The Heart of an Highlander

t the earthy scent of heather and pine. She sat tall in the saddle, her spine stiff with defiance, as the rugged landscape unfolded around her. Jagged peaks loomed on the horizon

ce between England and the Highland clans. A political alliance, he had called it, though she knew better. It was not peace her father

their eyes scanning the hills for signs of trouble. The Highlanders were known for their cunning and their disdain fo

pped with unease. He gestured toward a stone keep perched on a distant h

ader of the MacRae clan. The stories she had heard painted him as a savage brute, a warrior hard

show fear. Lady Isolde of Ravenswood was no trembling flower. If she was

ers clad in tartan and leather paused in their tasks to stare. Some nodded respectfully, others simply gawked,

r. Tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair tied back and piercing gr

iet murmurs of the crowd. He bowed slightly, though the gesture felt more l

e," she replied, her tone cool but polite. Their gazes locked, and for a mom

e said, his expression unreada

each syllable carefully chosen. She would not give him t

und herself acutely aware of the space between them. The castle interior was as stark as the exterior, its stone walls adorned with fad

it open, revealing a room that, while modest, was clean and well-appointed. A fire crack

ing her belongings deposited them by the door before ret

s they seem at first," he said, his tone softe

behind him with a quiet thud. Isolde stood in silence, t

ncing flames. The silence of the room was oppressive, broken only by the faint murmur of voices fr

ge, nor did he seem as cold and ruthless as the tales suggested. Yet there was a ha

was utterly alone here. No family, no allies, only strangers who viewed her with suspicion or indifference. She was a fo

, she turned as a young woman entered, her brown hair

d, dipping into a quick curtsey.

Isolde replied, grat

e worked. "The laird is a fair man," she said, her accent lil

. "And what do the peopl

ourse," she admitted. "Some think it's a risk, bringing an Engli

rew quiet once more, and she lay awake on the unfamiliar bed, staring at the ceilin

father, not for Lachlan, and not for anyone else. If she was