Highland Master
Page 31
Two hours earlier
Striding across the flagstone floor of the royal audience hall at Turnberry, the tall, broad-shouldered young knight filled the room with crackling energy even as he dropped to a knee before its sole, elderly occupant and bowed his head.
“You sent for me, sire?”
“If you are the knight that other men call Hawk, I did, aye,” the King of Scots murmured, his raspy voice barely above a whisper. “I have sore need of you, lad.”
“I am Hawk,” Sir Ivor Mackintosh said, fighting to conceal his dismay at how much the King had aged since the only other time he had seen him, three years before. “How may I serve, your grace? Your messenger said it was gey urgent.”
“ ’Tis my Jamie,” muttered Robert III of Scotland, a king who had never sought or enjoyed his exalted position.
Ivor said gently, “Jamie, my liege, your younger son?”
A log shifted in the nearby fireplace, and sparks leaped before the King nodded and said, “Annabella… m-my Queen…” Pausing when his voice cracked, he added with tears welling in his pale blue eyes, “Annabella feared mightily for Jamie. Sithee, she had great fear of my brother, Albany. I canna believe he would harm a child, but ’tis better, I trow, to see the laddie safe than to weep for him if Annabella should prove to be right.”
“But what, exactly, are you asking of me, sire?”
“Albany sent a message a fortnight ago to say that he has business here that can nae longer wait upon the pleasure of those most concerned in it. He will be here tomorrow or Tuesday and he wants to take Jamie into his own custody. The Bishop of St. Andrews once told me that he can keep our laddie safe at St. Andrews Castle. You also ken Bishop Traill, he said, and St. Andrews as well.”
“I do, your grace. Had you a particular plan in mind?”
With a feeble gesture, the King said, “I want to ken nowt of any plans, for I am incapable of lying to my brother. Just get Jamie to St. Andrews.”
“I can be away in the morning if James can be ready by then,” Ivor said.
“You need only give the nursery mistress your orders when you arise,” the King said. “Henrietta already knows that Jamie may be traveling tomorrow.”
“Then, by your leave, sire, I will sleep, too,” Ivor said. “If you can tell me—”
“Aye, sure. My own man will show you to a room near the royal nursery.”
Bowing, Ivor bade the King goodnight and retired to bed only to awaken betimes when the lass in his dreams became real. However, afterward, thanks to years of knightly training and preparing for battle, he soon slept again and awoke only when the dawn’s gray light crept into the room.
His bruised hand reminded him of the lass, but he dressed nonetheless hastily. Then, deducing which door was that of the royal nursery, he rapped on it lightly.
Marsi opened the door, took one nervous look at the tall, well-formed, stern-looking man who stood at the threshold and quickly swept him a deep curtsy. Then, speaking over her shoulder as she rose again, she said, “Mistress Henrietta, methinks ’tis the gentleman ye’re expecting, though he do be earlier than ye said he’d come.”
“Do not chatter, lass, but come and assist his lordship to dress whilst I talk with the gentleman,” Hetty said sternly. “I am Henrietta Childs, Mistress of the Royal Nursery, sir,” she added, and Marsi moved to obey her, glancing back as she did.
Without awaiting further invitation, the man stepped into the room and shut the door. “I believe you understand, mistress,” he said, “that we must be away as soon as possible and without any ado. His grace’s man awaits us near the sea gate.”
“The sea gate!” Marsi’s exclamation was out before she knew she would speak. Trying to conceal her dismay, she glanced at Jamie and saw that his eyes were wide with delight. Turning next to their visitor, she said, “But where do we go?”
The man looked at Hetty, who said sharply to Marsi, “Hold your tongue, lass. Ye ken fine that ye’ve nae call to put yourself forward so. I did say that I would have need of ye, but if ye cannot behave, we will leave ye right here.”
Quickly bowing her head, Marsi strove to look contrite, but James said in a tone just as stern as Hetty’s, “Marsi must come with us, for I want her. And if we are to go on a ship, I will need her, Hetty. Ye ken fine that boats always make ye sick.”
Eyeing their visitor again, Marsi saw that he was looking sterner than ever, but before Jamie had stopped speaking, the man’s gaze shifted to her. Feeling herself tense, she took a deep breath, but his expression had already turned thoughtful, and he said only that Hetty should hurry her charges along so they could all get going.
The man had forgotten all about her, Marsi decided, so he could have no suspicion that she was the girl who had fled from his bed the night before.
To be sure, she had put on a plain moss-green kirtle and a simple white apron. And, fearing that he might recognize her hair, she had covered it completely with a frilly white cap. Even so, and although she was relieved that he did not seem to recognize her, she felt an odd sense of disappointment, as if he should have.
THE DISH
Where authors give you the inside scoop!
From the desk of Jane Graves
Dear Reader,
Have you ever visited one website, seen an interesting link to another website, and clicked it? Probably. But have you ever done that about fifty times and ended up in a place you never intended to? As a writer, I’m already on a “what if” journey inside my own head, so web hopping is just one more flight of fancy that’s so easy to get caught up in.
