by Gwyn Cready
Something sparked in Serafina’s eye. “And if the account included him referring to my breasts as ‘the apples of Aphrodite,’ my arse as ‘the pillow of Apollo,’ and, my, well—”
“Oh dear.”
“—as ‘a velvet sheath licked with crimson in which only the most noble blade should find purchase’?”
Rosston blinked. “Sir Alan of the Bank of Scotland said ‘licked with crimson’?”
“He should be horsewhipped for the bombast alone,” Duncan said.
“He didn’t say it,” Serafina cried, exuberant. “He wrote it! He sent me the most disgusting note the next morning. I hardly knew what to say. I ignored it and him.”
Abby said a desperate prayer. “What did you do with the note?”
“Well, I would have tossed it, but I was afraid someone might see it. So I balled it up and stuck it in a shoe. It’s still there!”
Abby cheered. So did Duncan. Even Rosston managed a smile.
“I’m sorry,” Serafina said. “I should have thought to offer it to you before. I have no scruples about using the pressure of potential embarrassment to convince a man like Sir Alan to undo a terrible wrong. But in my experience, at least, there’s very little that embarrasses an unmarried man, especially if he is rich and powerful.”
Abby met her friend’s eye and made a polite cough, the implications of which encompassed the scene before them. “I agree. A wife is just the lever we need to untighten this knot.” She opened the door and called for a footman. “Tell Sir Alan I need to speak to him on an urgent private matter in my—well, not here, I suppose. And the estate office seems to be out as well. Make it the dining room. Tell him to wait there until I arrive.” She nearly closed the door, then opened it again, “Oh, and do include my apologies: I am relegated to a velvet of verra ordinary black.”
The footman nodded, uncomprehending, and made his exit.
Grinning, Abby said, “I will ask Sir Alan once more about making me a loan, and I canna say how, but I have the most inexplicable feeling he will have changed his mind.” She did a little jig.
Rosston took her hand and kissed it. “Well played, cousin. You have overcome every obstacle thrown in your path and become a bloody fine clan chief in the process. You still need my men, though, and I will expect a visit before too much time has passed.” He gave Duncan a resigned look. “If you insist, you may bring him too.”
His compliment had been heartfelt, and Abby stood a little straighter. “Thank you, Rosston. Your words mean a lot to me.”
“As for you,” he said to Duncan, “I know you will take care of her.”
Duncan bowed. “Thank you.”
“You willna live long if you don’t.”
“And there’s the thorn on that rose.”
Rosston cleared his throat to catch Serafina’s attention. “Shall we…?” He tilted his head toward the hall.
“Oh!” She realized she and Rosston were now intruding on an overdue reunion. “I will gather the letter and slip it under the door. Please give Sir Alan my regards.”
Rosston took her elbow and guided her out.
At the click of the door, the shock Abby had managed to subdue for the past moments returned. Duncan sat before her, real and whole. The shaking rattled her knees, then rose to her chest in a wave that carried her across the room and into Duncan’s waiting arms.
“God help me,” she said. “I canna stand.”
“God, you’re quaking.” He pulled her into a small, safe ball in his arms.
He smelled of flowers and sweat and blood, and she shook even harder.
“Stop, lass,” he whispered. “You’ll unman me.”
“How did you…?”
“My grand-da showed me how. He’s been here too. Stop,” he said, as desperate as she. “I willna leave you. I promise. I love ye, Abby.”
She clutched his damp shirt and calmed her breathing. “I spent every moment from the time my brother died building a wall around myself. And in four days you taught me I might as well have been building a fortress out of Lachlan’s spun sugar. Ye made me ache for you—not just my body for your hands, but my ears for your words and my eyes for that crooked smile.”
“Crooked?”
“I, who never wanted a man beside me, had fallen as hard as a starry-eyed milkmaid. And then ye left! Oh, Duncan, I hated you for coming, and I hated you for leaving, but I will nail your bloody feet to the Great Hall floor if ye try to abandon me again.”
He laughed, and the rumble’s vibrations erased her own.
“I’ve sworn an oath to ye, Chieftess. I will do as ye command.”
She ran a hand across his rough cheek and straightened a little. “So you say. And yet you were verra quick to promise Rosston we wouldna marry.”
“Today, milady. But I shall have ye as my wife, make no mistake.”
“But do ye understand what that means?” she said in earnest. “I canna defer to you in any matter. My word is sovereign here. There will be times when ye must be no more to me than a clansman who has sworn his fealty. There will be times,” she added sadly, “when you must be no more to me than a footman.”
Sunshine sparkled on the lochs in those eyes. “I will be a footman, aye—when I must. But I will be the footman who makes you cry his name in the dark, who makes you claw the bedclothes, who gets you fat with child.”
Her breath caught. “I am nae ready for a child. England’s hot breath is on our collar. The Union must be stopped. We cannot marry yet.”
