Highland Portrait

An artist of extraordinary talents, Stella McKenzie’s works are not only beautiful to look at but are portals for time travel. After one particularly difficult commission for a book cover, the object of her painting, a Highland Warrior, comes through to claim her as his own, declaring he has waited too long, it is time for her to return to him. Stella, unaware that her works are portals, resists the Warrior, not wanting to return to someone she has never met, doesn’t remember, finds rather barbaric and who is – presumably – dead. But the Warrior is determined to have Stella with him again and with stealth he lures her, reluctantly, into a portal where she wakes up to find herself all alone, dumped somewhere in the wilds of Scotland in 1604. Determined to find her way back to the 21st century she knows that she must find the Warrior so he can send her back.

Robbie MacDougall, tanist for Clan MacDougall, is returning from the court of King James, and discovers a beautiful lass by the side of a stream watering her stolen horse. She is dressed oddly, is being pursued by English soldiers and confronts Robbie, recognizing him as the Warrior from the painting, about kidnapping her. Robbie is confused because he has never laid eyes on this woman before, but he would happily kidnap her and take her as his bride. But Stella is not interested in being anybody’s bride, nor staying in a time she considers barbaric. She is adamant that she will return to her own time. She knows there are magical Standing Stones in Kilmartin that may be portals and Robbie agrees to take her there, but is confident that in the three days it will take them to travel to the stones that he can convince her to stay.

Stella does not understand why this Warrior, Robbie MacDougall, does not recognize her. He came to claim her and now he seems puzzled about her charge that it is his fault she has been taken from her home. He seems familiar, however, as if she has known him, but that can’t be true because they were born 400 years apart. She has few options, however, so she trusts him to take her to Kilmartin, although she has misgivings about being in the company of a highly armed, overwhelmingly male barbarian.

Robbie is captivated with the lovely Stella and will do whatever it takes to keep her here. He feels an unusual connection with her, as if they had been fated to be with one another, and will indulge her wish to go to Kilmartin, although he has no intention of letting her escape him. The trip to Kilmartin changes their lives dramatically, however, and Robbie, who has sworn to protect her with his life finds he may have to make good on that promise.