As Aleck Maxwell storms the castle, Bess promises her cousin Mary that she will never allow him to see his newborn son. Bess disappears with the child, Dexter, winding up at a school for training boys in the art of fighting, run by Callum MacFee and Bess. Ten year old Dexter, whose parents never wed is an outcast, and “bastard” is often on the lips of his classmates. He desperately feels the loss of his father. One day a stranger arrives, claiming the property has been deeded over to him by a dying man. Bess and Callum are horrified to learn he is Aleck Maxwell! Bess prays he won’t see the resemblance between he and Dexter, but Aleck takes an immediate liking to Dexter, and Dexter feels the same. Bess worries Dexter’s true identity will be revealed!
“The Reiver’s Cub” is action packed from the first page. The reader is immediately engaged in the story, rooting for Aleck as soon as he arrives at the boy’s school. He is the antithesis of what Mary has said he is. Bess is a strong heroine who does not take her responsibilities lightly. She will protect Dexter to the death. Callum MacFee starts off as a weak character who acts more as an errand boy than Headmaster. He does, however, develop fully later in the story. A story fraught with emotion that is well-presented without making the characters appear weak. Mary, although absent till the end, plays a pivotal part in the novel. She has a secret she finally reveals to Bess. A beautifully executed story, this is a must read!
Belinda Wilson