The Roses of Glenross

By Ruth Ryan Langan

A Novella from the Once Upon a Rose Anthology
In war-torn Scotland, a wounded lass finds shelter in an abbey, tending roses in a haunted rose garden. A fierce warrior, recovering from battle, is drawn to this shy, broken beauty. When duty threatens to tear them apart, can love's magic intervene?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ruth Ryan Langan
• Release date: Aug 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005959296

Ruth Ryan Langan

New York Times best-selling author Ruth Ryan Langan, who also writes under the pseudonym R. C. Ryan, is the author of over 100 novels, both contemporary romantic-suspense and historical adventure. Quite an accomplishment for this mother of five who, after her youngest child started school, gave herself the gift of an hour a day to follow her dream to become a published author. Ruth has given dozens of radio, television and print interviews across the country and Canada, and has been quoted in such diverse publications as THE WALL STREET JOURNAL and COSMOPOLITAN. Ruth has also been interviewed on CNN NEWS, as well as GOOD MORNING AMERICA.

Book preview

1

N ot yet, lads. We’ll wait until they’re closer. Jamie Morgan stood with his comrades, hoping to calm their fears as wave after wave of invaders marched out of the mist, swords poised for battle.

’Tis said they violated the women, and even children, before burning Penrodshire to the ground, Jamie. They left not a soul alive. And what livestock they couldn’t take with them, they slaughtered. Duncan MacKay was Jamie’s oldest and closest friend. The two had trained as warriors together from the time they were lads. And though Jamie was descended from the royal house of Moray, and Duncan’s father had been stable master to the laird, the two were closer than brothers.

This isn’t Penrodshire, Duncan. I swear on my father’s grave that these barbarians will not take Ballycrue. This day we will drive them back to the sea from whence they came.

What if we can’t, Jamie? Duncan shivered in the cold, driving rain.

Jamie pressed a hand to his friend’s shoulder. Then we’ll die like warriors. He turned to the men who huddled under the thin protection of their plaids.

They’ve not seen us yet. That gives us our only advantage, since we’re badly outnumbered. Keep yourselves concealed as long as possible. Once they spot us, we fight to the death, lads. Is that understood?

The warriors nodded, united not only by love of their country but also by their devotion to their leader.

As the invaders drew near, the men clutched their swords and dirks and tensed, awaiting Jamie’s command. When it came, they ran forward, screaming like banshees, catching the barbarians by surprise. Soon the air was filled with the clash of steel and the cries of the wounded. And though the ground beneath them ran red with blood, one man continued calling encouragement to his men as he leapt from skirmish to skirmish, determined to drive back the invaders.

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The battle had been raging for hours. And though Jamie Morgan and his warriors fought valiantly, the barbarians had relentlessly inched their way through the tiny village, and beyond, to the forest, where the old men had taken refuge along with the women and children.

Alexa MacCallum huddled in the shadows with her family. Besides her frail mother she had two sisters, one with a babe at her breast, and her father, who had to stop every few steps as a fit of coughing overtook him.

Hearing the crunch of booted feet behind them, Angus MacCallum motioned his family to take cover. Then he stood, sword lifted, ready to protect his loved ones from these barbarians.

There were half a dozen of them, their nakedness covered only by pelts of fur, their eyes hot with blood lust. Though Angus fought with a courage born of desperation, he was no match for these giants, who laughed as they easily dispatched him.

Seeing her father fall, Alexa raced out of her place of concealment and took up his sword, determined to protect the rest of her family. For a moment the invaders were caught by such surprise that they merely stared and laughed at the lass holding a sword as big as she.

Finally one of them stepped forward to engage her. He wasn’t prepared for her courage or her skill with a weapon. As he advanced, she refused to retreat, choosing instead to stand and fight. The first swipe of her sword caught his arm, and he choked back a cry of rage before calling to his comrades to join him. Within minutes they had driven the lass back against a tree, where they easily disarmed her. Though she could no longer defend herself, she lifted her head high in a final act of defiance as she awaited death.

Instead, one of them held her while the others plunged into the thicket, easily driving the rest of her family out from their places of concealment.

With tears streaming down her face, Alexa was forced to watch as they brutalized her mother and her sisters, as well as the infant, before finally killing them.

Then the barbarians turned back to Alexa. And though she couldn’t understand their words, she was well aware of their intentions. Her blood turned to ice. She crossed herself and whispered a prayer for courage, then closed her eyes, helpless against what was to come. She was resigned to whatever sort of horror would be hers at the hands of these barbarians before they snuffed out her life.

Suddenly she heard a strangled cry and opened her eyes to see her enemy falling to the ground and a magnificent Scots warrior standing over him, brandishing a sword. Blood streamed from the brave warrior’s wounds, completely soaking his plaid, but he took no notice.

Jamie Morgan took one look at the lass and felt his heart swell with admiration for her courage. She was as brave and proud as any of his warriors. And so beautiful that she had his breath catching in his throat.

He swept her behind him for protection, while he turned to face the others. And though he was badly outnumbered by his enemy, he drove them back with each lunge of his sword, easily disposing of one after another, until all lay dead.

Weeping uncontrollably, Alexa dropped to her knees, too weak to stand. Jamie longed to take her in his arms and comfort her. But before he could utter a word he heard the cries of his comrades. With a last lingering glance at the lass with the fiery curls and green eyes swimming with tears, he was gone—leaving Alexa alone in the forest, surrounded by unspeakable carnage.

She stared around as though in a daze. All she saw was death and destruction. All those she’d once loved were gone, their lifeblood slowly seeping into the soil that had once nurtured them.

Numb beyond belief, she remained with the dead as darkness overtook the land.

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How does our patient fare, Sister Fiona? Mother Superior stepped into the room and paused at the bedside.

His wounds would have killed a lesser man. A brown-robed nun pressed a cool cloth to the forehead of a still, silent figure swathed in coarse linens. He must fight for every breath, Reverend Mother. She shook her head sadly and began to weep. I fear he will never awaken.

Here now. The older nun touched a hand to her shoulder. "We must have faith, Sister Fiona. After all, this is no ordinary man. Were it not for the laird,