The Highlander's Vow (Loch Moigh #4) (29 page)

AUTHOR’S NOTE

T
he earldom of Mar has quite an intriguing history, as do all the politics of Scotland during the late medieval era. The fifteenth century was a brutal time, filled with treacherous, ruthless, power-grabbing and larger-than-life individuals. The history of the earldom is not in any way exceptional for that time.

Isabel Douglas was sister to the second earl of Douglas, who was also the earl of Mar. He died in battle without any legitimate heirs. Isabel inherited most of his land and became countess of Mar. She married Malcolm Drummond, brother-in-law to King Robert III. In 1404 Isabel’s husband was murdered by Alexander Stewart, who then laid siege to Kildrummy Castle, the seat of the earldom of Mar. Alexander captured the castle, forced Isabel to marry him and to sign over all her land and titles. Isabel never had children, and she remained a captive in her own home until her death in 1408.

Alexander Stewart relinquished the title and estates of Mar in 1426 in exchange for a different title granted by King James I, the son of King Robert III. The estates and title then reverted to the crown. In 1435 the title of earl of Mar was claimed by Robert, Lord Erskine. However, the land that went with the title remained a contentious matter for the courts. King James I continued to hold the land under specifications of the previous reversion by Alexander Stewart, while Lord Erskine occupied Kildrummy Castle, had stewardship of the land, and held the title.

I write fiction. All the characters in the novels of Loch Moigh are products of my imagination. For the purposes of this story, I am glossing over the true history of the earldom of Mar and granting Robert, Lord Erskine, the title much earlier than when he made his claim. My antagonist, Oliver, Lord Erskine’s grandson, is a completely fictional character. The hero in this tale, Struan, the illegitimate son of Kenneth, the fourth earl of Sutherland, is also entirely fictional.

There will be historians who will cry foul and point out the inaccuracies, and they will be correct. The historical aspects surrounding the earldom of Mar in this novel contain elements of truth, namely the legal claims and disputes regarding the land, while being entirely fictional when it comes to the timeline and the characters.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A
s always, I must thank the folks at Montlake Romance for giving my books a home, and for assembling such a great team of developmental editors, line editors and copyeditors. I also want to thank my marvelous agent, Nalini Akolekar, for believing in my ability to spin a yarn or two, and for being in my corner.

I have to give a shout-out to Craig Johnson, of Arms & Armor, blacksmith extraordinaire, who patiently answered all my blacksmith-type questions. Any mistakes in my novel are my fault, not his. I also want to give a shout-out to organizations that keep the art of medieval warfare alive, including the Minnesota Sword Club and The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

No one writes in a vacuum, and without my critique partners, Tamara Hughes and Wyndemere Coffey, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Thank you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo © 2013 ADannettePhoto

Award-winning author Barbara Longley moved frequently throughout her childhood, but she quickly learned to entertain herself with stories. As an adult, she’s lived in a commune in the Appalachians, taught on a Native American reservation, and traveled extensively from coast to coast. After her children were born, she decided to make the state of Minnesota her permanent home. Barbara holds a master’s degree in special education and taught for many years. Today, she devotes herself to writing contemporary, mythical, and paranormal stories. Her titles include
Heart of the Druid Laird
; the Love from the Heartland series (
Far from Perfect
,
The Difference a Day Makes
,
A Change of Heart
, and
The Twisted Road to You
); and the other Novels of Loch Moigh,
True to the Highlander
,
The Highlander’s Bargain
, and
The Highlander’s Folly
.