Highlander’s Buried Identity (Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance)

by Shona Thompson

  Sine closed the door of their bedroom, pushing Finlay towards the bed.

  “Rory kens best. We should do as he says.”

  Extended Epilogue

  Eager to learn what the future holds for Finlay and Sine?

  Then you may enjoy this extended epilogue.

  Simply tap here and you can read it for FREE, or use this link:

  http://www.shonathompson.com/ecn7

  Afterword

  Thank you for reading my novel, Highlander’s Buried Identity. I really hope you enjoyed it! If you did, could you please be so kind to write a review HERE?

  It is very important for me to read your thoughts about my book, in order to get better at writing.

  Please use the link below:

  http://www.shonathompson.com/9rlj

  Do you want more Romance?

  If you’re a true fan of the Scottish romance genre, here is a sample of my best friend’s, Fiona Faris, latest best-selling novel: Highlander's Wicked Prophecy

  The tale of the young MacDonald and exotic Talise is one of adventure, pain, and of course... love! Because as his predecessors taught us, these Highlanders, definitely know how to love.

  * * *

  Highlander’s Wicked Prophecy

  Prologue

  Isle of Skye, Scotland

  Robbie MacDonald stood in the bow of the fisherman’s vessel staring out across the water toward the Isle of Skye. Home… His heart sighed in relief at the sight. The rocky emerald shoreline blurred for the briefest of moments as a sheen of tears passed over his blue eyes, but he firmed his whisker bedecked jaw and muscled the errant emotion back into the darkest corners of his soul. There would be time for tears later, after he had done what needed doing. A breeze passed over his tartan-clad body, ruffling the edge of his kilt and the short strands of dark hair around his face. The sail flapped on the short mast behind him then snapped taut as the breeze picked up speed. The loud sound awoke the tiny bundle in his arms. The wee bairn let out a cry of protest at having been so rudely ripped from peaceful slumber.

  Robbie smiled down sadly into the shining black eyes of the infant lad, making soothing sounds as he wiped the tears from the baby’s smooth round cheeks. “Och, my braw wee laddie. Dinnae fash. We are home now. I will find yer maither and return ye tae her lovin’ arms as soon as I can. I swear it, mac mo chridhe.” Son of my heart… It was true that the lad was not a son of his blood, but from the moment that the bairn had first drawn breath, Robbie had become a father. The pain in his chest on behalf of the babe was so intense it nearly robbed him of breath.

  He turned his eyes back toward Skye and searched the coast for signs of a reception. He was not expected, but he knew that the castle guards would have sounded the alarm of an approaching vessel. Robbie had left Skye to find out who he was without the stain of his father’s legacy. Born of the rape and abuse of a kitchen maid by the laird of the castle, Robbie had long felt that he should never have been born. He had crossed the ocean to find the purpose of his existence. He had found Talise.

  “Talise…” He closed his eyes, whispering her name as if it were a prayer. He could still see her in his mind; tall, strong, beautiful, bronze skin adorning the curves of her supple body, the light in the depths of her black eyes, the quiet smile of her broad rose-tinted lips, soft as flower petals yet firm and determined. He could still feel the flow of her wavy black tresses beneath his fingers, silken and wild. “My bonnie lass, how we miss ye so,” he murmured into the air that flowed around him, caressing his cheek as gently as she had done. He opened his eyes, setting his jaw in determination. “I will find ye,” he promised, willing his words to be carried across the water to wherever she now lay.

  A squeak from the bairn in his arms drew his attention back down, and he bent his head to place a kiss upon the babe’s forehead. The infant reached up and ran his fingers over the ever-present swath of dark whiskers upon Robbie’s jaw, causing him to smile. Robbie prayed that his brother, James Alexander MacDonald, Laird of Knock Castle, would be able to offer him aid in his search for the poor wee lad’s mother, as well as offer the babe sanctuary from his already tragically tempestuous life.

  Robbie knew his brother to be a good man, but acknowledgement of their brotherhood was reasonably new, and Robbie had been gone for nearly half the year. He and James had parted on good terms, but he also knew that he had hurt his brother by leaving so soon after they had found each other. Would the tenuous bond that they had formed before his departure be enough to entice James to come to Robbie’s aid, or would he be forced to face the men who had taken Talise from him alone? Would his brother deem to help him in taking another man’s woman? Would he understand it, or would he judge his love as something unholy and unclean? Robbie was about to find out.

  He kissed the downy dark hair in the crook of his arm. “Dinnae fash, mac mo cridhe. We are home and everythin’ is goin’ tae be fine. Yer da will make it so nae matter the cost.” Robbie set his eyes once more on the island of his birth, praying with every stroke of the oars as they moved closer to shore. “Everythin’ will be well in time.”

  Chapter One

  Knock Castle, Isle of Skye, Scotland

  Six Months Before…

  Robbie stood next to his brother, James, in the great hall of Knock Castle, watching him exchange wedding vows, swearing his love for the English noblewoman that he had rescued from a shipwreck, Lady Elizabeth Dawson, before God and man. The time of their handfasting had ended, and they would now be legally man and wife, until death. A pang of envy caused a pain in Robbie’s chest, not for Elizabeth as he had no interest in her apart from a sister, but for the love that she and his brother shared together. He envied the surety they had for who they were and their place in the world and with each other. He and James had grown quite close since the truth of Robbie’s paternity had been revealed, and he was grateful for every moment that they had spent together, but he could not escape the feeling that he was missing an essential element of himself, that he lacked the purpose for his existence.

