Chapter One
September 1303 – Hoorn, Holland
She would see him soon.
Cadha de Witt spread her arms against the frigid air sailing in across the sea and imagined the wind carrying her sweetheart back to her. Papa’s letter announcing their return had arrived the previous week, and Cadha had been on the dock every day since, waiting for Maas.
After seeing him each evening for as long as she could remember, even a month’s absence hurt her heart. Cadha couldn’t bear to be parted from him for one more day.
He would come back to her.
The wind slid over her face, stinging her cheeks. She couldn’t wait much longer, and it was nearly dark. With one hand shielding her eyes from the sun, she surveyed the entire harbor and all the pockets beyond.
Still no Lion. Papa’s ship no longer displayed the golden sail since he began working as a privateer, but Cadha could still recognize the cut of the main whenever it entered the inlet.
“Cadha!” Mama’s voice cut through the cold air. “Get back to the house before all your limbs freeze off, or your father will hear about it.”
With a frustrated sigh, Cadha turned away from the water. Not even the promise of warmth could entice her to huddle under the low ceiling in their home.
She kicked the dust and glanced one last time at the harbor. Her heart soared. A ship! It slid past the last wharf and Cadha picked up her skirts. She ran down the dock until it joined a hillside.
The Sea Lion cut the water on the quick side. The pier was long and narrow, so the longboat seemed to be careening toward her even as it slowed.
Like a girl, with her hair down her back, Cadha raced along the edge of the water. When she reached the prow, she jumped to the deck from the higher ground. Papa’s bright, smiling face greeted her as he held out his arms.
Cadha leapt off the hill and tumbled over her father. They wrestled, pitching across the deck, until she landed atop him at last, raising her arms in victory and laughing.
He beamed up at her. “My little Cadha.”
“Not so little anymore, Papa. She’ll be nineteen in a month’s time.” Josephine de Witt piped up from behind them.
“Look who’s on top now.”
With a shriek, Cadha vaulted into her sister’s arms. Pien winced.
Cadha’s Rogue Description:
Not every lady behaves like a lady when love is at stake.
All Cadha de Witt has ever wanted was her true love to return home but she is heartbroken when he doesn’t arrive with his ship. Despite her family’s insistence that he wants to begin a new life in Scotland, Cadha charges after him…but she needs help. Valc has a debit to pay.
A beautiful young woman hires him to take her to Scotland, no questions asked, but the journey soon becomes more dangerous than he bargained for. With soldiers on his tail and pirates in the North Sea, Valc doesn’t know if he can protect his charge on her journey, let alone protect himself from losing his heart to this mysterious stranger. The 5th book in the best-selling Highland Renegades series by award-winning author R.L. Syme
˃˃˃ What readers are saying
“A fun pirate adventure with a spunky heroine”
“You are pulled into the story from the very beginning and keeps you engaged to the very surprising end”
˃˃˃ Two Free Bonus Books Inside
Inside Cadha’s Rogue you’ll get a link to two free books: The Outcast Highlander, the first book in The Highland Renegades series, and Fire Away, the first book in the Becca Boyd romantic suspense series, Line of Fire.
