Laird of the Black Isle

by Paula Quinn

  Her hair fell like a golden flame over her milky cleavage, and a slight smile, coaxed by something his sister said, brought a delicate dimple to light in her left cheek. She lifted her gaze and set it on him. His breath stalled a wee bit. Hell, she was beautiful, like a sparrow, small and shaking—

  “Is it true?” she asked, reaching him. “Are you terrified?”

  He narrowed his eyes on his sister, then returned them to the wide, glistening eyes staring up at him, waiting for an answer. “I—”

  “Because you are home, no?”

  He nodded, knowing where she was going with this. “Aye, but—”

  “But?” She spoke on a whispered breath, yet the word came down on him like a hammer. She wasn’t finished. His sister and the others stepped away. “How has your life changed today save that there will be a woman in your bed tonight—though by the amount of women crying over you in that chapel, I must assume that tonight will be no different. So tell me, husband. What do you have to be terrified about?”

  Did she not understand the weight of who she was? Aye, he was home, surrounded by people who loved him—and she wasn’t. He understood. But his kin were the ones who would expect the most from him. Already, Daniel had reminded him how important it was to make her happy. He knew perfectly well how wives were treated in Camlochlin. He didn’t have the time or the inclination to devote so much to a wife. “The woman in my bed tonight will be my wife, one to whom I pledged much, includin’ my loyalty in our bed.”

  “And that is so terrible?”

  He smiled rather than scowled at her. “I didna mean—”

  She lifted her skirts and walked away.

  He didn’t speak to her again until she arrived at their marriage chamber, looking more terrified than before and being gently urged along by some of his female relatives. They deposited her in front of him and Goliath and hurried off.

  She bit her lip, squeezed her eyes shut, and began praying.

  He scowled, listening to her plead to God to deliver her from this savage. One thing Adam wasn’t, was a savage. He could be gentle with her, make her first night in his bed a pleasurable one. Getting her there would be the problem. She was afraid of him…and he wasn’t a damned savage.

  He pulled off his léine and felt a wave of pity for her at her strangled gasp. “I’m sorry this has happened. More sorry for ye than fer me.”

  He got into bed and closed his eyes. He felt her climb into bed a few moments later and poke him in the arm. He opened his eyes and turned to look at her.

  “I love someone else,” she declared as if somehow it would be enough to toss her out of his bed and out of Camlochlin.

  “Thank ye fer tellin’ me,” he said, and then closed his eyes again.

  He lay awake all night while she slept. He didn’t want a wife as much as he didn’t want to be chief. He especially didn’t want to be in a loveless, unhappy marriage. How could he make her happy if she was pining over another man? He felt a pang of something…jealousy? Hopelessness?

  After another hour of restlessness and regret, he rose from bed, called softly to Goliath, and left the chamber.

  Acclaim for

  Paula Quinn’s Novels

  Featuring the MacGregor Clan

  The Scot’s Bride

  “Tangled, twisting threads of plot are skillfully woven together with history and engaging characters in this Highland Heirs nonstop read. The realistic atmosphere Quinn creates lures readers into the romance and will keep them turning the pages.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  A Highlander’s Christmas Kiss

  “4 stars! Combining the joy and magic of the holiday season with a powerful and dramatic love story may come as a surprise to readers who have never experienced Quinn’s talent for providing the unexpected. This tale of revenge and redemption is sensual and poignant, powerful and meaningful. The nonstop action propels the plot as much as the twists and turns. Highland romance readers rejoice!”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Top Pick. Ms. Quinn weaves a powerful story of redemption, responsibility, betrayal, and finally love between Temperance and Cailean.”

  —NightOwlReviews.com

  The Taming of Malcolm Grant

  “The gradual development of romance between the hard-hearted fighter and the resilient healer illuminates the fast-paced story.”

  ―Publishers Weekly

  “4 stars! Quinn and her Highlanders are a perfect match, and Malcolm Grant is the ideal Scotsman for a tale that’s humorous, poignant, and highly romantic. Quinn understands and motivates her characters carefully. She delves into their deepest thoughts and makes readers truly care about their lives.”

