The Sins of Rory MacLeod
MacLeods of Skye Book 2
by J R Salisbury
Genre: Historical Romance
A riveting tale of family, love, and betrayal.
Left jilted at the altar by his bride, Rory MacLeod, the Duke of Skye and chief of the MacLeod clan finds himself becoming the subject of unsavory gossip.
Marriage to a respectable young lady of impeccable breeding is the only way Rory can hope to silence the gossips.
Licking his wounds, he returns to London for the upcoming session of Parliament and Season. He brings with him his sister Lily. It will be her first season and one which Rory intends to find a bride of his own. He doesn't have to look far.
Victoria, the Duke of Hargrove's daughter, catches more than his eye the moment he meets her. She is everything his duchess needs to be. She is smart, beautiful and devoted to Rory. Not even his darkest secret can sway her.
The bliss of married life is ripped apart by betrayal of the worst kind. His sister is kidnapped and forced into a marriage with only one purpose. Money. Even worse is who is behind it all.
With his own reputation and that of his family and clan at stake, Rory must carefully negotiate his sister's return without the world finding out about his secret. Not only could it bring shame to everyone he holds dear, it would mean his ruination and worse.
Rory opened the door and found his brother spread across the bed fully clothed. Evidently, he'd given his valet specific instructions not to open the draperies nor wake him. There was no sign of Mac's valet.
He walked over to the draperies and pulled them open, letting in the sunlight. His action was met with cursing and a pillow being thrown in his direction.
"I thought I told you I wasn't to be disturbed," Mac growled.
"I'm not your valet, and you will get your arse bathed and dressed. I don't know what's going on with you, nor do I care at the moment. All I know is our mother is well aware you're drinking in excess and is concerned."
"Mother is always concerned."
"Evidently, she has every reason to be. Now get up."
"Easy for you to say. The great Rory MacLeod and his dirty little secrets," Mac snarled. He reached for a half consumed glass of whiskey sitting on his bedside table.
"Mac, I have no idea what's going on with you. If you want to talk, speak. If not, I have other matters to attend to, like introducing my bride to the tenants."
"Go on with you. Tell Mother I'll be the perfect son when it comes time to leave for Paris." He stared at Rory with bloodshot eyes and downed the whiskey.
"I'll tell her nothing of the sort. It's you who will tell her."
Mac shook his head and lay back down on the bed. "You know you're a huge pain in my arse."
"So you've said. Repeatedly."
"What's it like?"
Rory shook his head. "I don't have time for this, Mac." He turned to leave.
"I quit, you know."
"Quit what, Mac?"
"My position. I'll take the women to Paris, but that's as far as my obligation to you goes. You need to find someone else to sell the whiskey."
Rory spun back around and stared at his brother. He sucked in a breath. "If that's what you want, fine."
"You're not going to beg me to stay on?"
"No. If you're unhappy, you need to leave. Find something that makes you happy."
"Like you and Victoria? How long's that facade going to last?"
"I expect your letter of resignation on my desk by the afternoon."
Rory again turned and this time opened the door.
"Don't worry; it'll be there within the hour!" he heard Mac shout as he walked down the hall.
Bloody hell, what was going on? The last thing he needed was to be short yet another brother. Donnan could handle sales, and he could assist. That wouldn't result in new sales or visiting current clients. He would wait it out and see if Mac did, in fact, resign
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Donnan's Rose
MacLeods of Skye Book 1
As the fourth MacLeod son, Donnan MacLeod does not have to take on the responsibilities his older siblings do. He is free to keep his business private. As a privateer he sails the channel looking for smugglers. Very elite smugglers.
It's not until he returns to Skye for his mother's birthday when Donnan begins to lose control of his life. And it's all because of a woman, the one woman he's loved since childhood. The woman he desires above all others - that is should he ever think of taking a wife.
Rosalind, strong willed and opinionated far more than most, she is determined to find out what it is Donnan is hiding. Never before had they kept things from each other, but Rosalind is convinced he's keeping something huge from her.
Everything changes in the blink of an eye.
Stowing away in the back of Donnan's coach, Rosalind changes their lives forever. The adventure begins...
Donnan strode into the drawing room, heading directly to the decanters of amber liquid. Ignoring the commotion going on around him, he picked up a glass and poured a glass full of the family whiskey. He drained the contents in one long swallow before turning to face the intruders behind him.
