“’Tis hard for me too,” she replied. “I miss ye.”
He twirled a finger in his son’s black curls. “I didna hear ye get up to feed him.”
She chuckled. “’Tis no wonder—ye’re tired out every night. Yer father has no time for his duties now that he’s preoccupied teaching Kyla to ride, avoiding Fanny, and showing Stewart off to everyone.”
He turned onto his back and stared into the rafters. “I ne’er thought to see the day he would entrust me with leadership o’ the clan.”
“But ye’re enjoying it,” she teased.
He mumbled his agreement, incapable of adequately expressing how much he relished the days spent learning to be chief, carrying out his father’s directives and introducing some improvements of his own to the castle. “The council and clanfolk seem to welcome my ideas,” he remarked.
“After years of yer stern sire, who can be surprised?” she quipped. “They recognize the future looks brighter with ye at the helm.”
He turned onto his side and patted his son’s bottom; his heart filled with optimism as the aroma of motherhood stole up his nostrils. “And this wee laddie will follow me.”
The babe startled when Kyla burst into the chamber, followed by Blue.
The hound slumped down at the foot of the bed with a groan.
Darroch sat up, ready for his daughter to launch herself onto his lap. “Have I nay asked ye to knock?” he reminded her for the umpteenth time.
“Sorry, Dadaidh,” she replied halfheartedly.
“’Tis clear we’ll have to install a bar on the door,” he told Isabel with a wink. “Within a fortnight.”
Kyla crawled into the space between him and his wife and stroked the babe’s head, cooing endearments and promising to tell him the tale of Cú Chulainn when he was old enough.
Darroch let his eyes wander around the chamber he’d slept in since childhood. He’d never felt a sense of belonging there, until now. His wife had added furnishings, tapestries and rugs, and tactfully suggested some of the weapons and hunting trophies be moved to the hall. It was a much less masculine chamber, but he loved it nonetheless. If he could, he’d happily spend all day lying abed with his beloved and his bairns.
The moment the thought occurred, he recognized it wasn’t strictly true. He itched to get busy improving the lives of his clan and building a mutually beneficial alliance with the MacRains. It was his destiny.
*
ISABEL LINGERED ABED after Margaret took Kyla off to get bathed and dressed, which her pouting daughter only agreed to if Boo came with them. “’Tis the same ritual every day,” she told Darroch.
“I doot she’ll ever change,” he agreed, getting out of bed. “Stubborn.”
“I wonder where she gets that from?”
She watched her naked husband shrug as he walked across to the garderobe, a sight she never tired of.
Stewart woke and fussed, so she sat up and let him suckle, which is what she was doing when Darroch emerged from the garderobe, rubbing red curls dry with a linen. He covered his maleness with the cloth as soon as he saw her and the babe. “Ye’re determined to make this more difficult for me,” he complained.
“Aye,” she teased, though his obvious excitement had her wishing the next fortnight would pass quickly.
He dressed with his back to her—as if she didn’t enjoy the play of the muscles of his broad back and the tempting sight as he leaned over to pull on his knee stockings.
His kiss of farewell was chaste, as it had been since the babe’s birth. She looked forward to the return of the kisses that lit a fire in her womb, and other unmentionable parts of her body.
She missed him intensely as soon as he left the chamber, but was resigned to her destiny. “We’ll always be obliged to share yer dadaidh with the clan,” she whispered to her babe. “They need him.”
She chuckled when she realized Stewart had fallen back to sleep. Motherhood wasn’t what she’d expected, but then she didn’t really know what she’d expected. And who could have predicted her first child would turn out to be a seven-year-old lass?
Despite the challenges, bearing a bairn had changed her in more ways than one. She had brought a new life into the world, a son she would nurture and protect to the best of her ability. Perhaps, God willing, the first of many healthy bairns.
“Let’s ye and me enjoy these last few minutes of peace and quiet,” she whispered, “before Coira and Ava come to help us dress.”