For instance, while researching a scene for BLACK TIES AND LULLABIES that takes place in a childbirth class, I saw a link for “hypnosis during birth.” Of course I had to click that, right? From there I ended up on a site where people post their birth stories. And then…
Don’t ask me how, but a dozen clicks later, my web-hopping adventure led me to a site about celebrities and baby names. This immediately had me wondering: What were these people thinking? Check out the names these famous people have given their children that virtually guarantee they’ll be tormented for the rest of their lives:
Apple
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow
Diva Muffin
Singer Frank Zappa
Moxie Crimefighter
Entertainer Penn Jillette
Petal Blossom Rainbow
Chef Jamie Oliver
Zowie
Singer David Bowie
Pilot Inspektor
Actor Jason Lee
Sage Moonblood
Actor Sylvester Stallone
Fifi Trixibell
Singer Bob Geldof
Reignbeau
Actor Ving Rhames
Jermajesty
Singer Jermaine Jackson
No, a trip around the Internet does not get my books written, but sometimes it’s worth the laugh. Of course, the hero and heroine of BLACK TIES AND LULLABIES would never give their child a name like one of these…
I hope you enjoy BLACK TIES AND LULLABIES. And look for my next book, HEARTSTRINGS AND DIAMOND RINGS, coming August 2011.
Happy reading!
www.janegraves.com
From the desk of Cynthia Eden
Dear Reader,
I love strong heroes. When I write my romantic suspense novels, I try to create heroes who can save the day while barely breaking a sweat. Men who aren’t afraid to face danger. Men who are comfortable taking out the bad guys—even while these heroes successfully romance their heroines. Oh, yes, I’m all about an alpha male.
And when it comes to my heroines, well, my response is the same. Give me a strong heroine. I don’t want to write about a heroine who needs rescuing 24/7. I want a woman who is strong enough to defend herself (and her man, if need be).
When I began writing DEADLY HEAT, I knew that my heroine would have to be a strong match for FBI Special Agent Kenton Lake. Since Kenton appeared in my previous “Deadly” book, DEADLY FEAR, I already
knew just how powerful and capable he was. Kenton hunts serial killers for a living, so weakness isn’t exactly a concept he understands.
I didn’t want Kenton to dominate his heroine, so I made sure that I created a very strong lady for him… and firefighter Lora Spade was born. Lora is a woman who fights fire each day. She’s not afraid of the flames, but she is afraid of the way that Kenton makes her feel.
Physically and mentally, my characters are strong. But emotionally? When it comes to emotions, both Kenton and Lora are in for a big shock.
After all… love doesn’t always make a person weak. Sometimes, it just makes you stronger.
Since Kenton and Lora are about to track an arsonist who enjoys trapping his victims in the flames, they sure will need all the strength they can get!
Thanks for checking out my Dish. If you’d like to learn more about my books, please visit my website at www.cynthiaeden.com.
Happy reading!
From the desk of Cara Elliott
Dear Reader,
Yes, yes, your eyes do not deceive you. Just when the brouhaha in Bath had calmed down a touch, a new scandal popped up. The Circle of Sin is spinning into action again. Alas, trouble seems to follow our intrepid heroines, when all they really want is a life of quiet scholarly study…. Actually, I take that back. They do realize that there is more to life than books (a handsome rogue… but we’ll get to that later).
As you probably suspect, this time it’s Kate, the feisty free spirit of the “Sinners,” who has landed in hot water. She’s spent most of her life gallivanting the world with her American sea captain father—some high sticklers may call him a pirate—so it’s really no surprise that her life in London, where she’s come to live with her imperious grandfather, the Duke of Cluyne, is not sailing along very smoothly.
But honestly, it’s really not all her fault. That rascally rake, the Conte of Como—Marco, to his more intimate friends—is the one making waves. He’s an unexpected guest at her grandfather’s staid country house party, and when one thing leads to another… all hell breaks loose.
Trouble takes Kate and Marco from London to Vienna, where the various rulers of Europe are gathering to discuss politics now that Napoleon has been exiled to Elba. Now, now, don’t roll your eyes. It so happens that Vienna was the ultimate party town at the time. Anybody who was anybody wanted to be there, to rub shoulders (and other unmentionable body parts) with the kings, princes, emperors, and other high-profile celebrities.
The Emperor of Austria hosted many of the dignitaries at his magnificent castle, and his poor aides spent countless hours trying to figure out the room assignments, taking into account who was sleeping with whom, so that late-night tiptoeing through the corridors wouldn’t result in any embarrassing trip-ups.
Glittering balls, sumptuous banquets, fanciful medieval jousts, spectacular fireworks—the daily list of extravagant entertainments was mind-boggling. Party girls Princess Bagration and the Duchess of Sagan vied with each other to see who could attract the most influential men to their soirees. As for other pleasures, well, let’s just say they all were intent on having a good time. In fact, the Tsar of Russia—a notorious skirt-chaser—had to have a whole new wardrobe sent from St. Petersburg because he gained so much weight partying every night!
