Morna's Legacy: Box Set #1 Read online

  Morna’s Legacy

  Box Set #1

  Love Beyond Time

  Love Beyond Reason

  A Conall Christmas – A Novella

  Love Beyond Hope

  Bethany Claire

  Love Beyond Time (Book 1 of Morna’s Legacy Series):

  It began nearly four hundred years ago. The Conall clan and all their people were murdered in a surprise attack, their beloved castle and all evidence of who destroyed them burned to the ground with their bodies. In the centuries following, archaeologists searched through the ruins looking for any evidence of what or who had caused the untimely demise of such a powerful Scottish clan. All efforts were fruitless, until a spell put in place by an ancient Conall ancestor finally began to work its magic…

  Texas kindergarten teacher, Brielle Montgomery, finds comfort in the mundane routines of her life, but when her archaeologist mother asks her to accompany her on a dig in Scotland, she decides to step out of her comfort zone. Once in Scotland, they discover a secret spell room below the castle ruins, and Bri finds herself transported back in time and suddenly married to the castle’s ill-fated Laird. Now, she must work to change the fate of his people, all while trying to find a way to return to her home and century. But with each passing day, Bri finds herself falling more deeply in love with her new husband. If she can find a spell to bring her home, will she use it? And if she stays, will it ultimately mean her own death as well?

  Love Beyond Reason (Book 2 of Morna’s Legacy Series):

  It all started with a spell.

  Arran Conall lives with the consequences of his foolishness daily, his mistakes guiding him into darkness. He had no way to know that his beloved would fall prey to the ancient magic that awaited Blaire on the day he’d sent her away to marry his brother. Now, the only woman to ever give pause to his philandering ways lives centuries ahead of him, out of reach while still holding on to his heart. Now, he must try to live a life without her and marries another to save the lass from a greedy suitor who only wants to lay title to her father’s territory.

  His love for Blaire haunts him. With every breath, he prays only one thing—that she will be able to feel his love for her across the chasms of time.

  Born in the seventeenth century, Blaire MacChristy lives each day trying to adjust to the challenges of modern-day life. Magic brought her here, but heartbreak keeps her from using the magic to travel back to her home. When visitors from her past arrive asking her to return to the life she’d known before, Blaire takes a chance on love. Once home, she is shocked to learn that the man she loves has married another. Will fate find a way to mend their broken hearts by bringing them together once again? Even if it does, will they be able to stop the darkness that is coming for them both?

  A Conall Christmas – A Novella (Book 2.5 of Morna’s Legacy Series)

  It’s Yuletide at Conall Castle.

  Christmas is quickly approaching, and Adelle is determined to make this Christmas the best one Conall Castle has ever seen, but loneliness haunts her. Love for her daughter sent her into the past, but she’d not expected the isolation she would feel. A former socialite and serial dater, she finds that her current age seems much older in the seventeenth century than it did in the twenty-first. She resigns herself to the fact that she will remain single for the rest of her days. At least until an unexpected visitor arrives at the castle.

  Hew Moray has spent the last twenty years all alone, only leaving his isolated home once a year to pay homage to the wife he lost long ago. When a winter storm causes him to seek shelter at the castle where his sister lives, he meets the first lass since his beloved Mae to make his heart flutter in his chest once again. Will he be able to release himself from his past grief to allow another love to enter his life? If he does, will his love be returned?

  Love Beyond Hope (Book 3 of Morna’s Legacy Series)

  Love is the most powerful kind of magic.

  Baodan McMillan values many things in life: friendship, loyalty, kindness, but certainly not love. After the tragic death of his wife many years ago, he hardened himself to the idea of giving his heart to another. There is but one lass who can thaw his chilly heart, a lass he’s never met nor knows of, a lass whose birth won’t occur until centuries after his death.

  Mitsy Fredrickson is in serious need of a distraction. With the ink still drying on her divorce papers, she flies to Scotland determined to forget about her own problems by helping her best friend re-enter reality. She knows Bri’s claims that she is able to travel back in time and is currently living in the year 1647 are a lie but, instead of locating her friend, Mitsy falls prey to the same magic and is quickly forced to believe the impossible.

  Modern and sassy, Mitsy finds few who know how to take her fiery personality in the seventeenth century, but she finds her match in Baodan, laird of McMillan Castle. He is her opposite in every way, yet she feels balanced in his presence. The more time she spends with him, the harder she falls. She suspects he feels the same way, but something is holding him back—a dark secret from his past that even Baodan doesn’t fully understand. Mitsy works to uncover what is hidden in the hopes that with resolution Baodan will be free to love her. But the truth is darker than she expects, and it threatens to destroy them both.

  Copyright © 2014 by Bethany Claire

  All rights reserved.

