The Renegade's Heart (40 page)

“Hermes!” Isabella gasped and Murdoch
realized it was that same horse.

Alexander grinned as Owen brought the horse
to his side. Hermes stamped and snorted at the noise of the crowd,
his ears flicking. He sniffed Alexander with obvious affection,
then spied Isabella. Hermes pulled the Laird of Kinfairlie toward
his sister with a determination that made the assembly laugh.

“A wedding gift for my sister, Isabella,”
Alexander said and Murdoch heard his new bride catch her breath in
awe. Alexander leaned forward to hand her the reins, his eyes
sparkling. “You always said you wanted one of Ravensmuir’s horses,
and Hermes, truth be told, chose you long ago.”

Isabella gave a cry of delight, taking the
reins then patting the horse. She kissed her brother’s cheek, then
kissed the ostler as well, making him flush scarlet. Then she
walked around the horse, so obviously delighted that Murdoch
smiled. Her joy was infectious. “We must breed him!” she cried to
Murdoch. “And see that the world is filled with horses of his
ilk.”

Murdoch laughed. “We must ask your brother of
that,” he said, for he knew that any soul who bred horses with such
care would want a say in the future of any horse that left their
stable.

Alexander smiled with indulgence as he
watched her pleasure. He spoke softly to Murdoch. “I would have you
bring him here to stud once annually, if you do not mind, for his
lineage is excellent.”

“I would be happy to do so,” Murdoch agreed.
“And I make no jest. I would welcome your counsel in breeding. Your
experience in such matters is far greater than mine.”

Alexander smiled at him. “I shall be glad to
do so.” Once again, the pair shook hands heartily. There were
embraces then and much laughter, backslapping and handshaking,
until the whole company eventually turned to make their way to
Kinfairlie’s hall to feast. Hermes returned to the stables with
Owen, prancing as if the day had been planned to show him to
advantage.

But it was Isabella’s happy smile that made
the moment complete for Murdoch. “Did you know about Duncan?” he
whispered to her.

“I suspected that Alexander had some secret,”
she confided.

“And Hermes?”

She wrinkled her nose and smiled. “I but
hoped. You must believe I have dropped many a hint in this hall,
especially since Alexander gave Eleanor a horse as her nuptial
gift.”

“Is this my own future then, to never have a
secret from my lady wife?” Murdoch teased.

“What manner of secrets would you have from
me?” she teased in turn, pretending to be affronted.

Murdoch laughed. “I cannot think of a one.”
He kissed her quickly then, halting only when Alexander cleared his
throat close by. He shook Murdoch by the hand and leaned close to
embrace him, whispering with quiet urgency when he did as much.
“Take Annelise with you to Seton Manor.”

It was more of a command than a request.
Murdoch stepped back and studied his wife’s brother. “You have a
reason for this?”

“I have many,” Alexander admitted. “But know
this – I put my trust in you with another of my sisters.”

“I do not understand.”

“The Earl of March would see her wedded to
one of his men, and I would keep my pledge that she would choose
her own spouse.”

Murdoch studied Alexander and guessed that
the earl was becoming forceful in the matter. “I see,” he said.
“What of Elizabeth?”

Alexander’s lips tightened as he eyed that
sister and Murdoch wondered who meant to court Elizabeth. “One
sister in your care and another in mine,” was all he said. “It
seems only fair.”

“Indeed, it seems most fair for me to have
two beauties from Kinfairlie in my home. I thank you for your trust
in me.”

Alexander gave Murdoch a steely glance. “We
shall meet at midsummer at Inverfyre, and if Annelise is yet a
maiden, we will bring her home to Kinfairlie.” His intensity could
mean only one thing: Alexander wished for Murdoch to ensure that
Annelise was wed by then.

By her own choice.

“I understand,” Murdoch said softly, holding
Alexander’s gaze. He was keenly aware that Isabella was listening
to all of this. “I shall ensure that Elizabeth is treated with such
honor as if she were my own sister in truth.”

Alexander smiled and they shook hands again,
the decision made and a new bond forged between them.

“You have a secret now,” Isabella whispered
when Alexander returned to Eleanor’s side.

