Excerpt Morning was just starting to dawn as he slipped around the inn and into the side servants' entrance. Though 'twas difficult for a man of his tall size, he moved stealthily up the stone staircase and along the corridor where the guest rooms were. 'Haps he was daft to kidnap his own sister, but if Alec would not return his treasure, he would take Alec's. 'Twas the only leverage he had. Aye, his sister would be angry, but if Alec was truly a whoreson and thief, why would his sister wish to marry him? When a door opened, he hid in the window alcove behind the drapery. "The chief wishes you to hurry, Lady Lindsay," the soft female voice urged. "He sent me to fetch you." Lady Lindsay? Dugald frowned and peered from behind the plaid material and down the corridor. All he could see was a drab-clothed maid waiting before an open door, then she disappeared inside. More maids rushed out of the room, carrying various small trunks. He drew back and watched them trot down the stairwell. Aye, obviously the whole of the Lindsay party was in an unnatural rush, all because Alec and Angus wished to escape with Dugald's dagger. Thieves and cowards, the lot of them. He peered out from behind the curtain again. Though the corridor was dim in the dawn light, he could easily see the short, blond woman, wearing a dark cloak with the cowl over her silk gown. Lady Lindsay, herself. Saints, she would be even better leverage than Mairiana! Of a certainty, the chief would want her back, and he would find the thief with all haste in order to return the dagger. Dugald's muscles tensed as she walked past his hiding place. Now was his chance. Silently approaching Lady Lindsay from behind, Dugald gently but firmly clamped his hand over her mouth, lifted her and carried her quickly down the narrow servants' stairs toward the side exit. Amid muffled screams, she kicked and elbowed him. What a fiery hellion! Though he hated to terrify her and use her for leverage, he had little choice. "Stay calm," he whispered in her ear, anticipation rampaging through him. "I won't hurt you." He glanced behind himself. Thank the saints no one was about. Once outside, he ran with her, along the side of the inn and across the street to the livery stables where his clan's horses were saddled and waiting. She was a wee, light thing but she struggled hard, her elbows jabbing into him. "Come." He motioned some of his men behind the tavern next door. "Chief?" Owen asked, wide-eyed as he took in Dugald's captive. "What the devil?" "Help me with her. Tie a gag in her mouth," Dugald demanded, his heartrate and breathing elevated. "But don't hurt her." "Are you certain this is wise?" "I don't need you acting like Tòmas," he snapped. "This is the only way to get the dagger back."

    Hannah Kincaid is a Royalist spy who spirits away Scotland's crown jewels from under Cromwell's nose. Is it love that blossoms between them, or a deadly game of cat-and-mouse?

    She is Elizabeth Curtis, a beautiful Englishwoman who wears the scarlet uniform of an English soldier and wields a sword like a seasoned fighter on the battlefield.Enemies meet, and passions collide...in THE REBELThe Rebel is a short story of 7000 words (approximately 28 pages). It first appeared in print in the MAMMOTH BOOK OF SCOTTISH ROMANCE, edited by Trisha Telep

    Mallory wants a piece of pirate's treasure, and Vivianne yearns for a love letter from a poet. But Bridget has more on her mind than the game. She knows life with her evil, blackmailing fiancée will be hellish, so she’s determined to make him suffer too—by stealing a Highlander’s kilt and leaving him to wonder how she acquired it. The Scots charged with finding and protecting them along the way are entirely wrong--and perfect--for the job. Rory, for instance, is a kilt-clad Highlander, but he’d rather die alone in a cave rather than get within ten feet of another Englishwoman. Unfortunately for him, the duty to pay his grandfather’s debt will get him—and his two friends—much, much closer to the lasses than that.

     A YULETIDE KISS (short story) Half-Viking shieldmaiden Kimbery of Rivenloch has until Yuletide to choose a bridegroom…or one will be chosen for her. But when the barbarian Brude the Brutal travels to claim his betrothed, he finds himself bewitched instead by a runaway bride.

    Under the command of William Marshall, Chancellor of England, Garren is the king's most trusted and loyal servant. When Garren is ordered to marry into a family deeply loyal to Prince John, the knight is understandably reluctant; the House of de Rosa is infamous for its bloodlust and bizarre characters. Upon meeting the Lady Derica de Rosa, however, Garren thinks perhaps that the marriage may not be all that unpalatable. Derica is beautiful and humorous, and Garren is smitten. Upon the eve of the betrothal, however, Garren's identity as a spy is discovered and he is set upon by the de Rosa's. With Derica's help, he escapes execution and together the two of them begin an enormous trek across England and Wales to flee her pursuing family. When William Marshall discovers that Garren has deviated from his orders, he too goes in pursuit of him, undermining Garren's trust with a friend he has known since childhood. Duty soon separates them and Garren stages his own death in battle in order to free himself of William Marshall's directives. But news of his death gets back to Derica, who finds herself a pawn between her family and William Marshall as she grieves for the man she loved and now has lost. It is a race against time for Garren to return to his wife before she is forced to marry another, all in the name of politics.

