by Carmen Caine
“Our thanks.” Gudrid’s voice was soft, melodic. “And our blessings.”
On the words, she vanished.
And at the edge of the crowd, Sea-Strider no longer stood in the entrance to the alley.
***
What remained was a strange but jubilant welling in Hardwick’s chest. It was a feeling that increased the longer he observed how tightly his wife clutched the tiny wooden sword and shield.
When she started blinking rapidly and a tear rolled down her cheek, he grabbed her and slanted his mouth over hers, kissing her fiercely.
“Odin’s balls, woman!” He released her to swipe a tear off his own cheek. “Whye’er did you no’ tell me?”
She looked up at him, the uncertainty in her eyes splitting him. “I was afraid you wouldn’t be ready. That you’d rather things would have stayed as-”
He reached for her again, squeezing her as hard as he dared. “No’ ready?” he roared the words, causing heads to swivel. “Our first child and you think I’m no’ pleased?
“Sweet lass, I am overjoyed!” I have waited seven hundred years for this privilege!
Cilla beamed, her eyes glistening.
The swivel-heads slapped shoulders and cheered.
Hardwick ignored them.
Ne’er a man of words, he thrust his hands in her hair and kissed her. Rough, fast, and furiously, showing her beyond doubt how very happy she’d made him.
Around them the night burned brightly. And beneath his lady’s heart a flame of a very different nature flickered and grew, the thought filling him with more joy than he would’ve believed possible.
As if she knew, Cilla tightened her arms around him, sighing.
He pulled back only long enough to flash her a grin. “By the gods, but I love you.”
Then he resumed kissing her, this time slow and sweet.
Author’s Footnote
Tall, Dark, and Kilted combines three of my passions: all things old and quirky, wild places, and the paranormal. The way to my heart is to drop me off in a vast and empty corner of Scotland – somewhere untouched by time, where rocks, wind, and cold, are your only companions. Toss in a ghost or two, an atmospheric castle ruin or a seen-better-days stately home, and I’m happy.
This book’s setting is Scotland’s rugged and remote far north. Sutherland, to be precise. Although I love every inch of Scotland, it is here that my heart beats hardest. All the places visited by Cilla and Hardwick are real, though I changed a few names. These locations are on the map and I highly recommend exploring them if ever you journey to Sutherland.
Dunroamin is entirely fictitious, but it could well be one of the phenomenally atmospheric privately-owned castles I’ve visited in Scotland. Actually, Uncle Mac and Aunt Birdie’s home is based on several of them. Places that, like Dunroamin, are filled with the old things I love so much: antiques, medieval weaponry, bolt-upon-bolt of faded tartan, and other bits of assorted whimsy. In such places, the past is cherished and the intrusion of anything modern is blessedly kept to a minimum.
Castle Varrich is real and exactly as described in the story. The trek up to the ruin is also accurately depicted – I know from experience, though I have never encountered a sexy Highland ghost within the ruin’s walls.
The ruin one can visit today was built in the 14th century by Clan Mackay. As it is believed to stand atop an even older structure, a Norse stronghold, Gudrid the Viking ghost (and her lover) could well have had ties to Castle Varrich.
Hardwick’s home on Scotland’s northeastern coast is also real. But I changed the name to Seagrave. The real ruin is Slains Castle, and it is eerily spectacular. It is quite derelict (as described in this book) and also dangerous because it really does perch on the edge of some truly precipitous cliffs. Memorial markers scattered here and there at the ruin honor the poor souls who have plunged to their death at Slains. So if you visit, tread carefully.
Slains was supposedly Bram Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula. So you can imagine the ambiance. Every time I’ve visited, I was fortunate to be there on my own, which enhanced the atmosphere. Sadly, such explorations are a thing of the past as the castle fell into the hands of developers in recent years. The plan is to restore the ruin and turn it into residential flats. So the site is now roped off and entry is no longer allowed.
Cilla’s interest in broken china jewelry is my own and I share her views about ‘damaged’ porcelain. Regrettably, I have not attempted to make my own such pieces. If ever deadlines allow, I would embrace doing so as a new and well-loved hobby.
Gregor, the mischievous great skua – a pterodactyl-like creature aka a ‘bonxie’ – was based on my own encounters with these dive-bombing beasties in northern Scotland and Shetland. The birds nest on coastal high moors and are quite ferocious. They attack anyone approaching their nests (which you can’t see for high grass, heather, or rocks). Clearly, it is their good right to be so fierce, and signs warning of them are posted when they’re about. They’ve been known to take off noses, so caution is wise.
Shetland’s Up Helly Aa is a Viking fire festival that culminates with a torch-lit parade of costumed ‘guizers’ and the burning of a Viking ship. It’s an annual event, taking place every year on the last Tuesday in January. If ever you go, wear an old coat because, as in the story, sparks and ash really do whirl through the air, burning holes in spectators’ clothing.