“I have a quest,” Murdoch replied softly.
“And you know I how I welcome such a challenge.”

Isabella studied him, a wary twinkle lighting
her eyes. “You are to find Annelise a husband. One she loves and
who will love her well. A man of honor and some affluence.”
Isabella bit her lip. “Do you know of such a man?”

“The Highlands are full of them.” Murdoch
placed his hand over hers and gave her fingers a squeeze. “And you
know well, my Isabella, I like nothing better than a challenge. We
shall undertake this one together.”

“I have no doubt that we shall triumph,” his
lady declared with satisfaction, her eyes dancing. “For we know not
how to fail in matters of the heart.”

And Murdoch laughed aloud for, as always, his
Isabella spoke the truth.

* * *

Cast of
Characters

A large family in a large household in a
long linked series means many characters passing through each book.
This character list should help you place everyone as you read.
Names in bold type are characters with their own listings.

The character list has been updated for this
current book, so if you have not read The Rogues of Ravensmuir and
The Jewels of Kinfairlie, there may be spoilers. Babies born and
marriages made will be added with each new book in the series.

Alexander Lammergeier
- oldest son of
Catherine and
Roland
; Laird of Kinfairlie after 1420;
married to
Eleanor Havilland
; father of Roland (the
younger). His story is told in THE SNOW WHITE BRIDE.

Annelise
Lammergeier
- third
daughter of Catherine and
Roland
and their sixth child;
sister of
Alexander
. Her story will be told in THE
HIGHLANDER’S CURSE.

Anthony
- castellan of Kinfairlie,
serving
Alexander
and
Roland
before him.

Darg
- a spriggan, and one very fond
of ale. This small fairy can be seen and heard by
Elizabeth
.

Eleanor Havilland
- wife of Alexander
and Lady of Kinfairlie; mother of Roland (the younger). Her story
is told in THE SNOW WHITE BRIDE.

Elizabeth
Lammergeier
-
youngest sibling in the family at Kinfairlie; fifth daughter of
Catherine and
Roland
. She has the ability to see the
Fae.

The Elphine Queen
- a Fae queen of
Scotland. Like
Finvarra
, she has a taste for mortal
partners.

Erik Sinclair
- Laird of
Blackleith
;
husband of
Vivienne
; father of Mairi and
Astrid by his first wife, Beatrice; father of Catherine (the
younger) by Vivienne. His story is told in THE ROSE RED BRIDE.

Father Malachy
- Kinfairlie’s
priest.

Finvarra
- King of the
Daoine
Sidhe
. Although usually resident in Ireland, he visits the
court of the
Elphine Queen
annually. His wife is Una but he
is not faithful. He is also an excellent chess player.

Gawain Lammergeier
- younger brother
of
Merlyn
; husband of Evangeline; Laird of Inverfyre; father
of
Michael (the Hawk)
and adoptive father of
Rosamunde
. His story is told in THE SCOUNDREL.

Isabella
Lammergeier
- fourth
daughter of Catherine and
Roland
and their seventh child;
sister of
Alexander
, wife of
Murdoch
. Her story is
told in THE RENEGADE’S HEART.

Madeline
FitzHenry
- oldest
daughter of Catherine and
Roland
and their second child;
sister of
Alexander
; wife of
Rhys FitzHenry
; mother
of Dafydd and Rhiannon. Her story is told in THE BEAUTY BRIDE.

Malcolm
Lammergeier
- second
son of Catherine and
Roland
and their fourth child; Laird of
Ravensmuir.

Matthew
- the son of Kinfairlie’s
miller. His courtship of his wife, Ceara, occurred in THE SNOW
WHITE BRIDE.

Michael (the Hawk) Lammergeier
- Laird
of Inverfyre; son of Evangeline and
Gawain
; milk cousin to
Roland
; husband of Aileen, father of Nigel, Evangeline (the
younger), Mhairi, Gawain (the younger) and Avery. His story is told
in THE WARRIOR.

Moira Goodall
-
Eleanor
’s maid.
She has served Eleanor since the lady’s infancy.

