"Travel back to medieval Scotland with this great inspirational tale of faith and compassion."
Reviewed by Viki Ferrell
Posted August 8, 2011
Christian | Romance Historical
In the Highlands of Scotland in 1457, a baby girl is born
to Evelina and Devlin Broderwick. Moments after her birth,
the infant has a seizure, which causes her father to decide
she is not worth keeping. Devlin asks the nursemaid, Gunna,
to dispose of the baby. Gunna hides the child until Evelina
can travel and the three of them leave, never to return. Twenty years later, Serena Boyd and her mother, Evelina,
are traveling back from market when she has a seizure and
falls from their wagon. Gavin MacKenzie comes upon them and
carries Serena back to her cottage in The Village of
Outcasts, the only home Serena has ever known. Gavin is
smitten with her beauty from the start. Evelina tells him a
bump in the road caused Serena to fall and hit her head on
a rock. Gavin, a Scottish chieftain heir, has brought a troupe of
men to the area to repair Braigh Castle. The elder laird of
the castle died recently and his nephew, Iain Braigh, is
the only heir and new laird. Gavin is here with a dual
purpose. There is suspicion that the elder laird was
murdered, and other suspicious events have also occurred in
The Village of Outcasts. Gavin and his men were sent to
find out who is responsible and why they are trying to harm
these innocent people. The Village of Outcasts has become a
refuge for those who are mentally and/or physically
challenged and looked down upon by society. It has been a
sanctuary for Evelina, Gunna and Serena all these years. With the recent changes at Braigh Castle, Serena acquires a
job as manager of the household staff. She is in close
proximity to both Iain and Gavin daily. Both men seem
smitten with her and begin vying for her affection. Iain
seeks to give her gifts and anything money can provide,
while Gavin gives her words of encouragement and spends
time talking with her about the people and her life in the
village. When Serena accompanies Gavin to the town market
one day, she has a seizure and people start claiming she is
daemon possessed, calling for her to be burned at the
stake. Gavin and Iain join forces to keep Serena safe at
the castle, but the local magistrate takes her by force.
They can protect Serena and her secret no longer. Will Gavin, Iain and the villagers be able to devise a plan
to save Serena? Will Serena be free to give her heart to
one of the two men seeking her affections? And who is
responsible for the attacks on the Village of Outcasts? This medieval inspirational novel is a charming story about
facing life's challenges, making the best of them and
living by faith each day. It's a well-written tale you
won't want to miss.
SUMMARY
A Sanctuary of Secrets... Gavin MacKenzie, a chieftain heir who is hired to restore
the ancient Castle of Braigh, discovers a hidden village of
outcasts who have created their own private sanctuary from
the world. Among them is Serena Boyd, a mysterious and
comely lass, who captures Gavin’s heart in spite of
harboring a deadly past that could destroy her future. The villagers happen to be keeping an intriguing secret as
well. When a fierce enemy launches an attack against them,
greed leads to bitter betrayal. As Gavin prepares a defense,
the villagers unite in a bold act of faith, showing how
God’s love is more powerful than any human force on earth.
Excerpt1
Scotland
1457
The ordeal over, fragmented tremors still quaked through
Evelina Broderwick's body. She gazed down at her new
daughter. Now, she'd finally have someone who would truly
love her. Tiny fingers curled. Evelina marveled at the wee
nails. The other hand tightened into a fist and flew into
the bairn's mouth as she sucked on her knuckles.
"She's beautiful, is she not?" Tears clouded Evelina's
vision, overwhelming her by the magnitude of God's gift of life.
Gunna, her wet nurse, peered closer at the babe swaddled
in a warm blanket. "Aye, she is at that."
"I believe I shall call her Serena after my Spanish
grandmother. The lass has an English da and a Scottish
mither—a mixture of noble blood from three countries."
"Not a verra common name here in the lowlands," Gunna's
round cheeks swelled in a smile as she nodded in agreement,
"but lovely just the same."
