The Campbell Trilogy (139 page)

Beltane, 1609, Dunoon Castle

Jeannie paused at the entrance to the great hall, surveying the festive scene of celebration before her, momentarily overcome by emotion. It was almost too perfect. Maybe she should pinch herself to make sure it was real.

She’d waited over ten years for this wedding. It seemed fitting that it be on Beltane, the ancient festival of fertility and spring—a day for new beginnings—and the true day of Dougall’s birth.

The back of her neck prickled and her senses seemed to come alive. Her heart skipped a beat, then shot forward with anticipation. She felt the warm, hard strength of his body behind her as he slid his hands around her waist, clasping them over her stomach and nuzzling his face in her neck and hair.

The soft warmth of his breath near her ear sent a shiver of desire rippling down her spine. “Is it everything you hoped for, wife?”

Wife.
She didn’t think she would ever get tired of hearing it. Unwilling to wait while everything was worked out, they’d been married secretly over four months ago, but today they’d done so publicly with all their family gathered together to witness their celebration.

She tilted her head slightly to peer up at him, her heart
catching at his boyish grin. Looking at him now, it was easy to remember the handsome young warrior she’d seen across the hall at Stirling Castle who’d captured her young girl’s heart. Her love for him had never changed; it had always been there. She’d only had to become strong enough to trust it.

“It’s perfect,” she said softly, adding, “Chief.” Her eyes sparkled with mischievousness, unable to resist teasing him. She was rewarded by the faint tinge of color on his face. He had every right to be proud. He’d stepped into the role with ease, already earning the respect and admiration of his clansmen. She knew the position felt strange to him and that he still was getting used to the fact that he was Chief of Auchinbreck, but he’d been a leader for years—all that had changed was his title.

It was hard to believe all that had happened. They were truly blessed.

She gazed around the room, seeing her brother and his wife, her two younger sisters and their husbands—even Huntly and the Countess had put aside his differences with Argyll for the day to be here. Telling them about Dougall had been one of the most difficult things she’d ever had to do. Lady Gordon had just one question. “Did my son know?” Jeannie’s assurances that he did had been enough. The Countess’s fierce love of family might not ever include Jeannie, but it did her children. Both of them.

They’d yet to tell Dougall the truth of his birth, but would when the time was right. But he was so perceptive—much like his father—that she wondered whether he’d already guessed the truth. She frowned. “Where are Dougall and Ella?”

Duncan cocked a dark eyebrow, his blue eyes twinkling. “Take one guess.”

She groaned. Ever since Duncan had told the children of how his sword had been used by his ancestor to save the life of King Robert the Bruce, they’d acted like it was something akin to Excalibur. “Fighting over the sword again?”

He nodded. “I’m going to have the cleanest sword in the kingdom.” He grinned. “Don’t worry, they promised to come down and eat when they were finished.”

“Which means we shall have about an hour of quiet before Ella gets hold of you.”

He chuckled and drew her a little closer. “I don’t know, I think I’ve been replaced in her affection.”

Jeannie caught the direction of his glance. “I think you’re right. I’m glad Jamie and Caitrina could be here after all.”

“Aye, it was thoughtful of my wee niece to make her appearance a few weeks early so they could make the journey.”

The tiny cherub was the most beautiful child Jeannie had ever seen—not surprising given her parents. Ella was almost as fascinated with the child as she was with the sword—high praise indeed. “Perhaps she’ll leave with a name?”

He laughed. “I doubt it. The last I heard Caitrina wanted to call her ‘Peace’ because it was the last Jamie would ever know or ‘Penance’ for what he would pay later when the lass is old enough to catch a male eye or two.”

Jeannie giggled. “Or hundred.” Her gaze caught on Jamie’s sister who was holding the as-yet-unnamed youngest Campbell. “I was surprised Patrick agreed to let Lizzie come this close to the babe’s birth.”

“With all those silk pillows he makes her sit on, I’m more surprised he didn’t carry her in on a litter.”

Jeannie raised an eyebrow. “Don’t give him any
ideas.” Her gaze fell on another guest. This one had been a surprise. “It was good of you to invite her.”

Duncan held her gaze, not needing to ask who she referred to. “Without her, I might never have known the truth. Lady Mary protected me and my parents’ secret for a long time.”

“I always knew the truth,” she said.

He gave her an amused look. “How’s that?”

She turned around to face him, reaching up to cup his cheek in her hand. Though he’d just shaved, his skin was warm and rough with the dark shadow of his beard. “I knew from the first moment I saw you that you were destined for greatness.” She smiled. “It was always there, Duncan. Your parent’s marriage doesn’t change who you are.”

The love reflected in his gaze took her breath away. He bent down and placed a tender kiss on her mouth.

“If we didn’t have a room full of guests waiting for us, I might suggest we sneak off for a swim in the loch.” He gave her a wry grin. “Though this time I hope you’ll leave your pistol at home.”

Jeannie laughed. “I don’t know. A girl can get into a lot of trouble swimming in a loch. You never know what kind of scoundrels might be lurking about.”

He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

“Oh, I’m sure you will.” She laughed, not missing the wicked gleam in his eye. “Like a wolf protects the sheep.”

“A hungry wolf.” He gave a long sly look. “Perhaps I can convince you to meet me another time? Have you ever gone swimming by the moonlight?”

“Once or twice.”

His eyes narrowed. “Twice?”

“Or once, who can remember?”

He spun her into his arms with a growl, their guests temporarily forgotten. “Perhaps I shall have to refresh your memory?”

“Perhaps you shall,” she said breathlessly. And later that night he did, very very thoroughly indeed.

Though Jeannie and Duncan are fictional characters, the Grants of Freuchie and Campbells of Auchinbreck are real clans who played a part in the battle of Glenlivet.