Murdoch
Seton
- brother of
Duncan
; husband of
Isabella
. His story is told in THE
RENEGADE’S HEART.

Merlyn
Lammergeier
- Laird of
Ravensmuir and later Laird of Kinfairlie; married to Ysabella;
father of
Tynan
and
Roland
. His story is told in THE
ROGUE.

Owen
- Kinfairlie’s ostler.

Roland
Lammergeier
- Laird of
Kinfairlie by his father,
Merlyn
; husband of Catherine;
father of eight children:
Alexander
,
Madeline
,
Vivienne
,
Malcolm
,
Ross
,
Annelise
,
Isabella
,
Elizabeth
; died in a shipwreck in 1420
along with Catherine. He makes a brief appearance with his family
at the end of THE WARRIOR.

Rosamunde Lammergeier
- a foundling
adopted and raised by
Gawain
and Evangeline as their own in
THE SCOUNDREL; lover of
Tynan
; wife of Padraig Dean. Her
story is told in
“The Ballad of Rosamunde.”

Ross Lammergeier
- third and youngest
son of Catherine and
Roland
and their fifth child.

Rhys FitzHenry
- Lord of Caerwyn;
husband of
Madeline
; father of Dafydd and Rhiannon. His
story is told in THE BEAUTY BRIDE.

Tynan
Lammergeier
- Laird of
Ravensmuir after his father,
Merlyn
; lover of
Rosamunde
; died in the collapse of Ravensmuir in THE ROSE
RED BRIDE.

Vera
- chamber maid at Kinfairlie, who
has long attended the daughters of the house.

Vivienne Sinclair
- second daughter of
Catherine and
Roland
and their third child; wife of
Erik
Sinclair
; step-mother to Mairi and Astrid; mother of Catherine
(the younger). Her story is told in THE ROSE RED BRIDE.

* * *

Ready for more True
Love Brides?

Read on for an excerpt from

The Highlander’s Curse.

Coming in December 2012.

Excerpt from The Highlander’s Curse ©2012
Claire Delacroix, Inc.

Annelise strode through the village of Seton
Manor, blind to the activity that surrounded her. It was early
summer in the highlands and the weather was fine. Seton blossomed
under the hand of Murdoch and his new bride, Annelise’s sister,
Isabella. The mood in the village was joyous, for all saw that
their future was improved.

Annelise did not share this happy view.
Indeed, she was irked and mightily so, much more so than any who
knew her might have thought possible. She was vexed with her
situation and thus with herself. It troubled her beyond belief that
Isabella, her younger sister by two years, had wed before Annelise
herself had even snared the interest of a man.

Annelise would die alone.

Tending to the children of her sisters, no
doubt, and dependent upon the goodwill of their respective
husbands. As kind as the husbands of her sisters had been, that was
not the life Annelise had ever desired. She wanted a husband of her
own, and children of her own, a hearth of her own and a garden of
her own. She did not want to sit by the fire, complete her
embroidery and watch the world slide past her in all its glorious
activity. She wanted a busy life herself.

But she knew not how to begin upon it.

It was her cursedly shy nature at root and
Annelise knew it well. She could see the evidence in the fortunes
of her sisters, each of whom had been rewarded for audacity. Her
eldest sister, Madeline, had boldly fled an unwanted match and won
the ardor of Rhys FitzHenry. Her next sister, Vivienne, had boldly
tempted a lover to come to her, and had won the heart of Erik
Sinclair. Isabella had boldly dared to believe in the integrity of
an apparent villain, and thus was now Lady of Seton Manor. Even
Eleanor, who had boldly fled an abusive household, had won true
love by taking a chance.

Sadly, Annelise had thus far in her life been
incapable of either boldness or taking a chance.

Her disgust with herself was made worse by
the compassion of others. Isabella’s husband, Murdoch, had invited
many men to his board, his intent in finding Annelise a match
openly acknowledged by all. They knew she could not manage this
feat alone and deigned to help her, though in a way, their
assistance was condescending. It was clearly necessary, though she
might have preferred otherwise. The fact was that even though
Annelise knew the men in question had come to meet her and to speak
with her, she was so wretchedly timid that she had not spoken to a
one of them.