The Beauty of the Mist (46 page)

John’s words enthralled her as he leaned toward her, breathing the words in her ear. “Perhaps, when you are finished with your meal, I could show you the gardens.”

“Aye,” she said simply, her voice a ragged whisper.

“And perhaps, when you’ve had your fill of roses–we could kiss under the stars.”

She stared at her plate, his fingers now playing sensually against her thigh. She gazed up to his deep blue eyes and then at his lips. Leaning closer to his ear, she whispered her words. “I am finished with my meal, and I’ve had my fill of roses.”

John held back the urge to sweep her into his arms and carry her from the hall. Taking her arm, he stood up slowly, waiting for her to rise as well.

As they moved toward the entrance of the Great Hall, Maria looked about furtively. They were the souls of discretion. Unseen by anyone, John and Maria slipped through the huge doors and hurried toward the gardens.

As the great doors closed behind the fleeing lovers, a cheer went up among those left behind.

It was passion, it was greed, it was a dream.

Under the quiet of an arbor, hidden away from people, and enclosed by darkness and aroma of flowers, they embraced.

She had thought this would only happen again in a dream. But my God, she thought, he was real.

As John touched his lips to hers, he felt her hands reach up and caress his face. Their lips brushed gently in search of remembrance.

As if outside herself, Maria felt her own body shudder as John’s hands traveled her back. His mouth was covering hers now, and she opened her lips willingly to his.

As his tongue delved into the depths of her mouth, a heat coursed through her body, scorching her with a deep, consuming flame. Maria’s startled hands flew up to encircle his neck. Her tongue, her mouth, molded to his and her body ached with the need to follow. A boldness took control of her as her hands traced his back, his neck. Her fingers were raking through his hair, while her mouth answered the seductive rhythm of his thrusting tongue. This is all as she had remembered. That exquisite dream.

John could see the passion in her eyes. She was in his arms, and she was willing. He wanted her. Remembering the passion they’d shared, John’s mouth moved insistently against hers as a rush of wild desire directed his action. His hands roamed her back, cupping her buttocks and pressing her against his hardening manhood. He smothered her gasp with his kiss as she pressed her body to his.

“I’ve seen enough of roses,” she pulled back breathlessly.

“Good, then perhaps I might show you my bedchamber.”

She nodded, smiling.

As the candle beside the bed flickered, Maria looked one last time at the beautiful curve of his muscular torso stretched so naturally across the bed. A black tendril lay across his cheek, and as she fought the urge to push it back and kiss his face for the last time, she thought of the love they’d shared by that candle’s light. There had been great hungering need in both of them, but their lovemaking had known no hurry, and their tender touches no grief. She had known this to be their last night together, and she had savored each precious moment.

She had sighed out his name, he had made her tremble. They had not talked of the past, there had been only rapture, the pure and simple joy of drowning in the moment, in the night, in each other.

She gave him a last look and a smile. As she slipped out of his chamber, a tear marked their final farewell.

The German Sea, off the coast of Dundee

The commander of the Macpherson’s armed merchant trader,
The Elizabeth
, looked with satisfaction at the full sails billowing above and the bright azure sky overhead. Time enough, he thought, directing his steps to the stern cabins.

As he made his way down the narrow passageway, he could hear the sound of crying coming from the partially open cabin door. It was a sound of a broken heart. He slowed his steps, trying to force back the pangs of guilt. He came to a stop outside the cabin and silently pushed the door open.

His eyes made contact with Isabel’s and then came to rest on the sobbing figure in the older woman’s arms. Gently, Isabel released the young woman and laid her head down on the cabin bunk. Quietly, she rose and moved across the space to the door and stepped into the passageway.

Without a word John closed the door behind him and leaned his back against it.

“The first time, I let you get away,” he said quietly. “But this time, I won’t be so gracious.”

Her head shot up as she turned to face him. She was pale, her sorrow evident in her swollen eyes, in her pained features. She came quickly to her feet.