“We’ll marry when ye command it. And I will fight with ye, heart and soul. But the getting begins now.”
“Now?”
He laid her on the pillows and drew a finger down her Cupid’s bow, stopping just inside her lower lip. “Now.”
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the wonderful team at Sourcebooks—Gene Mollica, Dawn Adams, Skye Agnew, Eliza Smith, Susie Benton, Amelia Narigon, Heather Moore, Todd Stocke, the entire sales team, and especially Deb Werksman, who knows a good Lowlander when she sees one. I’d like to thank Madhu Wangu and the dedicated writers at Mindful Writers, whose focus helps keep me on track. Claudia Cross, we did it again. As you say, more to come. Lester, Cameron, Wyatt, and my new daughter, Jean, I love you so much.
Thank you for reading!
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Legend of the Highland Dragon
by Isabel Cooper
He guards a ferocious secret
In Victorian England, gossip is as precious as gold. But if anyone found out what Highlander Stephen MacAlasdair really was, he’d be hunted down, murdered, his clan wiped out. As he’s called to London for business, he’ll have to be extra vigilant—especially between sunset and the appearance of the first evening star.
Mina wanted to find out more about the arrogant man who showed up in her employer’s office, but she never thought he’d turn into a dragon right in front of her. Or that he’d then offer her an outrageous sum of money to serve as his personal secretary. Working together to track a dangerous enemy, Mina finds out that a man in love is more powerful and determined than any dragon.
“An outstanding read! A fast-paced, smartly written plot—fraught with danger and brimming with surprises—makes it impossible to put down.”—RT Book Reviews Top Pick, 4.5 Stars
“Mesmerizing, ingenious, slyly humorous, and wonderfully romantic.”—Library Journal
For more Isabel Cooper, visit:
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The Highland Dragon’s Lady
by Isabel Cooper
He’s out of the Highlands and on the prowl…
/> Regina Talbot-Jones has always known her family home was haunted. She also knows her brother has invited a friend for an ill-conceived séance. But she didn’t count on that friend being so handsome…and she certainly didn’t expect him to be a dragon.
Scottish Highlander Colin MacAlasdair has hidden his true nature for his entire life. But in his hundreds of years, he’s never met a woman who could understand him so thoroughly…or touch him so deeply. Drawn by the fire awakening inside of them, Colin and Regina must work together to defeat a vengeful spirit—and discover whether their love is powerful enough to defy convention.
Praise for Isabel Cooper:
“Cooper’s world-building is solid and believable.” —RT Book Reviews
“Isabel Cooper is an author to watch!” —All About Romance
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Night of the Highland Dragon
by Isabel Cooper
William Arundell is a detective working for a secret branch of the English government. When a young man is found dead, William’s investigation leads him to a remote Highland village and the strangely youthful, intoxicatingly beautiful lady who rules MacAlasdair Castle. Nothing could have prepared him for the discovery that the charismatic Judith MacAlasdair is the only daughter in a long line of shape-changing dragons…or the fact that together they must put aside years of bad blood to save the British Islands from its deadliest foe…
Praise for the Highland Dragons series:
“The mix of adventure and romance is just perfectly entertaining.” —Star-Crossed Romance
“Magical, fantastic, and a great read for any dragon lover…” —The Romance Reviews
For more Isabel Cooper, visit:
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Lord of the Black Isle
by Elaine Coffman
A Warrior’s Life…
Laird David Murray would give his life to pull his clan through this time of strife and conflict. With enemies both inside and outside his keep, he has never felt so alone and desperate. Until he meets a beautiful healer with uncanny knowledge from another time…
Meets a Healer’s Heart…
Elisabeth Douglas was a doctor in her own time. Now she’s the only one with the knowledge and skill to help Laird David save the lives of his family…
“Coffman’s writing is deft, capable, and evocative.” —Publishers Weekly
“Full of action, danger, passion, and drama…A must-read for medieval and time-travel fans alike” —RT Book Reviews, 4 stars
“Delightfully infused with suspense, humor, heartache, an entertaining plot, well-drawn characters, and a wily ghost, this story is a keeper.” —Romance Junkies
For more Elaine Coffman, visit:
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The Return of Black Douglas
by Elaine Coffman
A Booklist Top 10 Romance Fiction of 2011
He’ll help a woman in need, no matter where she came from…
Alysandir Mackinnon rules his clan with a fair but iron fist. He has no time for softness or, as he sees it, weakness. But when he encounters a bewitching young beauty who may or may not be a dangerous spy, but is surely in mortal danger, he’s compelled to help…
She’s always wondered if she was born in the wrong time…
Thrown back in time to the tumultuous, dangerous Scottish Highlands of the sixteenth century, Isobella Douglas has a lot to learn about her ancestors, herself, and her place in the world. Especially when she encounters a Highland laird who puts modern men to shame…
Each one has secrets to keep, until they begin to strike a chord in each other’s hearts that’s never been touched before…
For more Elaine Coffman, visit:
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Kiss the Earl
by Gina Lamm
A modern girl’s guide to seducing Mr. Darcy
When Ella Briley asked her lucky-in-love friends to set her up for an office party, she was expecting a blind date. Instead, she’s pulled through a magic mirror and into the past…straight into the arms of her very own Mr. Darcy.
