In August of 1400, Moira and her Uncle Bearnard are just
two of the passengers on a small ship caught in an
unexpected storm. Tavig MacAlpin is another of the
passengers, but he's traveling in disguise to avoid the
hangman's noose. When Bearnard finds Moira on deck looking
for Crooked Annie, he believes she's there to met a man for
a tryst and he hits her. Tavig won't stand by while a woman
is beaten, so he risks his life by allowing his disguise to
slip away and he stands up to Bearnard on Moira's behalf.
During the fight, the storm worsens; Moira, and the bit of
railing she was hanging onto is swept overboard. Again
Tavig can't stand aside, he jumps in after her. He has
another, stronger motivation for trying to save Moira.
Tavig has a gift and it is the ability to know things that
will become true in the future. He has seen the Moira will
be his wife.
Once they have made it through the storm and onto land,
Tavig and Moira find themselves in fairly good shape. That
may not last though, they still have to find a way to
Tavig's cousin's keep. Tavig doesn't mind that it will take
them almost two weeks of hard walking to get there, he
feels it will be just enough time to convince the reluctant
Moira to be his bride. Unfortunately for the groom, his
bride is determined not to marry. If Moira were honest with
Tavig, she would reveal her own gift. Moira has a healing
touch and it's made others uncomfortable around her as long
as she can remember. Soon it will be a race against time
for both. Will Moira learn to trust Tavig enough to share
her secret? Will Tavig be able to get them to his cousin's
keep before the law catches him? Will Tavig be able to
prove he didn't harm anyone to Moira -and to the law?
Howell has written many historical romances set in
Scotland and the reader can be confident she knows her
stuff. The dialogue between the characters is written with
all the proper words, like "dinna" and "wouldnae." This
will either appeal to someone or it won't, but it's
refreshing that it doesn't come and go as if the author
forgot what she was doing. Moira's concern for Tavig's
safety if the secret of her healing abilities is reveal
makes the ending even sweeter.
New York Times bestselling
author Hannah Howell delivers her most enthralling novel yet
with the
story of an innocent beauty and an unjustly accused laird
who discover
a rapturous passion as they embark upon a wondrous journey
across the
rugged Scottish highlands...
Swept overboard and
stranded on the
rocky shores of Scotland, Moira Robertson is left with only the
tattered clothes on her back-and the mysterious stranger who
came to
her aid on the ship. Although their close surroundings
unsettle her,
she soon cannot resist his touch which awakens a burning
ache deep
within her. But can she trust her life-and her heart-to this
darkly
seductive man?
Tavig MacAlpin is a condemned man.
Accused of a
murder he did not commit, his escape is thwarted by a
flame-haired
beauty. He must continue his search for justice, but fate
has bound him
to this Scottish lass-and to a slow, sensual desire that
will not be
denied.