{"product_id":"2940014445467","title":"THE BRIGHT BEGINNING : Highland Vengeance : Part Six (A Family Saga \/ Adventure Romance) (Highland Vengeance: A Serial Novel) (Highlands Trilogy)","description":"This is PART SIX of a SIX PART SERIAL NOVEL. They must be read in sequence in order to understand the story.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePART SIX: Bao departs for Perth to resume his life as a soldier for William, King of Scots. **This is a short finale to Daniel and Maryn's story (approx. 2300 words) and the lead-in to Bao and Jesslyn's story (Highland Grace)**\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSet in the turn of the thirteenth century Scottish Highlands, this is the story of Daniel MacLaurin, a handsome, rugged warrior-laird haunted by his past, and Maryn Donald, the beautiful, high-spirited lass destined to help him find his heart's ease.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHIGHLAND VENGEANCE is a steamy adventure romance, but it is also a family saga. It's the story of how a man overcomes the horror of his past to find love, connection, and contentment once more. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e~Excerpt~\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER 21\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I believe it not,\" Maryn said to Lady Maclean and Branwenn the next morn as they stood in the courtyard watching Bao and Daniel in deep conversation. \"The man is still set upon leaving, even after all our endeavors to change his mind. Why does he feel he must return to soldiering for the king when he has a family here who needs him?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"He enjoys soldiering,\" Branwenn answered. \"He's been doing it for as long as I can remember.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Aye, and he no doubt craves a bit of freedom, at least for awhile. After all, he has cared for Branwenn all of his adult life and now that duty has been transferred,\" Lady Maclean said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBranwenn bit her lip and bowed her head.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"My dear, you mistake my meaning,\" Lady Maclean rushed to explain. \"He had no desire to discontinue his care of you, 'twas only his need to keep you safe from the predators of the court that prompted his settling you here.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Aye, he has made that quite plain to me. Still, 'tis no easier for me to watch him depart.\"\u003cbr\u003e* * *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJesslyn and Alleck came through the open gateway at that moment and Maryn waived to them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlleck tried to pull away from Jesslyn's grip on his hand, but she would not release him. \"Mama! I want to say g'bye to Bao!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"We'll say our farewells in a moment, Alleck. Can you not see that Daniel and Bao are trying to speak privily? 'Twould be rude to interrupt them.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"But I wanna show Laird Daniel the trick Bao taught me last eve.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"You shall have plenty of time to do so after Bao is on his way.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlleck tugged harder. \"I wanna show him now, while Bao's here to watch me, too!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHer son had been trying her patience all morning with his demands and belligerence. Though Jesslyn knew he was acting out as a way to deal with his own feelings of sadness at Bao's departure, the tight reins she'd been keeping on her temper finally snapped. After hauling him a distance away from the group, she got down on her knees so that they were eye-to-eye and said, \"You are not going to bother Daniel and Bao right now, do you understand?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlleck bobbed up and down. \"But, Mama--\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Nay, no 'buts'. For I am the mother and you are the bairn; I am the leader and you are the follower. Whatever I say is law. At least until you are grown and wed. Do you ken me, lad?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis shoulders slumped in defeat. Bowing his head, he said, \"Aye, Mama.\" After a moment, he looked up and cocked his head to the side, a question in his countenance. \"So when I'm grown and wed I'll get to be leader?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJesslyn grinned and tweaked her son's nose. \"Nay, then your wife shall be leader.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlleck giggled and stuck out his chest, pointing at it with his thumb. \"Nay! I'll be leader and my wife will do whatever I say. Even if I tell her to eat worms or roll in horse dung.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBao and Daniel walked up just as Alleck said the last and they both chuckled.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDaniel ruffled Alleck's hair. \"Lad, you have a lot to learn about wives if you think you'll ever be able to get one to do something she does not wish to do, just by giving her an order. Take it from me, as I am now an expert on the subject.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlleck rolled his eyes, clearly not believing Daniel's words. Then, looking up at his mother, he asked, \"Now can I show Laird Daniel my trick?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJesslyn nodded, too aware of the dark-haired warrior standing beside her to speak. She'd found one of Bao's foreign coins on her pillow when she'd awakened this morn. How he'd managed to get it there without her knowledge, she was afraid to ponder.\u003cbr\u003e* * *","brand":"KE Saxon","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47080178778352,"sku":"2940014445467","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940014445467_p0.jpg?v=1763948718","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940014445467","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}