BOOK INFORMATION
Highlander’s Rebellious Love
Donna Fletcher
Publisher: Indie pubbed
Genre: Medieval/Scottish Historical Romance
Series: Macinnes Sisters Trilogy Book 2
Pub date: November 2014
BOOK SUMMARY
2nd book in the Macinnes Sisters Trilogy
Patience Macinnes is angry that her father
has ordered her north to the Clan McLaud to settle a dispute when she should be
searching for her sister. She intends to see the task done and resume her
search. But the McLauds prove more of a problem than she anticipated,
especially one McLaud in particular.
Hunter McLaud is known for his love of
women. He spends his days entertaining himself with them and his nights as
well. Patience has no time for the ne'er-do-well warrior until he offers her a
solution to settle the problem between their clans. He asks her to marry him
and unite the clans.
With the possibility of war looming over
the clans, Patience has no choice but to agree to Hunter’s outrageous plan, but
she has some stipulations of her own. He agrees to her demands, though neither
one of them is prepared for the turmoil that follows. And neither one of them
is prepared for the demands of their hearts.
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EXCERPT
Highlander’s
Rebellious Love
Donna
Fletcher
Chapter
One
“You
cannot be serious, Father.”
Anytime his middle daughter Patience
called him Father, Donald Macinnes knew he was in trouble. Unlike his eldest
daughter Heather who was sweet and kind, or his youngest daughter Emma who was
too interested in learning all she could about everything she could, Patience
was nothing like her name.
“I
have not been home a full day. I have yet to see my sister Emma who I have
learned is wed to Rogan MacClennan and who had been Heather’s intended. I also
have not yet found my sister Heather who has been abducted by the vile Dark
Dragon.” Patience threw her arms up in the air. “And what does my father want
of me? He wants me to go settle a squabble for a clan that claims us kin, but
we have not heard from since,” —she threw her hands up into the air again—
“since when, Father? Heather is my priority, not some distant, inconsequential
squabble between two insignificant clans.”
Donald
Macinnes pulled himself away from the pillows that supported his back in the
bed and glared at his daughter. “The last time I looked, I was still laird of
this clan and your father, and that means you will obey whatever order I give
you.”
“Why
would you think that would work now, Father, when it has not worked since I was
young.”
“Because
you are not only the finest warrior I have, but you are the most capable to see
this matter settled without a war ensuing.”
“You
think to ply me with compliments, so I will do as you ask?” Patience said,
planting her hands on her slim hips while a glint of fire surged in her bold
green eyes.
“I
ply you with the truth,” Donald snapped. “You are an exceptionally skilled and
capable warrior and as your laird I am sending you where your talents are most
needed. I am in correspondence with the King to see what can be done to have
Heather returned home to us.”
“King
James do something?” Patience laughed. “He is too afraid of the Dark Dragon to
do anything. We must rescue Heather ourselves.”
“Enough!” Donald demanded. “Whether I
speak to you as my daughter or one of my loyal warriors, you have no choice but
to obey me on this, and do not think it insignificant. You know full well that
the McFarden clan is necessary to our clan’s safety and we to theirs. Their
land borders McLaud land. They are fierce and mighty Highlanders that will not
be ignored and they are claiming that a portion of McFarden land belongs to
them. If we allow them to stake claim to it, then they will not stop there and
soon McFarden land—our land—will belong to the McLauds.”
Patience
understood the importance of what her father was telling her, but what mattered
more to her was finding her sister Heather. If it had been herself who had been
captured, Heather would not rest until Patience was returned home. And Patience
intended to do the same for her sister. She would not rest, would not relent in
her pursuit to find Heather.
“Let
Rogan MacClennan send a troop of warriors to settle this dispute, since our
clans have now been joined by marriage.” Patience’s eyes flared a fiery green
once again. “Did you even bother to ask Emma if she wanted to wed Rogan
MacClennan?”
Donald
dropped back against the pillow, worn out from arguing with his daughter. Ever
since she had been young, it had not been easy getting her to obey. She had a
mind of her own and a sharp mind at that, and she was full of confidence. She
had all the requisites of a fine laird, which made her exasperating to deal
with.
“Emma
and Rogan happen to love each other,” he said.
“You
are sure of that?” Patience asked. “Rogan had not wanted Emma and now he claims
to love her?”
“I
understand your misgivings, but their love is there for all to see and your
sister is happy. And I am happy and relieved that the arranged marriage turned
out so well for her.”
“You
will not marry me off to anyone without my consent,” Patience warned with a
shake of her finger.
“I
would not dare, Patience. Your husband is yours to choose.”
A fit of coughing gripped Donald and Patience
hurried to his side to help him sit up and drink some of the brew kept on the
chest by his bed. Her father had appeared much improved since last she saw him
over a month ago, but that did not mean he had completely recovered from his
illness. She had failed to keep that in mind when he had summoned her to his
bedchamber. She had assumed he wanted to speak with her about formulating a
plan to rescue Heather. To learn that his only intention where Heather was concerned
was to keep in correspondence with the King had infuriated her, and that she
was to be sent off to deal with witless warriors infuriated her even more.