Establishing herself as the Lady of Clan MacKeegan hadn’t been easy, and many older folk still resented her as a MacRain, though Stewart’s birth and her father-by-marriage’s support had changed attitudes.
Nevertheless, she lived each day in the certainty that she was where she was meant to be, living the life she’d been destined to live, with the capable and loving man made just for her.
She laughed out loud as she stroked her babe’s soft curls. “One day, I’ll tell ye the tale of how yer father jilted me,” she promised, “and he’ll insist ’twas me jilted him.”
Historical Footnotes
I based this Clash of the Tartans on the feud between the MacDonalds of Sleat and the MacLeods of Dunvegan and Harris. As mentioned in the story, many clan feuds were the result of royal grants of land to loyal supporters. The gift of MacDonald lands on the Trotternish Peninsula to the MacLeods reignited an ancient feud. The title Jilted at the Altar was originally inspired by a failed hand-fasting arrangement arrived at as a means to end the feud. Darroch and Isabel’s tale ends happily; the true story precipitated the War of the One-Eyed Woman during which Chief Rory MacLeod devastated the Trotternish Peninsula and the MacDonalds retaliated by attacking Harris. The war ended with a victory for the MacDonalds at the Battle of Coire Na Creiche, reportedly the last great clan battle fought on Scottish soil. Peace was finally celebrated with six days of feasting and drinking.
DUNGAVIN is modeled on Dunvegan Castle, the magnificent MacLeod stronghold on Skye, which is still occupied by the MacLeod family today.
The ruined bridge that connected DUN SCAITH’s rock to the mainland can still be seen on Skye’s Sleat Peninsula, though most of the castle is long gone.
TUR CHLIAMAINN The church at Rodel (Roghadal) in Harris is dedicated to St Clement and is the second largest medieval church in the Hebrides. It was built in the 1520s by Alasdair (Crotach) MacLeod of Dunvegan, whose grandiose tomb occupies the southwest wall of the choir. The tomb is considered one of the finest medieval wall tombs in the world. It dominates the east end of the church and there are several other interesting gravestones in the north transept. Crotach is Gaelic for hunchback and it’s believed Alasdair’s shoulder was once broken by a blow from a weapon.
BIRLINN There is an engraving of one of these galley-style boats on the walled tomb of Alasdair Crotach. Developed from the Viking longship, the craft was the basis of all power in the Hebrides for centuries. These open boats had sails and oars for propulsion and were very well suited to the waters of the area whether for military, piracy, trade or fishing uses.
SLINGS, also known as shepherd’s slings were used as long ago as Neolithic times, and possibly even before that. It was a common weapon all over the world.
BLACKHOUSES are an example of a long tradition of house building which goes back to Viking times or earlier where people and domestic animals shared the same buildings. Blackhouses are so named because they had no chimneys, the smoke escaping through the thatched roof. Such houses were usually built from stone and turf on a stone foundation and were lined with wood. Many ruins of these dwellings may be seen all over the Western Isles. The roofs were formed from driftwood or whalebone which rested on the inner wall. The roof was then covered with slatted planks. A layer of heather turf was put in place and finally the roof was thatched with straw or grass, and tied down with heather ropes weighted with stones. There was a living room/kitchen and a sleeping room with box-beds. A cooking pot or kettle was suspended over an open peat fire in the middle of the floor.
The peat reek (smoke) acted as a disinfectant and deodorant, and the sooty thatch made good manure.
BOX-BED If you search Google Images for Croft Box Bed you’ll see numerous examples of what I had in mind.
HEBRIDES www.charles-tait.co.uk/guide/wisouv/2011pdf/04_historyculture_2012.pdf is a good source of information about the history and culture of the Hebrides, including articles on the famous Harris Tweed, the Gaelic language and crofting.
BLUE After introducing a grey deerhound named Ruaidh (Red) in Kilty Secrets, I decided Isabel should also have a colorful dog. Danmhairgis is, of course, a Great Dane. Google Images has lots of pictures of the blue version of the breed.
