I had the honour of commanding my Regiment, the Moray Highlanders, on the 16th of June, 1815, when the late Ensign David Marie Joseph Mackenzie met his end in the bloody struggle of Quatre Bras (his first engagement). He fell beside the colours, and I gladly bear witness that he had not only borne himself with extreme gallantry, but maintained, under circumstances of severest trial, a coolness which might well have rewarded me for my help in procuring the lad's commission. And yet at the moment I could scarcely regret his death, for he went into action under a suspicion so dishonouring that, had it been proved, no amount of gallantry could have restored him to the respect of his fellows. So at least I believed, with three of his brother officers who shared the secret. These were Major William Ross (my half-brother), Captain Malcolm Murray, and Mr. Ronald Braintree Urquhart, then our senior ensign. Of these, Mr. Urquhart fell two days later, at Waterloo, while steadying his men to face that heroic shock in which Pack's skeleton regiments were enveloped yet not overwhelmed by four brigades of the French infantry. From the others I received at the time a promise that the accusation against young Mackenzie should be wiped off the slate by his death, and the affair kept secret between us. Since then, however, there has come to me an explanation whichÑthough hard indeed to creditÑmay, if true, exculpate the lad. I laid it before the others, and they agreed that if, in spite of precautions, the affair should ever come to light, the explanation ought also in justice to be forthcoming; and hence I am writing this memorandum. It was in the late September of 1814 that I first made acquaintance with David Mackenzie. A wound received in the battle of SalamancaÑa shattered ankleÑhad sent me home invalided, and on my partial recovery I was appointed to command the 2nd Battalion of my Regiment, then being formed at Inverness. To this duty I was equal; but my ankle still gave trouble (the splinters from time to time working through the flesh), and in the late summer of 1814 I obtained leave of absence with my step-brother, and spent some pleasant weeks in cruising and fishing about the Moray Firth. Finding that my leg bettered by this idleness, we hired a smaller boat and embarked on a longer excursion, which took us almost to the south-west end of Loch Ness.

Arthur Quiller-Couch's collection of short stories, 'The Laird's Luck and Other Fireside Tales,' immerses readers into the world of British folklore and supernatural legends. Each tale is intricately woven with detailed descriptions and atmospheric settings, creating a sense of mystery and suspense that captivates the reader from beginning to end. Quiller-Couch's prose is both poetic and elegant, painting vivid pictures of the characters and landscapes within each story. The book serves as a window into the literary context of late 19th-century England, showcasing the fascination with the supernatural and the unknown during that era.

This early work by Albert Payson Terhune was originally published in 1917. 'A Highland Collie' is one of Terhune's well-loved canine stories. Terhune was a famous American author, dog breeder, and journalist, best known for his adventure novels about collies.

Travel to medieval Scotland in #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood’s beloved classic—a “rip-roaring romp, full of humor, romance, sword fights, and crisp dialogue...so much fun, it begs to be read in one sitting” (The Cedar Rapids Gazette). In the dark days after the death of Richard the Lionheart, lives and lands fell into upheaval at the hands of the power-hungry King John and his violent minions. One victim was innocent Gillian, who was just a child when the cruel and ambitious Baron Alford, determined to recover for the despotic king a jeweled box that slipped through his fingers, slaughtered her father and tore her family apart. A decade later, Gillian once again crosses paths with the nefarious baron, but instead of losing everything like she had as a child, she finds the key to resolving her past in two handsome Scottish chieftains. With the cunning and courage of the daring Scotsmen and the friendship of a new ally named Bridgid KirkConnell, Gillian at last has she what needs to reclaim her home, her family, and her father’s reputation. But in the presence of the mighty warriors, Gillian and Bridgid discover that desire can be a weapon of conquest, betrayal can slay trust in a heartbeat, and the greatest risk of all is to surrender to unexpected love.