  As a product of rape, Robbie had often felt that he should not be alive. He had struggled for the entirety of his life with the fact that it had been through his mother’s greatest pain, the most terrible moment of her life, that he had been conceived. He drew breath because she had been attacked and violated. It was an impossible burden to live with. Knock Castle had been the only home that he had ever known, but the screams of his mother’s pain called out to him from every stone. He could not walk through its doors without being reminded of his origins. As much as he loved his brother, he knew he could not stay any longer. Now that the truth was known, he had done what he had set out to do, and the rest of his life yawned before him as a purposeless void.

  Once the ceremony was over, the hall erupted into celebration for the happy couple. James turned to Robbie and embraced him after kissing Elizabeth. James’ joy was so strong it was palpable in the air around him. The celebrations went well into the night, with many kisses exchanged between the bride and groom and many toasts drank to the bottom of the tankard. When it was over there was nary a man standing, but those that needed to be to keep all safe. James and Elizabeth walked over to Robbie wreathed in smiles. “Will ye stay the night, brother?” James invited.

  “Nae,” Robbie shook his head, smiling at his brother’s happiness. “But I would discuss a matter with ye upon the morrow.”

  “Oh, aye?”

  “Aye, but it will wait.”

  “Nae, I have time now. Elizabeth was just heading up to bed, and I was going to speak with William afore following her.” William was the castle’s keeper and James’ most trusted man. “Ye can walk and talk with me on the way.”

  Robbie looked to Elizabeth for permission to distract her new groom for a brief time. “Are ye certain?”

  “Yes, I need a moment to myself after such a celebration,” she smiled kissing Robbie’s cheek. She turned to James and whispered against his lips before kissing him, “But n
ot too much time.”

  James grinned. “As ye wish, My Lady,” he bowed with a flourish, then Elizabeth left the room, radiating sheer and utter happiness.

  James turned to Robbie and wrapped his arm around his brother’s shoulders. “Ye need tae find yerself one o’ those,” he indicated toward his wife in delight.

  “I wouldnae wish tae curse a lass with the likes o’ me for all eternity,” Robbie argued shaking his head.

  “Nonsense! Ye are a good and honorable man. Any lass would be fortunate tae wed ye.”

  Robbie chose not to argue the subject further, not wishing to anger his brother on such a happy day. “As ye say,” he demurred.

  “Now what is it that ye wish tae speak with me about?”

  “I am leavin’ Skye.”

  James stopped mid-step. “What? Why?”

  “I need tae find my purpose in this life, James. I was nae meant tae be born, but I was. I need tae find what it is that God wishes o’ my life, why I am here.”

  James stood silently studying Robbie’s face. “I will miss ye, brother. It seems as if we have only just found each other, and I dinnae want ye tae go, but I understand. Were it nae for Elizabeth and our people, I might feel much the same way.”

  “Aye, our faither’s legacy is a burden tae the both o’ us.” Their father, Alexander MacDonald, the former laird of Knock Castle, had not only raped Robbie’s mother, but many others as well. James had only just learned of their father’s sins two years ago and it had changed everything for both of them.

  “How long will ye be gone?”

  “I dinnae ken,” Robbie shook his head.

  “Swear tae me that ye will return,” James demanded. “I couldnae bear tae let ye go if I didnae ken for certain that ye would return, brother.”

  Robbie’s heart clenched at the sincerity of his brother’s words, and his throat grew thick with emotion. “I will return, I swear it,” he promised with his whole heart. “Once I have found the answers that I seek, I will return.”

  “When do ye plan tae leave?”

  “Upon the morrow. I plan tae sail with Duncan and Ian when they return tae the mainland.” Duncan MacGregor Campbell and Ian MacDonald were two of James’ closest friends who had come for the wedding.

  James nodded slowly. He reached out and pulled Robbie into his arms. “Return tae me soon, brother, for my heart couldnae take yer absence for verra long.”

  “Nor mine for the absence o’ ye,” Robbie answered, returning the embrace. Tears sprang to both men’s eyes, and they separated, both wiping the offending liquid from their cheeks.

  “God be with ye, brother.”

  “And ye.”

  James nodded, and Robbie turned to walk away. I will return, he silently promised with every painful, heartbreaking step, when I can do so with honor.

  “Never doubt that ye are loved, brother. Never for one moment ever doubt it. Ye will always have a home here with me,” James called after him, as Robbie walked off into the darkness, a single tear rolling down his cheek to disappear into his MacDonald plaid.