    He was born with a purpose and a duty; to win back his legacy from the evil Murdoch Mackintosh, who killed his father and rob him of his rightful place. With that burden on his shoulders, Andrew lived all his life preparing for this moment, but his destiny is in jeopardy when he meets an alluring lass... Nairne Mackintosh was afraid of her father, Murdoch, her whole life. Raised by a man who was tormenting and abusing her, she never thought that tenderness and happiness were an option for her. One day, on the shores of a mystical loch, a very naked and vulnerable, Nairne meets a young man who will change her life forever and put her in even bigger danger than she already is... Andrew is focused on getting his revenge for the murder of his father, but lasses can be distracting when found in the woods alone. He thought he knew his destiny until she changed everything... *If you like brawny Highland warriors with a soft heart, and romantic stories depicting the majestic and mysterious Scottish Highlands, then Highlander's Rightful Claim is the perfect novel for you. "Highlander's Rightful Claim" is a Historical Scottish romance novel of more than 80,000 words (around 440 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    That peace is threatened when Fiona McPherson is made chief after the death of her husband.Known more for her fighting skills than her beauty, Fiona refuses the multiple proposals of marriage that begin to seemingly arise from nowhere. She may be the chief of her clan, but she’s still a woman. It isn’t Fiona they want, but her land and she’s willing to fight to the death to keep it.Rumor has it Caelen McDunnah has lost his mind…Called McDunnah, the chief of Clan McDunnah, has no desire to remarry. He’s perfectly content to still mourn the loss of his first wife and babe, even if it has been sixteen years. Until he meets the beautiful and feisty Fiona McPherson.Known to start a fight out of sheer boredom or madness — no one is ever truly sure which — Caelen suddenly finds himself in the middle of battles he has no desire to fight, but fight them he will if it means he can have Fiona McPherson as his own.There is always a wee bit of truth in every rumor.

    This collection includes the complete novels of Borrowed Dreams, Captured Dreams, and Dreams of Destiny. Borrowed Dreams: Driven to undo the evil wrought by her dead husband, Millicent Wentworth must find a way to save her estate and free the innocent people her husband enslaved. Her only hope is a marriage of convenience with the notorious widower, Lyon Pennington, fourth Earl of Aytoun, who just may be the most handsome-and caring-man she's ever encountered. Captured Dreams: May McGoldrick returns with the latest in a trilogy about love-and the birth of a nation... Portia Edwards will go to any length to find the family she's never known. And when she meets merchant Pierce Pennington, a staunch but secretive Son of Liberty, Portia has the perfect chance to ask for his help. But her stubborn pride keeps her silent. That is, until she recognizes her strong attraction to the brave man who, by night, is known as the infamous Captain MacHeath, smuggling arms by sea under the pall of darkness-all in the name of liberty... Dreams of Destiny Wounded by scandal and the unsolved murder of his sister-in-law, David Pennington is outwardly insolent and arrogant. But nothing will stop him from escorting his childhood friend, Gwyneth Douglas, to Scotland-and saving the Scottish heiress from fortune hunters. But with their arrival in Scotland comes terrible danger. Now, if they ever hope to satisfy their desire, they will need to thwart the evil that threatens to destroy both their lives...