Donald took hold of his
daughter’s hand as she helped him to lie back on his pillows. “I know what I
ask of you makes you angry, but sometimes a laird has no choice but to do what
must be done even if he does not like it himself. And if you dare to think that
I am giving up on your sister, then you should be ashamed of yourself. I love
all three of my daughters with all my heart and I would give my life to keep
you all safe and see you all happy.”
The anger drained from
Patience like a receding wave, leaving a heavy dose of guilt in its wake. Her
da was right. No one could ever doubt his love for his daughters.
“I am truly sorry, Da,”
she said and hugged him.
He patted her back. “It
has been a difficult time for all of us, but fear not, I will see that all
turns out well.”
His reassuring words
lightened her heart a bit and reminded her of what she should have realized,
that her da would not rest until Heather was rescued.
Donald patted the bed
for Patience to sit, and she did. “It is a most unwelcoming area, mountainous
range and barren land, another reason the McFarden joined with us. We provide
them with much needed staples. They in turn keep watch over that area and let
us know of any unrest.”
“There is always unrest
in the Highlands, all of Scotland for that matter. I sometimes wonder if
Scotland will ever be at peace.”
“A feeling felt by all,”
Donald said, “which is why we must make certain we do all we can to keep our
clan and holdings as strong as possible.”
Patience had no choice
but to agree. “You are right, Da, but I hate delaying my search for Heather
over nothing but a—”
“A matter that can be
settled with relative haste,” Donald said, “thus avoiding a major conflict that
if left unattended could cause far worse delays in finding your sister. And
need I remind you again that I do not sit idle when it comes to your sister’s
abduction. You must trust that I am doing more than you realize to see
everything ends well.”
Her da was a man of his word and he was a wise
and courageous laird. He had taught her much and she continued to learn from
him. She could see to this matter and return home in no time. Another thought
struck her that made this mission more appealing. It would give her a chance to
extend her search for the Dark Dragon’s lair. The trail she had followed had
gotten her nowhere. It seemed the Dark Dragon’s warriors lived up to their name—ghost
warriors. Their tracks were there one moment and gone the next. The only thing
she had learned was that the Dark Dragon’s army was vast and would not be easy
to battle against. It had made her reach the conclusion that it would take a
much wiser plan to defeat the evil beast.
“I will ready my
warriors and leave in the morning,” Patience said.
“Take a new batch of
warriors with you. Your faithful group needs a rest.”
“They go where I go,”
Patience insisted, knowing her men would not take kindly to being left behind.
“Think, Patience,” her
da said. “Your men are worn out. Fresh warriors will serve you better and help
keep your mission brief.”
If anything, she wanted
this mission to be as brief as possible. “Another point conceded, Da, though my
men will not be happy about it.”
“Nonetheless, they will
obey you as you do your laird,” Donald said. “Now listen well, for you need to
know about the McLauds. Greer is the oldest of three sons and laird since his
da’s passing a few months ago. He is a fierce one and short-tempered, so tread
carefully around him. Rona, his wife, is as short-tempered as her husband. Rab
is the middle son, skilled in weapons and battle, and it is he who leads the
McLaud warriors when it comes to conflict. He recently wed, her name is
Saundra. She is the eldest daughter of Hew McDolan, laird of the McDolan clan
and you know well that we have almost come to conflict with them several times.
So, it is easy to assume that he is behind this attempt to confiscate some of
our land. And there is no need for me to tell you that land is power here in
the Highlands.”
Patience hated to admit
it, but her da was right in seeing to this matter immediately. Left unattended
the McLauds would seek to encroach and lay claim to more Macinnes land. “From
the little I recall about the McLauds, they are a more brute than intelligent
lot. Do you think Hew McDolan is behind this encroachment?”
“Craig MacFarden will
know if there has been interference from the McDolans.”
“And if there has been?”
Patience asked and grew upset watching her da take a deep breath, as if trying
to lift a heavy weight off himself. She spoke up before he could answer,
wanting to lighten his burden. “I will see to it, Da.”
“With little or no
bloodshed,” he said, though more commanded. “Now about the youngest McLaud,
though there is not much to tell. From what I hear, Hunter keeps himself busy
entertaining the lassies. His father, Kevin, when he was alive, spoke poorly of
him. And it is well known he came to blows with Hunter on more than one
occasion. I do not think you have much to worry about when it comes to
him.”
“Men are men, Da, I can handle them,” Patience
said with confidence.
Donald shook his head.
“And what happens when there comes a day you cannot handle one?”
Patience
laughed. “I will marry him
AUTHOR INFO
Donna Fletcher is a USA Today bestselling author of
adventurous historical and paranormal romances. Her own adventures have taken
her to England, Ireland, and Scotland. She has walked the fields were battles
were fought centuries ago, toured haunted castles, stood where beheadings were
commonplace, explored the mystic mounds of long ago, and collected a plethora
of memories and research that will live long in her mind and heart. She has
written over thirty books that have sold worldwide and she plans on writing
many more.
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Hi Donna, I can't wait to read this. I have loved all your books and this series is great.
ReplyDeleteI loved the first book, can't wait for Patience' s story.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fantastic read!
ReplyDeleteAnother new author for me. Donna, this sounds interesting. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteHello Donna, i just recently read my first Highlander book and i loved it. I would love to read your books. Thank you
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