  I will return…

  Chapter Two

  The next morning, Robbie boarded Duncan’s boat, christened the Marra after Duncan’s dearly beloved wife, Marra MacDonald, Lairdess of the Isle of Jura. The boat would first return Ian to the Isle of Jura and then go on to mainland Scotland where Duncan’s family and people anxiously awaited his safe return. Robbie was to remain with Duncan’s family until a decision had been made as to his future prospects for employment elsewhere. Duncan had offered Robbie a permanent place among his own men, as Robbie’s prowess in battle was well established, but Robbie had refused, feeling that what he sought lay far beyond the shores of his highland homeland.

  As he sat near the stern of the boat, he watched Knock Castle fade from view, then the Isle of Skye vanished from the horizon altogether. Robbie drew in a shaky breath and turned to face the unknown future. He caught the glint of sympathy in Duncan and Ian’s eyes, but neither man spoke, leaving him to say goodbye in his own way and time without interruption. Duncan and Ian maneuvered the boat with speed and grace, leaving Robbie with nothing to do but think and mourn. He gazed out over the crystalline sun-speckled expanse of water and wondered what adventures lay for him beyond the horizon. What is there for me to do in the world other than be a warrior? I know naught else but the land, sea, and sword of my birth.

  “I’ve heard tell o’ highland mercenaries bein’ hired by men o’ import who need protection, from kings tae ladies tae ship’s captains bound for the Americas,” Ian’s voice startled him out of his reverie. He did not realize that he had spoken his thoughts aloud. “There is always someone ready tae hire a good swordsman.”

  “Aye,” Duncan nodded his head in agreement. “If ye dinnae mind the risk o’ lendin’ yer sword tae less honorable men than yer brother. Most are nae as good as he, ye ken, but ye could choose carefully who ye work for and bring honor tae yer own name if that is what ye seek.”

  Robbie nodded his head. “And where would I find such employers?”

  “Well ye could hire yerself out tae any number o’ lairds among the clans. I could make inquiries for ye if ye wished?”

  “And what of the Americas?” He had found the thought of traveling so far a distance from home to be exhilarating. No one would know who he was or how he came to be in a place so far removed from Knock Castle.

  “There are any number o’ ports that ye could visit, but if ye wish tae be sure o’ findin’ such a ship, ye would do best tae go tae London or tae Belfast. I had a cousin who immigrated from Scotland to Ireland, and then from Ireland to the America’s, and he left from Belfast. I’d say that London has more ships tae choose from though. Mind, ye would be surrounded by Sassenachs.” Ian spit over the side of the boat in disgust as if to rid himself of the bad taste of such a thing.

  “Aye, that is somethin’ tae be thinkin’ about tae be sure.” Robbie nodded his thanks to the men for their aid and sat back to contemplate his options in silence. He had never been farther than the highlands and islands of Scotland. He thought of James’ bride, Elizabeth. As far as being English went, she was a good lass to be sure, but the men who had come after her to take her back had been the evilest of men. Robbie shook his head in horrified disgust at the memory of it. Her own father had taken her and tied her to the bow of his ship. Surely nae all Sassenachs are bassards o’ such evil ilk, just as nae all Scots are honorable men. My own faither certainly wasnae.

  Robbie turned his gaze to the west out across the sea. Beyond the British Isles lay a new land of untold possibilities. He did not wish to leave Scotland forever, but just for a time, just long enough to find his way in the world apart from his father’s bloody legacy. James had found his redemption in Elizabeth. Robbie needed to find his within himself, and he could not do that with his father’s ghost breathing down his neck. He rolled his broad muscular shoulders in an attempt to erase the feeling such thoughts caused. He thought over the possibilities and decided that being a mercenary for a ship’s captain bound for foreign climes was certainly worth a try. He was strong, hardworking, skilled in warfare and strategy, as well as sailing. He would have no trouble finding a captain willing to hire him.

  “America then,” he voiced his decision aloud.

  Ian nodded his head in acceptance. “I dinnae ken why ye would wish tae leave Scotland tae be crammed on tae a ship with Sassenachs, but I wish ye well, lad.” Ian, a Scotsman of Jura through and through, had never once in his entire life dreamt of living anywhere else.

  Duncan quietly studied Robbie’s face for a time before answering. “Are ye certain, lad? ‘Tis nae likely that ye will be able tae outrun the ghosts o’ yer past. I find it is best tae accept them for what they are and move on. On Skye, ye are kenned and loved for who ye are. How ye came tae be in this world does nae matter. ‘Tis the man ye are that counts.”

  “Aye, maybe ye are right, but I will nae ken it for sure until I try.”

 
“Verra well. I will give ye the loan o’ a horse and supplies tae see ye on yer journey. If ye would like tae write a letter tae yer brother explainin’ what it is ye plan tae do, I will see that it is delivered after ye are gone.”

  “I thank ye, Duncan, for yer aid and will pay ye for yer troubles.”

  “Nae, I will nae take anythin’ from ye. ‘Tis a gift. Yer brother has done far more tae aid me and mine.”

  Robbie nodded in gratitude and turned back to staring out at the horizon. Sea journeys could be treacherous. Many ships and their crew did not survive to reach their destinations. He knew all too well that he might be swallowed up by the sea never to return, and yet the idea of such a fate did not detour him. If I am tae die in my pursuit, then so be it. I will either return tae Skye a whole man who kens his purpose or nae at all.