One of the joys of writing historical romance and erotica is the research. I love to discover new info about life in the past. Not that I’d want to live any time but ours, unless it was in the future. We are blessed with so many things our ancestors lacked, most notably clean water and antibiotics. Nope–regardless of how cool the clothes were,  I’m happy to be a 21st Century Fox.

But life in the past was not without compensations. Often our ancestors enjoyed the same pastimes we do now. In researching my latest novel, Desire in Tartan, I learned that the Scots have been enjoying winter sports for centuries, in particular, ice skating.

The image below is one of the most famous in Scottish art. I saw it in the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh when I last traveled there a couple of years ago.

The Skating Minister

 Painted in 1790, it told me that I could validly have characters skating in a book set in 1759. And it’s important to find activities for characters to do while they’re falling in love.

Desire in Tartan follows the adventures of an English governess as she attends to the educations of    Scottish Laird Kilburn’s four children. Innocent Alice Derwent finds herself living in Kilburn Castle,  unaware that her employers and most of their clan are vampires. Indeed, she’s already fallen in love with  Dugald Kilburn, the laird’s second-in-command, but doesn’t understand some of the odd habits that her  husband exhibits.

I hope you enjoy the scene below. Though the book is erotic romance, the scene below is rated G and tells a lot about life in 18th century Scotland. Enjoy! 

“Are you ready for your snack?”

“Yes, I’m hungry, Auntie.”

Little Carrick’s mittened hand clutched Alice’s as they circled slowly around the frozen moat, skates tied to their boots. They slid, teetered and stumbled to the side amid shrieks and hand-flapping then climbed the bank. His nose was red and running, so she took out her hanky. Cupping it around his nose, she waited until he’d delivered an obedient snort into the cloth. She tucked it away making a mental note to have it laundered before untying their skates.

The days had grown even shorter and the nights colder until the clan became occupied with preparations for the Yuletide feast. The castle was decorated with lavish swags of evergreen and holly, the red berries harmonizing nicely with the swatches of Kilburn tartan swathing mantles and covering arrow-slits. Because of the cold, much whisky was consumed. With mistletoe hung in every doorway, “twas nigh impossible to enter or leave a room without a friendly buss on the cheek from a tipsy lad or lass.

In the kitchen, where she and Carrick now headed, the hustle and bustle had reached a peak. The aromas of baking hung in the air””cinnamon, nutmeg, anise. Giant pots bubbled. She peeked at one to see it full of mysterious cloth-wrapped bundles.

“Carrick, what’s in here?” She lifted him so he could see.

“I donna ken.”

Nearby, Rose laughed. “That’s cloutie dumpling, mistress.” Already pregnant when Alice had arrived at the castle, Rose looked as though she’d drop her infant momentarily. Alice repressed her envy.

“It is?” Carrick looked as puzzled as Alice felt. The grayish water and dingy old linen didn’t look edible.

“That’s because ye’ve only seen it at table, Master Carrick. We mix dried fruits together with oats, butter and eggs, then boil the whole lot. When we serve it, it’s out of the bag, sliced and on a nice plate for ye.”

Alice set the boy down and asked, “Any scraps for two weary scholars?”

“Och, aye. We’ve some scones for yer snackie,” Fenella said. “If ye go up to the solar, I’ll bring tea. “Tis almost time.”

Desire in Tartan by Suz deMello

Alice smiled at Carrick. “Shall we?”

He slipped his mittened hand in hers and smiled up winningly. “I need to use the gardy-robe first.”

“Yes, and we must take off all these heavy clothes.”

Hand in hand, they went up to the next floor and into the room that Carrick shared with his brother. Isobel, deemed old enough to leave the nursery for her own quarters””she quarreled with her brothers incessantly””had been moved to another room closer to her parents, so they could keep a tighter rein on the girl. Baby Marian still slept in her parents’ room.

The boys’ room bore the marks of Fenella’s tidying, but Alice knew that wouldn’t last long. Carrick pulled off his hat and mittens then dropped them on the floor, where the ice that had accumulated started to melt and run down in rivulets.

“Carrick, where do those belong?”

He eyed the pegs on the wall. “I canna reach.”

“I’ll help. Pick them up, please.” She lifted the little boy so he could properly hang his wet clothes to dry, then helped him off with his coat and boots. His socks were damp so she changed them, also, then led him to the garderobe. “Afterward, go back to your room, wash your hands and face and comb your hair. I’ll meet you in the solar.”

Upstairs, she took off her outer clothing and exchanged her wet boots for warm slippers. She adjusted her linen blouse and kerseymere skirt, then smoothed her hair and arranged the tartan shawl Dugald had given her around her shoulders for a little extra warmth. Though everyone struggled to keep the castle cozy, inevitably drafts slipped through the arrow slits even though they’d been shrouded by hangings and tapestries.

She hurried down to the solar and paused in the doorway. Lady Lydia and the children were already there, with Grizel pouring tea while Fenella served scones. Isobel struggled with embroidery while Ranald, in the window seat, was reading with Carrick nestled by his side. Marian rested in a light wooden cradle that could be moved from room to room.

A fire glowed and crackled on the hearth. Candles and lamps lit the room with a warm yellow glow that reflected off the silver teapot and the thick, glazed mugs the children used. The fragrances of fresh scones, smoke and evergreen infused the air.

Alice blinked away tears. She’d never been happier in her life.

Author bio–Suz deMello

Suz deMello

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written over sixteen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s worked for Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press, where she is currently Managing Editor. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.

–Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com

–For editing services, email her at suzswift@yahoo.com

–Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sueswift, and visit her group at

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–She tweets her reading picks @ReadThis4fun

–Her current blog is http://www.fearlessfastpacedfiction.com