  License Notes

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Editor, “Love Beyond Time”: Jonathan Baker

  Editor, “Love Beyond Reason,” “A Conall Christmas,” “Love Beyond Hope”: Dee Pace

  Cover Design by Damonza

  Formatting by Author E.M.S.

  eBook ISBN: 978-0-9960037-1-1

  http://www.bethanyclaire.com

  Table of Contents

  Love Beyond Time

  (Book 1 of Morna’s Legacy Series)

  Love Beyond Reason

  (Book 2 of Morna’s Legacy Series)

  A Conall Christmas – A Novella

  (Book 2.5 of Morna’s Legacy Series)

  Love Beyond Hope

  (Book 3 of Morna’s Legacy Series)

  About the Author

  Love Beyond Time

  Chapter 1

  Austin, TX

  Present Day

  Sun beamed against the windows as I walked down the line of tiny faces peering up at me. I knelt before each one, holding up a number between one and ten on my fingers, looking over each little body to ensure that laces were tied, backpacks on, and lunchboxes were in hand as I waited for their answer. As each called out the right number with a prideful smile, I gave them their daily sticker and moved on to the next student.

  I could see Anthony three students down, pestering the unfortunate Harrison, who was standing in front of him and blowing in his ears every time he turned around to face the direction of the line. As Grace called out number seven and asked for help with her laces, I threw my most stern cut it out look in Anthony’s direction. The ornery-but-exceedingly-bright child caught my meaning and returned the look with a sheepish grin as he stepped away from Harrison and stood still as a statue.

  Two students later, I stood in front of Anthony. He rattled off the number nine that I was holding up in front of him before I even had a chance to look him over. Both laces were undone, and he had split his zipper
so that only the middle of his jacket was actually closed.

  “Good job Anthony! Here’s your sticker. Still haven’t mastered the old shoelaces yet, I see?”

  “No, Ms. Mothgomfrey. I been working and working at it, but I just can’t seem to get that rabbit to go around the hole.”

  I repressed an eye roll as I bent to tie his shoes. Anthony’s speech was better than all of the other kindergarteners in his class, and I knew he could say my name, Ms. Montgomery, without problem, but he just lived for the giggles of all the other students every time he said my name that way.

  “Well, those rabbits can be tricky that way, but you just keep working at it. You’ll get it soon.”

  “I sure will! I promise! I sure am tired of watching you tie my shoes every day. Ya know, I’m five years old, it’s humilly-aten.”

  “Well, Anthony. That’s sure a big word. Where’d you hear that?”

  “That’s what my Mama said to Daddy the other day. She said it was humilly-aten to be married to a man that thought it was okay to watch television all day long on Sundays while she cleaned and cooked and did laundry and that he needed to get his fat, lazy a…”

  The bell rang, interrupting his speech and saving the day as far as I was concerned. I should’ve seen that coming. I knew better than to ask Anthony an open-ended question.

  I quickly checked the last few in line and went to the front of the classroom, motioning for the day’s leader, Izzy, to hold open the door while everyone walked outside. Once everyone was out of the classroom and Izzy had returned to her place in the front of the line, I led them down the hallway, smiling at the sound of their tiny, squeaky shoes as they pitter-pattered single-file behind me.

  * * *

  Twenty minutes later, when the last child had been picked up, I shut the door to my classroom and plopped ungracefully down at my desk. I gently pressed my fingertips against my eyelids in an effort to push away the day’s stress. It seemed to help a little, so I stood up, stretching mildly before I tucked my long, dark hair, which was now frizzing after being out in the wind, behind my ears.

  I pushed my chair in and circled the room for a quick sweep before I headed home. I bent over every few feet to pick up the various crayons, chunks of Play-Doh, and construction paper scattered across the carpet. I knew the custodian would come along behind me shortly, but I just couldn’t bear for her to see the classroom in this state of dishevelment. As I looked over the mess that scattered from one work center to another, I thought to myself, not for the first time today, how glad I was that I had decided against adding finger-painting to the day’s lesson plans.

  With my arms filled to capacity with various craft litter, I deposited the load into the trash can next to my desk. With a glance around the room, I decided I was satisfied enough to call it a day.

  I stacked the handwriting exercises for the letter “G” on top of my desk to grade first thing Monday morning, and I was buttoning my jacket when my classroom aide Mitsy opened the door and stepped inside.

  “Are you ready for your big date tonight? I talked to Brian and he said Daniel is super-excited!”

  I spun quickly to face her, panic settling in my gut. “What? Oh, Mitsy, I totally forgot! Look. Maybe you could just call him and see if we could do it next Friday? You know, I’m really swamped right now. We’d both have more fun if we did it when I wasn’t so distracted.”

  Mitsy placed her hands on both hips and narrowed her eyes as she spoke to me again, “I will do no such thing! And if you think you are going to get out of yet one more date, well, let me tell you, Miss I-have-no-problem-dying-alone, I am not going to let you weasel out of this one! He’s a great guy, Bri. I haven’t actually met him, but Brian’s known him all of his life. His wife died two years ago, and he needs to get out of the house just about as badly as you need to. Just look at it as something that will benefit you both.”

