A WOMAN OF HONOUR - by Marlow Kelly
Historical Romance Novella – Length 53 Pages
BLURB:
Duncan Campbell
wakes to discover he is imprisoned with a woman in his enemy's dungeon in the
Highlands of Scotland. The disenchanted warrior hopes his last few moments on
earth will be spent in the arms of the sweet-voiced Isabel. If only she will
cooperate.
Isabel Douglas has
no intention of obliging the crude captive. The penniless noblewoman considers
herself too tall and thin to be desirable. She intends to become a nun. But
first, disguised as a boy, she must deliver an important letter to Scotland's
hero in hiding, King Robert the Bruce.
Together, the pair
make a daring escape that plunges them into the bleak countryside in the middle
of winter. In the struggle to survive, they learn the true strength of their
feelings for each other. But when Duncan's animosity towards the king becomes
evident, Isabel must decide between her heart and her country.
EXCERPT:
Duncan
Campbell drifted into consciousness and opened his eyes to absolute blackness.
He lay perfectly still on the cold, dirt floor listening. A small rustle of
fabric echoed in the darkness. He cocked his head, getting a sense of the
sound’s location, then rose to his feet.
“Tell me who you are
before I tear you apart,” he roared, seizing his opponent. Whoever it was
didn’t answer, just silence. A fist punched him on the nose. Pain ricocheted
through him, and he grabbed his face. In the dark, he lost his balance and fell
in the dirt, cradling his head in his hands.
“Oh my, are you all
right?” asked a small voice.
“No, I’m not.”
“You threatened me,
and I wanted to give you fair warning I will fight back if you touch me.”
The lyrical voice
stunned him. A woman? She spoke Gaelic with a strong, lowland accent. He shook
off the pain and asked,
“Where am I?”
“Dunstaffnage Castle.
Don’t you remember your capture? I’ve heard of people getting a bump on the
head and not remembering their own name. Is that what happened to you? Did you
bump your head?”
Lord, she was
talkative.
“Is it?”
“I remember I was hit
from behind scouting the bast….Are we in the dungeon?” He rose to his feet.
“Yes.”
He grunted. On the
bright side he hadn’t gone blind. On the other hand they were in a dank,
windowless cell with no hope of escape. There wasn’t even a sliver of light
coming through the door.
MARLOW
KELLY BIO:
After
being thrown out of England for refusing to drink tea, Marlow Kelly made her
way to Canada where she found love, a home and a pug named Max. She also
discovered her love of storytelling. Encouraged by her husband, children and
let’s not forget Max, she started putting her ideas to paper. Her need to write
about strong women in crisis drives her stories and her curiosity regarding the
lives and loves of historical figures are the inspiration for her
characters. You can visit Marlow at www.marlowkelly.com,
Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
and Pinterest
A Woman of Honour is
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