Table of Contents
Author's Note
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Epilogue
Thank You & Extras
Another Vote! (WARNING: Potential Spoiler Ahead- Do not jump forward)
Allie's Books
Excerpt of The Highlander Who Saved Me
Excerpt of To Have and To Trust
Excerpt of Forget Me Not, My Scottish Love
The Highlander Who Loved Me
A Heart of a Highlander Novel
Allie Palomino
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), business establishments, events locations, or any other similarities, is purely coincidental.
Except for brief passages for use in reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form (scanned, distributed, copied, [not an exhaustive list]) by any means (electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, information storage), in any printed or electronic form (even those yet invented) without permission.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Copyright © 2017 by Allie Palomino
All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Author's Note
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Epilogue
Thank You & Extras
Another Vote! (WARNING: Potential Spoiler Ahead- Do not jump forward)
Allie's Books
Excerpt of The Highlander Who Saved Me
Excerpt of To Have and To Trust
Excerpt of Forget Me Not, My Scottish Love
Author's Note
Dear Reader,
While this ebook is a stand-alone full-length novel, I strongly encourage that you first read The Highlander Who Saved Me, Connor and Maddie's Story. It is available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
Happy Reading,
Allie
Prologue
They found her bloodied and beaten.
Her tattered and shredded plaid barely covered the violent markings on her skin. Part of her hair had been savagely hacked off. Her lips were bruised and bleeding.
Two of her brothers began arguing with their father, while her oldest sank to his knees with fury that made his hands shake. He covered her with his plaid.
“Katie? Lass?”
His voice was hollow but resonated with a rage that would not be contained. It swam through his veins with a rampant thirst for vengeance.
He extended his hand out to his sister as his family looked on.
How would his mother cope? He could already envision her face, drawn with worry and horror.
He'd never seen a woman so badly abused. Connor grimaced as he closed Katie’s legs despite her already having his plaid atop. The indignity of that position was not something she'd continue to suffer.
“I should have never agreed to allow her to visit. I should have set more guards on her.”
Kiel and Iain, his brothers, began arguing again with Malcolm, their father, interjecting.
“Ye couldna have known, Father. Ye heard the guards. They snuck around them.”
Connor’s breath came in pants. His fists kept clenching and unclenching. The urge to unleash his fury was larger than himself.
It all began to spiral in his head. The arguing of his brothers and father, the horrific vision of his sister, and the thirst to kill the man responsible beat in his head with a cadence matching his heart’s.
Connor’s voice shook with anger.
“Arguing about what could have, or should have, been done is useless. It happened. It happened to our innocent Katie. This action taken against her is reprehensible, unconscionable, and it means…”
Connor leaned over, tucked her again in the covering, and stood with Katie in his arms.
“Means what, Connor?”
He looked at his brothers, father, and men in the eyes.
“War.”
Chapter One
A year later
He'd caught her looking at him again. Her eyes scurried away but not before she caught a glimpse of a fleeting, and rare, grin.
James, the brother Maddie had just learned she had, was here for his tenth visit in as many weeks.
“So, the lass was taken, and her prince became enraged.”
Katie’s attention settled back on Maddie, who was telling a few clan children a tale.
“Suddenly, ‘twas like he grew ten feet tall!” Maddie extended her hands up in the air and the children awed. “And he had the strength of twenty men! He appeared more beast than man, and set out to find his princess.”
Katie laughed as Miriam came to stand next to her.
“I recall ye loving that tale as a wee lass.”
Katie glanced at her mother, her smile faltering.
Aye, as a child she had. She’d envisioned herself
with her prince who would keep her from harm and love her always. Now, as a woman having experienced the worst of men, she knew better.
“‘Tis just it. A tale, Mother.”
Miriam frowned. “One ye believed in once.”
Katie grimaced. “‘Twas before a few men decided that I was nothing more than a whore to be used.”
Miriam’s inhale was sharp and her wide eyes settled on Katie.
“Ye are nay a whore, Katherynne Ramsay.”
Katie looked away in anger. Her eyes landed on James again. Their gazes collided for a few moments, and she saw his eyes grow pensive and concerned.
