The Highland Laird (Lords of the Highlands #8) - Amy Jarecki Page 0,103
needs is a bit of affection.”
He dumbly stared at the wailing lad. “Affection?”
“Aye, give him a wee bounce and use a soothing voice.”
Ciar took in a deep breath and willed the tension away. “Is this how you greet your father, with a mighty MacDougall wail?” he asked as softly as a man of his size could, moving toward the bed. With his movement the crying stopped. “That’s quite a bit better, son. You wouldn’t want to appear unhappy the first time you meet your mother, now would ye?”
As Ciar leaned toward his wife, cradling his newborn son, Emma carefully swept her fingers across the lad’s face. The radiance of her smile lit up the entire chamber. “I see you, little man. And you are perfect.”
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Author’s Note
Hello and thank you for joining me for Ciar (pronounced Key-ar) and Emma’s story! I had originally planned something different for the MacDougall laird, but after Emma’s supporting role in The Highland Renegade, so many readers wrote in and asked for her happily ever after, I absolutely had to write it.
I initially developed Emma’s character simply to add a new dynamic to Renegade and hadn’t planned for her to have her own story. But some things must come about by popular vote! Let me tell you, it was very difficult to write a blind heroine, and I copiously studied Helen Keller’s autobiography to help me work through it.
Ciar was born John (Ian Ciar) MacDougall, 22nd Chief of Dunollie. In truth, he married Mary, daughter of William MacDonald of Sleat. He did, however, sail fourteen ships to the Isle of Skye to bring her to Dunollie. Ciar was renowned for his bravery and swordsmanship, and his man-at-arms, Livingstone, remained a staunch ally throughout Dunollie’s life.
Also of note, Gylen Castle on the Isle of Kerrera, built by Ciar’s ancestors in 1582, was razed by Cromwell forces in 1647 in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A detachment of Covenanters, drawn from Colonel James Montgomery’s Regiment of Foot, besieged the castle, eventually forcing the clansmen inside to surrender. The castle was then sacked and burned while Cromwell’s men massacred the MacDougalls save John, a child who happened to be the heir and the man who became Ciar’s grandfather. Unfortunately, Gylen does not have a labyrinth of cellars rebuilt as a hiding place, which would have been wise. After Queen Anne’s death, fifty-three Catholics were passed over in the succession to bring a protestant king to the throne, causing outrage among the Jacobites and thus the ensuing risings of 1715 and 1745. After Anne’s death, Ciar supported James Francis Edward Stuart and the fruitless attempts of the “Old Pretender” to claim the throne. Dunollie ended up spending twelve years in exile in Ireland before he was pardoned in 1727, at which time he returned to his ancestral home.
About the Author
Award-winning and Amazon All-Star author Amy Jarecki likes to grab life, latch on, and reach for the stars. She’s married to a mountain-biking pharmacist and has put four kids through college. She studies karate, ballet, and yoga, and often you’ll find her hiking Utah’s Santa Clara Hills. Reinventing herself a number of times, Amy sang and danced with the Follies, and was a ballet dancer, a plant manager, and an accountant for Arnott’s Biscuits in Australia. After earning her MBA from Heroit-Watt University in Scotland, she dove into the world of Scottish historical romance and hasn’t returned. Become a part of her world and learn more about Amy’s books at amyjarecki.com.
Also by Amy Jarecki
Lords of the Highlands series
The Highland Duke
The Highland Commander
The Highland Guardian
The Highland Chieftain
The Highland Renegade
The Highland Earl
The Highland Rogue
Praise for Amy Jarecki
THE HIGHLAND ROGUE
“A compellingly crafted, vividly evoked historical romance that is expertly threaded through with a surfeit of potent danger and powerful desire.”
—Booklist
“Dashes of danger, action, and intrigue that coalesced into a mighty good read. I would highly recommend this story!”
—The Genre Minx
THE HIGHLAND EARL
“A refreshing take on a historical romance, and Jarecki crafts immersive, sweeping scenes in bustling London and the lowlands of Scotland.”
—Shelf Awareness
THE HIGHLAND RENEGADE
“Flirtatious, sensuous romance and adventure fill the pages of this mesmerizing historical, and the undercurrent of Jacobite rebellion raises the tension.”
—Publishers Weekly
THE HIGHLAND CHIEFTAIN
“The Highland Chieftain was a smoking romance that was both endearing and sexy!”
—The Genre Minx
THE HIGHLAND GUARDIAN
“A true gem when it comes to compelling, dynamic characters…With clever, enchanting writing, elements of life-or-death danger and a romance that takes both Reid and Audrey completely by surprise, The Highland Guardian is an historical romance so on point it’ll leave readers awestruck.”
—BookPage
THE HIGHLAND COMMANDER
“Readers craving history entwined with their romance (à la Outlander) will find everything they desire in Jarecki’s latest. Scottish romance fans rejoice.”
—RT Book Reviews
THE HIGHLAND DUKE
“Readers will admire plucky Akira, who, despite her poverty, is fiercely independent and is determined to be no man’s mistress. The romance is scintillating and moving, enhanced by fast-paced suspense.”
—Publishers Weekly
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