The bedchamber door swung open, casting dim light from
the hallway candles. The shadow of a man's tall frame
bounced on the dark pine walls. Evelina tensed as her
husband, Devlin Broderwick, strode in with his usual frown.
A dent marred his
forehead. He towered over the bedside.
The midwife followed him and stood at the foot of the
bed, folding her hands in front of her. The woman appeared
to be in her mid-fifties, personally chosen by Devlin and
quite loyal to the Broderwick family. Her dark gaze traveled
from Evelina to Gunna and down at the infant.
"I've heard the unfortunate news." Devlin's sharp tone
cut through the room like a blade through a gentle lamb.
Was a lass so terrible? Evelina glanced at the only
window on the far right. The shutters were closed, blocking
the night sky from view. She would like naught more than to
escape the confines of her marriage, even if it meant taking
sanctuary behind the walls of a convent for the rest of her
days.
Devlin cleared his throat. He wore a black tunic with
blooming sleeves narrowing at the cuffs. Black suited his
dark moods. His hair hung straight in the shape of a downward
bowl. He crossed his arms, taking an authoritative
stance. "Fortunately, you're still young and healthy. You
can try again when you're well enough."
Evelina stayed her tongue. Over the last eleven months of
their marriage, she had come to despise him. She had tried
to love him, tried to win his affection, but he had been
most impossible to please. No wonder her kinsmen hated
the English. He had wounded her feelings more times than she
cared to count. She'd begun to resent her parents for
arranging this union and forcing her into a lifetime of sorrow.
"I'll love her." Evelina held her daughter against her
bosom. She stared at the wine-colored blanket covering her
bed, tracing a finger along the raised flower pattern
stitched into the thick fabric, a gift from Devlin's mother.
"I'm sure you will." He pointed at their daughter. "Now
lay her down so I can see her."
Cradling her child's unsteady head, Evelina lowered
Serena onto her back. She unwrapped the white blanket from
her squirming body. Devlin leaned close.
The bairn's rosy glow turned red then deepened to a shade
of purple. Serena's head twisted at the nape, her face
almost level with the bed. The child's eyes glazed over,
twitching into the corners, only the whites visible.
"What's the meaning of this?" Devlin jumped back in alarm.
Though Serena's entire body had grown stiff, it quivered
in spasms. The area around her lips faded to white and the
rest of her skin melted from purple to an ashen gray.
"She's not breathing!" Evelina turned to the midwife. "Do
something!"
"I deliver wee bairns. I don't cast out demons." The
midwife's fearful eyes met hers.
Evelina gripped her husband's arm, but he pulled away.
"Devlin, please do something. She's stopped breathing!
Save her, please?"
He only stared at the helpless babe with disbelieving
eyes. Evelina reached for her daughter's seizing body. Not
knowing what else to do, Evelina turned the child over on
her stomach and patted her back. She willed her babe to
breathe. She blew air in Serena's face, hoping to startle
her into breathing. White foam leaked over Serena's
colorless lips. Evelina laid her down and plunged her finger
into the tiny mouth, pulling with all her might against the
curled tongue. Serena coughed, moaned, and screamed into a
blessed cry.
"Oh, thank God!" Evelina collapsed, lowering her head
next to Serena and letting silent tears fall in relief.
Their wee bairn would live.
Evelina kissed the thin layer of soft black hair on
Serena's round head. Her tiny lungs panted for air as her
breathing returned to normal. She touched Serena's sweet
ears, her pug nose, and cheeks now gaining a rosy glow.
"What was that?" Devlin's voice flayed her nerves and she
jumped. He stood with his hands on his hips, staring at the
child in disbelief, his dark, condemning eyes narrowed.
"The babe was having some sort of fit," the midwife said.
"I've heard of stories like this, but never seen one myself."
"Yes, I can see that. I want to know why!" Devlin took
two menacing steps toward her.
