“She’s a young woman, nay a child, and she is no witch. She grows herbs for healing. Ye do not approve of her use of potions to comfort our sick and wounded? The very people she has saved since the death of our older, wiser, male healer?” Cameron paused, staring at Kirk’s face. “God’s teeth, ‘tis worse. Yer sister’s powers scare ye.”
“Nay. Naught scares me, cousin. I worry she will be discovered dabbling in what must stay hidden. Any who appear to practice witchery could die, truth or not.”
“She is a smart lass and you worry too much.” Cameron chuckled and shook his head.
“That, she is.” Kirk sighed. He pulled his plaid around his shoulders, barring the chill from slipping inside his leather jerkin. Pleated to cover his thighs and waist, at the beginning of their journey he had wrapped the excess up and over one shoulder and fastened the faded wool with a tarnished silver penannular clasp.
He’d pricked his thumb then cursed the brilliant green offset stone adorning his father’s brooch. After stabbing its pin through the heavy weave of the coarse wool, his apparel converted easily into a hood at the flick of his leather-wrapped wrists. Drops of blood disappeared in the dark wool of his family plaid.
“Thunder clouds approach, cousin. The rain to follow may slow us more than the treasure we protect. I do not care for a night spent in sodden clothes. Say the word and I will see to setting up camp.”
“We may die on this trip, yet ye think of comfort.” Kirk pulled at the reins of his agitated mount then scratched his day’s growth of beard.
“Your warriors would never let anything deter them from a good fight, but wet, hungry men cannot fight their best for ye or yer gold.”
“The treasure belongs to our clan.” Kirk turned away, grumbling.
“Until ye turn it over to the Keiths.”
“And then I will have nothing to give my men, but my gratitude and my personal sacrifice. Each man volunteered to attend me on this journey, yet some…” Kirk paused and inhaled a deep breath of chilled, damp air, then lowered his voice.
“Some predict a less than victorious outcome. My men might die. What kind of leader am I?”
His cousin shook his head.
“The men love ye. Even Balfour, our grumpy ale master, would give his life to save yours. Such devotion comes neither from filling a man’s stomach nor covering his palm with coin.” With a wink, Cameron turned his big, grey stallion around and galloped toward the treasure carts stationed at the rear of their group.
Sturdy Highland workhorses struggled to haul the wheel-less sledges over the rocky ground, open moors, and heather-strewn meadows. As they entered a forest split by a worn path of dirt and pinecones, tall evergreens rose up and blanketed them in shadow.
Kirk grinned as he shook his head. Cameron would protect the carts with his life. If their cargo did not reach Castle Ruadh, no wedding would take place.
My wedding.
He chuckled at the irony then sat tall and straight in the saddle.
I am most certainly not in want of a bride.
Ever since Cora’s death, he lived his life alone and away from the grip of love’s bite. An ache under his left cheek forced his smile to abate. He felt every pinch of the scar that zigzagged up his face, from his lip to just below his left eye. Phantom pain reared up at the sudden memory of a blade as it nearly sliced his face in half.
He frowned and remembered the bastard who had given him the deep wound during a midnight attack. The enemy raiders, aided by a traitor in the Gunn clans’ midst, swept through their sleeping village like hungry wolves. The village healer had died in the attack, and the traitor discovered.
Kirk and his council banished the conspirator from their lands. He had no love for a man who would betray his own people. Such a deed left Kirk with a hollow feeling; a feeling raw, bleeding, and as lasting as the scar that remained.
Kirk’s path of self-appointed solitude seemed clear before the contract offer materialized. Clan Keith’s messenger arrived from Wick a month past. The message chilled his blood especially when he sensed the outcome had been preordained. Their king demanded peace and Laird Keith gave Kirk a way to comply. Many of his kinsmen had also reminded him of his need for an heir. Even so, he could not shake the notion that he marched toward his doom.
Will I die quick by the hands of brigands after our gold? Or, slow, locked in marital strife hidden under the guise of matrimony.
