by Fiona Faris
Amelia was so absorbed in the bloody history of the MacLeod clan, a rare highland clan that dealt in horses and cattle. She had all but forgotten about everything else and failed to notice the castle stirring around her to start the day. Enough time had passed that an angry growl from her stomach let her know it was time to rest her eyes and go in search of food.
Letting out a yawn and a deep stretch, Amelia smiled, letting her thoughts drift briefly to Gavin. To say she was stunned to see him, and here of all places, was an understatement indeed. Scotland was a large country. Finding out the man who had haunted her dreams for so long was her sister’s brother in-law was a shock. She can’t believe she trusted him with her true reason for being in Scotland in the first place, but there was something that connected them. She couldn’t fight it. There was something in Gavin that drew her to him from the very beginning, all those years ago, and now, by a chance meeting, she knew it was still there. True, he’d made her angry, calling her out for her reasons in searching for her brother, challenging her, but when she allowed her mind to wander to their kiss the night before, she was no longer angry. Instead, she found herself wanting more.
As if conjuring him from thin air, the library door opened, and Gavin walked in.
Their eyes caught, and the heat of a blush crept up her cheeks as if he’d caught her replaying their embrace.
“What are you doing here?” Under his gaze, Amelia became painfully aware of her body. She was only wearing her night rail, practically naked. The heat he created with just a look was staggering. How could he make her feel so alarmed and aroused at the same time? She pulled the woolen plaid from the chair and wrapped it tightly around her, trying to conceal any part of her that could be deemed improper.
“Last time I checked, this was th’ MacGille library, lass. And I’m a MacGille, am I not?” he flashed a cocky smile and walked toward the large desk in the middle of the room. “I should be askin’ ye what it is yer doin’ here. It’s the wee morn; should ye not be a bed?” The way he said bed sent a shiver down Amelia’s spine. She held up the book, doing her best to convey defiance and nonchalance.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I came down for a little light reading.”
“Aye, I see. Th’ MacLeods, eh? I’ve heard a bit about them, on me travels. A reclusive clan,” he gestured for her to sit closer to where he was behind the desk, and her feet moved her to where he pointed, independent of her brain.
“Is there a book here about the Cabduh?” she knew he thought her need to keep trying to locate her brother was a fool’s errand, but it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.
Mayhap in the morning light, he would be more willing to see things from her point of view. After all, she’d heard from Ella that it was the love of his sister, Milly, and her unwillingness to give up that allowed him to finally escape the horrors of prison. He couldn’t so easily dismiss her need when it was so similar to what had spared him, could he?
“Nay, lass. I wouldnae think there would be any man brave enough tae put up with their laird long enough tae write one.” Amelia leaned forward with her hands on her knees.
“Tell me about them?”
“The Cabduh clan and the MacGille clan are allies, ’tis sure enough, but only out of sheer necessity and my brother’s will tae nay fight when it’s nae necessary. Their laird is peculiar and volatile. No one goes to Cabduh without an invitation from him. ’Tis not kent why he is this way. If ye simply show up, th’ best result would be they turn ye away, but ye canna count on that.” He stood and crossed the room to a globe of the Earth that sat on a wooden pedestal. It was a stunning and rare piece. When she first saw it, the globe took Amelia’s breath away. She briefly wondered where the MacGille family had come across such an intricate and beautiful artwork. Though she shouldn’t be surprised, the keep was filled with all manner of works of art from paintings to tapestries. Even the flatware and tankards they used at the evening meal were ornate and beautifully decorated.
“Me Da loved this globe,” Gavin said thoughtfully. “He loved to learn about places far away from our own.” Amelia saw a lot of the late laird in his sons. They both had the same curiosity for the world around them. Maybe someday she would be able to learn more from Gavin about what it was like to grow up with such an interesting father. Her own was useless, hard, and Amelia did not think he was curious about anything other than his own greed.
“You said the best result would be to get turned away. What, then, would be the worst?” she wanted to turn the conversation back to the issue at hand. Gavin didn’t know her very well, and Amelia hadn’t come this far to be dissuaded, difficult laird or no.
He ran a long, sure finger across the Atlantic Ocean in front of him and seemed to contemplate his thoughts carefully before answering. His voice became dark, and he looked through her rather than at her. When he finally answered, Amelia wasn’t sure he was speaking to her at all. “The worst would be the dungeons, lass, and trust me ’tis no place for a lady.”
They stayed silent for a moment, Amelia understanding the darkness in him. He had spent enough of his life in dungeons and dark places. She stood and joined him at the globe, spinning it on its axis and marveling in the intricate designs of cherubs and mythological creatures as it turned. A constant reminder of time passing. She grabbed Gavin’s hand. Suddenly excited, she allowed herself a small pleasure in the heat of his calloused fingertips as his hand grasped hers.
A thought occurred to her. If it only took an invitation to get to Cabduh — and the MacGilles were an allied clan — she herself was practically a MacGille; if not technically, at least adjacently.
She had a fantastic idea. Careful to keep her tone light, not wanting to risk Gavin’s anger at such a forward suggestion, she leaned in and spoke softly. Flashing the most brilliant smile, she could manage when standing so close to a man such as he.
“Maybe Lucas would ask for an invitation for me?”
His response, however, was not anything like what she expected. Instead of anger, or rejection, Gavin’s laugh filled the room. Gavin struck her as a man unaccustomed to laughter.
“Lass, ye must be mad!”
He was laughing at her. If Amelia wasn’t so annoyed, she might have stopped to appreciate the velvety thickness of his burr and the twinkle in his eyes. But as it stood, she didn’t know whether she wanted to slap him or kiss him, and that bothered her a great deal, indeed.
Do you want to read more?
To read more, click on the link below!
https://amzn.to/2yJ2WsO
Highlanders of Cadney Series
Book#1
Her Highland Secret
* * *
Book#2
Her Highlander’s Heart
* * *
Book#3 (this last preview)
Her Broken Highlander
Never miss a thing
If you truly want to follow all my releases and see what others had to say about my books, you may…
Thank you
I want to personally thank you for purchasing my book. It really means a lot to me. It’s a blessing to have the opportunity to share with you, my passion for writing, through my stories.
As a FREE GIFT, I am giving you a link to my first novel. It has more than 160 reviews, with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5
It is called “A Maid for the Grieving Highlander”, and you can get it for FREE.
Please note that this story is only available for YOU as a subscriber and hasn't been published anywhere else.
Please click on the cover to download the FREE book
About the Author
Fiona Faris is an American author of authentic historical Medieval & Scottish romance books. She started writing historical highlander romance after she visited the Scottish Highlands years ago with her husband.
Her books have received startling reviews about the humor, the darkness and the romance they have.
She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and their
two sons. Before she started writing romance, she experienced the various occupations: translator, dog-training, and a substitute English teacher for the most part of her life... However, nothing could ever compare to writing stories depicting the majestic and mysterious Scottish Highlands!
* * *
Note from Fiona
If you want to know when my next book will come out, please subscribe to my newsletter and get my first book for free, and you will always be the first to know about my newest Scottish novel.
Thank you, your friend Fiona ❤️
* * *
If you want to keep in touch…
Tap to Follow me on BookBub
Also, you can follow me on Social Media: