The Highlander's Temptation

Desire tempted them, but love conquered all…

Laird Jamie Montgomery is a warrior with a mission. When he travels to the northern Highlands on the orders of William Wallace, temptation in the form of an alluring lass, could be his undoing.

Lady Lorna Sutherland can’t resist the charms of one irresistible Highlander. Though she’s been forbidden, she breaks every rule for the pleasure of his intoxicating embrace.

When their love is discovered, Jamie is tossed from Sutherland lands under threat of death. But danger can’t keep the two of them apart. No matter what perils may try to separate them—Lorna and Jamie swear they’ll find a way to be together.

Praise for
The Stolen Bride Series
…

“For fans of Highlander romance, this series is a must read!” ~Night Owl Romance

The Highlander’s Reward
– winner of InD’Tale Magazine’s Best Historical Novel 2012

The Highlander’s Reward
– “
The powerful yet sensitive Magnus and the saucy and beautiful Arbella are a winning pair in this Scottish themed romance that even boasts cameos from William Wallace himself
.” ~Publisher’s Weekly Reviewer for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest

The
Highlander’s Temptation

Book Seven: The Prequel to The Stolen Bride Series

By

Eliza Knight

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FIRST EDITION

February 2014

Copyright 201
4 © Eliza Knight

THE HIGHLANDER’S TEMPTATION © 2014 Eliza Knight. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part or the whole of this book may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted or utilized (other than for reading by the intended reader) in ANY form (now known or hereafter invented) without prior written permission by the author. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal, and punishable by law. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional and or are used fictitiously and solely the product of the author’s imagination. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, places, businesses, events or locales is purely coincidental.

Cover Design: Kimberly Killion @ The Killion Group, Inc.

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Dedication

To Mel, my dearest friend in all the world.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks toall of my wonderful readers! Without you, I’d not be able to create these exciting storie
s


Prologue

Spring,
1282

Highlands
, Scotland

They galloped through the eerie moonlit night. Warriors cloaked by darkness. Blending in with the forest, only the occasional glint of the moon off their weapons made their presence seem out of place.

’Twas chilly for spring, and yet, they rode hard enough the h
orses were lathered with sweat and foaming at the mouth. But the Montgomery clan wasn’t going to be pushed out of yet another meeting of the clans, not when their future depended on it. This meeting would put their clan on the map, make them an asset to their king and country. As it was, years before King Alexander III had lost one son and his wife. He’d not remarried and the fate of the country now relied on one son who didn’t feel the need to marry. The prince toyed with his life as though he had a death wish, fighting, drinking, and carrying on without a care in the world. The king’s only other chance at a succession was his daughter who’d married but had not yet shown any signs of a bairn filling her womb. If something were to happen to the king, the country would erupt into chaos. Every precaution needed to be taken.

Young Jamie
sat tall and proud upon his horse. Even prouder was he, that his da, the fearsome Montgomery laird, had allowed him to accompany the group of a half dozen seasoned warriors—the men who sat on his own clan council—to the meeting. The fact that his father had involved him in matters of state truly made his chest puff five times its size.

A
fter being fostered out the last seven years, Jamie had just returned to his father’s home. At age fourteen, he was ready to take on the duties of eldest son, for one day he would be laird. This was the perfect opportunity to show his da all he’d learned. To prove he was worthy.

La
ird Montgomery held up his hand and all the riders stopped short. Puffs of steam blew out in miniature clouds from the horses’ noses. Jamie’s heart slammed against his chest and he looked from side to side to make sure no one could hear it. He was a man after all, and men shouldn’t be scared of the dark. No matter how frightening the sounds were.

Carried on the wind were the
deep tones of men shouting and the shrill of a woman’s screams. Prickles rose on Jamie’s arms and legs. They must have happened upon a robbery or an ambush. When he’d set out to attend his father, he’d not counted on a fight. Nay, Jamie merely thought to stand beside his father and demand a place within the Bruce’s High Council.

Swallowing hard, he glanced at his father, trying to assess his thoughts, but as
usual, the man sat stoic, not a hint of emotion on his face.

