The Highlander's Huntress: Romance in the Highlands, #4

By Fiona Grant

Isla Campbell likes nothing more than being out in the bracing wind and snow of the highlands, hunting or practicing her skills with a dagger. 

Finlay MacGregor has spent most of his adult years as a warrior, fighting for his King or his clan, sating his appetites with tavern wenches and enjoying a wager with his friends. 

Then one day, Finlay's friend Malcolm MacGregor challenges him to a wager, but laughingly refuses to tell him the penalty if he loses. Confident, Finlay agrees… but when he does indeed lose, finds that his task is to escort Malcolm's headstrong sister, Isla, on one last hunting trip before she has to face the distasteful task of choosing a suitor. 

With bad grace, Finlay takes Isla out hunting, but after an accident ends up recuperating in the Campbell keep. Isla is his unwilling nurse, and although both feel the flames of attraction, they battle each other as much as his wound. It seems that they are fated to remain apart.

In a final showdown, Finlay has to prove himself worthy of his wild huntress. But can he give up his warrior's lifestyle?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Gem Publishing
• Release date: Dec 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9780645215137

Book preview

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Alone snowflake tumbled through the chill fall air to alight on Isla Campbell’s outstretched tongue. The bright prick of cold made her smile as she gazed out into the grey moors surrounding her father’s keep, searching for more signs of winter. She found none, save for the biting wind which nipped at her nose and cheeks. Winter had not reached the Campbell keep yet, though Isla knew twas only a matter of time before more snowflakes sifted in through the cracks in the castle walls. 

She loved winter, loved the outdoors, and would have given anything to have gone out hunting on the moors that morning with her father and brother, but her father had refused flatly to let her go. Now they were back from the hunt, and she was permitted to do nothing but stand and watch as they returned in triumph. 

She tugged the collar of her wool cloak tighter around her throat and gazed down at the scene below, frowning. 

Her father and brother trudged into the chill yard, each one wrapped tightly in their own wool plaid and long tunics. Behind them followed a bevy of servants, some leading horses blowing hard and steaming from their gallop, the last two walking with an enormous hart slung between them on a rope. The animal’s beautiful head swung with each step they took, its antlers scraping tracks in the dirt. Hounds ran around their feet, noses still trailing the ground, the tips of their tails waving happily above them. Her father reached out to place a hand on the hound nearest him and smiled when it looked up. 

Anger welled up inside Isla’s chest. Today he was showing the hounds more affection than he had his daughter. 

She turned and headed back to the warmth of her father’s solar, sulkily mulling over the conversation from that morning when she had begged to go with them. 

Tis too dangerous beyond the castle walls for a lady such as yourself, her father had said. He would not even look at her; his eyes were locked onto something over Isla’s shoulder rather than on her face. 

Aye, her older brother Malcolm chimed in. I have heard tales that the Camerons are marching this way. Until we know what their intentions are, you cannot ride out with us, sister. You know as well as we do how many young ladies have been taken of late to be used as ransom for their families. Should you want to be locked in a cell and starved as our brother’s wife, Una, was? 

Isla conceded to the logic of their concerns, though she could not help feeling twas more because they did not want a lass to ride out with them than concern for her safety. They knew as well as she that she was more than capable of defending herself should trouble to arise. She was not, after all, Una Campbell. Isla liked her brother Robert’s wife well enough, but she could not help feeling that if the lady had ever learned how to use a dagger and bow, that she may not have found herself such an easy target for kidnappers. Una’s younger sister, Mairi, was much more capable with a weapon, and she and Isla had become fast friends on their first meeting after the birth of Una and Robert’s little lass Maura. 

Isla ran down the stairs to the kitchens, where she knew the hart would be hung for skinning and butchering. Perhaps if she reminded the men in her family of her skill with a knife, they would agree to let her come on their next hunting trip. 

They looked up as she entered, bringing the chill wind in through the door with her. 

What a beautiful creature! Isla exclaimed. She would not let her father or Malcolm get a word in before her. She began a slow walk around the animal, her eyes wandering over every bit of its huge, lifeless body. Who shot it? 

She looked up at her father and brother, doing her best to keep her face open and bright. 

I did, Malcolm answered. His brown eyes narrowed as they bored into her face. He knew her well enough to ken that she was up to something. 

Isla laughed. I should have known. But brother, tell me, why did it take you three shots to kill this creature when one would have done as well?

Malcolm’s face flamed. 

You were in a rush, Isla continued. She did not need to hear her brother’s answer to know she was right, nor did she want to drag out his embarrassment. She did not have to in order to make her point. 

Isla, what is this about? Iain stepped in between his children. Your brother has brought home a beautiful animal for us. Why do you seek to tear him apart for it?

Her father’s words stung. Isla kept her eyes locked on the hart as she spoke. I do not seek to belittle him, father. But you must know how it tears me apart to be kept from joining you on hunting trips! You know full well I love riding out with you and Malcolm… and you know how capable I am of defending myself should trouble arise! She finally looked at him. Please, father, let me join you next time. Winter shall blow in soon enough, and then I shall be safely tucked into the castle until the snows thaw in spring. Please? Let me join you the next time, and we shall have two beautiful animals to celebrate with, instead of one. 

Isla… Iain began, and though his voice was stern, she could hear his defences crumbling. He had never long been able to say no to his oldest daughter. 

Please, Father, she said, doing her best to keep her voice quiet. She thought, a moment too late, of willing a tear into her eye. Iain would have surely given way if he saw he was about to make his daughter cry. 

Malcolm stepped up. We shall not go hunting again this year, sister. I have been invited to visit Clan Macleod for a birthday feast next week, and by the time I return, I am afraid winter shall have settled in. I am sorry, Isla, but you have to wait until next spring. He sent her a somewhat patronizing smile. Perhaps by then, the warfare between clans will have ceased, and it will be safe for you to traipse about on your own again. 

Traipse about on my own?

Isla could not believe what her brother was saying. Was she to be forever be locked up and only let outside when the menfolk deemed it safe enough? 

She would not live like that! Anger welled up inside her chest, and she clenched her woollen skirts in her hands, setting her eyes imploringly on her father. Father! This is not fair! How can you let your son travel on his own to another keep, yet I cannot join you on a hunting expedition? She bit her tongue before she said anything more. 

Iain looked at Malcolm. Your sister has a point, Malcolm…and I shall not have my children squabbling inside the keep all winter just because of one missed hunting trip. Is there no way you can make this right for her? 

Malcolm opened his mouth to speak again, and Isla prepared herself for an argument. But just as he was about to say something, he leaned back, running his long fingers over his chin, and a bright gleam shone from his dark eyes. 

I believe I have a way to solve this problem, Father. Give me a day. I must ride out and speak to my good friend, Finlay MacGregor. He will not be attending the celebration at the Macleod’s. Perhaps he will agree to escort the Lady Isla on a hunt. 

Something in the way Malcolm looked at his sister made Isla suspect there was more afoot in his heart than he was letting on. As soon as she had come of age, her father and brothers had begun gently pushing Isla in the direction of marriage. Isla had knocked the idea down as quickly as it had risen up. She knew she was a bonnie lass and would have no trouble finding a husband should she desire one. But she had yet to meet a lad who