    A longing to forget compels him. Fate may send them into each other’s arms, but only love can mend their hearts. An Outlander Raised by a tyrannical father, Marion de Lacy yearns for the comfort of belonging to a loving family. So when her father announces her betrothal to an evil knight in exchange for his help to overthrow the king, she concocts a desperate scheme to avoid the marriage: feigning her own death and then fleeing England. But when her plan goes terribly awry and she’s captured by the knight, not even her careful preparations could ready her for the Scottish barbarian who rescues her and then informs her that he’s to marry her by edict of her king. Certain her father will defy the king’s orders and wed her to the knight if she refuses the Highlander’s hand, Marion agrees to marry the strangely compelling but obstinate laird of the MacLeod clan. A Highlander After the death of his beloved wife, Iain MacLeod has no desire to marry ever again. Yet when he finds himself obliged to do so to secure the freedom of his childhood friend and king, he reluctantly travels across England to collect his unwanted bride, expecting to find a cold Englishwoman. Instead, he discovers a fiery, bold beauty who is fiercely loyal, protective of those she loves, and defies him at every turn, challenging his certainty that his heart is dead. Ensnared Following a hasty marriage and perilous journey to Scotland, Marion harbors no illusions that her new husband loves her. Still, her heart cannot resist the noble, brave warrior, and she cannot suppress the hope that she has finally found where she belongs. However, the harder she tries to fit in with the clan and gain Iain’s love, the farther away her dreams drift. Iain is more than willing to give his respect to his courageous wife—her kisses and caresses even ignite his blood and demand his passion—but he refuses to give up his heart. That is, until enemies near and far threaten to take Marion from him. Now the demons that haunt him can only be conquered by surrendering body and soul to Marion, if only it’s not too late…

    He has but one. Love. Tavia is the adopted child of an apothecary and former priest. Besides loving her, Tavia’s father passed on to her his medical skills and also taught her French and Latin, giving her a better education than most men of her time.Blair is the son of the Laird and a handsome man that every single woman in the village desires. He is respected by his tenants and he is a capable man, always wiling to help and protect them.When Blair has an accident close to Tavia’s house, she uses her medical skills to heal his wounds. Blair finds in her beautiful eyes a unique woman that can give meaning to his life.He can not accept that he won’t see her again after this meeting, so he asks Tavia to give him French lessons. Tavia accepts and that only makes the heat between them grow… They both know though, that Tavia is a peasant girl, and marrying her is forbidden by society’s rules. But Blair wants to defy all of them! Determined to find a solution he will start discovering clues about Tavia’s real parents and her past, making things take a turn none of them could ever imagine."Highlander’s Lost Daughter" is a story packed with romance, mystery, and salvation, set on the beautiful backdrop of the Scottish Highlands.

    But when she arrives, not only does she find the castle scorched by fire, but a brawny Highlander bars her entry.Clan chief Grey Campbell would rather die than see his family home, Finlarig Castle, fall into English hands, so Grey must win the battle of wills with the beautiful Sassenach who flashes a bill of sale before him.When the war between Evelyn and Grey escalates, passions flare. But outsiders have their own plans for Finlarig. After secrets are revealed, and muskets are lit, the fates of the Campbell Clan, the school, and a possible future for Grey and Evelyn are in as much jeopardy as their lives

    Fate intervenes when, on the way, she checks into an inn and registers as the “MacKinnon's bride.”Presumed dead at Culloden, Callum MacKinnon, stops by the inn as well, intending to clean up before his return as the prodigal son. Imagine his surprise to discover his “bride to be” has already procured a room. And more—the feisty sassenach everything he never realized he desired.*Previously published in the anthology, A Very Highland Christmas

    Weary and injured, Sir Rylan de Bremont wants only to return home for Christmas after two long years away. But first he must deliver terrible news to a newly widowed lady.Lady Kayte Dufrane has been miserable in her marriage to a gruff lord far older than she. Rylan’s news gives her freedom, but she fears her late husband’s brother will claim her for his own. This strong, handsome knight might be the answer to her prayers if she can convince him to help her escape. Though Rylan has no desire to become embroiled in the beautiful Kayte’s dilemma, delaying his journey home, he can’t resist her pleas. Will his Christmas wish be filled with more than he bargained for?

    Fleeing the smoldering ruins of her village, Hanna crosses the Strait of Mull and chooses the Laird of Clan MacLean as the object of her revenge.Alex MacLean has buried a wife and three children. Ignoring the clamors for him to wed again and produce an heir, he finds himself drawn to a Norse refugee who defies him and tests the limits of his patience-and his power as Laird.Torn between revenge and honor, Hanna fears setting aside her vow of vengeance means she has lost her reason for living. Alex is determined to save her, even if it means defying the king.Do you like a bit of history with your romance? In the 13th century, the king of Scotland had little control in the Western Highlands and in the isles to the north and west. A rich culture of Gaelic and Norn existed here, and power lay in the hands of the chiefs. Much of Western Scotland and the Isles gave their allegiance to the king of Norway.In 1249, King Alexander II prepared to invade the Hebrides and Western Scotland. After 5 years of failed negotiations with Norway to purchase these areas, King Alexander broke his association with King Haakon and set out to take the Isles and Western territories by force.In the years to come, two kings would perish during this battle for sovereignty-along with many people given the choice to change their alliance to the Scottish king . . .Or die.