Shake Loose the Border
(Thunder on the Moor, Book 3)
By Andrea Matthews
With Will and Maggie’s wedding just a week away, the last thing they need to stumble upon is Johnnie Hetherington’s dead body tied to a tree, especially one that’s so close to their cottage. Recognizing it as a sure sign that Johnnie has betrayed the family once too often, Sergeant Richie Carnaby gathers Will and his family together for questioning, though it seems obvious only a fool would kill a man on his own land. Then who did murder the rogue, and why?
Feeling confident it wasn’t any of the Fosters, Richie allows Will and Maggie’s wedding to proceed, but the couple has barely exchanged vows when the Armstrongs attack in force. Geordie is determined to rescue his niece from the clutches of Will Foster, whether she wants to go or not. And if he happens to make her a widow in the process, so be it. Will senses the danger and implores Dylan to get Maggie away to safety, no matter where — or when — that may be.
Though Maggie protests, Will assures her he will follow as soon as he is able. Yet how can that be possible when Dylan whisks her back to the twentieth century? Sharing her fears about Will, and unable to forget his own love, Annie, Dylan attempts to return to the past one last time despite his growing concerns over the disintegrating amulet stone. But will he make it in time to rescue Will, or will the villainous Ian Rutherford, who has already killed in cold blood once, win the ultimate battle and see Will and Maggie separated forever?
Excerpt
Once more, there was a knock and this time Dennis stepped into the room. “Are ye coming, brother? Auld Geordie’s moving fast. Then again, if I was coming after such a fine lass . . . I’m sorry, mistress, to steal yer husband away on this yer wedding night, but . . .”
“I’ll be there presently,” Will said, and Dennis nodded, leaving the room. “I’ve nae desire to argue with ye, Wife,” Will said as he stood. He held Maggie in front of him and finished hooking the clasp on her cloak. “Now have ye a kiss for yer husband afore he goes off to battle?”
Maggie just stared at him, her eyes filled with tears, until she could contain herself no longer. “Oh, Will, I’m so scared of losing you.”
“Ye’ll no’ lose me, Wife. ’Twill take more than a few Armstrongs to cut me down.”
Maggie took a deep breath to summon her courage. “Oh, you think not, rogue? Well, I know of one who plans to do so all by herself.”
“Do ye, mistress? Then I must prepare a strong defense.” Will grinned broadly as his lips parted to embrace Maggie’s in one long, erotic caress. Then with an obvious reluctance, he pulled away, and the first sign of fear she had ever seen in his eyes crossed their dusky gray surface. “Take yer dagger, Maggie, and if anyone dares touch ye . . . make sure they never see another sunrise, aye.”
Maggie swallowed hard and, with a shaking hand, relieved him of the weapon. She couldn’t imagine killing anyone, and yet she wouldn’t be abused again, nor would she be separated from her husband. Will took her hand and led her to the top floor, where the other women and children had gathered. He checked that she still held her dagger, then looked at her longingly, as if he were never going to see her again.
“I love ye, Maggie Armstrong,” he whispered, and he kissed her lips one last time before hurrying down the stairs.
Maggie’s heart filled with emotion, and she gasped for air. It was as if her very life’s breath had been taken away. Slipping down on the floor, she huddled up against the wall, still clutching the dagger he’d given her. Should Will die, she’d use it on the man who took him. Though she wanted to be by his side, her place was there above, in a way guarding their last bastion of defense. If the Armstrongs broke through, it was where they would all end up, and Maggie knew she would defend it to her dying breath.
Arrows shot back and forth through the early morning sky, the silver-gray tinge of daylight brightening with each passing moment. Maggie shivered in the cool crisp air of the tower, though it was not the chilling dampness of the stone walls that caused her trembling, but the sound of cold hard steel clashing in the yard below. The Armstrongs had somehow breached the barmekin gate and were even now fighting their way toward the tower. She inched her way over to one of the narrow arrow slots and peeked over the ledge to look down at the melee below.
Will and Dylan were fighting back-to-back. Many of the Hetheringtons had been there for the wedding, so she couldn’t tell if more had arrived, but she did spot Tom and Richie Carnaby over by the cottage, getting the best of two scraggly looking scoundrels. Another man came riding through the gate, followed by his kinsman, a Selby, she thought. The fact that he aimed his bill at her cousin Jamie’s heart confirmed her suspicion.
She held her breath as her cousin managed to move aside at the last moment, yanking the Selby man from his horse. Part of her was relieved, for Jamie had always been a decent sort, and yet the fact that he lived only meant another sword aimed at Will’s heart. A sudden wave of nausea overcame her, and it was all she could do to hold it down. At least help was arriving, she told herself as she chanced another peek.
This novel is available at Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon CA, and Amazon AU. It is also available to read with #KindleUnlimited.
Andrea Matthews
Andrea Matthews is the pseudonym for Inez Foster, a historian and librarian who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogical speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science, and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. She is the author of the Thunder on the Moor series set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Border, and the Cross of Ciaran series, where a fifteen hundred year old Celt finds himself in the twentieth century. Andrea is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Long Island Romance Writers, and the Historical Novel Society.
Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, BookBub, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads
Thank you so much for hosting the blog tour for Shake Loose the Border (Thunder on the Moor, Book 3).
ReplyDeleteAll the best,
Mary Anne
The Coffee Pot Book Club
You are more than welcome.
Delete