The battle was fought in 1594 (not 1599). It is often viewed as a religious war between the Catholic Earls of Huntly and Erroll against the Protestant King James and Earl of Argyll, but it is perhaps most significant as a victory of artillery and horse over infantry.

The loss was a humiliating defeat for Argyll who at the time was only eighteen. As I describe in the story, he is said to have fled from the battle crying. King James was furious about the defeat, but apparently not about Argyll’s humiliation. The king (who Argyll was fighting for) is reputed to have famously said, “Fair fa’ ye, Georgie Gordon, for sending him [Argyll] back looking sae like a subject!”
¹
As my mom used to say, Argyll must have been getting a little too big for his britches and the king was happy to see him brought down to size.

I changed a few details, but much of the battle occurred as I described. A council of war was held the night before at Drumin Castle, and Argyll ignored the order to wait for reinforcements and decided to attack. Though Argyll certainly acted precipitously, it seems clear that treachery was also afoot.

Colin’s perfidy is based on that of Campbell of Lochnell, who allegedly gave Argyll’s position to Huntly. In a fitting case of poetic justice, however, Lochnell had his head blown off by the first fire.

The Chief of Grant was also suspected of treachery. He and his men fled the field after the first fire, crippling Argyll’s vanguard. The chief at the time, however, was not my fictional Jeannie’s father (who was already dead), but her brother John. An interesting aside to readers of my first series, Isabel’s
(Highlander Untamed)
father, the MacDonald of Glengarry, was handfasted to Helen Grant (John’s aunt), and their son “Angus” was Glengarry’s heir and Isabel’s half brother.

Campbell of Auchinbreck (Duncan’s father) did die by taking a shot meant for Argyll. Also, the Chief of MacLean, who readers might remember as the villain in
Highlander Unchained
, did distinguish himself fighting. Argyll’s boast that his standard (some sources say his harp and pipes) would fly on Gordon’s castle of Strathbogie did come back to haunt him when it did just that—not in victory, but in defeat.

Huntly and Erroll’s victory was short-lived. King James was furious at the earls and about a week after Glenlivet, destroyed both their castles (Strathbogie and Slains respectively). The earls were forced into exile for a couple of years. Still, despite Huntly’s part in Glenlivet and his continued religious defiance, King James seemed to show him an odd favoritism. In 1599, five years after Glenlivet, the king made him a marquis. Argyll, however, was to remain an earl (his son would be the first marquis). Ten years later, the Marquis of Huntly was again in trouble with the Kirk and imprisoned in Stirling Castle. He was eventually released in 1610.

The Marchioness/Countess of Huntly was reputed to have been just as ruthless as her husband. The story of her chopping off the chief of Mackintosh’s head after his
foolish offer is one of the few stories that appears in the clan history about the woman.

Had Duncan arrived on Islay in the winter of 1608 to search for his fictitious mother, he would have been a few months too late. Angus MacDonald of Dunyvaig, chief of Clan Donald at the time, had been forced to surrender Dunyvaig Castle to Lord Ochiltree and Andrew Knox, Bishop of the Isles, in August 1608, leading to the forced signing of the infamous Statutes of Iona by the island chiefs the following year.

A note about the castles mentioned in the book. Freuchie Castle is also known as Balloch Castle and later as Castle Grant. The story of the old chief who locked his daughter Barbara in the tower when she refused to marry is part of the castle lore. The tower where she died is indeed known as Barbie’s Tower. Comyn’s skull was kept at the castle for years, although its location now is unclear as the castle was abandoned for years and then sold a few years ago.

Today Strathbogie Castle is known as Huntly Castle.

Aboyne Castle, also known as Bonty or Bunty Castle, was really once a possession of the Knights Templar—replete with a rumored secret passageway and monk’s room. For more information and pictures of some of the sites mentioned in the novel, visit my website at
www.monicamccarty.com
.

¹
Alastair Campbell of Airds,
A History of Clan Campbell
, v. 2, pg. 115, Edinburgh University Press Ltd., Edinburgh, 2002.

To Maxine, my own little red-haired lass.
May your road to love
come a lot easier than
any of the characters I write about …
and not for
at least
another fifteen years.

Writing a back-to-back trilogy is tough, but the hard work doesn’t end when I hit the send button. There is an enormous amount of work that goes into turning a raw manuscript into a novel. Thanks to Kate for her wisdom, flexibility, and speed in keeping the whole process going by juggling reading and revisions for one book, synopses for the next, and copy edits and galleys for the previous. Thanks to Kelli for keeping everything on schedule. A special thanks to the copy editors and to the Ballantine production team. The cover gods have shined not once, but twice on both trilogies—thank you for your brilliance in capturing my strapping lads!

To Jami and Nyree for the whole gamut: plotting, problem-solving, revising, cheerleading and the occasional psychiatry session. Boy am I glad I went to that San Francisco RWA meeting in early 2003.

To my fellow “Team Onica” traveler Veronica: I think another trip to Scotland is in order, we deserve a rematch on that pub quiz (this time without all the “football” and British TV questions). To our cohort and guide Iain Watson: thank you for a fantastic journey around Argyll. Your knowledge of the history and locales was truly amazing—not to mention all those romantic lines of prose you suggested. I still haven’t found the right place for “give this bird a swift one,” but I’m sure it will come to me.

To all the usual suspects, including my agents Andrea, Annelise, and Kelly; Emily and the web design team at Wax Creative; and the brainstorming gang: Anne, Candice, Barbara, Carol, and especially Penny and Tracy, who helped with the initial concept of this book at lunch a very
long
time ago.

And finally, most of all, to my children and husband, who with each book only seem to grow more understanding (either that or I’m growing more deaf).