But why, you might ask, is Kate plunging into the midst of such frivolous festivities? And how is a rake like Marco going to help her get out of hot water? Well, you’ll just have to read TO TEMPT A RAKE to find out!
www.caraelliott.com
From the desk of Amanda Scott
Dear Reader,
Most books grow from the seeds of isolated ideas. One reads about an unusual historical incident, or finds an odd phrase that triggers a string of thoughts, or overhears a comment on a bus or plane that stirs an idea for a situation or a character.
I was seeking such seeds as I began to plot HIGHLAND MASTER. I’d started with a vague notion of Romeo and Juliet, simply because I always want to create a basic conflict between the hero and heroine. But I did not want the simple “Capulets think Montagues are dreadful and vice versa.” When I found myself wondering what would happen if a Montague were dropped into a nest of Capulets with a mission to accomplish, the gray cells began churning. That is the moment when a writer begins asking herself, “What if?”
What if my Scottish Romeo had sworn to kill Juliet’s father? In medieval Scotland, blood oaths and blood feuds were common. What if someone in authority over that Scottish Romeo, knowing nothing about his oath or the feud, sends him on a vital diplomatic mission to the Scottish Capulets?
Then, since one also seeks to raise the stakes, what if Romeo has somehow managed to swear a second oath in direct conflict with his oath to kill Juliet’s father? What if he cannot keep either oath without breaking the other?
What if he meets his Juliet and falls for her without realizing that her father is the man he has sworn to kill?
Research soon drew me to the great Clan Battle of Perth in 1396, which was to all intents and purposes a trial by combat between Clan Chattan and Clan Cameron, the two largest, most powerful Highland clan confederations. Thirty “champions” from each clan fought on the North Inch of Perth before the King of Scots and his court. When I read that only one (unknown) Cameron had survived, and did so by flinging himself into the river Tay, which swept him into the Firth of Tay and most likely on into the North Sea, I knew that I had found my hero.
In my story, Scotland’s finest swordsman, Sir Finlagh “Fin” Cameron, the last man of his clan standing against eleven men of Clan Cameron, escapes from the great clan battle, manages to avoid being swept out to sea and—calling himself simply “Fin of the Battles”—joins the service of Davy Stewart, the bedeviled heir to the Scottish throne. Seeking to ally himself with the Lord of the North and the Lord of the Isles against his scheming uncle, the Duke of Albany, Davy sends Fin of the Battles back into the Highlands to arrange for a secret meeting with the great lords, hosted by the powerful Captain of Clan Chattan, known to all and sundry as “the Mackintosh.”
Entering Clan Chattan territory, Fin is felled by a mysterious arrow and rescued by the lady Catriona Mackintosh, granddaughter of Clan Chattan’s captain and, yes, also daughter of the clan’s war leader, Shaw Mackintosh, the very man whom Fin swore to his dying father on the battlefield that he would kill.
I hope you enjoy HIGHLAND MASTER. In the meantime, Suas Alba!
Sincerely,
www.amandascottauthor.com
Contents
Front Cover Image
Welcome
To Love, Honor, and Deceive
Dedication
A Preview of Highland Hero
Map
Author’s Note
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
The Dish
Other Books by Amanda Scott
Raves for the Novels of Amanda Scott
Copyright
OTHER BOOKS BY AMANDA SCOTT
TEMPTED BY A WARRIOR
SEDUCED BY A ROGUE
TAMED BY A LAIRD
BORDER MOONLIGHT
BORDER LASS
BORDER WEDDING
KING OF STORMS
KNIGHT’S TREASURE
LADY’S CHOICE
PRINCE OF DANGER
LORD OF THE ISLES
HIGHLAND PRINCESS
THE SECRET CLAN: REIVER’S BRIDE
THE SECRET CLAN: HIGHLAND BRIDE
THE SECRET CLAN: HIDDEN HEIRE
SS
THE SECRET CLAN: ABDUCTED HEIRESS
BORDER FIRE
BORDER STORM
BORDER BRIDE
HIGHLAND FLING
HIGHLAND SECRETS
HIGHLAND TREASURE
HIGHLAND SPIRITS
THE BAWDY BRIDE
DANGEROUS ILLUSIONS
DANGEROUS ANGELS
DANGEROUS GAMES
DANGEROUS LADY
THE ROSE AT TWILIGHT
RAVES FOR THE NOVELS OF
AMANDA SCOTT
TEMPTED BY A WARRIOR
“4½ Stars! TOP PICK! Scott demonstrates her incredible skills by crafting an exciting story replete with adventure and realistic, passionate characters who reach out and grab you… Historical romance doesn’t get much better than this!”
—RT Book Reviews
“A descriptive and intriguing novel… Scott’s characters are most definitely memorable.”