The Knight's Temptress (Lairds of the Loch) (49 page)
Read The Knight's Temptress (Lairds of the Loch) Online
Authors: Amanda Scott
“Then, perhaps, we might talk more about that later, sir. At present…”
When he paused, Andrew looked from one to the other of them before he said, “Och, aye, I’ll leave ye be tonight then.”
“Thank you, sir. Now,” Ian added, taking her in his arms, “where were we?”
“We were about to go in there with the others,” she said. “Did you really just call me your beautiful love?”
“I did, and we were
not
just about to go in with the others.”
“But we were,” she said, meeting his gaze mischievously. “I thought you had learned to be tactful. But it would be most
un
tactful simply to walk awa—”
Her words ended in a muffled shriek when he put a hand over her mouth.
“Tact is overvalued,” he said. “Now, come to bed.”
Laughing, she allowed him to urge her up the stairs. He was grinning, too.
Inside the chamber that Lady Margaret had occupied before, where earlier they had found, to Ian’s relief, a new and longer bed, they hastily disrobed and fell onto that bed together. There, they playfully teased each other to heights that he realized they had scarcely begun to explore.
He brought her nearly to her peak and then possessed her, so that they rose again together. Their culmination revealed that, just as her serenity could calm him and her anger could ignite his, her passion for him enflamed his desire for her.
“We will be happy much more often than we’ll fratch,” he murmured.
“Is that a command, my love?”
“Aye, sure,” Ian said drowsily.
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed
The Knight’s Temptress
. With editors and readers often singing praises of, or bemoaning, “cliff-hanger” endings that keep them awake all night by not letting them put a book down, I couldn’t resist the temptation to present my hero with a real cliffhanger at the end of Chapter 2 in this book.
Many details about Clan MacFarlan(e) and its history come from the
History of Clan MacFarlane
by James MacFarlane (Glasgow, 1922). Until the nineteenth century, Clan MacFarlan(e) was called Clan Farlan.
More MacFarlane history and details about Clan Colquhoun come from http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/atoc/colquho2.html, to wit:
“Sir Humphry [
sic
], sixth of Colquhoun, and eighth of Luss, is a witness in three charters by Duncan, Earl of Lennox.… [His] second son… Sir John [Ian] Colquhoun, was appointed governor of the castle of Dumbarton, by King James I, for his fidelity to that king during his imprisonment in England” (and afterward).
For those interested in knowing what became of Sir Ian Colquhoun, the account adds: “From his activity in punishing the depredations of the Highlanders, who often committed great outrages in the low country of Dumbartonshire, he [Sir John/Ian] rendered himself obnoxious to them, and a plot was formed for his destruction. He received a civil message from some of their chiefs,
desiring a friendly conference, in order to accommodate all their differences. Suspecting no treachery, he went out to meet them but slightly attended, and was immediately attacked by a numerous body of Islanders, under two noted robber-chiefs, Lachlan Maclean and Murdoch Gibson, and slain in Inchmurren [
sic
], on Loch Lommond [
sic
], in 1439.”
Tales of how the Clan Colquhoun motto came to be “
Si je puis
,” or “If I can,” formed the basis for Sir Ian’s mission in
The Knight’s Temptress
. The only details of that tale that I’ve found and used were the deer hunt, Colquhoun’s greyhounds, and the fact that he led the hunters (and dogs) directly beneath the castle rock on their way into the woods north of it. The rest sprang from the author’s imagination.
The real Sir Alexander de Buchanan died a hero in France, in 1424.
Rob MacAulay is a fictional son of Lord MacAulay, whose control of the mouth of Gare Loch and the Loch of the Long Boats is accurate.
The spelling of Ardincaple is the one used until the twentieth century.
Regarding Dumbarton Castle, until the late Victorian period, the entrance was on the north side, as described. The “new” entrance, on the south side, is “of recent date,” according to the 1892
Gazetteer of Scotland
. Sometime before then, one passed through a series of iron gates that the Victorians sold for “old iron.”
I would again like to extend special thanks to Matthew Miller, California Commissioner for The International Clan MacFarlane Society, Ltd; Michael Macfarlane of Celtic Jackalope, and everyone else who contributed
to the website www.clanmacfarlane.org for their helpful commentary and excellent resources.
A special thanks, as always, to the extraordinary Donald R. MacRae for tossing ideas back and forth with me, and for the wee tower guarded by giants. And one more to expert weaver Jackie Wollenberg for answering the author’s questions about looms and weaving.
Also, as always, I thank my wonderful agents, Lucy Childs and Aaron Priest, Senior Editor Selina McLemore, Senior Managing Editor Bob Castillo, master copyeditor Sean Devlin, my publicist Jessica Bromberg, Art Director Diane Luger, Cover Artist Larry Rostant, Editorial Director Amy Pierpont, Vice President and Editor in Chief Beth de Guzman, and everyone else at Hachette Book Group’s Grand Central Publishing/Forever who contributed to this book.
