The Price of Vengeance

The Price of Vengeance is a historical romance set in thirteenth-century Scotland. In the Scottish Highlands, Rhiannon MacPherson's father arranges for her to marry an older, wealthy laird in Edinburgh. The story's male protagonist, William MacLeod, escorts young Rhiannon to her betrothed's home. Rhiannon and William develop feelings for each other, and William convinces her to marry him. Rhiannon, captivated by his charm, agrees.
She is enamoured of her new husband and figures she has a life full of romance and excitement with him. The situation changes when they reach Callanish, William's ancestral home. William disappears without explanation, and his manner becomes sullen. Rhiannon discovers a terrible truth at a convent near the castle. Malcolm MacDougall, the man she was supposed to marry, killed William's family years ago.
She concludes that William used her as a weapon to cause this confrontation. Rhiannon confronts William, who denies nothing. He realizes he loves her. But before he can tell her, the siege is upon them. The Sisters of St. Veronica convent shelter Rhiannon. The sisters agree to hide her from William. Given how he has used her, she cannot stay with him. When MacDougall's father and knights arrive at the castle, MacPherson leaves MacDougall alone with William when he discovers what MacDougall did to William's family.
William kills MacDougall in a duel. He is injured during the fight and spends several days recovering. Upon recovering, William discovers Rhiannon is nowhere to be found. They set out to look for her. William and Artur search the Scottish Highlands for several months, while Rhiannon's father and brother search the lowlands. Neither party finds traces of her, and William becomes increasingly despondent with time.   In hiding, Rhiannon discovers that she is pregnant, which is bittersweet for her because she cannot annul her marriage.
It is clear that Rhiannon cannot remain in hiding and must tell William about the child. A messenger is sent to the castle to inform William of her location, but William has already left to find her, so she cannot receive her message. In the days that pass without William, Rhiannon believes he isn't coming. Rhiannon matures as the months pass. Her experiences make her a strong, resilient woman who sees life differently.
His experience also changed William. Whereas before, he was selfish, thinking solely of revenge and pride, this crisis humbled him. Finding strength in his faith and newfound maturity, William returns to Callanish with Artur. While nearing the castle, Artur's horse slips on the icy road, injuring him. William takes his injured cousin to the nearest refuge, the convent where Rhiannon is hiding. When the sisters bring the injured man to their healer, Rhiannon is shocked to see her husband.
William is equally shocked, particularly when he discovers Rhiannon is now pregnant. They are reunited, all questions answered, and all unspoken words finally spoken. The final few chapters chronicle Rhiannon and William's much-awaited wedding celebration and their child's birth.