"Trust is the most important thing between husband and wife. If you cannot trust your husband with your heart, your life, or your love, nothing else matters … only give the sword to your husband if you can trust him with all these things."
As a child, Josephine MacAdams had dutifully memorized her mother’s —words even if she didn’t quite understand what they meant. For years, Josephine kept the secrets handed down through generations of DeReyne women. Now that her betrothed of more than four years has finally come for her, she must decide if he is not only worthy of her heart, but also of the ancient sword. Will Graeme MacAulay prove worthy or will Josephine have to keep the sword hidden for another generation?
But that is not her only worry. She loves her sister-of the-heart, Laurin, who cannot escape the horrors of her past. Illegitimate, abandoned by her mother, and sorely abused by her laird, Laurin’s only hope of ever being free lies in the hands of a man she has just met – Albert MacAulay. Never one to loosen his purse strings, much to the surprise of all who know him, he pays for her freedom. But what will he expect in return?
To date, it has sold more than 30,000 copies. It has also been nominated for a RONE award by InD'Tale Magazine. It has already been translated into Italian.
The wasting disease was a horrible way for anyone to die. Just as the name implied, it ravages a person’s body, eating it from the inside out.
Marielle de Reyne MacAdams, a once beautiful and vibrant woman, lay in her bed, wasting away from the hideous disease. Her once gleaming black hair was now a dull blend of black and gray. The green eyes that used to twinkle with merriment and sweetness were now cloudy and yellow. Skin that had once been the color of cream, and just as smooth, was now splotchy and covered with large, red sores. A once melodic voice was now nothing more than a harsh, scratchy whisper. No one could say she was even a shadow of her former self. A shadow had more depth.
Her husband had said his goodbyes to her days ago. He made no final declarations of love, did not leave her with promises they both knew he would not keep. Delmer MacAdams shed no tears. He didn’t even pat his once beautiful wife’s hand. His only parting words were, “At least ye tried.” They both knew what that meant, but ’twas a secret Marielle would take to her grave.
