Read an excerpt from Chapter One of A Highlander's Love

It was 1635 when Lord William Booth and his wife Lady Elizabeth Booth gave birth to their first-born child, a son, and the next Lord of Dunham Massey Castle. He was a strong and healthy boy with dark hair and brown eyes, and he was named William Booth the third. As young Lord William grew to a young boy, he was adventurous and spent a great deal of time near the woods, but he was never allowed to venture any further beyond the forest tree line. Although he felt pulled to go further as if there was something he needed to see, unsure what it was, he was determined once he was a man, he would venture further into the woods hoping to discover what it was that was calling to him. Once William was a young youth, he would go a short distance into the woods, but not as far as he wanted since his nursemaid was always near. He never understood why it was so important that he wasn’t allowed to go further into the woods, not until much later when he learned of the story about young Elizabeth Massey and Robert Davenport, who once spent a great deal of time in those woods, and it was believed the woods were now haunted by their spirits, but young William never believed those stories to be true, yet he was never brave enough to find out. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be until much later after he was a man, having forgotten his need to venture into the woods since he was distracted by his duties to become the next Lord of Dunham Massey Castle. *** Heather Campbell was born in the late 1600s, the daughter of Lord Campbell, and the first born, the eldest daughter of Clan Campbell. Her brother, who she cherished more than anything, was born ten years after her, which was also the day she lost her mother. From that day, Heather took on the role to help raise her brother, knowing it would be something her mother would have wanted her to do. Although she was from a high and noble family, it wasn’t necessary to take on such a duty, but Heather could not leave her brother to be cared for by anyone other than herself. Her brother, who she named Sean, became everything to her. He was her heart, and the love she felt for her brother was more than a sister or a mother’s love, but one of all, including friendship. Many years when Sean was ten years old, he was out riding with his sister, racing across the meadow not far from the castle, when Sean’s horse hoof hit a hole in the ground and tumbled over, throwing Sean through the air, and when he landed, his head hit a rock killing him instantly. “Sean!” Heather called out as she jumped off her horse and ran to her brother. “Sean! Sean! Answer me!” When Heather reached her brother she grabbed him by his shoulders and tried to wake him, but he would not wake. She leaned down and listen to his chest, but she couldn’t hear a heartbeat. “No, no, ye can no die. Ye can no leave me. Ye are all I have left of mother. Ye can no leave me too,” she begged, but there was nothing she could do, Sean was gone. Heather picked up her brother and laid him across his horse and once she was on her horse, she returned to the castle to tell her father that his only son was dead. “How do I tell da? Will he blame me for Sean’s death?” shaking her head, “nae, father will no blame me. He will see it as the accident it was. He will grieve, but he will not blame me, no as I will blame myself.” Heather turned to look at her brother with tears running down her face, “nae, tis my fault. I encouraged Sean to race me across the meadow, tis, I am to blame.” Heather rode back to the castle with sadness, as guilt was weighing down her heart, and when she returned to the castle, the guards saw Sean’s body draped over the horse and they quickly rushed to help, believing he was only injured, but when they reached him, they saw he was dead. The captain looked at Heather for answers and she relayed what happened in the meadow. “Quick, find the Laird!” called the captain of the guard. “Hurry men, help me carry him into the castle and up to his bedchambers.” The men with heavy hearts, did as their captain ordered and they slowly carried Sean into the castle and up to his bedchambers, where after a short time, Laird Campbell entered the room to find his son lying motionless on the bed. “What happen to my son?” Laird Campbell asked. “My Laird, there was an accident,” he turned to look at Heather, and she was standing by the door with her head down and her hands crossed in front of her. “He was racing his horse in the meadow when the horse took a fall and was thrown from his horse, where he hit his head on a rock. My Laird, he is…no more.” Nae, no my son. My only son. How can ye take him from me now and so young? Nae, God, tell me tis no so? he thought, but he knew there was nothing God could do. Laird Campbell looked at his son with shock on his face, then at his daughter, and what he saw broke his heart even more. “Come child.” Heather slowly went to her father who embraced her in his arms and held her while she cried. “My daughter, tis no yer fault. Tis an accident and nothing more.” Heather was shaking as she cried in her father’s arms, then after a short time she heard, “Mary, come take Heather to her bedchamber and watch her carefully.” “Aye, My Laird, I shall