#MidWeekTease "so are we married or not?" ... It's complicated...

Today I've taken my tease from The Scottish Lord's Secret Bride, which is up for preorder on Amazon and Kobo and out on July 25th from Carina UK
Today at noon, is its cover reveal but shh, if you are reading this before then, here's a sneak peak...

and your tease...

It was one of those days you rarely get in Scotland. Soft warm sunshine, clear blue skies and no midges.

The estate was festive mode, the games well underway and the ale and whisky going down well. Children milled around, dressed in their Sunday best, and getting in everyone’s way. Prizes were handed out for tossing the caber, putting the shot, tidiest croft and prettiest goat. Emotions were high and happy and more than one couple slipped away to see Tam Curtin the Romany who, for a few shillings would conduct a hand fasting, or a wedding over the brush. As Fraser told Morven both were considered legally binding and a lot simpler than having the bans read.

Morven wandered hand in hand with Fraser, laughing at the children admiring the goats and enjoying the day.

Until the tall swarthy man with a body like a tree trunk, long, dark, hair and even darker, flashing eyes stood in front of them and raised one eyebrow. ‘Master will ye no come and let Tam give you a blessing?’ His deep voice with its soft dialect was melodious and welcoming. ‘It’s part of today.’

 Fraser turned to Morven and smiled. ‘Are you ready to seal our friendship? Tell Tam how important it is?’

‘Of course?’ What reason was there to hesitate? ‘Where?’

The man pointed. ‘Over yonder by the rowan tree.’

Morven glanced at Fraser as they followed the giant. ‘Why there?’

‘The tree is said to have magical properties,’ Fraser said with a certainty she hadn’t heard in his voice before. ‘To seal a friendship under its boughs is supposed to bring better fortune.’

She liked the idea of that. ‘We all need all the good fortune we can get.’ This magical interlude was coming to a close. All too soon she would be back in Rutland to gather her clothes and then London for the coming season, both hundreds of miles distant from the castle set high on a pass in the Trossachs and the people who lived and worked there.

And one special occupant. The man who filled her dreams and held her happiness in her hands.

The man who stood beside her.

‘Barbados is so far away,’ she said sadly and choked back her tears. ‘Why must you go?”

‘For the clan’s sake, I have no option for it’s my duty to all my people both here and there. However, that’s not today.’ Fraser kissed her tenderly. ‘Let’s go and stand in front of Tam, and to say what we really feel for each other. I’m yours forever.’

Her eyes misted over. ‘And I yours.’ In the glade, under the trees, all the sounds and sights of the games faded into the background. It could have been only her, Fraser and Tam, or there could have been thousands around. It was not important. All that mattered was telling the man by her side what he meant to her.

‘I Morven do…’

~~~

Catch all the other #MidWeekTease snippets ~here~

happy reading,

love R x