The laird glanced at his second in command and jutted his chin in silent communication. The second returned the nod. Jamie’s father made a circling motion with his fingers, and several of the men fanned out.

Jamie observed the exchange, his throat near to bursting with questions. What was happening?

Finally, his father motioned Jamie forward.
Keeping his emotions at bay, Jamie urged his mount closer. His father bent toward him, indicating for Jamie to do the same, then spoke in a hushed tone.

“We’re nearly to Sutherland lands.
Just on the outskirts, son. ’Tis an attack, I’m certain. We mean to help.”

Jamie swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded.
The meeting was to take place at Dunrobin Castle. Why that particular castle was chosen, Jamie had not been privy to. Though he speculated ’twas because of how far north it was. Well away from Stirling where the king resided.

“Are ye up to it?” his father asked.

Tightening his grip on the reins, Jamie nodded. Fear cascaded along his spine, but he’d never show any weakness in front of his father, especially now that he’d been invited on this very important journey.

“Good. ’Twill
give ye a chance to show me what ye’ve learned.”

Again, Jamie nodded, though he disagreed.
Saving people wasn’t a chance to show off what he’d learned. He could never look at protecting another as an opportunity to prove his skill, only as a chance to make a difference. But he kept that to himself. His da would never understand. If making a difference proved something to his father, then so be it.

An owl screeched from somewhere in the distance as it caught onto its prey, almost in unison with the blood curdling scream of a woman.

His father made a few more hand motions and the rest of their party followed him as they crept forward at a quickened pace on their mounts, avoiding making any noise.

The road
ended on a clearing, and some thirty horse-lengths away a band of outlaws circled a trio—a lady, one warrior, and a lad close to his own age.

The outlaws caught sight of their approach
, shouting and pointing. His father’s men couldn’t seem to move quickly enough and Jamie watched in horror as the man, woman and child were hacked down. All three of them on the ground, the outlaws turned on the Montgomery warriors and rushed forward as though they’d not a care in the world.

Jamie
shook. He’d never been so scared in his life. His throat had long since closed up and yet his stomach was threatening to purge everything he’d consumed that day. Even though he felt like vomiting, a sense of urgency, and power flooded his veins. Battle-rush, he’d heard it called by the seasoned warriors. And it was surging through his body, making him tingle all over.

The laird and his men raised their swords in the air,
roaring out their battle cries. Jamie raised his sword to do the same, but a flash of gold behind a large lichen-covered boulder caught his attention. He eased his knees on his mount’s middle.

What was that?

Another flash of gold — was that blonde hair? He’d never seen hair like that before.

Jamie turned to his father, intent to point it out, but h
is sire was several horse-lengths ahead and ready to engage the outlaws, leaving it up to Jamie to investigate.

After all, if there was another threat lying in wait, was it not up to someone in the group to seek them out? The rest of the
warriors were intent on the outlaws which left Jamie to discover the identity of the thief.

He veered his horse to the right, galloping toward the boulder.
A wee lass darted out, lifting her skirts and running full force in the opposite direction. Jamie loosened his knees on his horse and slowed. That was not what he’d expected. At all. Jamie anticipated a warrior, not a tiny little girl whose legs were no match for his mount. As he neared, despite his slowed pace, he feared he’d trample the little imp.

He leapt from his horse and chased after her on foot.
The lass kept turning around, seeing him chasing her. The look of horror on her face nearly broke his heart. Och, he was no one to fear. But how would she know that? She probably thought he was after her like the outlaws had been after the man, woman and lad.

“’Tis all right!” he called. “I will nay harm
ye!”

But she kept on running, and then was suddenly flying through the air, landing flat on her face.

Jamie ran toward her, dropping to his knees as he reached her side and she pushed herself up.

Her back shook with cries he was sure she tried hard to keep silent. He gathered her up onto his knees and she pressed her face to his
leine
shirt, wiping away tears, dirt and snot as she sobbed.

“Momma,” she said.
“Da!”