Anger washed through her.
Had her fate not befallen her, she would feel free to show interest in James.
What man, especially one of his station, would want her?
She was a used woman. Everyone said that most of a woman’s value prior to marriage rested on her maidenhead.
Nay, she did not believe such foolishness, but she knew most men did.
Katie looked at her mother. She would not make the mistake of believing in tales that made women swoon with love and the urge to fulfill childhood reveries.
Those desires of the heart were no longer possible for her.
“What's amiss, lass? Men? Whore? This talk is nay like ye, Katie.”
Katie smiled and reached for her mother’s hands. “I apologize. I misspoke. If ye will excuse me, I need a bit of fresh air.”
Not waiting for an answer, she turned and walked out.
Maddie ended her time with the children and rushed to Miriam.
“What is the matter with Katie?”
Miriam’s sigh was heavy. “Truly, I'm nay certain. She has recovered greatly since the…the…”
Maddie reached out and rubbed her back.
“Well, she's recovered much, thanks to ye, Maddie. There are times when her laughter is as bright as it was before. Then there are times, like these, when she retreats from us. I'm afraid, however, that this is where her recovery will remain halted. My fear is that she willna better from here. I feel as if she believes she willna have a husband or children or experience other joys of life.”
Maddie grasped and squeezed Miriam's hands.
“Nay. We must believe that she will live a full life with precious moments that will bring her great happiness.”
They watched as James purposefully strode by. He nodded to them and it looked as if he followed Katie. Connor joined Miriam and Maddie. Placing his arms around Maddie, his hands protectively covered her round belly.
Miriam asked, “Is James leaving?”
Connor snorted and Maddie giggled. Kiel walked over.
“Have ye nay noticed that we see more and more of that mon? ‘Twould be easier if we just gave him a chamber up the stairs.”
Maddie slapped a hand on Connor’s arm. “‘Tis nay that often.”
Miriam smiled. “He continues to find her comely?”
Connor looked at his mother. “Comely? ‘Tis more than that, Mother. He's besotted by her, enchanted.”
Maddie sighed. “‘Tis wonderful.”
“Ye allow him unsupervised visits with her?”
Connor smiled at Kiel's naiveté. “Aye. For one, the way he looks at her, I’m nay sure he’d let a fly land on her nose much less place her in harm’s way. Two, Katie rejects him a bit, and ‘tis the truth, I enjoy seeing his large head taking a bruise or two.”
Maddie slapped his arm again “Connor Ramsay! My brother is a good mon.”
He kissed her head. “Ye just met themannay long ago, love. But aye, I agree with ye, though I still enjoy seeing themanknocked back a few. ‘Tis the truth he believes himself superior to all men and a gift to the fairer sex.”
Maddie laughed. “He has earned the repute, husband.”
They looked on as James walked behind Katie.
“Aye. He has. ‘Tis fortunate that I am his brother by marriage and nay a foe. Quite the ability he has with and without his sword.”
“Still, Connor. They canna be alone.”
Kiel continued with his objections but Connor waived them off.
“If ‘tis one thing Katie detests, is arrogance, a trait that runs in abundance in that man. Trust when I say that man will be good for her healing, and she will be good for his humbleness.” He looked over at Kiel with a grin.
“What?”
Connor slapped his shoulder and rubbed it.
“Behold that man there, young Kiel, for he will nay be only my brother by marriage, but yers as well one day.”
Chapter Two
Katie stood and turned in a flurry with a large stick in her hand.
She was at the ready to swing and hit whoever was nearing her. The person made no move to stay quiet.
“Easy, lass.”
The vision of James served to quicken her pulse further rather than slow it down. Attempting to calm her breath, she inhaled deeply yet unsteadily.
“I apologize. I should have announced myself.”
His golden eyes shined with sincerity and reservation.
“Nay. ‘Tis simply my senses easily frightened.”
He stood watching her for a moment before he realized she wasn’t going to say anything further.
“I saw ye leave and ye appeared a bit disturbed. ‘Tis a sin to have someone so lovely wear such a frown.”