ASSASSINATION OF KING JAMES My novel, Pride of the Clan, tells of the Robertson Clan’s pursuit and capture of the men responsible for the murder of King James I in 1437.
YWST Known today as North and South Uist, two of the islands that make up the Western Isles of the Outer Hebrides. They are separated by Benbecula, though a causeway now links the three islands. The Little Minch is the channel of the Sea of the Hebrides between the Western Isles and North Skye.
WEAVING YouTube has several good video clips showing the operation of older style looms. (This story predates the invention of the Flying Shuttle). You’ll get an idea of the rhythmic clickety-clack an experienced weaver is capable of generating by skillful manipulation of the foot pedals.
MACRAIN’S TABLES Legend has it that the chief of Clan MacLeod attended a banquet in Edinburgh as a guest of King James. He boasted he had a much grander table and later invited the king to the flat-topped hills on Skye and showed him “MacLeod’s Tables”.
MACRAIN’S CONTROVERSY The title of the piece played at the beginning of the six-day celebration was MacLeod’s Controversy. It was composed and played by the clan’s hereditary piper, Donald MacCrimmon. More on this famous family of pipers can be found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacCrimmon_(piping_family)
MOUTH-SONGS are traditional pieces of music whose words are unimportant and often make no sense. It’s thought they were originally used for dancing on occasions when no musical instruments were available.
TWENTY TIMES DRUNK These actual words were attributed to the MacDonald bard, Neil MacVurich, after the six days of feasting to celebrate the end of the feud.
About Anna
Thank you for reading Kilted At The Altar. If you’d like to leave a review where you purchased the book, and/or on Goodreads, I would appreciate it. Reviews contribute greatly to an author’s success.
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I was born and brought up in England, but I’ve lived most of my life in Canada. I was an elementary school teacher for 25 years, a job I loved.
After that I worked with my husband in the management of his businesses. He’s a born entrepreneur who likes to boast he’s never had a job!
My final “career” was as Director of Administration of a global disaster relief organization.
I then embarked on writing a romance, something I’d always wanted to do. I chose the medieval period because it’s my favorite to read.
I have a keen interest in genealogy. This hobby has had a tremendous influence on my stories. My medieval romances are tales of family honor, ancestry, and roots. As an amateur genealogist, I cherished a dream of tracing my own English roots back to the Norman Conquest—most likely impossible since I am not descended from nobility! So I made up a family and my Montbryce stories follow its members through successive generations.
I am a firm believer in love at first sight. My heroes and heroines may initially deny the attraction between them, but eventually the alchemy wins out. I want readers to feel happy that the heroes and heroines have found their soul mates and that the power of love has overcome every obstacle. For me, novels are an experience of another world and time. I lose myself in the characters’ lives, always knowing they will triumph in the end and find love. One of the things I enjoy most about writing historical romance is the in-depth research necessary to provide readers with an authentic medieval experience. I love ferreting out bits of historical trivia I never knew! I based the plot of my first novel, Conquering Passion, on a bizarre incident that actually happened to a Norman noblewoman.
I hope you come to know and love my cast of characters as much as I do.
The End
My Reckless Love
Highland Loves
Book One
By
Melissa Limoges
Dedication
To Bobbo—
Thanks for always being my #1 Fan, even if you are my mom.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the readers. I could not do this without each and every one of you.
I’ve had a few very special cheerleaders with this book since its initial stages, and I want to thank you guys for helping me become the writer I am today.
I would like to thank Dragonblade Publishing and Kathryn Le Veque for offering such a great opportunity.
To my amazing editor, Scott Moreland, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You saw something in my writing that no one else has before. You’ve offered wonderful suggestions and such kind words of encouragement. Thank you for taking a chance.
Last but not least, Sheri Fredricks, you’re my “ride or die” chick. You’ve stuck with me through thick and thin, and I’m so proud and grateful to have you by my side as a true friend and the best critique partner ever. Please, keep penning your fabulous tales because you truly have a gift.
