The Highlander's Holiday Wife

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for sending me a copy of The Highlander's Holiday Wife by Vanessa Kelly.

Who else is up for some highlander hanky-panky....Christmas style?!

This is the fifth in the Clan Kendrick series and doesn't it sound good:

It's Christmastime in Edinburgh, but Lady Samantha Penwith's secret mission takes no holiday: the Highlands-born lass vows to find the assailants who murdered her beloved husband, founder of a charitable school for orphaned boys. On her latest undercover excursion, she closes in on a pair of armed attackers and interrupts another assault, then disappears into the darkness, leaving the lone victim mystified--and lucky to be alive... Braden Kendrick may be the sensible brother, yet the dedicated doctor routinely ignores the dangers of his late-night calls to the city's slums. But when a fleet-footed rescuer saves his life, he's determined to uncover the stranger's identity. And once he does, he'll find himself facing his own past loss for the first time--and more than willing to risk his heart again, just in time to make the Clan Kendrick's Christmas celebrations more festive than ever...

Here’s an excerpt from the book to give you a little more of a taste:

Dr. John Blackmore, Braden’s colleague, has persuaded Lady Samantha Penwith to ask Braden to sit on the board of her charitable foundation and school. Samantha is reluctant, fearing Braden will recognize her as the mysterious woman who rescued him in the slums—a woman on a mission to find the man who murdered her late husband. The scene takes place in Braden’s free medical clinic:

“Plain and simple, we need another reformer,” John added. “We’re outnumbered.”

“About the girls’ school,” Kendrick said. “If money is an issue, I can always get you more.”

Samantha shook her head. “We have adequate funds. It’s how we wish to spend them. Most of the board members have no interest in providing a real education for the girls. According to them, teaching math or how to properly read is simply encouraging them to get above their proper station.”

Kendrick looked annoyed. “That’s backward and ridiculous.”

“I make that point on a regular basis.”

“They must love that,” he said with a slight smile.

“Which is why we need you. You’re a professional man, so they’re much more likely to listen to you than to me.” Samantha tried not to sound bitter about that.

“Not that they always listen to me, either,” John added.

Kendrick grimaced with sympathy. “I’m sorry, Lady Samantha. They should listen to you. It’s your foundation.”

“Which is exactly why we need another voice and another vote,” John said. “You also know how things work here in Old Town, which makes you an even greater asset.”

Kendrick rubbed his chin. “Not everyone would see having a Kendrick on the board as an asset.

We’re not exactly known for our tact.”

John waved a hand. “Oh, I’m much worse than you when it comes to that.”

“True enough.” Kendrick stared down at the floor, obviously thinking. “The clinic is my first priority, though. That has to come first.”

“Then perhaps hire another doctor?” John said in a long-suffering voice.

“What I really need is another Mrs. Culp, but women like her aren’t easy to find. She’s an excellent manager and my patients trust her. That’s important in Old Town.”

Samantha blinked. For several minutes, a wisp of an idea had been drifting at the edges of her brain, one so formless she’d scarcely been aware of it. Now, it coalesced into sharp definition.

“I’m a good manager,” she said, “and people in Old Town know my work. They know they can trust me. I’d be happy to volunteer at your clinic, if you would agree to take up a position on our board.”

Kendrick straightened up, obviously startled. “Are you serious?”

“Certainly. I can help with your management problem,” she said with an encouraging smile.

John frowned. “Samantha—”

She shot up a hand. “It’s the perfect solution.”

Kendrick regarded her with a perplexed expression. “My patients aren’t exactly from the aristocracy, or even the merchant class,” he finally said. “Some are . . . let’s just call them people from the rougher edges of Old Town.”

He meant criminal types, or those associated with them. People who knew the criminal underworld of Edinburgh because they lived in it.

Even better.

“Dr. Kendrick, I am not unfamiliar with the rougher edges of Edinburgh, either in my work or …” She paused for effect. “Or in my personal life.”

“You mean your husband’s murder,” he said after a few moments of surprised silence.

She was impressed by his willingness to state the matter so clearly. Most people shied away from even mentioning it.

“Yes.”

“Samantha, this is not appropriate,” John said in a warning tone.

“Charitable work is always appropriate, John. And might I point out that your wife works with women engaged in prostitution.”

John scowled. “That’s entirely different. She’s a married woman.”

“And I’m a widow. You don’t get more respectable than that.”

“But I’m always with her,” John protested.

“And I’m sure Dr. Kendrick or one of his other staff would always be here with me.” She flashed him a smile. “Isn’t that so?”

“Oh, am I part of this conversation?” Kendrick asked.

She ignored his sarcastic tone. “Also, I can bring my housekeeper along with me. She’s an absolute demon of efficiency.”

John adopted a stern expression. The dratted man obviously suspected what she was up to, but she didn’t care.

“Samantha, I really don’t think—”

“John, do we want Dr. Kendrick to join our board, or not?”

“Hang on,” Kendrick said. “I haven’t actually—”

“Of course we do,” John tersely replied.

“Then Dr. Kendrick needs help, and I am willing to provide it.”

“You really wish to work in a clinic in Old Town?” Kendrick asked, still skeptical.

“I am no dainty town miss, Doctor,” she said, doing her best to look down her nose at his six-foot-something physique. “And I am not afraid of hard work. Besides, the timing is perfect. We have a board meeting later this week, and then I’ll be free to start volunteering at your clinic the following week.”

“Holy hell,” John muttered.

Samantha ignored him. “The day is getting on, so I must be off, Dr. Kendrick. But I will send my footman over with a packet of information about the foundation first thing tomorrow morning.”

Kendrick was now staring at her like she was a medical experiment gone horribly wrong. She ignored that, too. “Well, sir?”

He glanced at John, who was fuming but appeared to have conceded the battle.

“Do I even have a choice?” Kendrick asked.

“Apparently not,” John groused.

Samantha grabbed her friend by the elbow, all but pushing him toward the door.

“We’ll see you soon, Dr. Kendrick,” she tossed over her shoulder.

“Lady Samantha—” he said, starting toward her.

“It was lovely to meet you,” she cheerily replied before slamming the door in his face.