Katie looked down at her feet and helped her hair fall forward to hide her face.
“Such kind words for someone undeserving of them.”
He stepped towards her but she stepped back. He halted his movements, and realized he would need to proceed as if she were a scared deer.
“May I?”
James indicated the ground next to her and she nodded slightly. James sat down next to where he’d seen her sit, and looked on at the calm waters of the loch. He was satisfied when, after several moments of hesitance, she sat, too, only several feet away.
“‘Tis quiet here. The trees are bountiful and hale.”
His voice was gravelly as he tried to speak in a softer tone. He watched her from the side and saw her wistful gaze glide over the mirror sheen of the loch.
“Aye. Brings peace to my soul.”
Her voice was hushed and halting. Was she anxious?
“If I make ye uncomfortable, lass, I shall leave.”
Her head snapped to him and her gaze locked with his.
“Nay. Ye are most welcome to remain here, James.”
They sat in silence before James spoke again.
“Ye need need a better grip, lass. Petite ye are, and so ye should hold the stick with both hands for more force. ‘Twould help make the arc of the descent more powerful. Ye need a true weapon to defend yerself, however.”
She watched him as he spoke. He cleared his throat.
“Ye also need to learn how to defend yerself when ye have no weapon. I can instruct ye.”
Katie turned her head back in the loch’s direction, visibly swallowing as she thought about his words.
Could she learn to use a weapon and learn to fight even without one?
Maybe then she wouldn’t feel so afraid of everything, including her shadow?
She wanted to be strong, to be capable of defending herself and never depend on anyone for the fundamental dignity of safety.
Katie slowly nodded her head. “I’d like that verra much, James.”
He stood with such ease, it seemed as if he was a puppet being lifted by invisible strings.
“Let us begin our first instruction.”
Katie fumbled as she hurried to stand. “Now?”
His eyes were serious but alight with warmth.
“‘Tis a fine enough day to begin,” he said, briefly looking up.
Katie nodded and swallowed.
“We will begin with easier teachings and progress to more difficult ones.”
Eyebrows furled, she asked, “Would ye provide me with examples of each?”
He nodded. “Stance and gripping a weapon are
some of the easiest instructions to teach and learn, while awareness of your surroundings is most difficult.”
“But that seems as if it would be the easiest of all.”
He shook his head.
“Nay. That requires one of the most abstruse skills to acquire and hone.”
She tilted her head. James’ eyes roamed over the planes of her face. Lovely, she was, with only a few freckles chasing each other on her delicate nose. Her lips were perfectly smooth and sultry on her heart-shaped face. Her hair was a rich brown that caught the sun’s light.
Katherynne Ramsay was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid his eyes on. That beauty continued to her soul, with a gentleness and intelligence he’d never witnessed in another.
“What’s that?”
“Trust.”
“Trust! Surely, ye jest.”
He shook his head. “Trust in me, but mainly trust in yerself.”
Katie looked away in thought.
“That isna a skill, James, but a trait one possesses.”
Again, he shook his head.
“Nay. Yes, it is a trait but in defense of oneself and others, it is a skill. Skills are actions that need to be refined and honed, and once earned and learned, must be frequently tested, improved upon, and employed.”
Katie’s gaze was studious and measuring.
“Ye’re nay just brawn, eh James? Brains, too.”
He outright laughed, causing Katie to smile.
“Yer brother would add vanity to that description. Now, let us demonstrate this skill so that ye may see what I mean. Willing to do so?”
She considered him for a moment and nodded.
“Aye.”
James unsheathed a small dagger and held it out to her, hilt first.
“Take it.”
Katie hesitantly reached for it and wrapped her small hand around its sturdy handle. Their fingers briefly touched before Katie pulled back as if burned.
“I-I’m sorry. I-” She cut her words off.
He wanted to reach out to her but it was apparent to him that she did not like to be touched. He’d seen her with her family. She even shrugged off their affections when it overwhelmed her.
The Highlander Who Loved Me (Heart of a Highlander Collection Book 4) Page 1