He pulled at the lower edge of his leather jerkin. It offered little protection from the coming rain, so he yanked his wool plaid up and over his head. The clink of metal rings and the slap of leather reins against another’s mount brought his mind back to the present.
His foster son, Reid MacRob, rode to his side perched on a smaller Highland pony. Sporting pale skin dotted with freckles, the washed-out color was in stark contrast to the boy’s flame-red hair. The gangly lad hailed from an outlying village and had arrived when seven years of age.
“A storm comes. Say the word, my chief, and a soft pallet and warm fire will appear. Yer tent will keep the rain at bay. I shall see to it personally. Not a drop shall muddy yer boots.”
“Aye, a soft bed and a hardy meal would do me good, though the rain might keep the fires spitting and smoking all night.” Kirk’s complaint did not wipe the smile from the proud young man’s face.
“Cook packed cheese and crusty loaves of yeasty bannock, and I strung skins of wine to my saddle. Poor fare, but plentiful.”
“Such a repast will suffice tonight. Restlessness has eaten at me all day.” His fingers opened and closed as he fought to relax. Kirk smiled at the lad. “A time for rest approaches.”
“I am at yer service and only strive to make ye comfortable on this journey.”
Kirk faced the journey’s end with dread. The future of his village and possibly his entire clan rested on his wide shoulders and healthy body. An heir would mean peace between two clans whose feud had lasted too long and killed too many.
“Are ye anxious to see yer betrothed? Lady Fia of Clan Keith is a beauty, I am told.”
“Aye, that she is.” Thumping his fist against his thigh, he cursed the Keiths. A deep breath did not cleanse away the thought of buying peace with the flesh of his children. Still, he agreed a marriage between two warring clans would bring lasting harmony to both sides. If only he could conjure a simpler solution.
“Are ye looking forward to yer wedding night?” A soft chuckle slipped from the young lads lips.
“When you are older, young Reid, you shall realize beauty in itself does not make an acceptable bride.”
“Cameron says a bonny face makes the bedding a pleasant tussle.”
Kirk could not help the smile that tugged at his mouth.
Reid grimaced. “I do not care to tussle with a wench. Not until I prove myself as a clan warrior who fights beside ye and Cameron and Balfour. Only then shall I have my pick of the best in the valley.” Reid’s toothy grin heralded the truth behind his words.
Despite the pinch of his scar, Kirk laughed aloud. He found little reason to laugh ever since he had agreed to his fate. A future he would never have chosen of his own free will awaited behind the walls of Castle Ruadh. As a more polite response broached his lips, an arrow whistled past his ear.
“Attack!”
Nancy Lee Badger loves chocolate-chip shortbread, wool plaids wrapped around the trim waist of a Scottish Highlander, the clang of broadswords, and the sound of bagpipes in the air. After growing up in Huntington, New York, and raising two handsome sons in New Hampshire, Nancy moved to North Carolina where she writes full-time.
Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic &Paranormal Romance Writers, and the Celtic Heart Romance Writers.
Nancy’s favorite thing is to grab her husband, gas up the Jeep, and travel. Reserch for the next book is right around the next bend in the road.
Nancy would love to hear from you!
Contact her at:
Website:
http://www.nancyleebadger.com
Blog:
http://www.nancyleebadger.blogspot.com
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https://www.facebook.com/#!/nancy.l.badger
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http://bit.ly/Vd1Usg
The following are other books
Published by
Nancy Lee Badger
Please check out the book blurbs.
You may find a book
You will love as much
As the
SOUTHERN FRIED DRAGON
MY BANISHED HIGHLANDER
Book #2 in the Highland Games
Through Time series
Ebook: http://amzn.to/PAYBbX
Print: http://amzn.to/Su5a1G
BOOK BLURB
When his clan convicts Cameron Robeson of treason in 1598 Scotland, the last thing he thought his cousin the Laird would do was banish him to the future. With a certain woman on his mind, he plans revenge while surrounded by the sights and sounds of the modern day New England Highland Games. His plans go awry when a comely redheaded lass wearing the Mackenzie plaid lands at his feet.
