In the Highlander's Bed is a very simple story of a kidnap victim who falls in love with her honorable captor (if 'honorable' and 'kidnapper' can be
traits of the same character!). Constance Cameron is a young American woman who wants to run away from the boarding school in Edinburgh in which she has been placed by her two sisters, heroines of previous books by this author.
When Constance finally escapes the school, she is kidnapped by a Scottish man, Gordon Lachlan, the leader of a rebellion.
Spirited,
resourceful Constance is unlike most other women Gordon has met. She tries to escape him at all opportunities; she wants to sail back to America on a ship that leaves Edinburgh in four days. However, once Constance is taken to Gordon's camp, her attitude seems to change remarkably quickly - she agrees to join their rebellion and helps to organize the camp. There's a healthy dose of unrealism here, where one short speech by Constance is enough to change the entire mood of the camp. Constance also facilitates the breaking down of barriers between Gordon and his half-sister, Fiona, who was the victim of an attack by English soldiers and who partly blames Gordon.
Constance is meant to be exchanged for the Sword of the MacKenna, a symbol for the rebellion. Of course, when the time comes for the sword to be exchanged, Gordon isn't so sure that it's an easy trade. With a price on his head and his people relying on him for their future, what chance does he have with Constance?
In the Highlander's Bed is a reasonable enough read with a variety of characters and some local color. The historicity and geography go a little awry occasionally and Gordon's ability to give up his long-held rebellion plans seem a little hasty, but it doesn't ever become boring and Constance
is a worthy heroine. The plot really is simple, however, with little depth to the characters apart from Fiona. This is the fourth in a series, and although it isn't necessary to have read the previous books, it might help to explain some of the other characters' behavior if the reader is already familiar with them.