If you enjoyed
The Knight’s Temptress
, please look for Book 3 of
Lairds of the Loch, The Warrior’s Bride,
in February 2014. Meantime, Suas Alba!
www.amandascottauthor.com
THER
B
OOKS BY
A
MANDA
S
COTT
LAIRDS OF THE LOCH:
THE LAIRD’S CHOICE
SCOTTISH KNIGHTS
: HIGHLAND LOVER
SCOTTISH KNIGHTS
: HIGHLAND HERO
SCOTTISH KNIGHTS
: HIGHLAND MASTER
TEMPTED BY A WARRIOR
SEDUCED BY A ROGUE
TAMED BY A LAIRD
BORDER MOONLIGHT
BORDER LASS
BORDER WEDDING
KING OF STORMS
KNIGHT’S TREASURE
LADY’S CHOICE
PRINCE OF DANGER
LORD OF THE ISLES
HIGHLAND PRINCESS
THE SECRET CLAN
: REIVER’S BRIDE
THE SECRET CLAN
: HIGHLAND BRIDE
THE SECRET CLAN
: HIDDEN HEIRESS
THE SECRET CLAN
: ABDUCTED HEIRESS
BORDER FIRE
BORDER STORM
BORDER BRIDE
HIGHLAND FLING
HIGHLAND SECRETS
HIGHLAND TREASURE
HIGHLAND SPIRITS
THE BAWDY BRIDE
DANGEROUS ILLUSIONS
DANGEROUS ANGELS
DANGEROUS GAMES
DANGEROUS LADY
THE ROSE AT TWILIGHT
THE LAIRD’S CHOICE
“Wonderfully romantic… [a] richly detailed Scottish historical from the author frequently credited with creating the subgenre.”
—
Library Journal
“Splendid scenery… Atmosphere abounds in this colorful romance.”
—HistoricalNovelSociety.org
“A fine piece of historical romance fiction.”
—TheBookBinge.com
“A great start to a trilogy that brings historical Scotland to life.”
—NikkiBrandyBerry.wordpress.com
“Written with great details… The end was wonderful.”
—MyBookAddictionReviews.com
“4½ stars! The last of the Scottish Knights trilogy is Scott’s reward to her fans. The exquisite, yet subtle portrayal of her characters, coupled with their budding romance, hastens the reader’s emotional involvement with the novel. Excellent melding of historical events and people into the sensuous love story greatly enhances an excellent read.”
—
RT Book Reviews
“With multiple dangers, intrigues to unravel, daring rescues, and a growing attraction between Jake and Alyson,
Highland Lover
offers hours of enjoyment.”
—RomRevtoday.com
“A rollicking tale… will grab your attention from the very beginning… Ms. Scott’s unique storytelling ability brings history to life right before your eyes… Adventure on the high seas, passion, treachery, pirates, danger, visions, suspense, history, humor, and romance run rampant in this exciting, swashbuckling tale. If you are looking for a great Scottish romance, look no further than Amanda Scott!”
—RomanceJunkiesReviews.com
“The latest Scottish Knights romance is a wonderful early fifteenth century swashbuckling adventure. As always with an Amanda Scott historical, real events are critical elements in the exciting storyline. With a superb twist to add to the fun, readers will appreciate this super saga.”
—GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com
“4½ stars! Scott’s story is a tautly written, fast-paced tale of political intrigue and treachery that’s beautifully interwoven with history. Strong characters with deep emotions and a high degree of sensuality make this a story to relish.”
—RT Book Reviews
“[A] well-written and a really enjoyable read. It’s one of my favorite types of historical—it’s set in medieval times and interwoven with actual historical figures. Without a doubt, Amanda Scott knows her history… If you enjoy a rich historical romance set in the Highlands, this is a book to savor.”
—NightOwlRomance.com
“[A] gifted author… a fast-paced, passion-filled historical romance that kept me so engrossed I stayed up all night to finish it. The settings are so realistic that the story is brought to life right before your eyes…”
—RomanceJunkiesReview.com
“Scott, known and respected for her Scottish tales, has once again written a gripping romance that seamlessly interweaves history, a complex plot, and strong characters with deep emotions and a high degree of sensuality.”
—RT Reviews
“Ms. Scott is a master of the Scottish romance. Her heroes are strong men with an admirable honor code. Her heroines are strong-willed… This was an entertaining romance with enjoyable characters. Recommended.”
—FreshFiction.com
“Deliciously sexy… a rare treat of a read…
Highland Master
is an entertaining adventure for lovers of historical romance.”
—RomanceJunkies.com
“Hot… There’s plenty of action and adventure… Amanda Scott has an excellent command of the history of medieval Scotland—she knows her clan battles and border wars, and she’s not afraid to use detail to add realism to her story.”
—All About Romance
“4½ stars! Top Pick! Scott demonstrates her incredible skills by crafting an exciting story replete with adventure and realistic, passionate characters who reach out and grab you… Historical romance doesn’t get much better than this!”
—
RT Book Reviews
“Captivates the reader from the first page… Another brilliant story filled with romance and intrigue that will leave readers thrilled until the very end.”
—SingleTitles.com
“4½ stars! Top Pick! Tautly written… passionate… Scott’s wonderful book is steeped in Scottish Border history and populated by characters who jump off the pages and grab your attention… Captivating!”
—
RT Book Reviews
“Readers fascinated with history… will love Ms. Scott’s newest tale… leaves readers clamoring for the story of Mairi’s sister in
Tempted by a Warrior
.”
—FreshFiction.com
“4½ stars! Top Pick! Scott has crafted another phenomenal story. The characters jump off the page and the politics and treachery inherent in the plot suck you into life on the Borders from page one.”
—
RT Book Reviews
“Scott creates a lovely, complex cast.”
—
Publishers Weekly
Lady Muriella MacFarlan has sworn she’ll never submit to a husband.
Rugged warrior Robert MacAulay has vowed never to take a wife.
But when a twist of fate unites the two against a common enemy, they will discover a passion that will change their futures forever…
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