The Stone Maiden

As the leader of her late-12th-century Highland clan, which has been decimated by war and illness since her father's death, Alainna MacLaren has no choice but to abide by the legend of the Stone Maiden in order to save her Scottish clan from oblivion: she must wed a man willing to adopt her clan name. Since each clan is fiercely protective of the lineage of its proud name, Alainna's mission seems futile. Sebastien de Bret, a Norman knight, who was a nameless infant foundling raised by monks, agrees to protect Alainna's clan in exchange for the land the king will give him. He will even marry Alainna in accord with the king's wishes, but he refuses to relinquish the name he has struggled so hard to establish for himself. King (The Heather Moon)--whose research into the territory and time period is evident--strongly draws readers into the plot and her characters' lives. (Mar.)