Chapter One
THE SLIPPER LOOSENED from Lady Arabella de Percy’s foot and plummeted into the darkness looming below her. Once the tanned leather landed on the hard-packed earth to join the first, she cursed her wretched luck.
In spite of the cool autumn air, beads of sweat slid down her face and scalp. She wiped the sleeve of her brother’s old tunic against her brow and shifted her bare feet against the chilled stone.
The daring plot to escape seemed reasonable from the safety of her bedchamber. Yet, suspended against a castle wall, clutching a rope of knotted-together bed linens and gowns, she questioned the prudence of her and her maid Maggie’s plan.
Wind whipped through the forest beyond the outer courtyard, creating a barrage of howls and whistles. Expelling a harsh breath, she closed her eyes and choked back a swell of fright. She would never reach the safety of her uncle’s lands in the Highlands if she did not get ahold of herself. After several deep, reassuring gulps of air, she opened her eyes and tightened her grip on the blue gown clenched between her fists.
Keep moving, Arabella. You must do this.
She managed another step down, but her toes slipped from the slick, moss-covered stone. As she clambered to regain her footing, craggy rock cut into her soles. Tears sprang in her eyes, and she bit the inside of her cheek to stifle the cry that almost spilled from her lips.
Saints alive, if only she’d worn her boots. A minor detail she’d forgotten before allowing Maggie to stow them away in the stables with the rest of her belongings.
Adjusting her grasp, she managed another step and winced at the sting in her feet. Left with little choice but to endure the pain, she’d tend the injury once she passed the Scots border. For now, ’twas crucial she made it off the cursed wall before anyone happened upon her. Fear, along with a sound measure of fury, prodded her to keep moving. She hastened down the crude-fashioned rope, heedless of the tenderness in her feet.
Once Geoffrey Longford, her newly-appointed guardian, arrived on the morrow, her chance to flee would be at an end. By means foul, the vile man had seized temporary control of her home. With the king’s approval no less, a deed that still left her reeling. ’Twas simple to guess Longford’s aim. As long as she drew breath, she refused to wed the de facto Lord of Penswyck. In all likelihood, such a
union would result in her death.
As she neared the bottom of the wall, the moon peeked through low-lying clouds in the night’s sky to shine on the linen gown clenched in her hands. Aware she’d reached the end of the rope, Arabella glanced over her shoulder and blew out a puff of air in frustration.
The cold, hard earth waited ten feet away.
If she dropped the short distance on her bare feet, she risked injury. Scaling the wall of doom to return to her bedchamber merited no thought. A shout for aid was laughable since Longford’s soldiers occupied the castle. For a brief moment, Arabella considered the coarse fabric, almost compelled to release the material and deal with the consequences.
A drop it shall be.
Steeling herself for the fall, she breathed in deep and prepared to let go just as a snort sounded beneath her, inciting a crashing wave of terror. Her heart banged against her ribcage as if the organ might rip free and take flight. Certain one of Longford’s men stood at the ready to sound an alarm, she swallowed against the knot in her throat and slid a reluctant peek over her shoulder.
To her utter astonishment, the darkened outline of a horse—her horse—stood below. Air pushed from her lungs in a noisy whoosh. Boneless with relief, she might’ve fallen had she not clutched the rope with such a tight grip.
Why was the unruly beast out of his stall in the first place?
He should’ve been housed in the stables, awaiting her arrival. Not posted near this cursed wall, mouthing one of her fallen slippers. As she considered his bulky frame, a new notion took root in her mind.
“Come closer, Devlin,” she cooed.
The gelding pawed at the earth as though he pondered the request. Though she prized the massive, shaggy-coated animal for his loyalty and steadfastness, she’d never encountered a more reckless, stubborn creature.
“Please, sweeting.” She clucked her tongue. “I promise to reward you with a barrel of apples when we’re free of this mess.”
Reckless Scotland: A Scottish Medieval Romance Bundle Page 69