“How...”

“Stealing like a thief from my bed in the middle of the night.” His gaze did not waver. “Not even the courage to say good-bye. You may think you had good reason the first time, but making love to me, whispering that you love me, and then disappearing forever?”

Her lips were parted, trembling with the effort to hold back the tears, but Maria’s attempts were in vain. The tears spilled over onto her cheeks. The young woman turned, burying her face in her hands.

“Why did you come?” she said raggedly.

“The last time I was a fool. But this time I was prepared.” John stepped toward her. “Do you think I don’t know how your mind works now? After all we’ve been through? You might despise the way your brother thinks, but you have much in common with him.”

Her head snapped around. “I’m nothing like him.”

“Your motives are different, it’s true. But in the same way that he sacrifices himself for an Empire, you sacrifice yourself for the ones you love.”

In a futile attempt, Maria wiped the endless stream of tears from her face. John closed the distance between them and took her by the shoulders. His blue eyes gazed tenderly into hers.

“I know everything you’ve done. I know why you left me and went back to your brother in Antwerp. I know of your letters to King James. I even know of our child.”

Her eyes widened. She couldn’t bear his pity. “Why did you come?” Maria pressed, trying without success to pull away from his embrace.

He held her until she ceased her struggle, and then framed her face with his hands. “I came because I love you. Because I know that you love me, as well. I came because of what we’ve shared, and the dreams we have to fulfill.”

“And you came for the sake of our child,” she said sadly.

“I knew nothing of the child. We were at sea before Isabel gave me the news.” His eyes pierced her soul. “Our child we’ll treasure, but you are what I came for.”

Maria could hold back no longer. Throwing her arms around his neck, she laid her face against his chest and wept. “John,” she whispered lovingly.

He held her for a long time until her tears subsided.

“Will you marry me, Maria? Will you put up with my stubborn pride?”

“I will marry you, John. And I will cherish whatever fate deals us.”

He hugged her tenderly. “We still have your brother to deal with.”

“Don’t worry,” she turned her green eyes upward. “He hates the new Maria. He’ll be glad to hand me off at the first offer.”

“And your mother?”

“She’ll love you. She is mad, you know!”

Benmore Castle, the Scottish Highlands

The Queen o’ Hearts,

She made some tarts

All on a summer’s day.

The Jack o’ Hearts,

Cared not for tarts,

But stole the Queen away.

The King o’ Hearts

Called for the tarts,

He sent his fiercest men.

The Jack o’ Hearts

Gave up the tarts,

But kept the Queen again.

Lady Elizabeth Macpherson finished her tale and sat back in her chair, her grandchildren spread around her feet. Jaime patted her on the knee.

“Is that a rhyme about Uncle John and Aunt Maria?”

“It sounds like it, doesn’t it?”

“Will you make a rhyme for me, Grandmother?”

“Yours is next, my love.”

Our 16th Century books...

In
The Thistle and the Rose
, Colin Campbell and Celia Muir are introduced...

And we also introduce Alec Macpherson, who is the hero of our second book,
Angel of Skye
...

Alec has two brothers, Ambrose and John, who are the heroes of
Heart of Gold
and
The Beauty of the Mist
, respectively...

In
Angel of Skye
, we also introduce a little boy, Malcolm MacLeod, and in
Heart of Gold
we introduce a little girl, Jaime...

When Malcolm MacLeod and Jaime grow up, they are the hero and heroine of
The Intended
...

In
Heart of Gold
, we also introduce Gavin Kerr, who becomes the hero of
Flame.
..

In
Flame
, we introduce a number of characters who show up in
The Dreamer, The Enchantress,
and
The Firebrand
(the
Highland Treasure Trilogy
), including John Stewart, the earl of Athol and a number of villains...

The Highland Treasure Trilogy
is the story of three sisters...Catherine Percy of
The Dreamer
, Laura Percy of
The Enchantress
, and Adrianne Percy of
The Firebrand
...

