Excerpt

Prologue

MacGregor Keep April 30, 1420

Declan wasn’t surprised to see the figure of a man seated before the fire in the guest chamber he had been given. That Cortland was still awake at the late hour was a blessing. There was much they needed to discuss in private.

“About time you made it back.” Cortland greeted Declan without facing him. Declan savored the momentary reprieve from the condemnation he would see in the man’s eyes. His trusted advisor and friend made no secret of his loathing for the manner in which Declan collected information.

“What can I say? The Lady MacGregor is a verra demanding woman.” Declan took the seat to Cortland’s left. Because she was also fair to look upon and endowed with the curves he so enjoyed, their ten-year age difference was of no concern to him.

Even in the dim light of the fire, Declan saw the pale blue eyes fix on him. “Did she give you what you needed?”

Declan laughed at the loaded comment, even though he knew Cortland spoke only of the perils facing the Draig clan. Regaining his composure, he filled Cortland in on the details gleaned. “The lady said exactly the same as the Lady MacDonald did. My uncle seeks to use the edict against me in an attempt to take control of the clan.”

The edict in question was a fine tale to add to Draig clan lore. In the time of his great-father, Robert the Bruce had decreed that the laird of the Draig clan must be wed by his twenty-eighth year or forfeit his title and lands. While his family viewed that as a jest and supposedly praise for his great-grandmother, his greedy Uncle Glenn may have found exactly what he needed to oust Declan as laird and claim the clan’s wealth.

“Then mayhap you should have spent the night discussing a marriage with Laird MacGregor’s daughter and nay sleeping with his wife.” Cortland’s voice hinted at a jest, yet danced too close to what should have been.

The lighthearted air with which the comment was delivered let Declan know Cortland was not serious about the idea. His clan had never been one to make marriages for alliances or wealth. Their marriages had always been for love. The Draig clan was full of strong warriors and had more wealth at their disposal than the crown. However, seven years earlier, Declan had married to make peace. The centuries-old feud with the Campbell clan needed to end. His marriage was empty and short lived. Morna died soon after giving birth to their daughter, Mary.

Declan knew that his first marriage would not save him from the edict. The cursed document had been carefully worded: the laird needed to be married at age twenty-eight.

“I did speak with Laird MacGregor, and his demands are as steep as the other clans.” Declan ran his hand absently over the stubble on his chin. “Only true desperation will make me pay their bride price.”

“We have almost two moons until the day of your birth is marked. Have faith, Declan.”

Declan nodded at the man seated by his side. Cortland was almost old enough to be his father; in truth, it was the role he had filled since Declan assumed the mantle of laird eight years before. “Aye, old man. There is still time to find a way out of this mess. Send riders to court. See if we can bribe the right men to turn away from my Uncle Glenn.”

 “I already have men placed within the court. So far none are willing to speak against Glenn. He promises a fair share of your wealth, nay merely a single purse. Still, they are good men who will do what they can.” The lack of conviction in Cortland’s voice made Declan doubt those men would be successful.

“On the morrow, we shall ride home,” Declan declared. The journey to visit several other clans had accomplished what he had intended. He had all the confirmation he needed to know the plot against him.

“You and the men journey together. I have heard tales of an Esmeralda in a village a day’s ride from here.”

Declan sighed at the proclamation. After a decade, Cortland still sought his missing wife and daughter. When Cortland’s wife had stolen away in the night with a traveling merchant, she took their daughter with her. “You ken the odds of this Esmeralda being your child, do you nay?”

“Would you leave without riding to see with your own eyes?” Cortland’s challenge dared him to disagree. “‘Tis my duty to see if my wife and daughter can be found.”

Declan understood completely. His wee daughter, Mary, was the reason no marriage seemed possible. “Take two of the men to guard your back. For your sake, I pray she is the one you seek.” Declan meant more than the correct woman. He too had heard the men speak the name. The lass in question served more than ale at a foul establishment. Cortland was too honorable a man to have to deal with a daughter who led such a life.

“I leave at first light,” Cortland said. “When I return to the keep, we can discuss options and compare information again. I ken you have your own sources.”

Declan rose to escort Cortland to the chamber door. He could do with a few hours of sleep. “Cortland, I will do whatever is needed to keep my people safe.”

 “I ken this, Declan. Mayhap if you start flirting with young unmarried women, you could find the right one.”

Declan was glad Cortland’s humor had resurfaced. Soft laughter left his lips. “Young unmarried women are nay likely to climb into bed with me with so little effort, and they ken few secrets worth sharing.”

Cortland’s head shook in mild disgust. “If they climbed into your bed, your problem would be solved. There would awaken a wife.”

Declan couldn’t argue with the sound logic. Still, he wanted more than just a woman to warm his bed; there were plenty of those. He needed a mother for his daughter, a woman wise enough to manage his household, and one who could stand against the constant stream of veiled attacks that most likely came from his uncle. That she would need to have clear vision was an understatement. Declan was a firm laird, as his position necessitated. He was also, at heart, a simple man who craved what all men did: their other half. He lived with a brutal dichotomy.

To sum up his wandering thoughts, he dared to speak the one that haunted him. “I think I seek what can nay be found.”

“Have faith,” Cortland answered. “You seek happiness which is what all men should crave. Until we find her, keep your trews tied around your waist in case you have need of another man’s daughter to wed.”

Slapping the man’s back, Declan laughed at the jest that held more truth than he cared to admit. “Aye, old man. I too leave on the morrow. The lady’s charms no longer entice me, and the daughter is attractive but dull-witted. Heaven help me if I grow so desperate as to need to ally myself with the MacGregor clan.”

“Sleep, Declan. I have nay stood by your side this long to let your uncle win,” Cortland reassured him and then left.

Bolting the door in the man’s wake, Declan sighed as he again sat before the fire. His clan was full of tales of happy marriages spanning back generation after generation. The edict that threatened his title had been the result of a marriage valued more than the favor of a king.

Tales from his youth, told by his grandfather, flitted in his tired thoughts. The stories had captivated him as child, though as a grown man he doubted their truth. Shaking away notions of love- filled marriages, edicts, and women of legend, Declan rose to his feet and strode toward the bed, leaving a trail of clothing on the floor.

Climbing into the cool sheets, he knew he would find a way to outsmart his uncle, though prayed it wouldn’t involve another empty marriage.

 

Other Books by Lisa Dawn Wadler

THE DRAIG'S WOMAN Series: Draig Series Book 1 Ian, Laird of the Draig clan, craves the woman who saved his life and spent one night in his arms. He knows that she fell through time to be his. But fate is against them. Will she accept being his woman while he marries another? Available for $3.99 only. (FREE with Kindle Unlimited) Buy Link: Amazon.com This time traveling historical romance has passion, deceit, arranged marriage and unexpected pregnancy. All great things in any romance. However,this one has more twists and turns than you could ever expect. - Night Owl Reviews Top Pick

TIME OF THE DRAIG Series: Draig Series Book 2 Samantha and Faolan should have been separated by millennia. When times meet, love shapes the future.When hearts and destiny clash, will love be the ultimate sacrifice? Available for $3.99 only. (FREE with Kindle Unlimited) Buy Link: Amazon.com Awesome!!! Imagine traveling back in time to change events that will save the world of the future!!! Book Lady, Amazon Reviewer

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