She’s been living in the shadows...
Can he draw her out?
Since a traumatic incident, Lady Regina has consigned herself to the shadows. Fearful of marriage and intimacy, she reluctantly accepts the engagement her father insists upon. But when her husband-to-be deserts her, her old friend Dalton, Lord Camford, takes up the role! Dalton gradually starts to reach the woman within and draw out her desires. Just as it seems Regina’s life is coming together...will her secret cause it all to fall apart?
Untamed Highlanders
The temptation of the wild...
Meet these wild Regency Highlanders, who have grown from unlikely friends and mischief makers at boarding school to some of Scotland’s most powerful men.
With a tendency to break every rule in the book, this time these Highland lords might have to break their own rules to claim the women who try to tame them!
Read Lachlan and Frances’s story in
The Highlander and the Governess
And Dalton and Lady Regina’s story in
The Highlander and the Wallflower
Available now!
Author Note
The Highlander and the Wallflower is a friends-to-lovers story that I hope you’ll enjoy! Dalton St. George is a bold Highlander who’s in love with Lady Regina, but she is betrothed to his best friend. Honor compels him to hide his feelings, but he sees that her shy wallflower demeanor is nothing like the outgoing girl he once knew. Instead, Lady Regina is hiding secrets—and when trouble strikes, Dalton won’t hesitate to become her hero.
Did you miss Lachlan MacKinloch and Frances Goodson’s prequel story? If so, then you might enjoy reading The Highlander and the Governess next. Last, if you’d like me to email you when my new books come out, you may subscribe to my author newsletter at michellewillingham.com/contact. I always love hearing from my readers.
MICHELLE WILLINGHAM
The Highlander and the Wallflower
RITA® Award finalist and Kindle bestselling author Michelle Willingham has written over forty historical romances, novellas and short stories. Currently she lives in southeastern Virginia with her family and her beloved pets. When she’s not writing, Michelle enjoys reading, baking and avoiding exercise at all costs. Visit her website at michellewillingham.com.
Books by Michelle Willingham
Harlequin Historical
Untamed Highlanders
The Highlander and the Governess
The Highlander and the Wallflower
Sons of Sigurd
Stolen by the Viking
Warriors of the Night
Forbidden Night with the Warrior
Forbidden Night with the Highlander
Forbidden Night with the Prince
Warriors of Ireland
Warrior of Ice
Warrior of Fire
Forbidden Vikings
To Sin with a Viking
To Tempt a Viking
Visit the Author Profile page
at Harlequin.com for more titles.
To my new friends, the class of 46! I have really enjoyed getting to know all of you, and thanks to Tony, Frank, Jay and Laura for the amazing leadership retreat. Thanks to Elizabeth, Kathryn and Edna for your help as I’ve begun this new journey, and for patiently answering all my questions.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
Excerpt from Vows to Save Her Reputation by Christine Merrill
Prologue
Scotland—1806
His brother was dead.
Dalton St George walked out of the church, feeling as if his guts were frozen within a block of ice. His parents were in shock, grieving at the sudden loss of their heir, only two days ago. For him, it was a sense that nothing was real. He could almost imagine his responsible brother opening the casket, sitting up, and apologising for the inconvenience of dying.
His guilt churned in his stomach, and he slipped away from the mourners, not wanting to see his brother buried. No one noticed that he’d left.
Then again, no one ever really noticed him. Brandon had always been the beloved son, whereas Dalton was the black sheep of the family. He hadn’t cared. There was glorious freedom in being able to do whatever he wanted. He was eighteen years old—independent and carefree.
He had lived a lifetime of unbridled sin over the past year, indulging in whatever he wanted. No one cared if he disappeared at midnight and didn’t return until dawn.
Once or twice, he wondered if they would notice if he didn’t come back at all. But then again, he’d been the spare son, hardly of any importance. He’d spent most of his time in Scotland while Brandon had been fulfilling his duties as Viscount Camford and the future Earl of Brevershire.
Dalton trudged through the tall summer grasses, loathing the blackcloth coat and waistcoat he’d been forced to wear. He unbuttoned them both and tossed the garments on the ground, still walking towards the loch. The morning sun was hotter than usual, and it blazed across a brilliant blue sky. The day was flawless—except that they were burying his brother.
A raw ache spread through his heart. His saintly brother had paid attention to him, though Brandon had never understood Dalton’s intense need to cast off the trappings of nobility and wander through the Highlands. And now, he would never again hear Brandon’s calm voice, chiding him not to do something reckless.
Right now, he wanted to be reckless. He wanted to tear off the rest of his clothes and swim in the loch until his muscles burned. He needed the frigid water to punish him as he churned through the surface.
His face was wet, though he didn’t know when he’d begun to weep. Strange, that he could feel so numb inside, and yet, he had managed to grieve.
From behind him, he thought he heard footsteps. He didn’t turn around, not wanting to see who had followed him. But a moment later, his foxhound, Laddie, pressed his nose against Dalton’s leg.
The animal’s compassion was his undoing. He knelt on the ground, clutching the dog’s smooth body as the loss roared through him. He was utterly alone. And God above, he wished that it had been him who had died. It should have been his heart that had stopped beating, not Brandon’s. He could never be the man his brother had been, selfless and kind.
He heard the whisper of moving grass behind him, and Laddie barked a warning. This time, he did turn around.