In summer months, interested Shetland visitors can learn more at the Galley Shed’s Up Helly Aa Exhibition. Opening times are limited, only three days a week, so plan ahead. If you visit, tell Erlend Eggertsson hello. No, he doesn’t really exist – I made him up. But you can be sure that the real folk who run the Galley Shed and Shetland’s Up Helly Aa festival, are just as dedicated.
Thank you for reading Tall, Dark, and Kilted. If you love wild places and old things as much as I do, I hope you enjoyed visiting Hardwick and Cilla in Scotland’s rugged far north.
Wishing you Highland Magic!
Allie Mackay / Sue-Ellen Welfonder
If you enjoyed Tall, Dark, and Kilted, you might enjoy the other books in the Ravenscraig Legacy series…
Highlander in Her Bed
Ravenscraig Legacy, Book One
All-business American Mara McDougall thinks there are no such things as ghosts. But a trip to Scotland and one gorgeous phantom are about to prove her dead wrong.
A self-employed tour guide, Mara is weary from leading her charges all over London. So she takes a breather in an antique shop, and spots perhaps the handsomest bed ever. Then she bumps into the handsomest man ever. He has a sexy Scottish burr, a heated gaze, and a chip on his brawny shoulder. Despite a bad start, Mara can’t deny her attraction to the irresistible Highlander. Then she discovers she’s inherited a Scottish castle, and the stipulations she must meet in order to claim her unexpected windfall will help her banish the hot Scot from her mind, or so she hopes.
As a ghost, Sir Alexander Douglas has reviled the name MacDougall for ages. Once a medieval knight betrothed to a lass he’d yet to meet, he fell victim to her beau, a MacDougall, who tricked him into a curse that he would forever haunt the bed intended for his would-be bride. Now Alexander will stop at nothing to keep the magnificent four-poster out of MacDougall – or McDougall – hands. But when Mara buys the bed for her castle, he reckons she’s nothing like his enemy. After all, no other MacDougall ever made him burn with passion and long for the one thing he never knew he missed: love.
Highlander in Her Dreams
Ravenscraig Legacy, Book Two
As a paranormal investigator, Kira Bedwell knew that her gift as a far-seer had its advantages. But while touring the ruins of a Scottish castle, she never expected to gaze upon the fierce medieval clan chieftain Aidan MacDonald…
She certainly never thought the irresistible Scot would appear in her dreams from then on.
Years later, while investigating time portals in Scotland, Kira again sees Aidan. When she unknowingly steps through a magical gateway
, she finds herself face-to-face with the handsome Highlander – back in the fourteenth century!
Aidan is surprised – and glad – to finally hold the woman he has desired for so long. But even as their romance transcends dreams to become reality, danger threatens as they come under attack by Aidan’s enemies. It will take all of their courage and strength for their love to survive beyond time itself…
Some Like It Kilted
Ravenscraig Legacy, Book Four
Mindy Menlove lives in a castle that was transported stone by stone from Scotland to Pennsylvania. When her fiancé dies in scandal and Mindy decides to sell the gloomy estate, her plans soon unravel. She’s bound for the Hebrides, a place she’d hoped to avoid. And rather than escaping the past, she’s confronted by the castle’s original builder, who happens to be maddeningly irresistible and seven years young.
Bran of Barra was a legendary Highland chieftain. Since his demise he has enjoyed his ghostly pleasures – until a feisty female from across the Atlantic claims that she’s demolished and not intends to restore his ancestral home. It’s a task she hasn’t accepted willingly, and if the roguish Bran doesn’t change Mindy’s mind about his bonnie homeland – and him – neither of them will ever find any peace. But unexpected passion can be the most powerful…
For more Scottish paranormal goodness, you might enjoy the first book in my Highland Ghostbuster series…
Haunted Warrior
When spirits rise, love soon follows…
Kendra Chase earns her living as a ghost whisperer. Cajoling disgruntled discarnates isn’t easy, so she’s been looking forward to a break in Edinburgh. But before she can even tour the castle or try haggis, an unexpected assignment sends her to Scotland’s rugged north coast. The tiny fishing village of Pennard is being excavated for a historical restoration project, and the living locals aren’t the only ones upset by the plans: Supernatural protests have been reported.
No one knows better than Graeme MacGrath that his seaside village is more than North Sea nostalgia, peat smoke, and plaid. Bound by a centuries-old legacy to keep the region’s peace, MacGrath is the fiercest opponent to the development project. The renovation work has disrupted the protective veil that shields this world from the ancient, half-mythic past. And though he doesn’t have time for dallying with fetching American tourists, when Kendra arrives, desire flares between them. They soon join forces to save Pennard, but can they stop themselves from the one thing they can’t risk – falling in love?
About the Author
"Mackay is a master at penning magical tales of love across the ages."
~ Fresh Fiction
Allie Mackay is the pen name for USA Today bestselling author Sue-Ellen Welfonder who writes Scottish medieval romance under her real name. A former flight attendant, she has three grand passions: Scotland, the paranormal, and animals. All can be found in her medieval romances and the paranormals she writes as Allie Mackay.
