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Christine Young
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Book Heat Level: 3
BLURB:
Highland
Honor
The first book in the Highland Series
Willfully stubborn, innocently courageous, Callie
Whitcomb braves a journey through the treacherous highlands to the Macpherson castle.
Callie flees from an unwanted marriage as well as her ruthless half brother.
Naively she believes Colin MacPherson, the head of the clan, is loyal to her
father and will give her sanctuary, protecting her from the vile plans that
have been made for her.
As hard and as unyielding as the winter storms that
sweep through the countryside, Colin is irresistibly drawn to the impetuous
beauty who has magically appeared on his doorsteps. Despite his vows of revenge
against her father, she stirs his passion as well as his sense of justice...but
to love her would violate all his vows of revenge.
EXCERPT:
Scotland
November 1512:
A heavy frost
sat on the frozen earth, and a full moon shone clearly between the heavy clouds
dotting the sky. Lady Callie Whitcomb looked over her shoulder as she raced
through the deepening gloom toward the lighted tavern ahead. Every shadow,
every mournful sigh of the wind sweeping through the trees, every chilling
animal sound filled her with terror. Fear for her life drove her to put all
thoughts of danger aside. He would follow her, find her, and drag her home.
Home.
"Don't
think of that now," she reminded herself fiercely, even while tears stung
in the back of her throat and fear made her limbs tremble. "Don't ye dare
think of home. It no longer exists." Nothing and no one could coax her
back or make her believe there was naught but terror in the home where she'd
been born.
"I will
never marry Lord Huntington. Never!" she whispered fiercely, the chill
night air solemnly echoing her words.
Her
stepbrother, Archibald Covington III, made sure she could never return.
"There ye
be, lass! I've been waiting for you."
The voice rose
from nowhere and surprised her. Her heart froze, lurched, then began an erratic
beat, while raw nerves snapped, sending a myriad of sensations racing down her
spine.
"Archibald--"
she whispered, panic sweeping through her. "He's found me." All she
could hear was the pounding of blood in her ears.
Before she
could reach her destination, before she could find safe refuge from him, his
men had found her. No! Not now. Not when she thought she had eluded them all.
A wave of fear
sweeping through her reminded her, that if caught, she would be taken back to
Archibald and forced to marry Lord Huntington.
"I'll help
you down, lass."
"No."
Before she
could react and spur her horse forward, callous, rough hands centered on her
waist then pulled her from her mount.
"No!"
She cried out to no avail. Regaining her wits, she beat fiercely upon the man's
broad chest, tearing at his face and his thick beard with her fingers.
"Ach,
lass! Hold still! I mean ye no harm. Stop this--" His voice was gruff and
impatient.
Fear for her
life had spurred her haste. Terror she might see Huntington or Archibald with
each turn of the road haunted every hour of her journey. Archibald had
retainers everywhere. Messages would have been sent. A highlander could be
bought.
"Ruffian!
Unhand me! Ye barbarous Scotsman."
If Archibald
had guessed what path she followed...
"Verra
well, ne'er let it be said that I dinna do a lass' bidding." Just as
suddenly as he'd grabbed her, his hold upon her vanished. She stumbled
backward.
Instantly, she
found herself sitting on the frozen earth. The man towering above her watched
her with concerned dark eyes. Despite the scar stretching from forehead to
chin, his mouth quirked upward in a humorous slant.
"Ye be a
handful, lass."
Mary of A Romance Review says, "Overall I
liked the story and can recommend it as a worthwhile read. The author has a lot
of talent and the plot and tension of the story are well handled."
OTHER TITLES IN THIS SERIES:
