Born in the Holy Land only a few years after the Third Crusade, half-Armenian, half-Scot Arbela MacLean is a true daughter of the desert, beautiful and untamed. Trained to be a warrior to avoid her gentle mother’s fate, Arbela has honed her skills with Turkish bow and arrow, sword and throwing darts—and dreads the day her father choses a man for her to marry. After more than thirty years in the Holy Land, Donal MacLean, Baron of Batroun, is recalled to Scotland, the last son available to take up leadership of clan MacLean. He brings with him knights, treasure, trade—and a daughter of marriageable age. Caelen MacKern, known as the Bull of the Highlands, is cynical about women. His first marriage formed an alliance, and he did not grieve when his spoiled, immature bride passed away. He has agreed to marry again—against his better judgement—for the men, means and coin to recover from a devastating pestilence that all but wiped out his clan. Though more than a little resentful at finding himself forced to remarry, Caelen’s proposal to Donal MacLean’s headstrong daughter nevertheless piques her interest. Each will receive what they want most from life—the ability to live as they please without interference from a meddling spouse. But their marriage of indifference will soon change to one of passion that neither Arbela nor Caelen could have predicted. Do you enjoy a colorful bit of history with your romance? Many second and third sons—Scots and English alike—took to the Crusades for a chance at glory and riches. Donal MacLean of our story followed Richard Lionheart to the Holy Land where he won the notice of Bohemond IV of Antioch, Count of Tripoli. He joined the prince’s service and was soon made Baron of Batroun, residing at Mseilha Castle where he guarded St. William’s Pass on the road from Tripoli to Beiruit. Donal, now Baron of Batroun, married an Armenian princess and settled down to live his life in the Holy Land. Recalled some thirty years after he first left Scotland, his daughter Arbela, with her exotic eyes, dusky skin, and voluptuous body—heritage of her Armenian mother—will turn heads and engender gossip in Scotland where praises are sung to pale-skinned, bright-haired lasses, and her colorful clothing will raise more than a few eyebrows.