Highland Feud

By Catherine Carson

The Lamont twins have successfully developed their business and enlist the services of Fergus Campbell in order to spend quality time with their wives.
Ailis MacLachlan has been working at Lamont Castle for the past year and has an affinity with her Aunt Effie who is a MacLachlan by birth.
The feud between the Campbell’s and MacLachlan’s has its origins in the past but Highlanders and Islanders in particular have long memories.
Ailis and Fergus find it necessary to put the old feud to rest before they can find any happiness in their attraction for each other.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 18, 2014
• ISBN: 9781291840575

Book preview

Highland Feud

Highland Feud

By Catherine Carson

Content Copyright © Catherine Carson 2014

ISBN 978-1-291-84057-5 eBook

Profile of the author

Born in Scotland I now live with my husband in the North West of England.  We have three children who, between them have given us six wonderful grandchildren.

I studied commercial subjects at school and college and spent most of my working life in the offices of various companies, starting as a junior in a local garage typing invoices for car repairs.   I left Scotland and crossed the border to England to marry the man I met whilst on a holiday with my extended family and eventually became a secretary with a beer bottling company leaving six years later when the first of our three children came on the scene. 

Returning to the workforce when our children were young adults I finally untied the apron strings to join the offices of a large wholesale book supplier and embraced the advancement in technology since I had first learned to type on a manual typewriter and take notes in shorthand.

During the years I became something of a letter writer as friends and family lived in many parts of the country and indeed the world.  Often friends and family would tell me…..‘You could write a book’ to which I always replied…..‘But would anyone read it’. 

When my granddaughter asked if I would write a book especially for her I confided in my good friend Lisa Schmidt and she told me to go for it.  That book became the first of many stories which had been lurking in my imagination for a good number of years.

Once started I found the stories simply kept coming and often an overheard conversation or a glimpse from the passenger seat of the car would trigger a likely scenario which my imagination would then elaborate and weave into a story.

My hope is that my writing brings a little pleasure into the life of my readers and allows them to leave the mundane world behind for a few hours as they meet the characters I adore creating.

www.facebook.com/catherinecarsonbooks.uk

www.catherinerenacarson.jimdo.com

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Dedication

This book is dedicated to an old family friend who loves reading my stories and in particular about the Lamont family - for you Edith.

All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names.  They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author and all the incidents are pure invention.

Other Books by this Author

The Mouse in the Library

Family Ties

Overall Construction          

Wounded Wolf

Coffee and Cakes

Memories Rekindled

Wholesale Love

Hope’s Conflict

Estates of the Heart

Sibling Rivalry

Fighting for Custody

White Knight Black Knight

Through the Garden Gate…

Love Lost and Found

Alphabet Bachelors

A Dreamer’s Tale

A Precious Jewel

Footbridge of Solace

Girl Meets Boy

Demolition of the Heart

When Life Gives You Lemons

Return to the Past

Pretence & Reality

Opening a Can of Worms

Fields of Contention

A Heart Encased In Steel

Russian Revenge

~~~~~~

Tapestry of Love-Bk 1

Twins Exchanged-Bk 2

Highland Feud Bk-3

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Soil, Seed & Betrayal-Bk 1

Desert Prince, Exiled Princess-Bk 2

Body Language-Bk 3

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An Open Book-Bk 1

Afraid to Love-Bk 2

A Second Chance-Bk 1

Taming the Playboy-Bk 2

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Estranged Husband & Father-Bk 1

Identical Mistake-Bk 2

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Sigh of the Claymore-Bk 1

Beyond Claymore-Bk 2

~~~~~~

Sneaking Into His Heart-Bk 1

Scent of the Heather-Bk 2

Chapter 1

Glen Lamont sat in his Father-in-law’s comfortable drawing room watching his wife Pia pouring through knitting patterns with her Mother, Anka Campbell and marvelled so much had happened since his return from Australia and his marriage to Pia twelve months ago.

The quad bike trail riding venture he and his twin brother Rory had started on the Lamont Estate had really taken off and the original six bikes had now increased to twelve and new trails had been carved from the rough hillside and forest land sitting high above Lamont Castle.

The increase in business had meant Rory and him had practically no social life and both their wives were beginning to rail against this fact especially as they were both pregnant – a fact which had caused the brothers to take some ribbing as both Pia and Heather were due to give birth within the same week.

Effie Lamont had always thought her identical twin sons had a close affinity but even she was amazed when they both declared they were going to be father’s at the same and assured the family it was pure coincidence.

‘Glen I know from the figures my investment in your venture was sound and I have a proposition to put to you which I hope will meet with your approval.’  Scott Campbell and Glen had not had the most auspicious start when Glen was posted to the Campbell Cattle Station in Queensland Australia but happily those days were behind them and Scott had invested money in Rory and Glen’s venture which meant they did not need to have a bank loan or put the Lamont Estate finances into jeopardy.

