Made for Each Other

By Gabriella Mahoney

Book 5 of the Heart of the Highlands Series.

Spring has finally arrived and the enormous task of repairing Castle Carinben has been set squarely on Malcom Grant's shoulders. Being only an apprentice when his teacher died, it is a task he feels woefully under-qualified for. He needs help and the last place he expected to find it was from a beautiful woman hailing from the rival Campbell clan...

This short novelette is approximately 12,400 words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gabriella Mahoney
• Release date: May 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311504456

Gabriella Mahoney

Gabriella Mahoney is a California girl that has been writing since grade school. As an incurable bookworm, she remembers when her best friend first introduced her to Georgette Heyer and the world of Regency romance like it was yesterday. Gabriella likes to write in a variety of genres but she is especially fond of short form fiction and exploring the new romantic possibilities it creates.

Book preview

Made for Each Other

By Gabriella Mahoney

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Published by Gabriella Mahoney at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Gabriella Mahoney

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Chapter 1

What could the laird have been thinking? He was not qualified for this type of work! Well, he was but only barely. Malcom ran nervous fingers through his unruly brown hair as he tried his best to crush the overwhelming sense of dread building inside him from eyeing the wrecked heap. He would fail. The entire clan would fall and it would be his fault. The laird should spend the money to hire someone more knowledgeable.

Nay, that would never work. You know as well as any that there is no more money to be spent.

The cold fact of the matter was: Laird MacKinloch was broke. Malcom had to hand it to the laird, at least the man was honest. Most lairds would have let pride get the better of them as they adamantly denied having to cut back spending. Laird MacKinloch was different. He was determined to make a success of the responsibility that had been thrust upon him after the death of his father.

Malcom took in a deep breath. He could learn a lot from his laird. If that man could shoulder the responsibility of taking care of hundreds of lives, he could most certainly handle the repairs of one castle. Although a repair was perhaps too light a word. The castle needed a complete reconstruction. Many of the structures had been deemed uninhabitable and those that weren’t might as well be torn down they were in such bad repair. The barracks, for example, had a perpetual gust of wind whipping through its damaged corridors.

The sound of birds chirping in a nearby tree made Malcom turn and smile appreciatively. Spring had finally arrived. Peppered with Campbell raids, this winter had been particularly difficult on the MacKinlochs. But now the attacks were over. A new beginning could finally take place.

Well, Grant, what think you?

To be quite honest, laird, I’m trying not to.

Laird MacKinloch chuckled. Aye, ‘tis a large task ahead of you, to be sure.

"Are you sure you want me to take the job? You know that I was but a lad in training when my master died during those first Campbell attacks."

Aye. Under normal circumstances I would agree with you. It is a task for someone far more qualified. But so is being laird of a broken clan. My father always taught me that what we choose to do with challenges is what makes the measure of a man.

Your father was a good man.

Aye. So, what think you?

I’m going to need workers and I’m going to need to make a complete assessment of all Carinben’s structures to see what needs doing first.

The laird nodded in agreement. "Ask the castle steward, Clyde. He’ll help you find some workers. I’ve put this on top priority. The ground is still frozen so you should be able to recruit some of the farmers. But as soon as everything thaws, I’ll need to send those men to plant the crops. There’s no point