Grey reclined on the pillows of their massive bed, a roguish grin across his handsome face. “What if I surrender?” He had already untied his shirt and drew it off over his head. The action made Evelyn pause as heat rushed through her already sensitive body.
“Then, Grey Campbell,” she whispered, kneeling on the edge of the bed, “you are my prize.” She smiled, letting her wild curls fall from the loose bun she’d fashioned and crawled toward him. Her shirt gaped open, giving him a view of her full, free breasts, her wavy hair dragging along beside her. When she reached his legs, she pushed up to stand over him, her bare toes curling into the softness of the furs and quilts.
His proud member pushed upward against his low-slung kilt. “Aye, lass, I am your prisoner.” He grabbed one of her legs, and she gasped as he made her tumble down over him. He caught her and rolled, pinning her quickly beneath him as she laughed.
“I’ve imprisoned you for life, husband,” she said, smiling impishly, her hand drifting over the taut muscles of his chest and stomach. He sat back on his heels to tug his kilt, the heavy plaid falling away to reveal his toned body. “Mmmm…” she said, admiring him. “And you are all mine.”
He leaned in, trailing hot, wet kisses from her lips down her neck. “And ye are all mine.”
“Thorns and all?” she asked, laughing lightly.
Grey slid onto his side and captured her face with one large hand to stare down at her, promises of passion in his stare. “Aye. I rather like your scratches, lass.”
She laughed, feeling her smile from the bend of her lips to the fullness of her soul. Joy consumed her. “I love you, Grey,” she said, gazing into his clear eyes.
His thumb stroked her cheek. “I love ye, Evelyn, my Highland rose.”
She reached for the back of his neck as he descended to kiss her, stealing her breath as completely as he’d stolen her heart.
What would send a viscount’s daughter fleeing the golden court of Charles II in the middle of the night, making her hide in the wilds of the Highlands? Learn Scarlet Worthington’s secrets in the second HIGHLAND ROSES SCHOOL book, A ROSE WITH THORNS. Can love create something beautiful out of a shattered past?
Herbal Poultices
Poultices were often used in healing in the 17th century and are still used today. A poultice is basically a mash of herbs, clay, activated charcoal, salts, or other beneficial substances placed on the skin. The herb is harvested, washed, and made into a thick paste by crushing it with a mortar and pestle or between rocks.
A small amount of hot or cold water is added to the crushed herb to help form a paste—hot water to help draw out infection or remove an abscess, cold water to reduce inflammation. Sometimes the poultice is placed directly on the skin. Other times it is wrapped in a thin piece of fabric and applied. Cheesecloth or thin, organic cotton work well, because they don’t absorb too much liquid and are thin enough to allow the herb indirect contact with the skin.
In A Rose in the Highlands, Evelyn and Cat use poultices in their healing, and I’ve listed a couple recipes below.
Keep these basic cautions in mind:
Clean the infected area first.
Poultices should be used for only one application. Afterward, they should be discarded.
Do not apply poultices to large or open wounds.
Some ingredients can irritate and cause blistering. Do not apply the following herbs directly to the skin: cayenne, mustard, onion, and garlic.
If redness occurs, remove the poultice and wash area.
Poultice for Aiden’s burns:
Mash comfrey, slippery elm or chickweed with some cool water or vinegar.
Apply to burn and wrap cloth around it.
Poultice for treating cuts when a Highlander and an Englishman battle:
A raw potato poultice (just grate a raw potato) works well to draw an infection out of a wound, but potatoes were not grown in Scotland until the 18th century, so they aren’t mentioned in my books.
Fresh yarrow can be chopped and applied directly to a cut to help the wound stop bleeding. Wipe pure honey on the cleaned wound and wrap. Change two to three times a day. A chamomile poultice can reduce pain and inflammation (an easy way to do this is with soaked chamomile tea bags).
There are many websites and books out about natural healing, which will give other suggestions for poultices. Make sure to use home remedies with caution, and see a doctor for serious medical issues.
Happy Healing! Heather
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Acknowledgments
Thank you to all my wonderful readers! Without you, my characters would remain trapped inside my books. But as you read about their adventures, you release them, bringing them to life and into this world. We are so grateful for you!
As at the end of each of my books, I please ask that you, my awesome readers, remind yourselves of the whispered symptoms of ovarian cancer. I am now a seven-year survivor, one of the lucky ones. Please don’t rely on luck. If you experience any of these symptoms, consistently for three weeks or more, go see your GYN.
• Bloating
• Eating less and feeling full faster
• Abdominal pain
• Trouble with your bladder
Other symptoms may include: indigestion, back pain, pain with intercourse, constipation, fatigue, and menstrual irregularities.
About the Author
Heather McCollum is an award-winning historical romance writer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood of 2009 Golden Heart finalists. She has over eighteen romance novels published and is a 2015 Readers’ Crown Winner and Amazon Best Seller.
The ancient magic and lush beauty of Great Britain entrances Ms. McCollum’s heart and imagination every time she visits. The country’s history and landscape have been a backdrop for her writing ever since her first journey across the pond.
When she is not creating vibrant characters and magical adventures on the page, she is roaring her own battle cry in the war against ovarian cancer. Ms. McCollum slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own Highland hero, rescued golden retriever, and three kids in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast. For more information about Ms. McCollum, please visit www.HeatherMcCollum.com.
URL and Social Media links:
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Also by Heather McCollum…
Highland Heart
Captured Heart
Tangled Hearts
Untamed Hearts
Crimson Heart
The Beast of Aros Castle
The Rogue of Islay Isle
The Wolf of Kisimul Castle
The Devil of Dunakin Castle
A Protector in the Highlands
Discover more Amara titles…
Tempting the Highland Spy
a Highland Hearts novel by Tara Kingston
It had been one glorious night, and Harrison MacMasters, Highland spy, never thought to see jewel thief Grace Winters again. Now he’s forced to protect her as they join together to catch a killer, even though he can’t trust her with anything, especially his heart. Grace will do anything to keep her family from the poorhouse, including a pretend marriage to the one man who tempts her to make it real.
A Lord for the Lass
a Tartans and Titans novel by Amalie Howard and Angie Morgan
Lady Makenna Maclaren Brodie is on the run from her clan for the death of her husband and laird. Even though she is innocent, she and her maid run to the only safe place she knows...and right into the arms of the handsome French lord she’d met a year ago. An unapologetic rake, Lord Julien Leclerc is focused on one
thing—expanding his empire and increasing his fortune. However, when the widowed Makenna arrives on his doorstep in the Highlands, all bets are off.
A Rake’s Redemption
a Rake novel by Cynthia Breeding
To escape an arranged marriage, Inis dresses as a boy and stows away on a ship bound for London. Before long, she’s working as an indentured servant in a livery stable, only to then be lost in a game of cards to a rakishly handsome lord who seems to enjoy bucking convention as much as she does. Keeping her identity secret becomes more important than ever when Inis hears of Lord Alexander Ashley’s feelings regarding aristocratic ladies and his outlandish idea to prove a servant can be taught to be every bit as ladylike as those born to it.
The Devilish Duke
a novel by Maddison Michaels
Devlin Markham, the “Devil Duke” of Huntington, needs a woman. And not just any woman. If he can’t woo eccentric bluestocking Lady Sophie Wolcott within the month, he can kiss his fortune goodbye. But he finds love a wasted emotion and marriage an inconvenience. And Sophie seems unmoved by his charm… When Sophie learns her orphanage is in danger, she’ll do anything to save it. Even marry a ruthless rake. Even one targeted by a killer.
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