  I turned away from her as I closed the coat closet and walked back over to my desk to grab my purse. “I’m not trying to weasel out of it. I just really need to work on lesson plans for next week, and I think I’m catching a cold.”

  Mitsy blocked the door to the classroom and grabbed my wrist as she dragged me back over to the filing cabinet beside my desk. I knew what she was about to grab before she opened the cabinet.

  “You are not catching a cold, and don’t you dare try to tell me that you have lesson plans to work on.” I watched as she paused briefly to yank open the first drawer. “Let’s see. What do we have here? All of Monday’s lesson plans in this folder? Check. Tuesday? Check. Wednesday? Check. Do I really need to go on, Bri? You should just make it easier on yourself and tell me you’re going, because you are either way. All there’s left for you to decide is how soon you want me to get out of your hair.” She smiled sweetly and placed my folders back into the cabinet, slamming the drawer shut with immense satisfaction.

  Reluctantly I grinned and held my hands up in surrender. “Fine. Fine. I’ll go. But you’re going to let me pick out my own bridesmaid’s dress for you and Brian’s wedding, right?

  Mitsy thrust her hand in my direction, “Deal.”

  * * *

  I’d just zipped up the back of my dress when the doorbell rang at 7:30. At least he’s punctual, I thought as I tried to put an earring on with one hand while attempting to slip myself into my heels with the other.

  Taking a quick glance in the mirror, I slathered on some lip gloss, held my hand in front of my face to check my breath, and headed to answer the front door.

  Daniel held a bouquet of flowers so that they covered his face, and as he slowly lowered them I had to swallow the audible gasp that crept up my throat. I was able to manage a polite, “Hello. Please come in,” as my eyes combed over the thick, gray hair that covered his head.

  As he made his way through the doorway I spotted a few thick, wiry hairs sticking out from the opening in his ear, and the abnormally large nose that some men get when they age was evident from his profile.

  He was handsome…for a man in his sixties. As I shut the front door, I found myself wishing I’d had that glass of wine I’d thought about when I got home from work.

  Steeling myself, I turned to face him. “It’s nice to meet you. The flowers are lovely. Thank you. Why don’t I go put them in some water, and then we can leave?”

  He extended them to me and as he grinned slightly, I could see that his eyes looked exceedingly kind. “I can tell I wasn’t exactly what you were expecting. I guess Brian and Mitsy didn’t tell you much.”

  I walked quickly into the kitchen, keeping my back to him so that he couldn’t see my face as I spoke. “No, not too much. I know that you’re a dentist and are related to Brian. I assumed you were a cousin.”

  The old man chuckled slightly, and his cheeks reddened as I walked back toward him. “My sons are his cousins. I’m his uncle.”

  “Oh.” I stared down at my purse awkwardly, wishing I actually had something to look for inside it.

  “Look. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but we’ve both gotten all dressed up. Why don’t we go ahead and go out to eat and visit with each other a little bit, then I’ll bring you back here and we’ll forget this whole thing ever happened. No harm, no foul. What do you say?”

  He extended a hand in my direction, and sympathy washed through me as I reached to take it. He obviously had no more idea of what he was getting himself into than I did. “Good food, nice company. What could it hurt? Let’s get out of here.”

  As he held the front door open, I walked straight into the person walking rather purposefully toward my front door.

  “Mom?” I said.

  * * *

  I repeated myself for good measure as the uncomfortable feeling of shock ran down my spine for the second time. “Mom? What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in D.C., aren’t you?”

  She stepped back so that we could look at each other from a more appropriate distance, “Well, I’m happy to see you too, Bri. I’m glad
I caught you before you left. I don’t have a key to your new place. We need to talk right away. I have some very exciting news!”

  I watched as she bounced up and down, the same thirteen-year-old trapped in a fifty-year-old’s body that she’d always been. I knew the exact instant she spotted Daniel, still holding the door wide open, watching the spectacle.

  As her eyes widened, she stopped bouncing, and immediately went into flirt mode; another one of my mother’s classic qualities. “Well, hello sir. And who might you be?” She slowly stretched a hand in his direction.

  “Name’s Daniel. I was just leaving.” He paused to pat me on the back and then walked through the door. “It was nice to meet you, Bri. I’ll see you at the wedding.”

  I waved politely in his direction and ushered my mother inside, shutting the door behind me. She spun on me just as I’d latched the door.

  “Who was that? Very handsome, but a little old for you, don’t you think, dear?”

  I leaned against the back of the door and exhaled loudly. “Very long story, Mom. But remind me that I need to have a conversation with Mitsy about what exactly it is that she thinks my standards are.”

  She laughed, obviously understanding the situation. “Well, seems like she understands my standards just fine. Do you have his phone number?”

  I rolled my eyes and made my way into the living room. “No, Mom, I don’t, but I’m sure Mitsy will give it to you if you want. Now, what’s going on? Is everything okay?”