden love so powerful it could destroy them.

  Winter Fire

  A Return to Kintail Novella

  Flames of winter burn the hottest…

  When Katla MacKenzie meets a dashing stranger in an enchanted place, she gladly gives her heart – and her passion – to the lover she only knows as the Lord of Winter.

  Gunnar MacLeod can’t resist the bonnie lass and seduces her—or is he the one seduced? A long-standing clan feud comes between them, but a heart that loves is powerful, and Gunnar will do whatever he must to claim Katla as his own.

  About the Author

  "Mackay is a master at penning magical tales of love across the ages."

  ~ Fresh Fiction

  Allie Mackay is the pseudonym for USA Today bestselling author Sue-Ellen Welfonder who won Romantic Times Best Historical Romance Award for her debut title, Devil in a Kilt. Many of her books have been RT Award nominees, and most have received RT Top Picks and K.I.S.S. Hero Awards. She is thrilled to be an Amazon All-Star Author, and a winner of InD'Tale's RONE Award. Her favorite reader compliment is that her stories transport them to medieval Scotland, the setting of most of her books. She has three grand passions: Scotland, the paranormal, and animals. All can be found in her fun and sexy, light-hearted paranormal romances.

  Copyright 2007, 2015 by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

  E-book Edition Copyright 2015 by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

  www.welfonder.com

  www.alliemackay.com

  Cover Design by Jennifer Johnson of Sapphire Designs

  www.sapphiredesignsonline.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the Author/Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your online retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  Tall, Dark, and Kilted

  The Ravenscraig Legacy

  Book Three

  By Allie Mackay

  Allie Mackay is a pseudonym for USA Today Bestselling Author, Sue-Ellen Welfonder

  Copyright 2008, 2015 by Sue-Ellen Welfonder/Allie Mackay

  E-book Edition Copyright 2015 by Sue-Ellen Welfonder/Allie Mackay

  www.welfonder.com

  www.alliemackay.com

  Cover Design by Jennifer Johnson of Sapphire Designs

  www.sapphiredesignsonline.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the Author/Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your online retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  What’s an age-old curse compared to a modern woman’s charm?

  A good man is hard to find.

  Cilla Swanner has been jilted by her lover, and she is struggling with a jewelry business that’s far from sparkling. She needs a getaway someplace quiet and remote. Someplace like Dunroamin Castle in Scotland, where her aunt and uncle run a retirement home in the majestic Highlands. But what she finds there may be more than she can handle.

  Or is it the other way around?

  Centuries ago, the roguish Scots knight known as Hardwick was renowned for his swordmanship, both on and off the battlefield. But a traveling bard cursed him to wander the world forever, pleasing a different woman each night with no hope of fulfillment or true love. Then Hardwick meets Cilla, who may be his only chance for salvation.

  Praise for Allie Mackay

  “Charming and innovative, Mackay definitely delivers a blast of Scottish steam.” ~ Publishers Weekly

  “I’d follow Allie Mackay’s hot Scots anywhere!” ~ Vicki Lewis Thompson, New York Times Bestselling Author

  “Allie Mackay pens stories that sparkle.” ~ Angela Knight, New York Times Bestselling Author

  “Mackay knows what a Scottish romance novels needs, and socks it to you!” ~ A Romance Review

  “If you want a fun and passionate ghost love story, look no further than Allie Mackay!” ~ Sapphire Romance Realm

  Praise for Tall, Dark, and Kilted

  “TALL, DARK, AND KILTED is an imaginative, intriguing, and sensuous novel. It's also connected to HIGHLANDER IN HER DREAMS which Romance Reviews Today recommends highly. All of Mackay’s titles exhibit the author's knowledge and love of Scotland and its Highlanders.”

  ~ Romance Reviews Today

  “This was a heartwarming tale of forbidden love packed with hilarious situations and wonderful secondary characters. It left me feeling that no matter how unattainable something may seem, if our heart and soul want something bad enough, nothing is beyond reach.”

  ~ Leah Weller ‘Medieval Lady,’ Reviewer for Bookworm2bookworm

  “TALL, DARK, and KILTED is full of Chills, Thrills and Giggles!”

  ~ Seawitch Reviews

  “Engaging, romantic, with a touch of mystery and a terrific twist. Brisk and breezing, from the moment the ghost and the American meet, it never slows down.”

  ~ Genre Go Round Reviews

  “TALL, DARK AND KILTED is outlandishly funny one minute and seductively sensual the next.”

  ~ Wild on Books

  “If you like books that will grab you, make you laugh out loud, and your heart go thud, you will love Allie Mackay. TALL, DARK, and KILTED is Hardwick’s Story.”

  ~ Night Owl Reviews

  A Hero’s Warning

  “Who are you?” Cilla regarded him warily. “Where did you come from?”

  “From a place more distant than you’d believe.” He ignored her first question. “I’ve good advice for you. If you’re after a true taste of Scotland, hie yourself-”

  “Hie myself?” She blinked.

  “Take yourself,” he clarified, scowling. “Quit this place and journey south. Inverness, the Isle of Skye, Stirling and Perth, perhaps even down to Edinburgh. Or Glasgow. Aye” – he appeared to war
m to the idea - “Glasgow is where you should be. Loch Lomond is there and-”

  “I saw Loch Lomond on the drive up here.” Cilla frowned back at him. “We stopped there for lunch and I’ve never seen so many tour buses. If that’s Scotland” - she made a wide sweeping gesture with her arm, taking in the rain-dampened parapet – “I’d rather be here.”

  “Be warned then.” He stepped closer, his dark gaze piercing her. “Sutherland is filled with lonely moors and dark bogs. Mountains so vast they’d eat a lass like you bones and all and no one would ever be the wiser.”

  “I like wild places.” She tossed back her hair, defiant.

  He snorted. “This is the end of the world.”

  Cilla smiled. “Exactly.”

  Dedication

  For Mary Hanson.

  A very special friend and lady, she shares my great love of dogs, does the most beautiful Christmas decorating of anyone I know, and has been a favorite reader since the days of Devil in a Kilt. She’s also the loving mommy of sweet little Leo, the role model of Leo the dachshund in this book. You’re the best, Mary! I’m so glad we’re friends.