Iona Mackenzie is worried about her friend, Haven, and searches for answers among the tents at the games. Whom can she trust to help? Her father? The handsome blacksmith? Or, the tall, golden-haired Highlander? Romance takes a back seat because saving her friend is her priority, no matter how great Cameron can kiss.
When a magical amulet and an angry sorcerer send this unlikely couple back through time, more than one heart will be broken. Danger, intrigue, and threats surround them, and feelings between Iona and Cameron grow hot and steamy. They fight the sorcerer and search for Iona’s friend, the woman he vowed to steal from his cousin. Will the strong-willed Highlander and the present day witch stop fighting long enough to listen to their hearts?
With a letter in her hand and a Highlander at her back, what could go wrong?
MY HONORABLE HIGHLANDER
Buy Link-Ebook: http://amzn.to/Knot6H
Buy Link- PRINT: http://amzn.to/XcWmTX
BOOK BLURB
Haven MacKay has no idea how fleeting time can be. Dressed in Scottish period costume, she volunteers at a historical village at the present day New England Highland Games. Dabbling with herbs while on a break, she gets more than she bargains for when her love spell goes awry. Haven’s search for true love fills her with a yearning for someone honest and open.
After several failed attempts aided by a creepy old crone’s potions and a violent storm, she meets a mysterious, sword-wielding warrior before he fades into the mist. She is not a woman destined to give up easily. When attacked by a hooded stranger, she tries her spell again and is accidently cast back in time. Unaware of her new surroundings, Haven stumbles into her mystery man—kilt and all—when he nearly fells her with an arrow.
Despite Laird Kirkwall Gunn’s apparent dismay at finding a lost woman in the wilds, he cannot hide his interest. Haven falls for Kirk—scarred face and all—not knowing his secret: he has pledged to marry a woman from an enemy clan in order to end a century-old feud. Her heart, sanity, and life are in danger from all sides when she realizes she has traveled to 16th century Scotland.
Passion simmers despite hearing about rumors of a spy in their camp. When Kirk’s mortal enemy kidnaps Haven and she learns of Kirk’s betrothal, her heart is broken. Even the most honorable succumb when spells, battles, death, and treachery collide. Kirk’s duty and Haven’s awakening desire lead them on a merry chase toward an unplanned destiny.
DRAGON IN THE MIST
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/s2taDb
BOOK BLURB
Life without love is not worth living.
Nessía of the Loch has lived beneath the murky water of Loch Ness since ancient times. The pain of loneliness manifests in anger so strong, the entire valley shakes with earthquakes. In 1816, a Faerie queen pleads for her to cease the tremors and rewards Nessía with a human form. To stay human, she must find love. When the man she believes she loves casts her aside, Nessía responds to the betrayal by cursing the men of the MacDonald clan with the inability to keep a woman’s love. Only an act of true selflessness will break the curse.
After centuries pass, Nessía again searches for love. When Rory Hawthorn, an American scientist, arrives under the pretext of researching the earthquakes but in reality to research his MacDonald heritage and the curse, she believes she has found the perfect mate.
Amid stolen kisses, another earthquake, a steamy night of passion, and a broken heart, Nessía returns to the murky depths of the loch. When Rory dives in to follow her, he meets the green, scaly Loch Ness Monster. Assuming Nessía is in danger, he is intent on killing the monster and saving the woman he loves.
DRAGON’S CURSE
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/y3Ipw0
BOOK BLURB
Sometimes a special gift and an unwanted curse cannot keep destined lovers apart.
Brianna Macleod has accompanied a shipload of her guardian’s friends to a remote island off the coast of Scotland. She eludes these Highland hunters to keep her innocence…and her gift of sight. Her attitude against falling for womanly desires changes when she nearly drowns. Saved by the talons of a terrifying winged beast, she awakens—naked—in a cave, beside an unusual man.
