Book 2 in the Brides of the Highlands series by Kirsten Osbourne.
For duty or for love, Ailis must choose her heart's true path. Ailis McAfee, second daughter of Laird Duncan McAfee, has always known her worth lies in more than marriage contracts. A gifted healer and expert knife thrower, she prefers skill to stitching, and certainly has no patience for the arrogant Ian Sinclair, son of a neighboring laird. Her heart belongs to another. Lachlan McClain has admired Ailis from afar, but with her father seeking powerful alliances, Lachlan fears he has little to offer. Especially when a wealthier, more "suitable" suitor begins to turn Ailis's head. But when Ailis is kidnapped and a dangerous plot to seize control of the Highlands is revealed, alliances shift, loyalties are tested, and love proves itself in the most unexpected of ways. Will Ailis and Lachlan defy duty for love, or lose each other to the demands of power and politics?