stay with her.” Mary took Heather from Laird Campbell’s arms and helped her to her bedchamber. Turning back to his son, “my son. How can I lose ye so soon? Ye was what was left of yer mother, but I know yer mother is with ye now. My love, my wife, take our son and care for him as ye would have done in life, ye can now do in death.” Laird Campbell turned to the captain of the guard. “Call for the priest and prepare him…my son for burial,” he said, then went and kneeled beside his son’s bedside. “My son, ye will be remembered. Tis time ye go to be with yer mother. I love ye son. I love ye, Sean.” Laird Campbell lowered his head for a few moments, then kissed his son on the cheek, then stood and left the room. Heather was lying on her bed crying uncontrollably with Mary sitting by her side, “hush child, tis alright. Tis no yer fault.” Aye, tis my fault! It tis my fault! Heather repeated in her mind over and over again. Just then, her father walked in, “Mary, how is Heather.” “Oh, My Laird, she no do well. She has no stopped crying.” “Mary, give me a few moments alone with Heather. Go down and have cook fix her a plate of food and drink.” “Aye, My Laird.” Mary curtsied, then left the bedchamber as she silently closed the door behind her. Laird Campbell went and sat on the edge of Heather’s bed. “Heather, my daughter, please no cry. Tis no yer fault. Tis was an accident and nothing more. Yer brother is now with yer mother.” Heather could not open her eyes, she couldn’t bear to look at her father and see the shame in his eyes. She believed what he said, but she also knew his heart was breaking at the loss of his son and heir. Just then, Heather rose and embraced her father. “Oh da, tis my fault. I encouraged Sean to race me, if I no do this, he would no be dead. Aye, tis my fault,” she said before she was overtaken by grief. Laird Campbell knew it wasn’t his daughter's fault, but right now there was nothing he could say that would change how she felt, so he did what he could, he held her in his arms until she cried herself to sleep. Laird Campbell returned to his son’s bedchamber, and when he did, he saw the priest standing over Sean’s body giving him his last rights. Once the priest was done, he turned to find Laird Campbell standing in the doorway. “My Laird, I am sorry about yer son. I have given him his last rights. When shall ye like to perform the wake?” “On the fourth day. We shall have it in the great hall and bury him next to his mother in the family kirkyard.” “I shall make the arrangements. I will leave ye to mourn,” the priest said and left the room. After a few moments, Laird Campbell covered his son with his tartan, and after one more look, he too left the room. *** On the day of Sean’s wake, all of the clans, along with the people in Cawdor Village and the surrounding outskirt villages attended the laird's only son’s wake. Those that could not fit in the great hall, stood outside waiting for Sean’s body to be carried out and taken to the kirkyard to be buried. Laird Campbell was amazed by the number of people that came to pay their respects, and it pleased him to see how many of the people cared for and loved his son. While Heather was getting ready for her brother’s wake, her mind was running wild, how can I do this? How can I see my brother lying dead? Tis my fault. Tis my fault. I no naught I can do this, she thought, and the thoughts along with her grief were too much for her to bear, and she collapsed on the floor. “My Lady no. Lizzy, quick, go and bring the laird at once,” hollard Mary. Without waiting, Lizzy ran to find the laird. “Ella, help me get Heather on her bed,” said Mary. Without another word, Ella and Mary carried Heather to her bed and just as they laid her down, Laird Campbell entered the room. “What happened Mary!” “Tis her grief My Laird. It was too much for her to bear.” “Let us leave her to rest, tis best she no attend her brother’s wake and burial.” “Nae, My Laird. She will no forgive ye if ye let her miss her brother being put to rest. Give me time to revive her and I will bring her to ye.” Hesitant, Laird Campbell said, “very well Mary,” then left the room. After a few moments, Mary was able to revive Heather. “Oh, thank heavens. My Lady, do ye wish to go to the church?” Groggy, Heather managed to say, “aye Mary, I do. I need to say goodbye to my brother. Will ye help me?” Sean, I will no allow my grief to keep me from saying goodbye to ye. “Aye, My Lady, I will.” Mary helped Heather up and once she was steady, she helped her out of her bedchamber and down the stairs to the great hall. Once they entered, Heather’s father was standing at her brother’s coffin, and the sight of it caused her to swoon, but with Mary’s help, Heather managed to make her way to her father’s side. When Laird Campbell saw his daughter come to be by his side, he smiled and put his arm around her. After the wake was over, the clan took Sean’s coffin and carried it to the kirkyard where they laid his body to rest, and once the proceedings were over, Mary assisted Heather back to her bedchamber where she remained for five days. Although she will never forget her brother, it was time to live her life. Now that her father lost his son and heir, he would need her more than ever before, and she had to be strong for him.