Page 56 of Awakened By Time
“I don’t know. I’ve never been in love. All I know is that I cannae stop meself from thinking of him. All day long he’s in me thoughts. I wonder what he’s doing, where he is? I wonder if he’s thinking about me.”
“It sounds to me as if ye are. Has he said anything to ye?”
“Nae. He hasnae. Helene, I think he’s still in love with ye.”
Helene’s eyes flew wide open in surprise. “Brenna. He doesnae love me. He knows I’m with Dougall. He sent me back here to be with him. I admit that at one time I believe he thought he loved me. Mayhap he did, but Zeke wouldnae spend the rest of his days loving someone who didnae love him back.”
“But ye did love him?” she asked.
“I thought I did, but all along the only one for me was yer brother. I was angry with him while I was in San Francisco. I learned many lessons along the way, but I never stopped loving Dougall. I love Zeke as a friend. He helped me when I needed it the most. He took me in and taught me how to live in his time. I believe he could do the same for ye. He needs someone to love. Ye’ll never find a better man and if he does love ye, consider yerself lucky to have his love.”
“Do ye think I should do it?” Brenna asked.
“I do, but first ye must find out if what yer feeling really is love and if he feels the same. Ye cannae do that if yer hidden away here at the castle. Ye must find him. Spend some time with him. I dinnae believe ye’ll be sorry if ye do.”
Hope welled in Brenna’s heart. “Thank ye, Helene. I love ye.” Brenna hugged Helene, who returned the hug.
“Now, before ye run off to find him, come help me upstairs. I only have two hands and there are three little ones who need tending to this morn, as do their mums.”
* * *
The heavy rainsubsided as the noon hour approached. Logan and Zeke headed to the practice field only to find the rest of the men already hard at work. Zeke was impressed with their work ethic. He wouldn’t have expected there to be a practice on a rainy day such as this, but Logan made a good point.
“Ye cannae always pick the weather when ye find yerself under attack. So, we practice in all kinds of weather. ’Tis one of the reasons the MacKenzie warriors are the best in the highlands.”
Zeke lifted an eyebrow in question.
“I’m sure there are other clans who would argue me point, but they’d be the one’s who havenae yet met us on the field of battle.”
A towering red haired man joined them, drenched to the bone. “Hamish, I almost didnae recognize ye all cleaned up as ye are,” Logan chuckled. “You’ve met Zeke, havenae ye?”
“Aye. I was just about to ask him if he’d like to spar with me.”
“Zeke?” Logan glanced in his direction.
“Let’s go,” Zeke answered. He followed Hamish out onto the field and prepared himself to take a beating.
* * *
From her positionon the battlements, Brenna had a clear view of the men on the practice field. She’d gone off in search of Zeke, but found he was already engaged in mock battle with Hamish. Helene directed her to a perfect spot to spy on the men. She had, of course, suggested that it might not be good to do in the rain, but Brenna didn’t care. She pulled the hood of her cape more tightly around her head to keep the rain out. A heavy drizzle was the remainder of the storm that passed through last night. She spotted Hamish first. He was a full head taller than Zeke and hard to miss among the men. They were all covered in mud to one degree or another. Zeke was doing his best to ward off Hamish’s blows, and was successfully getting in some of his own. Brenna could stand here all day watching him and she would if she had to. She wanted to speak with him, and so she found this to be the perfect position to wait for him until the men were done for the day.
As she continued spying, Zeke’s battle with Hamish heated up and she watched in horror as they both slipped in the mud and fell, Hamish’s sword slicing into Zeke’s thigh. Brenna ran as quickly as she possibly could to get to him. She hoped he wasn’t badly injured, but she couldn’t tell from her perch on the battlements. She made it to the bottom of the stairs and rounded the corner heading for the field. The men were all passing by her now, apparently finished with their sparring.
Zeke was up on his feet as she raced to his side. “Are ye hurt?” she asked, panic in her eyes.
“I’ll be fine, Brenna. Where did you come from?”
Her face reddened as she realized she’d been caught. “I was watching ye from the battlements.”
Zeke’s teasing smile put her at ease. “You were spying on me, weren’t you?”
“Zeke, me apologies,” Hamish said, stopping on his way off the field.
“It was an accident. No need to apologize,” Zeke assured him.
Brenna scooted up under his arm. “Let me help ye,” she said.
Zeke placed an arm around her shoulders and allowed her to help him and let her lead the way.