Eloping with the Laird
A man she can trust…
With her life…and her heart?
Ordered by her father to
choose a husband by the end of the Highland Games—or he will select one for
her—widow Moira Fraser hastily elopes with Rory McKenna, Laird of Blackmore.
But they soon discover neither is free of the past. Rory has a price on his
head, and needs an heir as soon as possible, and Moira’s horrible first
marriage has left her afraid of letting her new husband close…
Purchase Link
https://books2read.com/u/31KKBl
Extract
from Chapter 1 of Jeanine Englert’s Eloping
with the Laird
for
E-Romance News:
Context: In the opening scene of the book,
widow Moira Fraser is out walking the meadow with her brother Ewan as the
Tournament of Champions is ongoing. She has been tasked with selecting a
husband before the games are over, otherwise her father will select one for
her. Her brother has told her of a few possibilities as they watch the men
compete. This is when she first sees our hero, Rory McKenna, and begins to
believe he may be her perfect future husband for a very unusual reason.
Excerpt
from Chapter 1 of Eloping with the Laird:
Her gaze skipped along other men dotting the field like a
rock skipping along water before clunking into the abyss. A man she’d never
seen before sat alone far off from the crowd atop one of the last of the
timbers the soldiers had set out for those who wished to watch the men compete.
The man’s dark features and flat brow read boredom and his scowl irritation,
which was exactly how she felt. For a moment, at least one person shared her
disdain for the day, which warmed her spirit.
‘What of him?’ Moira squinted and quirked her lips. ‘The one
sitting alone in the back. He wears a noble crest on his overcoat. Who is he?’
Ewan shook his head. ‘Laird Rory McKenna? Nay, Moira. He is
not an option. Have you not heard about Black Rory?’
‘Black Rory? What are you talking about?’ She watched the
man, and he stiffened as if he’d felt the intensity of her gaze. She stepped
back to shield herself in the shadowy leaves of the rowan tree.
‘They say he’s ill, gravely ill.’ Ewan dropped his voice
low. ‘Some sort of family curse. He grows weaker by the day. His uncle is eager
for him to marry as Rory is a laird and has no male siblings or cousins, but no
one wishes to bind their daughter to a dying man.’
Moira perked up, raising her head higher, boldly staring at
the man as he stood. Rory McKenna was tall and wore grey trews that showed his
rather muscular legs. A black collarless frock coat with large cuffs detailed
in silver buttons covered an equally pleasing upper torso. Not exactly the look
of a dying man. His dark hair was wavy, perhaps even a bit long for fashion,
but it flattered his sharp features. He had a commanding air about him, and his
scrutinising eyes didn’t seem to miss anything. ‘Are you making this up to
trick me? He doesn’t seem ill. He’s quite fit. And you and I both know curses
are nonsense.’
Ewan leaned closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. ‘Every
single direct male descendant of the McKenna family has died before the age of
four and twenty for generations. Ask anyone. And if that isn’t a curse, what
is?’
‘You just stated his uncle lives. Doesn’t that in itself
prove the curse to be untrue?’ She frowned at him and crossed her arms against
her chest. She knew it seemed too perfect an option to have merit.
‘It is long rumoured that his uncle was sired by a man other
than a McKenna. He has never made a claim for laird either, so it is largely
accepted as truth.’
Her curiosity peaked. She studied McKenna’s easy fluid
movements as he approached the edge of the field where men were practising
shooting at various targets. ‘His age now?’ she enquired, a bit breathless and
eager for her brother’s answer. Maybe he could be an answer to her prayers
after all.
‘Three and twenty. They say he only has months to live.’
Her stomach fluttered and flipped. Those were exactly the
words she longed to hear.
She much preferred the idea of being a widow than a wife.
She sucked in a steadying breath, squared her shoulders and
pressed a kiss to Ewan’s cheek. ‘Thank you, brother. I believe I have just
found my future husband.’
‘You can’t be serious?’ Ewan cocked his head.
‘And why wouldn’t I be? He is a laird, pleasing to look upon
and days away from death.’
He clutched her arm. ‘You cannot throw away your future
because of the past.’
‘I won’t be,’ she whispered. ‘This, he, is how I
shall seize my future without having to comply to the demands of a husband for
the rest of my days.’ For what man would have her after burying two husbands
before the age of five and twenty? They’d believe she was cursed, and
she would fan such gossip until it burst into flame.
Author Bio
–
Jeanine Englert’s love affair with mysteries
and romance began with Nancy Drew, Murder She Wrote, and her Grandmother’s
bookshelves full of romance novels. She is a VIVIAN® and Golden Heart® Finalist
as well as a Silver Falchion, Maggie, and Daphne du Maurier Award Winner in
historical romance and mystery. Her Scottish Highland historical and historical
romantic suspense novels revolve around characters seeking self-acceptance and
redemption. When she isn’t wrangling with her characters on the page, she can
be found trying to convince her husband to watch her latest Masterpiece or BBC
show obsession. She loves to talk about books, writing, her beloved rescue
pups, as well as mysteries and romance with other readers. Visit her website at
www.jeaninewrites.com.
Social
Media Links –
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Warm up with a Scottish Highland Giveaway! (Open to UK / US)
Cozy up with a beautiful cashmere scarf made in Scotland, some book
swag, and a Scottish Blessings bracelet while you read my latest Highlander
romance, Eloping with the Laird! I hope you enjoy this first book
in the Falling for a Stewart series! Happy reading!
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1 comment:
Thank you so much E-Romance News for taking part in my blog tour! I appreciate all of your support and for sharing the excerpt from Eloping with the Laird with your readers!
-Jeanine
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