The Border Vixen (The Border Chronicles, #5)

Aware of the covetous interest in his land, the laird of Brae Aisir announces that any man who can outfight his spitfire of a granddaughter will have her as a wife, along with her inheritance. It's a heated contest that inspires the passion of one man and the jealous wrath of another.

From "a legend" (Linda Lael Miller) in romance, a new novel in the Border Chronicles.

Aware of the covetous interest in his land, the laird of Brae Aisir announces that any man who can outrun, outride, and outfight his headstrong granddaughter "Mad Maggie" will have her as a wife-along with her inheritance. His proposition causes more chaos than resolution, especially when King James II sends his cousin, Fingal Stewart, to compete for Maggie's hand. The competition brings out the fire in both of them, and it doesn't take long for the rivals to become lovers. But there are those who will do anything to gain control of Maggie's inheritance- even if it means getting rid of Fingal Stewart, and his border vixen.

Publishers Weekly

The fifth installment of Small's popular Border Chronicles (The Border Lord and Lady) offers a rollicking portrait of Scottish lass Margaret "Mad Maggie" Kerr, who in 1532, at 17, is looking for a husband who "will be content to let me do what needs doing." Her grandfather Dugald Kerr puts out a challenge for a man who can "outride, outrun and outfight" Maggie, his only heir to the family fortune, which includes control of a vital passage between Scotland and England that the Kerrs have protected (and collected tolls on) for more than 500 years. Winning Maggie's hand intrigues many men, especially Ewan Hay, who's furious when he fails the test. Enter Edinburgh's handsome Fingal Stewart, dispatched by his cousin, King James V, to claim Maggie and get control of the passage. Not too surprisingly, Fingal not only succeeds with the test but also wins Maggie's heart. Ewan, however, is not ready to relinquish his desires and will stop at nothing to claim the passage and conceive an heir with Maggie. Small's satisfying, heavy-breathing romp reaffirms her standing as a historical romance stalwart. (Oct.)

Dugald Kerr, the laird of Brae Aisir, has lost his male heirs in the raging border wars. He has but one inheritor remaining: a beautiful headstrong graddaughter known as Mad Maggie. There are many eager to wed Maggie, for with her comes the profitable right to exact tolls at a famous safe passage through the border hills, which has been under the protection of the Kerrs for generations. Keenly aware of the covetous interest in his lands, the laird announces that any man who can outrun, outride, and outfight Mad Maggie will win her and her inheritance. His proposition causes more chaos than resolution, for feisty Maggie's reputation precedes her, and the one man to take up the challenge is roundly defeated. But young King James V learns of the laird's problem and dispatches his cousin Fingal Stewart into the borders to wed the heiress without delay so that the valuable pass may be protected. But the laird insists his conditions be met, and the heated contest of wills between Fin and Maggie brings out the fire in them both. But there are those who will stop at nothing to gain control of Maggie's inheritance - even if it means getting rid of Fingal Stewart, and his border vixen. Maggie Kerr, known as Mad Maggie in the Scottish borderlands, is heiress to an important safe passage through the hills. Her grandfather declares that any man who can outrun, outfight, and outride her may wed her, so King James V sends his cousin Fingal Stewart to secure the passage and the woman. After her grandfather announces a contest of strength to decide who will marry her, Maggie soon falls in love with Fingal Stewart, but the two lovers must defend themselves against those who will do anything to gain control of Maggie's inheritance