“Hush, now,” Jamie crooned, unsure of what else he could say.
She must have just watched her parents and brother get cut to the ground. Och, what an awful sight for any child to witness. Jamie shivered, at a loss for words.

“Blaney!” she wailed, gripping onto his shirt and yanking. “They hurt!”

Jamie dried her tears with the cuff of his sleeve. “Your family?” he asked.

She
nodded, her lower lip trembling, green-blue eyes wide with fear and glistening with tears. His chest swelled with emotion for the little imp and he gripped her tighter.

“Do ye know who the men were?”

“Bad people,” she mumbled.

Jamie nodded.
“What’s your name?”

She chewed her lip as if trying to figure out if she should tell him.
“Lorna. What are ye called?”

“Jamie.
” He flashed her what he hoped wasn’t a strained smile. “How old are ye, Lorna?”

“Four.” She held up three of her fingers, then second guessed herself and held up four. “I’m four. How old are ye?”

“Fourteen.”

“Ye’re four, too?” she asked, her mouth dropping wide as she forgot the horror of the last few minutes of her life for a moment.

“Fourteen. ’Tis four plus ten.”

“I want to be fourteen, too.” She swiped at the mangled mop of blonde hair around her face
, making more of a mess than anything else.

“Then we’d best get ye home. Have ye any other family?”

“A whole big one.”

“Where?”

“Dunrobin,” she said. “My da is laird.”

“Laird Sutherland?”
Jamie asked, trying to keep the surprise from his face. Did his father understand just how deep and unsettling this attack had been? A laird had been murdered. Was it an ambush? Was there more to it than just a band of outlaws? Were they men trying to stop the secret meeting from being held?

There would be no meeting, if the laird who’d called the meeting was dead.

“I’ll take
ye home,” Jamie said, putting the girl on her feet and standing.

“Will ye carry me?” she said, her lip trembling again. She’d lost a shoe and her yellow gown was stained and torn.
“I’m scared.”

“Aye.
I’ll carry ye.”

“Are ye my hero?” she asked, batting tear moistened lashes at him.

Jamie rolled his eyes and picked her up. “I’m no hero, lass.”

“Hmm… Ye seem like a hero to me.
”

Jami
e didn’t answer. He tossed her on his horse and climbed up behind her. A glance behind showed that his father and his men had dispatched of most of the men, and a few others gave chase into the forest. They’d likely meet him at the castle as that had been their destination all along.

Squeezing his mount’s sides, Jamie urged the horse into a gallop, intent on getting
the girl to the safety of Dunrobin’s walls, and then returning to his father.

Spotting Jamie with the lass, the guards threw open the gate. A nursemaid rushed over and grabbed
Lorna from him, chiding her for sneaking away.

“What’s happened?” A lad his own age approached. “Why did ye have my sister?”

Jamie swallowed, dismounted and held out his arm to the other young man. “I found her behind a boulder.” Jamie took a deep breath,
then looked the boy in the eye, hating the words he would have to say. “There was an ambush.”

“My family?”

Jamie shook his head. He opened his mouth to tell the dreadful news, but the way the boy’s face hardened, and eyes glistened, it didn’t seem necessary.
As it happened, he was given a reprieve from saying more when his father and men came barreling through the gate a moment later.

“Where’s the laird?” Jamie’s father bellowed.

“If what this lad said is true, then I may be right here,” the boy said, straightening his shoulders.

Laird Montgomery’s eyes narrowed
, jaw tightened with understanding. “Aye, lad, ye are.”

He leapt from his horse, his eyes lighting on Jamie “Where’ve ye been, lad? Ye scared the shite out of us.” His father looked pale, shaken. Had he truly scared him so much?

“There was a lass,” Jamie said, “at the ambush. I brought her home.”

His father snorted.
“Always a lass. Mark my words, lad. Think here.” His father tapped Jamie’s forehead hard with the tip of his finger. “The mind always knows better than the sword.”

Jamie frowned and his father walked
back toward the young laird. It was the second time that day that he’d not agreed with his father. For if a lass was in need of rescuing, by God, he was going to be her rescuer.