Publisher's Synopsis
A sweet romance blossoms amidst feuding and war. With her reputation at stake after being accused of practicing witchcraft and hated as a member of a rival clan, Maidie considers leaving Clan Munro and returning to the home of her birth in Clan Cameron. Fierce battles, a tragic encounter, and a handsome clan chief compel her to make crucial decisions in this haunting romance set in the16th century Highlands of Scotland.
Maidie is summoned to Fàrdach Castle of Easter Ross-shire to assist in caring for the wounded of Clan Munro after a battle with Clans MacKenzie and Cameron. She dreads the task since her husband, Kenneth Munro, was killed in an earlier battle. Maidie is a healer, taught by her mother, with the skills and knowledge needed to tend the wounds of Chief Andrew Dubh Munro who is seriously wounded.
People in the castle and those in the village of Drumainn turn against Maidie. Angus, the castle physician, resents her for taking his job in caring for the chief. She is hated by some, because she is a member of the enemy Clan Cameron and came to live in Ferindonald, the Munro lands, with her husband.
Maidie considers returning to the land of her birth in Clan Cameron with her young son, Sven, but falls in love with Andrew while caring for his wounds. Although her neighbors now call her a witch, she wishes to stay in Drumainn because of her love for the chief.
Against an effort to guard his hardened heart from another hurtful encounter with a woman, Andrew falls in love with the tender, caring healer, Maidie. He wants her to stay in Drumainn, but his enemies, the Camerons and MacKenzies, have other plans. They use Andrew in an exchange for Maidie and Sven after their warriors capture the Munro chief. Her father, the brother of Chief Ewin Cameron, wishes for Maidie's inheritance to stay within his hands. After the exchange, Andrew vows to get Maidie back and plots her return to him and Clan Munro. While inside Castle Lach, the seat of Clan MacKenzie, Andrew meets a small child who is his daughter. He takes the child with him to provide for her when he leaves Castle Lach.
Gavin, Andrew's brother, falls in love with Maidie. She is attracted to him, but knowing his roving eye, avoids his amorous attentions. Gavin tries to woo Maidie and win her heart away from Andrew. He offers an alternative to rescuing his brother instead of using her as an exchange for the chief. Maidie will not put Andrew's life in danger and refuses. She resigns herself to going back to her father's home. Gavin decides he cannot stay at Fàrdach without Maidie and makes plans to leave.
Davina, the younger sister of Andrew and Gavin, harbors resentment toward Maidie because of her brothers' attentions to the healer. Davina is also jealous of the young warrior, Tavish, who Andrew assigned as Maidie's bodyguard, and who is infatuated by her sweet charm. Davina secretly loves Tavish and wishes to marry him, but her brothers desire her to marry the MacKenzie's son to bring peace between the clans.
Although Maidie loves Andrew, she knows their love is forbidden. Too many adverse circumstances surround their relationship. Being a devout believer, Maidie is concerned about Andrew's lack of spiritual convictions. She realizes they can never be happy with a gulf between their beliefs. Because of Maidie's influence; however, Andrew seeks and makes his life right with the Lord.