  ―RT Book Reviews

  The Scandalous Secret of Abigail MacGregor

  “4½ stars! With its quick-moving plot, engaging characters, and historic backdrop, the latest installment of The MacGregors: Highland Heirs is a page-turner. Quinn twists and turns the tale, drawing readers in and holding them with her unforgettable characters’ love story.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “A wonderful book…Paula Quinn has raised the bar even higher with this newest novel in the MacGregor saga.”

  —NightOwlReviews.com

  “I loved the enemy turned lovers theme that this story follows…the drama never stops!”

  —HistoricalRomanceLover.blogspot.com

  The Wicked Ways of Alexander Kidd

  “Paula Quinn has done it again!…If there ever was a book that deserved more than five stars then this one is it. I was absolutely captivated from start to finish.”

  —NightOwlReviews.com

  “The Scottish highlands and a pirate ship provide the colorful setting for this well-written, exciting, and action-packed romance.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Vivid…Quinn’s steamy and well-constructed romance will appeal to fans and newcomers alike.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  The Seduction of Miss Amelia Bell

  “Plenty of passion, romance, and adventure…one of the best books I’ve read in a long time…a captivating story from beginning to end.”

  —NightOwlReviews.com

  “Delicious…highly entertaining…a witty, sensual historical tale that will keep you glued to the pages…This beautifully written, fast-paced tale is a true delight.”

  —RomanceJunkiesReviews.com

  Also by Paula Quinn

  Lord of Desire

  Lord of Temptation

  Lord of Seduction

  Laird of the Mist

  A Highlander Never Surrenders

  Ravished by a Highlander

  Seduced by a Highlander

  Tamed by a Highlander

  Conquered by a Highlander

  A Highlander for Christmas (e-novella)

  The Seduction of Miss Amelia Bell

  The Sweet Surrender of Janet Buchanan (e-novella)

  The Wicked Ways of Alexander Kidd

  The Scandalous Secret of Abigail MacGregor

  The Taming of Malcolm Grant

  A Highlander’s Christmas Kiss

  The Scot’s Bride

  Fall in Love with Forever Romance

  COWBOY BOLD

  By Carolyn Brown

  With her sassy humor and sexy cowboys, USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Brown launches a heartwarming new series. Longhorn Canyon is getting ready for its annual children’s summer camp. With one city girl, one die-hard rancher, and eight mischievous kids, what could possibly go wrong?

  Fall in Love with Forever Romance

  THEN THERE WAS YOU

  By Miranda Liasson

  If you love Debbie Mason and Brenda Novak, then don’t miss the first book in Miranda Liasson’s Angel Falls series! Colton Walker and Serafina Langdon have always gotten along like oil and water, and since the bachelor party incident that led to her fiancé dumping her, he is Sara’s Enemy #1. But after sharing an unexpected—and unexpectedly hot—kiss, Colton starts to wonder if th
e woman he’s always fighting with is the one he should be fighting for.

  Fall in Love with Forever Romance

  LAIRD OF THE BLACK ISLE

  By Paula Quinn

  In the tradition of Lynsay Sands, Hannah Howell, and Karen Hawkins comes the third book in Paula Quinn’s adventurous Scottish romance series. Lachlan MacKenzie will stop at nothing to get his daughter back from a rival clan, but the woman he kidnaps as his hostage turns out to be more than he ever bargained for—and now he’s not sure he’ll ever be able to let her go.

  Fall in Love with Forever Romance

  TALL, DARK, AND CAJUN

  By Sandra Hill

  Get Cajun fever with Tall, Dark, and Cajun, the bestselling book from Sandra Hill’s hilarious and steamy Cajun series! After dumping her fiancé, Rachel Fortier flees to the Louisiana Bayou where she meets Remy LeDeux, a helicopter pilot and Air Force vet whose face is scarred from battle. For this unlikely pair, it’s love at first sight, despite her ideas of Feng Shui-ing his houseboat and her ex chasing after her. But will he ever be able to win her over with his country boy ways?

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