The Campbell Trilogy Read online

  I changed a few details, but much of the battle occurred as I described. A council of war was held the night before at Drumin Castle, and Argyll ignored the order to wait for reinforcements and decided to attack. Though Argyll certainly acted precipitously, it seems clear that treachery was also afoot.

  Colin’s perfidy is based on that of Campbell of Lochnell, who allegedly gave Argyll’s position to Huntly. In a fitting case of poetic justice, however, Lochnell had his head blown off by the first fire.

  The Chief of Grant was also suspected of treachery. He and his men fled the field after the first fire, crippling Argyll’s vanguard. The chief at the time, however, was not my fictional Jeannie’s father (who was already dead), but her brother John. An interesting aside to readers of my first series, Isabel’s (Highlander Untamed) father, the MacDonald of Glengarry, was handfasted to Helen Grant (John’s aunt), and their son “Angus” was Glengarry’s heir and Isabel’s half brother.

  Campbell of Auchinbreck (Duncan’s father) did die by taking a shot meant for Argyll. Also, the Chief of MacLean, who readers might remember as the villain in Highlander Unchained, did distinguish himself fighting. Argyll’s boast that his standard (some sources say his harp and pipes) would fly on Gordon’s castle of Strathbogie did come back to haunt him when it did just that—not in victory, but in defeat.

  Huntly and Erroll’s victory was short-lived. King James was furious at the earls and about a week after Glenlivet, destroyed both their castles (Strathbogie and Slains respectively). The earls were forced into exile for a couple of years. Still, despite Huntly’s part in Glenlivet and his continued religious defiance, King James seemed to show him an odd favoritism. In 1599, five years after Glenlivet, the king made him a marquis. Argyll, however, was to remain an earl (his son would be the first marquis). Ten years later, the Marquis of Huntly was again in trouble with the Kirk and imprisoned in Stirling Castle. He was eventually released in 1610.

  The Marchioness/Countess of Huntly was reputed to have been just as ruthless as her husband. The story of her chopping off the chief of Mackintosh’s head after his foolish offer is one of the few stories that appears in the clan history about the woman.

  Had Duncan arrived on Islay in the winter of 1608 to search for his fictitious mother, he would have been a few months too late. Angus MacDonald of Dunyvaig, chief of Clan Donald at the time, had been forced to surrender Dunyvaig Castle to Lord Ochiltree and Andrew Knox, Bishop of the Isles, in August 1608, leading to the forced signing of the infamous Statutes of Iona by the island chiefs the following year.

  A note about the castles mentioned in the book. Freuchie Castle is also known as Balloch Castle and later as Castle Grant. The story of the old chief who locked his daughter Barbara in the tower when she refused to marry is part of the castle lore. The tower where she died is indeed known as Barbie’s Tower. Comyn’s skull was kept at the castle for years, although its location now is unclear as the castle was abandoned for years and then sold a few years ago.

  Today Strathbogie Castle is known as Huntly Castle.

  Aboyne Castle, also known as Bonty or Bunty Castle, was really once a possession of the Knights Templar—replete with a rumored secret passageway and monk’s room. For more information and pictures of some of the sites mentioned in the novel, visit my website at www.monicamccarty.com.

  1 Alastair Campbell of Airds, A History of Clan Campbell, v. 2, pg. 115, Edinburgh University Press Ltd., Edinburgh, 2002.

  To Maxine, my own little red-haired lass.

  May your road to love

  come a lot easier than

  any of the characters I write about …

  and not for at least another fifteen years.

  Acknowledgments

  Writing a back-to-back trilogy is tough, but the hard work doesn’t end when I hit the send button. There is an enormous amount of work that goes into turning a raw manuscript into a novel. Thanks to Kate for her wisdom, flexibility, and speed in keeping the whole process going by juggling reading and revisions for one book, synopses for the next, and copy edits and galleys for the previous. Thanks to Kelli for keeping everything on schedule. A special thanks to the copy editors and to the Ballantine production team. The cover gods have shined not once, but twice on both trilogies—thank you for your brilliance in capturing my strapping lads!

  To Jami and Nyree for the whole gamut: plotting, problem-solving, revising, cheerleading and the occasional psychiatry session. Boy am I glad I went to that San Francisco RWA meeting in early 2003.

  To my fellow “Team Onica” traveler Veronica: I think another trip to Scotland is in order, we deserve a rematch on that pub quiz (this time without all the “football” and British TV questions). To our cohort and guide Iain Watson: thank you for a fantastic journey around Argyll. Your knowledge of the history and locales was truly amazing—not to mention all those romantic lines of prose you suggested. I still haven’t found the right place for “give this bird a swift one,” but I’m sure it will come to me.

  To all the usual suspects, including my agents Andrea, Annelise, and Kelly; Emily and the web design team at Wax Creative; and the brainstorming gang: Anne, Candice, Barbara, Carol, and especially Penny and Tracy, who helped with the initial concept of this book at lunch a very long time ago.

  And finally, most of all, to my children and husband, who with each book only seem to grow more understanding (either that or I’m growing more deaf).

  BY MONICA MCCARTY

  Highlander Unchained

  Highlander Unmasked

  Highlander Untamed

  Highland Scoundrel

  Highland Outlaw

  Highland Warrior

  The Highland Guard series

  The Chief

  The Hawk

  The Ranger

  The Viper

  The Saint

  The Recruit

  The Hunter

  And coming soon:

  The Raider

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