Sweet Home Highland Christmas Read online

  “Cold?” Gregory asked.

  “Not a bit.” She snuggled against him.

  “Happy?”

  “Very.”

  Around the lake a score of smaller fires had been lit, and skaters glided in pairs and groups between them. Young ones raced, laughing as they bumped into elders and each other. In the midst of all those activities, she saw Ella taking center stage amongst Gregory’s sisters as the young women laughed over the child’s stories and antics.

  “We won’t be able to live with her after all this attention,” she told him.

  “We shall seriously have great difficulty taking her back with us to Torrishbrae,” he warned with a smile. “My mother is in love with her, and so are my sisters. My sister-in-law, Grace, believes that Ella is the funniest and most loving child she’s met in her life.”

  “I may need to give her a lecture about what children are really like. You and I both know Ella is a wild, wee elf covered in a lass’s clothing.”

  They both smiled as their gazes were attracted to the pregnant Grace coming down the hill supported by Viscount Greysteil, her husband. Their story was a fascinating one, Freya thought, for it was just this past May that the young woman had arrived at Baronsford, half dead in a crate intended for his lordship.

  “Let’s go over,” Gregory suggested.

  Together, they skated to where the elders in the family were gathered by a fire at the edge of the ice. Lady Dacre sat beside Lady Aytoun on a bench.

  Ella appeared as well, dancing around them like a sprite on skates.

  “Millicent, I can’t tell you what peace of mind it gives me to see these two together,” Lady Dacre said.

  “We’re all exceedingly happy,” Gregory’s mother said, beaming at them.

  As Grace and the viscount joined them, Lady Dacre addressed them. “And I must thank you, Greysteil, for asking your brother to escort these two ladies to the Borders. I’m so grateful to you for bringing them together.”

  “But it wasn’t his lordship’s doing at all,” a small voice exclaimed.

  Everyone’s gaze turned to Ella, standing in the center of the group and looking around to make sure she had their attention.

  “I’m the one who arranged their bloody marriage!”

  Author’s Note

  We hope you enjoyed the story of Gregory and Freya, another tale in our Pennington family saga. For those of you who have read our previous work, you’re familiar with Millicent and Lyon, the Earl of Aytoun, from Borrowed Dreams. And as you’ve probably already guessed, we have a new series of books in the works featuring the next generation of Penningtons. The romantic adventure of Grace Ware and Viscount Greysteil (Gregory’s brother) is available in the first installment, Romancing the Scot. We hope you check it out.

  As always, we want to say that we love getting feedback from our readers. We write our stories for you. We’d love to hear what you liked, what you loved, and even what you didn’t like. We are constantly learning, so please help us write stories that you will cherish and recommend to your friends. You can contact us at [email protected], and visit us on our website at www.MayMcGoldrick.com. Also, please sign up for our newsletter. We want you to be among the first to be notified about our new releases and giveaways and other pertinent news.

  Finally, we need a favor. If you’re so inclined, we’d love a review of this story. As you may already know, reviews can be difficult to come by these days. You, the reader, have the power now to make or break a book. If you have the time, please consider posting one to a major bookstore or reading group site. Thank you.

  Wishing you peace and health!

  Nikoo and Jim

  Also by May McGoldrick

  Pennington Family (Regency)

  Sweet Home Highlands (novella in Christmas in Kilts)

  Romancing the Scot

  It Happened in the Highlands

  Sleepless in Scotland

  Pennington Family (First Generation)

  The Promise

  Scottish Dream Trilogy

  Borrowed Dreams (Book 1)

  Captured Dreams (Book 2)

  Dreams of Destiny (Book 3)

  Macpherson Family Series

  Scottish Relic Trilogy

  Much Ado About Highlanders (Book 1)

  Taming the Highlander (Book 2)

  Tempest in the Highlands (Book 3)

  “A Midsummer Wedding” (novella in Say Yes to the Scot)

  Macpherson Brothers Trilogy

  The Thistle and the Rose (Book 0)

  Angel of Skye (Book 1)

  Heart of Gold (Book 2)

  Beauty of the Mist (Book 3)

  Standalones

  The Intended

  Flame

  Tess and the Highlander

  For a complete list of May McGoldrick titles, please visit www.MayMcGoldrick.com

  About the Author(s)

  Author photograph © Loghan Rose

  Authors Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick (writing as May McGoldrick) weave emotionally satisfying tales of love and danger. Publishing under the names of May McGoldrick and Jan Coffey, these authors have written thirty-nine novels. Nikoo, an engineer, also conducts frequent workshops on writing and publishing and serves as a Resident Author. Jim holds a PhD in medieval and Renaissance literature. They live in northwestern Connecticut.

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  Table of Contents

  SWEET HOME HIGHLANDS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Also by May McGoldrick

  About the Author(s)

  Copyright Page

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously.

  Sweet Home Highland Christmas. Copyright © 2018 by St. Martin’s Press.

  All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

  www.stmartins.com

  Cover photographs: couple © Hot Damn Stock; bow © Elena Titova/Shutterstock.com; plaid © Vectorchoice/Shutterstock.com

  ISBN 978-1-250-16693-7 (ebook)

  First Edition: July 2018

  Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, ext. 5442, or by e-mail at [email protected].