"He shot and killed the man and left him on the side of the road," Kent was saying to their eldest brother, Rory.
Still he didn't turn around. He didn't have to hear Rory's voice to know he was in the room. Not only did he feel his brother's presence, he heard his footfalls as the two men neared.
"Is that correct, Donnan? You killed a man?"
Donnan quietly poured himself another glass of whiskey and turned to face the pair.
"Would you rather I brought the man home for supper?" he drawled. "Aye, it's true. All of it. He was a highwayman, an Englishman. He would have killed us if I hadn't taken his life." He lifted the glass to his lips and downed its contents again.
"No, of course not, and you're probably right. The bandits would have probably shot and killed all of you if not for your quick thinking, Donnan."
Rory MacLeod studied his younger sibling for a moment. He knew it did no good to get into a war of wits and words with Donnan. His brother did as he pleased, always had. Though Kent may not approve of his methods, Rory had to admit it was smart thinking on Donnan's part to carry such a tiny pistol.
Donnan MacLeod was known by his reputation first. He'd always been daring as a child, but now, as an adult, he feared no man. Rory wondered when his brother had the time
to attend to his business affairs, as his brother preferred whiskey, cigars, and women to the more serious matters in life.
"So you see, I saved us all." Donnan was back at the decanter, pouring himself another glass of whiskey. "On to other subjects. I'm here, I drug myself out of Edinburgh, so Mother's party can proceed."
"No one spends the summer in London or Edinburgh, Donnan. So there was no reason for you to be there other than your vices," a female voice said from the doorway.
Looking up, the men found themselves greeted by their mother, Lady Edana MacLeod. Her long, dark blonde hair was now streaked with gray. She glided into the room, as graceful as she always had been. As though she owned the castle, a true laird's wife, or in this case, widow. That, and she was a duke's widow.
"Mother," Donnan said, kissing her cheek.
"Guests have begun arriving, Donnan, and I will not have any of my sons embarrassing me. Do I make myself quite clear?"
"Yes, perfectly," Donnan replied, stepping away to finish his whiskey.
"That means you will not overindulge in what you seem to prefer in life. I have invited several young women, along with their parents. I intend to have one or more of my sons either married by the end of summer or at least betrothed. Do I make myself clear?"
"Perfectly," Kent said as he eyed his younger brother with contempt.
"Donnan, did you hear me? You will not embarrass me. You need to settle down and make something of your life."
"Perhaps, Mother, I should just leave in the morning, if I'm such an embarrassment. I will not be forced into a marriage. So save your lectures of the finer points of matrimony for my brothers, for I shall not listen to such dribble."
Having said that, Donnan poured one last glass of the family whiskey, and downing it in one swallow, slammed the glass down, turned, and stormed out of the room. Mother or
no mother, she was not going to dictate his life, nor choose his mate. Her tactics might work on Rory and Kent, but he was having no part of it.
Taking the stairs two at a time, he ascended the grand staircase. He ignored the portraits of MacLeods who lived before him, knowing none of them would have allowed a woman to speak in the manner in which their mother spoke to him.
Donnan headed toward his suite of rooms in the wing opposite Rory's. He stormed down the hall, a man on a mission. Except the only mission he had at the moment was to get away from his aggravating family.
He flung open the door, startling James, who was busy putting things in their place like Donnan preferred.
"May I get you anything, my lord?"
"Yes," Donnan growled, tearing his cravat from his neck and flinging it on to a chair as he opened the neck of his shirt. "Bring me a bottle of whiskey. Make sure one is kept in here. If I must suffer through this, I'll not do it sober."
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I've always been a creative individual. Writing is just a facet of that creativity...
My careers in public relations in and around the entertainment industry, photography, editing, artist management, modeling and special event planning all elevated my passion for writing, not to mention gave me a treasure trove for story lines.
I write women's fiction; contemporary romance (as Jamie Salisbury) and historical romance (as JR Salisbury) which is ever evolving. I am fortunate enough that writing (and marketing of said product(s)) is my full-time job, although I always have one or two other projects going at the same time.
I now live in a suburb of Atlanta. Some of my other interests include photography, equestrianism, reading, and of course, travel.
I sincerely hope my writing will entertain, enlighten, and inspire others to pick up the pen and pursue their own dreams. I love to be contacted by readers, writers, and history buffs.
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