‘Aye well maybe if you tell me what it is I can give you an answer.’  Glen still held some reservations about Scott Campbell but for his wife’s sake he kept his thoughts to himself. 

‘Since Anka and I bought the house here in Scotland I have been in contact with my extended family and a cousin of mine has a son who had just come out of the army and is looking for a sound business to invest in.’  Watching his son-in-law closely Scott could see the wary look enter his eyes and paused.

‘I’m listening man so stop pussy-footing around and get on with it.’  There was something about Scott Campbell which always brought out the aggressive side of Glen’s normally placid nature and the way the man was dithering was beginning to irritate him.

‘Fergus, as I say has left the army and has a fairly good lump sum of money which he is looking to invest but he does not have enough to set up on his own and is looking at an already established business which could use an influx of money or more important the manpower he could provide.’

Glen sat back and laughed loudly. ‘Och man why go all round the house when you really want Rory and I to offer Fergus a job in our business.  We’re not looking for investors Scott but we need to take on another body so why don’t you tell this relative of yours to come and talk to Rory and me.’  Pia came to stand by Glen when she heard him laughing loudly and put her hand on his shoulder. 

‘Is everything okay?’ she asked warily.

‘Everything is fine my love so stop fretting your father and I will not be getting our swords out today, but I think it is time we started making tracks for home.  We have a large group coming in tomorrow staying at the Lodge House with Caitlin and Angus and they have booked the trail bikes for the day.  Tell your relative to ring Lachlan at the Estate Office and make an appointment for an interview.  I presume he has another name besides Fergus?’  Glen asked as he put his arm around his little wife ready take their leave.

‘His name is Fergus Campbell.’ Scott said and could not help smile at the dumbfounded expression which came over his son-in-law’s face. 

‘Aye and I suppose he has the red hair and green eyes to go with the damned name.’

Scott Campbell’s laughter echoed in Glen’s ears as he walked to the car and settled his little wife in the front passenger seat.

Chapter 2

Isa Lamont was becoming more and more involved with the restoration of the unused rooms of Lamont Castle and had enlisted the help of a young relative who was proving to be a fine needlewoman under her tutelage.

Ailis MacLachlan was the young niece of Effie Lamont, Isa’s mother-in-law and after being introduced to her at Rory and Glen’s wedding they had talked about Ailis’ desire to leave her home on one of the small Hebridean islands and come to the mainland to find work.

It had not taken the straight talking Isa long to learn although Ailis had attained good qualifications at school and attended a  college in Glasgow she had no ambition to become part of the cut and thrust of business life in the City and would be content to work for a family as a nanny.

All her life Ailis had known she was a disappointment to her Father having been born with golden hair instead of the dark rich brown of other members of the clan and she thought her quickest way to escape his censure was to find a post as far from the islands as possible but she did not want the restrictions of working in an office.

Isa decided there and then she would take the young woman under her wing and by the end of the celebrations she had approached Lachlan and told him to make arrangements with Ailis’ parents for her to join them at the Castle.

Knowing it was futile to argue with his wife Lachlan approached his Uncle and Aunt but was taken aback when they readily agreed to let her come to the mainland almost as if they wanted rid of her.

Within the month Ailis was established in the castle and Isa was setting her small projects to assess her ability.  Now twelve months later she had progressed to undertaking tasks on her own and was at present working on a tasselled canopy covering for a four poster bed in one of the unused rooms.

‘Ailis I think we should have a break and go find Effie and Harriet as I am sure Elspeth and Roddy are probably eating them out of biscuits and besides I need to go into the village and collect Euan from nursery school.’  Walking back through the old Keep the two women could hear the giggles coming from the kitchen and knew some game was being enjoyed by the grandchildren of the two ladies.

Elspeth was Lachlan and Isa’s daughter and Roddy was the son of Caitlin and Angus McNair.  There was six months between the two children and Harriet McNair adored her grandson as he was the living image of his father, Harriet’s son and at fifteen months was rapidly developing a wicked sense of humour and tormented the life out of his cousin who at twenty-two months was a tiny dot with her Father’s golden hair and blue eyes.

‘So what is all this giggling about?’  Isa stopped open mouthed as she took in the scene in the castle kitchen.  Sitting in his highchair Roddy had a bowl sitting upside down on his head and yellow custard was cascading down his face and Elspeth was trying to collect the creamy substance with a spoon as Effie and Harriet held their sides doubled up laughing.

‘Oh Isa did you ever see anything like it in your life, poor Elspeth was about to eat her bowl of custard when the young devil grabbed it and when she tried to get it back it was like something from a slapstick comedy and the dish flew up