This exciting conclusion to the popular Highland Lairds Trilogy features a runaway lass and the laird who will do anything to protect her.
Feisty Lady Raine Cameron has been surrounded her whole life by gossip claiming she is not her father’s daughter. Determined to find her true heritage, the dark-haired beauty boards the Black Raven under false pretenses in search of the man who she believes is her father, a man who is also a traitor to Scotland. Only the Black Raven himself stands in her way…
Laird Keir MacNeil has a reputation for being a ruthless and powerful ship captain. On a mission to apprehend Scotland’s most wanted traitor, he never expected to see Raine on his ship. Keir vows to keep Raine out of harm’s way and return her to her family untarnished. But as his lust for her grows, he must choose between honor and the woman he never expected to desire.
PROLOGUE
June 1504
Archnacarry Manor
Western Highlands
“Come away with me tomorrow, Nina,” the dark-haired man implored. “Meet me here at daybreak, and we’ll flee together. If you love me, dearest, come with me.”
His deep brown eyes filled with tenderness, he drew the beautiful lass close and kissed her tenderly on the forehead, then used the edge of the yellow-and-black tartan pinned to his shoulder to wipe away her tears.
“My father has received an offer of marriage for me from Laird Cameron,” Nina replied, her voice shaking with fright. “Should I run away with you, Torcall, my parents might never forgive me. Perhaps, if we pleaded with them together, they would understand how much in love we are.”
“I can’t wait any longer, dearest,” Torcall said. “The king has pronounced my father a traitor and with him all our clan. I must go and help defend our home and our lands.”
Nina clutched his strong hand in both of hers and brought his fingers to her lips. Her hair, a stunning red-gold, gleamed in the forest’s dappled sunlight. “Oh, Torcall, I do love you so.”
“Don’t be afraid, darling lass,” he told her, his voice ringing with the optimism of youth. “We’ll go to Steòrnabhagh. My father’s castle on the Isle of Lewis is impregnable. We’ll be married there. One day I’ll be chief of Clan MacMurchaidh, Nina, and I will give you all the things I so long to give.”
She smiled, her blue eyes filling once more with tears. “Your love is all I need, my dear, and all I want.”
Torcall hugged her close, then bent his head to place a gentle kiss on her lips. “You’ll meet me here tomorrow, then?” he asked. “You’ll run away with me?”
Nina nodded, a smile curving her lips. “Aye, I’ll flee with you, Torcall. I’ll meet you here, right by this tall pine tree, when the sun rises tomorrow.”
In the faint light of the following morning, the glen where the couple had stood seemed to wait in hushed anticipation of the coming dawn . . .
Her heart pounding, Raine awoke with a start and stared at the bed’s canopy above her head. She’d first had the dream when she was fourteen years old. The year after her father, Gideon Cameron, had been murdered. Raine knew it wasn’t an ordinary dream. ’Twas a vision of her mother and Raine’s natural father.
About the Author:
Kathleen Harrington, winner of the Colorado Romance Writers’ Award of Excellence, has touched the hearts of readers across the country with her sparkling tales of high adventure and unending love. Her historical romances have been finalists for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice, Virginia Romance Writers’ HOLT Medallion, and the Phoenix Desert Rose Golden Quill. Her fabulous heroes have garnered the K.I.S.S. (Knight in Shining Silver) Award. She lives in Southern California.
Jennifer’s Review of Black Raven’s Lady
Review (4 Stars): I have always loved sexy Highlanders and I understood the attraction that Raine had for Keir during the course of this book. Raine is on a mission to learn more about her real father and the only person that can take her to learn the truth is Laird Keir MacNeil. Under false pretenses, she sneaks aboard one of his ships and discovers that the man that Keir is after, just happens to be the same man she is looking for. Hopefully, Raine can find out the truth but being in close quarters with Keir leads to an attraction that neither of them may be able to ignore.
Raine was a great heroine in this story because she was smart, feisty and no one was going to stop her from doing what she wants. She was always attracted to Keir and he was always able to push her buttons. They always seemed to butt heads with one another but that is what made them a great couple. He was able to verbally spar with her and that helped to make this story more exciting.
Keir was the typical sexy alpha male who was used to being in charge of everything in his life. Having Raine on his ship turned his life upside and I could tell that he couldn’t decide whether to kiss Raine or put her over his knee and spank her whenever she stirred up trouble. Black Raven’s Lady was a sexy romance on the high seas that I’m sure will delight historical romance readers. I do recommend reading the first two books in the series first because there was quite a bit of back story about Keir’s brothers that I would have liked to learn more about.
Thank you for hosting today!
Thank you for spotlighting Book Three of my Highland Lairds Trilogy, BLACK RAVEN’S LADY, on your lovely site. And thanks so much for your wonderful review! I appreciate the opportunity to become acquainted with your readers. I hope they will become my readers as well!
From the reading of this excerpt, I’m thinking maybe Raine’s father is Torcall? 🙂 Just a wild guess since he is in her recurring dream… Thanks for the post!