Cursed by a vengeful witch to transform into a dragon at inopportune times, Draco MacDonald hides on this deserted island to live alone: until he plucks a servant girl from certain death. Fueled by jealousy, and tempered by fear for her safety, he succumbs to an unfamiliar desire to mate. Her kisses propel him to dare to make her his own.
Set in 1592 Scotland on the Scottish island of Staffa, the cursed hero battles a ghostly witch, a hunter set on rape, and his own growing desire for a young woman with premonitions of his death.
Her kisses propel him to dare to make her his own.
UNWRAPPING CHRIS
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/zjmtXx
BOOK BLURB
Sometimes the best memories are worth unwrapping once more.
Army widow Jayne Rockwell searches for a secure future for her and her two daughters. Staff Sergeant Christopher Hawkins regrets leaving young Jayne eight years ago to go off to war. A crash encounter a week before Christmas thrusts these two lonely people back into each other’s lives once more.
Jayne must learn to trust a man who disappeared with her heart. Chris must overcome the guilt of taking her innocence, and then leaving her heartbroken and alone.
A Christmas wedding brings them closer when Jayne spies him as a groomsman in Highland dress, complete with kilt. He cannot keep his eyes off the woman in green velvet wearing a wedding ring. Accusations, explanations, and remorse leads to a love that erupts among candlelight, Christmas carols, and a dark room. Who needs mistletoe?
SECRET LOVE MATCH
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/AE07jW
BOOK BLURB
Rebecca Delacourt has played and taught tennis for the last three years. At twenty-one, she knows what she wants. Without help from her wealthy parents, she buys a condo in Glen Cove, NY and plans to be on the Olympic Tennis team. She has no time for men, marriage, or children. Her mother gave up her acting career when she became pregnant with older sister, Laney, whose illegitimate son is mute due to recent emotional trauma. She does charity work for breast cancer in Baltimore every year.
Taylor, a former TV actor, notices Becka. She knows him—she’s dreamed of his TV persona for years. They meet at her parent’s country club. He thinks he’s found gold in the athletic blond. After beating him at tennis he meets her parents. Too bad he knows them—a former co-star, and the man helping get him auditions.
Her sister moves in—thwarting any privacy. She’s hiding out and is attacked. Taylor finds himself falling for Becka. Will he change his arrogant ways, save her nephew from kidnappers, and realize she’s the one? Becka wonders if dreams can sti
ll be reached with someone beside her. Will they reach their dreams together?
DESTINY’S MOUNTAIN
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/y38iMY
BOOK BLURB
In a quirky college town surrounded by the mountains of New Hampshire new art history professor, Jacob Oliver, hikes a trail on a crisp September morning. He contemplates his life. Divorced and forced out of his job with the Boston Police due to a horrific accident, he spots a naked woman beneath a majestic waterfall. Escaping, he falls and reinjures his knee.
Destiny Blake hears a noise. Someone is on her mountain. She finds a handsome man sitting in the mud. Love blooms and lust consumes them after she helps him to the safety of her cabin. Soon, assumptions pull them apart, leaving her vulnerable to the unwanted attentions of other men.
When Jacob decides he cannot live without her, he must save her from a madman who chases her up her mountain through the cold, snowy darkness of a November night.
Ghostly voices push Jacob onward, and urge Destiny to fight back. Pain, hypothermia, and death threaten before the sun rises. Can Destiny and Jacob make it off Destiny's mountain...alive?
LOVE TO THE RESCUE
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/zDnnj6
BOOK BLURB
The clashing relationship between tomboy Josie Miller and fellow paramedic-firefighter, Pete Thayer, escalates after he realizes Joe is not just one-of-the-boys. Pete has a sketchy history and has earned a reputation for one-night stands in the small town of Parmenter, New Hampshire nestled between the Mercy River, the mountains, and the state college. Since he arrived a year ago, Josie suspects he is hiding something. Something too horrible to share, even with her. Working side by side, Joe loves her job, and Pete.
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