In
The Enchantress
, we introduce Sir Wyntoun MacLean, who also appears in
The Firebrand
...

In
The Firebrand
, we also introduce Gillie the Fairie-Borne, who may just have a story of his own one day...

Colin Campbell and Celia (from The Thistle and the Rose) also make a 'cameo' appearance in The Firebrand...

Alec Macpherson and Fiona (from Angel of Skye) have three sons. The youngest, Colin Macpherson, is the hero of
Tess and the Highlander
(a young adult novel published by HarperCollins in November 2002)...

Our 18th Century Books

In The Promise, Samuel Wakefield, the earl of Stanmore, and Rebecca Neville/Ford are the hero and heroine...

In that book we also introduce Stanmore's friend, Sir Nicholas Spencer, who becomes the hero of The Rebel, which is set in Ireland...

Stanmore and Rebecca also appear in The Rebel...

In The Promise, we also introduce Rebecca's friend, Millicent Wentworth, who becomes the heroine of Borrowed Dreams...

Borrowed Dreams is the start of a new trilogy about three Scottish brothers, starting with Lyon Pennington, earl of Aytoun. We also meet a new cast of characters who show up in the trilogy. Violet, from The Promise, plays a big role in this book, too. She will show up again in the third book in the trilogy, Dreams of Destiny.

In Captured Dreams, we see Lyon and Millicent and the entire household of Baronsford in Scotland, along with wonderful heroes and villains that David Pennington meets in colonial Boston.

In Dreams of Destiny, the mystery of Emma's death is solved...

Ghost of the Thames…a Dickensian novel.

Visit us at www.JanCoffey.com and on May McGoldrick, facebook page for discount offers of our other ebooks.

About the Author

Nikoo & Jim McGoldrick have spent their lives gathering material for their novels. Nikoo, a mechanical engineer, and Jim, who has a Ph.D. in sixteenth-century British literature, wrote their first May McGoldrick novel in 1994. Since then, they have taken their readers from the Highlands of Scotland to the mountains of Kurdistan in bestselling, award-winning historical romance and contemporary suspense novels under the names May McGoldrick, Nicole Cody, and Jan Coffey.

You can contact us at [email protected]

Please like May McGoldrick author page on facebook to receive the latest updates.

Complete Book List as of 2012

Writing As May McGoldrick:

Made In Heaven

Ghost of the Thames

Scottish Dream Trilogy

Dreams Of Destiny

Captured Dreams

Borrowed Dreams

The Rebel

Tess and The Highlander (A YA Novel)

The Promise

Highland Treasure Trilogy

The Firebrand

The Enchantress

The Dreamer

Flame

The Intended

Macpherson Trilogy

Beauty Of The Mist

Heart Of Gold

Angel Of Skye

Thistle and The Rose

Writing As Nicole Cody & May McGoldrick:

Love and Mayhem (reissued as Arsenic and Old Armor)

Writing As Jan Coffey:

Aquarian (A YA Novel)

Blind Eye

The Puppet Master

The Deadliest Strain

The Project

Silent Waters

Five in a Row

Tropical Kiss (A YA Novel)

Fourth Victim

Triple Threat

Twice Burned

Trust Me Once

Here's an excerpt from the next book in Macpherson family saga

by

May McGoldrick

The Isle of Skye, Scotland

April 1539

As brilliant as they were, the jewels of the wedding gown could not match the sparkle of the bride’s eyes.

Servants bustled about the room amid unpacked trunks, but Jaime Macpherson remained—silent and still—beside her bed, unable to lift her gaze from the magnificent white gown. Unable to shake from her mind the glorious dream. She had waited a lifetime for him and now the waiting was at an end. Finally, she was back where she belonged. Finally, they were to wed.

The tap on the open door and then the barely subdued voice of her maid, Caddy, brought Jaime back to the tasks at hand—and to the chaos that surrounded her.