Scotland was hellish for Jacobite families after the battle of Culloden Moor. The Duke of Cumberland ordered his soldiers to slaughter every man, woman and child whose family had fought against the English crown. It was awful and it really happened in history.


This story begins as the battle is ending. Rory Forbes had answered his father's call to arms and fought against the Jacobites. The battle was over in moments but instead of taking prisoners, Cumberland ordered that they kill everyone. Rory walked away while his father and brother yelled at him.


Rory pretends to be a flamboyant philanderer who likes to drink and gamble. His father and brother died in the weeks following Culloden Moor which left him as the unexpected marquis and lord of his clan. He ignores his responsibility and let's his cousin run everything.


He has a secret life. He is the Black Knave who helps Jacobites by getting them out of the country.


But Cumberland has ordered that he marry a daughter of a Jacobite. He can't figure out why Cumberland or the king would care what happens to a Jacobite but knows his reputation as doing anything for money and being biddable is why he was chosen but a wife will make it hard to live his secret life.


The Black Knave's adventures were what made this book. The romance was weak and intimate scenes were ruined by too much introspection. Anyone who reads my reviews knows I hate when authors have characters go on and on with their inner thoughts, especially when they repeat these thoughts over and over. It annoys me so I just start skipping over paragraphs.


It was a good story and I'm getting ready to read the second book in the trilogy. ( )