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Oh, what tales of romance lay waiting for those who venture here!

Rowan had always wanted to escape the legacy of her family - owning the Bonnie Bell Inn at the edge of Culloden Moor. But it came at a price. The ghosts of Jacobite soldiers did not rest easy. Rowan had known she was different as a child, but in an odd twist of fate, it becomes apparent just how powerful she is. Would she also find love in the process of returning to claim a birthright she had never wanted?

Meet the women of the Bell family, in this exciting new series from renowned author Fiona Knightley which explores familial bonds, the supernatural and Scottish history with a hint of romance.

Preview:

Watching the fog crawling over the green hills as she drove away from Edinburgh before the sun rose, Rowan shivered as she recalled the dream she'd had the night before. Was it an omen? She had been in the basement of her family's inn in the village of Culloden, The Bonnie Bell, where she had found an old trunk filled with assorted objects. Sifting through the odd assortment of treasures, she had picked up an old copper bell. Its delicate peal rang out in her hand as it slowly transitioned into the chiming of her cell phone.

Awakening, she answered her phone, trying to make sense of the caller's devastating news. Someone named Dr. Cutler was on the other end, saying Rowan's mother had suffered a severe fall and would require full-time care as she was currently paralyzed from the waist down. Not having spoken to her mother in years, Rowan was surprised that she had been listed as the emergency contact because they had had a falling out over the family business. Rowan had always dreamed of being a teacher in the city, but her mother continually pressured her to move back to Culloden and prepare to take over the inn. Not intending to be tied to the inn or the tiny village, Rowan had told her mother that she planned to sell it when she inherited it, but her mother couldn't understand why. Destined to follow in her mother's footsteps, Rowan, unhappily, had always felt that she had little choice in the matter.

The Bonnie Bell had been in the Bell family for generations. Elspeth Bell, Rowan’s great great great grandmother had founded it with her husband, and she passed it down to her daughter. Rhiannon, Rowan's grandmother, was her favourite person. She had acted as a buffer between Rowan and her mother, Rory, but after Rhiannon passed, mother and daughter grew apart. Eventually, Rowan began teaching and fell into her new life in Edinburgh, something she could never have experienced if she had stayed behind.

Rowan had the gift of magic in her blood. All the women in her family did. It was either a curse or a blessing. She couldn't hide or run away when she was in Culloden. Being surrounded by her family's antiques and artifacts strengthened her powers, and Rowan couldn't avoid them. Growing up, she had always craved a normal life but was constantly picked on and bullied for being eccentric.

Her mother was proud of their family lineage and never pretended to be anything other than who she was, a witch. She smelled of rosemary and incense, wore amulets and crystal pendants, and had an altar in many rooms at the inn, causing the villagers to talk. Rowan had always been embarrassed to bring friends over, fearing they'd be scared or think she was strange. All she ever wanted was to invite her classmates over for sleepovers and be an average teenager watching movies and making prank phone calls.

She tried not to dwell on it but couldn't help feeling like her mother's refusal to act normally impacted her life in many ways. It had been hard for Rowan to socialize, even after she left home. Deep down, she was always worried people would find out about her gifts and think she was odd. Rowan had a hard time dating because of it. If she couldn't expect a friend to accept it, how would a man who might someday father her children deal with it? Rowan was 24 and had never been in a serious relationship. It was hard to admit, and she didn't like to think about it, but she worried she'd wind up as the cliché spinster schoolteacher.

Despite all the reasons she was estranged from her family, she still worried about her mother. Yet, Rowan knew her mother was resilient and had the spirit to return from anything. However, if her mother was in the condition Dr. Cutler had spoken about, she would need extensive physical therapy and a live-in caretaker.

Rowan arrived at the hospital in Inverness just before 8:30 am and tried to prepare herself for what she might see as she signed in for a visitor's pass. Bracing herself, she made her way slowly through the halls. When she reached room 213, she lightly knocked and entered. Her mother lay in her hospital bed with the rails up, staring at the ceiling. Rory looked frail, a shell of her former self, not at all how Rowan remembered her. In Rowan's mind, Rory was still young with long auburn hair and animated blue eyes, fueled by a passion she could never understand. Now her colourless eyes were sunken into her face, her grey hair long and unkempt with white streaks.

"Hi, mum," Rowan said after a moment. Tears welled in her eyes as she took in the gravity of the situation.

"Rowan," replied Rory weakly. “You came.”

Walking across the room, Rowan pulled a plastic chair closer to the bed and sat down. She reached her hand towards Rory’s outstretched arm and gently rested it there. “What happened?” Rowan asked quietly as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I was coming down the stairs at the inn last night and tripped over the cat, and I tumbled down more than a few steps. Thankfully, a gentleman was having tea in the lounge, and he tried to help, but I couldn't move. I was very embarrassed, causing such a stramash."

“What exactly did the Doctor tell you?”

Rory gestured to her legs and shook her head, "A fractured pelvis. I will need rest and a lot of therapy to try and get back to myself."

“How are you feeling otherwise?”

"I'm tired. It's hard to sleep here in the hospital with all this noise, and my back is sore from laying in bed so long," Rory said ruefully. "I can't wait to get home."

It occurred to Rowan that her mother would need more than a bit of help at home. The Bonnie Bell was a three-story stone building over three hundred years old with very narrow passageways and many stairs. It would be nearly impossible for her to get around alone, much less tend to the guests. "What is your plan?" she asked cautiously. She knew the inn could be made more accessible and wondered if her mother had already made any arrangements.

"I haven't given it much thought yet," Rory replied sullenly. "Hopefully, with the proper therapy, I will be up and about before long. I can't afford to lose the income from the inn."

Before Rowan could respond, a young doctor walked in with a clipboard and began checking her mother’s vital signs. “Good morning Miss Bell,” he greeted her. “This must be your daughter.”

"Dr. Cutler, I presume," Rowan said with a nod. "Thank you for calling me. I am grateful for the care you are providing for my mother."

He continued his assessment and asked Rory questions. Rowan began daydreaming, thinking about how to address the issue of her mother's home. The only conclusion she reached was that she would have to stay and help Rory. At least for a few weeks until they could find a suitable caretaker or until they knew when she'd be mobile, if ever.

“Rowan?” her mother said impatiently.

"I was just thinking, sorry." She blinked a few times and looked around the room, startled, as she realized Dr. Cutler was gone.

"Oh, I'm very used to that face," her mother said with a wans mile.

“What do you mean?”

"That's the face you make when you have your visions," Rory said matter-of-factly. Rowan quickly looked around to make sure no one had overheard. Discretion regarding their abilities was not something her mother found necessary. She grimaced slightly after she ensured the room was empty. Rowan hadn't had any visions or dreams since she moved away, and she hoped it would stay that way ...

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