"'Tis unexplained." She stepped back, tilted her head
upon her shoulders, and looked up at him with wide eyes. "No
one really knows what it is. Some call it the falling sickness."
Devlin paced across the chamber, rubbing the back of his
head. The soles of his mid-calf leather boots clicked
against the hardwood floor. "Why would a child have such a
fit? How can ye stop it?"
"I don't know." The midwife shook her head and sank
against the wall.
His gaze dropped to the bundle in Evelina's arms. "It's
possessed."
His lips twisted in thought. He paced again. "We'll call
a priest to cast it out." He paused and shook his head. "No,
we can't do that. How would it look if the Broderwick
family produced a demon possessed child?" He shook his
head. "I won't have the family name ruined." He turned and
pointed at the midwife and Gunna. "No one had better speak a
word outside this bedchamber. If you do, I'll make you sorry."
"I won't say a word," the midwife said, shaking her head.
"Aye, my lord," Gunna said, looking down at her feet.
"She isn't possessed," Evelina said, her heart pounding
in worry. "She stopped breathing and nearly died."
Devlin strode toward her. He pressed his fists into the
soft feather mattress and leaned forward. "There's no other
explanation."
"Devlin, ye're mistaken. She couldn't catch her breath is
all."
"Then why did she turn her head as if it would disconnect
from her body of its own accord? Where did her eyes go? In
the back of her head? What was coming from her mouth? Do ye
call it somethin' from God?" He stepped back. "This isn't
the work of God. I feel it in my soul. Something is wrong.
As head of this household it's my responsibility to take
care of it."
"Our child is not evil." Evelina moved Serena over her
shoulder and patted her bottom.
"I make the final decisions in this house." Devlin's dark
eyebrows knitted together in an angry line. "She may look
normal now, but her body is possessed by somethin'. I'll not
tolerate evil under my own roof. Do you hear me, woman?"
"Devlin, listen to yerself. She's our child." Evelina
clutched the bundle in her arms, fear rooted in her heart.
Was he completely mad?
"I saw the babe turn into a demon with my own eyes. I
won't claim it as mine. I've made up my mind. I don't want
it, and I forbid ye to keep it."
"I won't give her up!" Evelina moved Serena to the far
side of her body away from him. "She's my bairn, not some
animal to cast away."
"You're my wife, and you'll do as I tell you." He stepped
toward her, grabbing for the child.
Evelina refused to relinquish her hold. Their daughter
began to cry at their tug of war. He tightened his grip on
Evelina's flesh until she could no longer feel. Fearing
Serena would
be hurt from their struggle, Evelina relented. He
snatched Serena.
"I beg ye, don't take her away." Tears clogged Evelina's
voice, choking her.
He strode from the chamber with Serena. The midwife made
a "humph" sound and followed him.
Evelina tried to rise. In her weakened state, she fell to
the floor.
"Oh, dearie me!" Gunna cried, hurrying around the bed to
help her.
Evelina had forgotten Gunna was still in the room.
Frantic hands pulled under Evelina's arms, trying to lift
her as she struggled to her knees.
"Nay! Don't bother with me. Find out where he's taking
her." Evelina nudged her.
"But—"
"Please? Do this one thing for me." Evelina sniffed back
tears. "Go! Make haste before it's too late."
"I-I'll do as ye ask. Don't ye worry, lass. We'll save
yer bairn." She fled the chamber, leaving Evelina alone in
her anguish.
Evelina dropped her head upon her arms. Her eyelids
fluttered shut. "Dear God," she whispered. "I dedicate
Serena to Ye. She isn't evil. She's just the way Ye made
her. Allow me to be her mither and I'll teach her Yer ways
and raise her to be Yer child."
The room began to spin. Evelina clutched the bed linens
for support. Darkness claimed her vision as the distant
sounds of her child crying in another part of the house fell
silent.
"Please . . . God," she whispered, fading to unconsciousness.
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