Connect with Allie Mackay
(Sue-Ellen Welfonder)
Allie’s website
www.alliemackay.com
Sue-Ellen’s website
www.welfonder.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/SueEllenWelfonderAuthor
Twitter
http://twitter.com/SE_Welfonder
Guardians of Cridhe Facebook (7 Author Scottish Romance Group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/247507878772974/
Email: [email protected]
Mailing List: http://welfonder.com/newsletter.html
Also Available:
Allie Mackay
(Order is descending, earliest titles at the top)
Ravenscraig Legacy Series
Highlander in Her Bed
Highlander in Her Dreams
Tall, Dark, and Kilted
Some Like It Kilted
Highland Ghostbuster Series
Haunted Warrior
Anthologies
Tails of Love Anthology w/ Lori Foster
The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance
The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance
Highland Winds, Scrolls of Cridhe Vol. I
Castles, Kilts, and Kisses
Tantalizing Tidbits
Castles, Kisses, and Caresses
Highland Flames, Scrolls of Cridhe Vol. II
Sue-Ellen Welfonder
(Order is descending, earliest titles at the top)
Novellas
A Man, A Woman, and Haggis (Tails of Love Anthology w/ Lori Foster)
The Seventh Sister
Falling in Time
Once Upon a Highland Christmas
The Taming of Mairi MacKenzie ~ Return to Kintail series, #1
Winter Fire ~ Return to Kintail series, #2
Scandalous Scots Series
Once Upon a Highland Christmas
To Love a Highlander
To Desire a Highlander
Highland Warriors Trilogy
Sins of a Highland Devil
Temptation of a Highland Scoundrel
Seduction of a Highland Warrior
MacKenzie Series
Devil in a Kilt
Bride of the Beast
Only for a Knight
Until the Knight Comes
Bride for a Knight
Seducing a Scottish Bride
A Highlander’s Temptation
MacLean Trilogy
Knight in my Bed
Master of the Highlands
Wedding for a Knight
Highland Solution
Duncurra Book 1
Ceci Giltenan
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
Duncurra LLC
www.duncurra.com
Copyright 2013, 2015 by Ceci Giltenan
Produced in the USA
Other Books by Ceci Giltenan
Highland Solution Audio Book
Highland Courage, Duncurra Book 2
Highland Intrigue, Duncurra Book 3
Highland Revenge, a novella
Dedications
To my beloved husband and children, thank you for your love and support.
To the incomparable Kathryn Lynn Davis, thank you for jumping in and helping me reedit this me at a moment’s notice. I am looking forward to great collaborations in the future.
To my dear friends and sisters in heart, Lily Baldwin, Kathryn Lynn Davis, Kate Robbins, Tarah Scott, Suzan Tisdale and Sue-Ellen Welfonder—I will never be able to thank you enough for your kindness and support over this rocky road. I feel incredibly blessed to have you and your combined magic in my life.
Chapter 1
Cotharach Castle, Central Scottish Lowlands, June 1359
“Lady Katherine, oh! Lady Katherine, there you are,” said an ashen-faced chambermaid as she rushed into the kitchen. “You must come quick. There are two Highlanders in the great hall with your uncle. Sir Ruthven bid me fetch you there now.”
Hot, flushed, and certainly not prepared to receive visitors or face her uncle again so soon, Katherine sighed. “You stay here. I’ll go to the great hall alone. It never pays to keep Uncle Ambrose waiting.” At the look of panic on the girl’s face, Katherine added, “I’m sure it’s nothing. Don’t worry.”
Katherine froze when she saw at least a dozen rather imposing Highland warriors waiting in the courtyard. An even larger group of Ruthven soldiers kept their distance, observing the strangers cautiously. Knowing she’d pay for it later, she stepped back into the kitchen and asked Moyna to offer them food and ale. Then, fearing she had already kept her uncle waiting too long,
she hurried into the great hall.
She entered with her head down. Sometimes a show of subservience tempered his anger. He read from an unfurled scroll and didn’t acknowledge her immediately so, with her eyes still downcast, she took a quick look to her right.
Two sets of feet in the open leather shoes Highlanders wore caught her attention. Unbidden, her eyes followed the nearest thickly muscled bare legs up the length of the man’s tall, powerfully built body. He wore typical Highland clothing, a belted linen tunic that barely reached his knees, with a plaid fastened by a brooch around his massive shoulders. She had to tilt her head back to see his face. The grim expression he wore startled her. Clearly this man was not happy, and she suspected Uncle Ambrose had something to do with it.
Katherine realized eventually that her uncle didn’t intend to acknowledge her. Unable to stand the tension any longer, she said, “Uncle Ambrose, you sent for me?” Chancing another quick glance at the Highlander, she saw his grim expression replaced first by confusion, followed very quickly by anger.