Adam’s Call The Victorian Highlanders Book 3 Ellie St. Clair Contents Author’s Note Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Afterword Roderick’s Purpose A sneak peek… Also by Ellie St. Clair About the Author ♥ Copyright 2020 by Ellie St Clair - All rights reserved. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher. Facebook: Ellie St. Clair Cover by AJF Designs Do you love historical romance? 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Also By Ellie St. Clair Standalone Unmasking a Duke The Stormswept Stowaway Christmastide with His Countess Her Christmas Wish Happily Ever After The Duke She Wished For Someday Her Duke Will Come Once Upon a Duke’s Dream He’s a Duke, But I Love Him Loved by the Viscount Because the Earl Loved Me Happily Ever After Box Set Books 1-3 Happily Ever After Box Set Books 4-6 Searching Hearts Duke of Christmas Quest of Honor Clue of Affection Hearts of Trust Hope of Romance Promise of Redemption Searching Hearts Box Set (Books 1-5) The Unconventional Ladies Lady of Mystery Lady of Fortune Lady of Providence Lady of Charade Blooming Brides A Duke for Daisy A Marquess for Marigold An Earl for Iris A Viscount for Violet The Blooming Brides Box Set: Books 1-4 The Bluestocking Scandals Designs on a Duke Inventing the Viscount Discovering the Baron The Valet Experiment The Victorian Highlanders Callum’s Vow Finlay’s Duty Adam’s Call Roderick’s Purpose Coming Soon Peggy’s Love Author’s Note Adam’s Call was first published as Treasures of the Wind and The Highlander’s Call under the name Audrey Adair. It has been extensively revised, and I hope you enjoy every minute of it! Prologue July 10, 1866 ~ Aldourie, Scotland Adam pumped his seven-year-old legs as fast as he could, his breath coming in short, quick gasps as he struggled up the hill after his brothers and his cousin. Even Roderick, who was younger by two years, was up the hill faster than he. Adam stopped and turned around, seeing his little sister climbing with reckless abandon, and he held out a hand to help her to the top. She swatted his offer away, calling out to him to catch her instead, before cresting the hill and rolling down it in a fit of giggles. Adam shook his head with a smile on his face as he looked out at the beautiful loch below them. Their older brother Callum swore to him that a monster lived in the water, but Adam was convinced it was a lie. There was no such thing as monsters. Callum was just trying to scare him. Adam took off after them once more, his legs moving so fast he could no longer control them as Roderick called to him from the bottom of the hill, and he barreled into the rest of the children with an “oomph,” as their small black dog ran in circles around them, yapping in excitement. He laughed with the sheer abandonment of youth and followed the rest of them as they raced back to the castle bailey. He was just beginning to realize how impressive his home was compared to those of his friends from the village, but it was all he had ever known. When they entered the yard, Adam waved in greeting as their friend Kyla joined them, ducking under the hand of one of his father’s men as they rushed past the animals. He pulled up short when they reached the fields next to the castle. The crofters were working hard in the rows of potatoes, and he boosted himself up on the fence to watch them work. Even from here, he could see the sweat drip off the men’s brows, and he marveled at how hard they were working, digging in the earth with the sun beating down overhead. “Hey, Mack!” he shouted to one of the men, who lived not far from them. He had the same last name as them, although Adam wasn’t quite sure why. “What’re ye doing?” “Workin’, lad,” he called back. “Not like you youngsters.” “Wanna go to the loch?” “Not today, Adam,” the man said, putting a hand to his back as he straightened and then wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Not today.” “Maybe next time,” Adam responded a bit dejectedly, then hopped off the fence and began meandering home on his own at a much more leisurely pace this time. He hoped he would never have to work that hard. It didn’t seem fair how the McDougall men and women labored day in and day out. He resolved that someday he would make life easier for them. He wasn’t sure how, but his father was the chieftain, so he was sure something could be done. He would just have to figure out a way. 1 1885 – Aldourie, Scotland Adam McDougall put a hand to his forehead to block the sun as he gazed out over the fields in front of him. A hot, dry wind riffled through his long, thick dark hair, but rather than cool him, it served to push the rivulets of sweat to run faster down his neck. It had been unusually warm this summer, and he wasn’t quite used to it yet. As Adam watched the sheep meander toward the shade, he waved a hand to Angus, a crofter who was driving the sheep forward. This hillside outcropping could offer little in support of growing anything, but there was enough grass for the sheep to graze. Hoof beats thundered on the ground behind him, and he turned. A pair of horses galloped toward him, the midnight black and striking white a majestic pair of opposites, much like their riders. “Finlay, Kyla,” he greeted his brother and sister-in-law. “Adam!” said Kyla with a warm smile as she easily dismounted