Patrick Meadowfair, Earl of Fairhaven, is too noble for his own good. To save a female friend from what is sure to be a loveless marriage, he’s agreed to whisk her off to wed the man she truly wants. But all goes awry when Patrick mistakes Ella for the would-be bride and kidnaps her instead.
Centuries away from everything she knows, Ella’s finally found a man who heats her blood and leaves her breathless. Too bad he’s such a perfect gentleman. Yet the reluctant rake may just find this modern girl far too tempting for even the noblest of men to resist…
Praise for Gina Lamm:
“Gina Lamm writes excellent [time-travel romance] with humor and great storytelling.” —Books Like Breathing
“Snappy writing and characters who share a surprising, spicy chemistry.” —RT Book Reviews
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How to Handle a Highlander
by Mary Wine
In a land of warriors playing a deadly game…
Moira Fraser has been given an ultimatum—marry the elderly Laird Achaius Morris, or risk another deadly clan war. She vows to do the right thing, as long as she can steer clear of the devilish charms of one stubborn Highlander…
How do you avoid becoming a pawn?
Gahan Sutherland knows there’s a dangerous plot behind Moira Fraser’s wedding, and will stop at nothing to foil it. But where a hot-headed, fiery Highland lass is involved, trust and honor clash with forbidden attraction, threatening to blow the Highlands sky-high.
“Well-written and filled with delightful repartee, this is a feast for medieval fans.” —RT Book Reviews
“Mary Wine weaves a tapestry of a tale with adrenaline-pumping action, political manipulation, sweet and spicy love scenes, clan culture, and a touch of humor.” —Long and Short Reviews
For more Mary Wine, visit:
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The Highlander’s Bride Trouble
by Mary Wine
Her clan is in chaos
Nareen Grant is strong, confident, well-educated—and skilled with a bow and dagger. Betrayed by her family, she makes her way alone, until she lands in the lap of Saer MacLeod. But she wants no help from a savage man of the Isles.
And rivalries are deadlier than ever
Saer MacLeod is considered fierce even by Highlander standards, but he’s enchanted by the headstrong Nareen. When an old feud endangers her life, Saer feels a ferocious desire to protect her…and claim her for himself.
“Wine’s rip-roaring ambushes and beddings make for a wild ride through fifteenth-century Scottish eroticism.” —Publishers Weekly
“The rapid pace, wonderful prose, and deeply emotional scenes make this book a marvelous read.” —RT Book Reviews Top Pick, 4.5 Stars
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My Highland Spy
by Victoria Roberts
This Highland laird won’t bow to the crown
Laird Ruairi Sutherland refuses to send his only son away to be educated by the English. So he does what any laird would do—he lies to the king. The last thing Ruairi expects is a beautiful English governess to appear on his doorstep.
But this lady spy might make him…
Lady Ravenna Walsingham is a spy who is sent to the savage Highlands to uncover a plot against the Crown. Playing the part of an English governess, she infiltrates the home of Laird Sutherland, a suspected conspirator.
If she doesn’t betray him first
Ravenna soon discovers that the only real threat Sutherland poses is to her heart. But will the proud Highland laird ever forgive her
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“Her lyrical prose grabs readers’ attention, and the high level of emotional tension simply adds to the depth of the story. This book begs to be read and reread.” —RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars
For more Victoria Roberts, visit:
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Kilts and Daggers
Highland Spies
by Victoria Roberts
When Fagan Murray is charged with escorting Lady Grace Walsingham back to her home in England, he expected tension with the headstrong lass. But he didn’t expect to be waylaid by Highland rebels. Fagan soon realizes he’ll do anything to protect Grace, even if he has to protect her from himself.
Lady Grace Walsingham hated the Scottish Highlands—well, one Highlander in particular. Ever since she discovered her sister was a spy for the Crown, Grace has yearned for adventure. But the last thing she wanted was to encounter danger in the Highland wilderness, needing the one man she despises to protect her.
Praise for My Highland Spy:
“An exciting Highland tale of intrigue, betrayal, and love.” —Hannah Howell, New York Times bestselling author of Highland Master
For more Victoria Roberts, visit:
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The Highlander’s Heart
by Amanda Forester
She’s nobody’s prisoner
Lady Isabelle Tynsdale’s flight over the Scottish border would have been the perfect escape, if only she hadn’t run straight into the arms of a gorgeous Highland laird. Whether his plan is ransom or seduction, her only hope is to outwit him, or she’ll lose herself entirely…
And he’s nobody’s fool
