Page 24 of Highlander Redeemed (Guardians of the Targe #3)
D UNCAN SAT ACROSS the fire from Scotia that evening after the meal, hoping the crackling flames and quiet conversation would distract him from the tension that still rode his body and his mind.
But it was useless. He could think of nothing else, and every time he let himself be drawn back to the events of the afternoon, followed by Scotia’s silent return to the caves with him, he wanted to groan or grab her and pull her into the forest with him.
Clearly he had not been thinking when he let himself, when he let them, get carried away like that, and now he was paying the price.
Somehow she had turned the tables on him.
He was the one distracted by desire, while she remained steadfastly focused on her goal.
“If you keep staring at her like that, lad,” Nicholas said, “Kenneth is likely to pluck out your eyeballs.”
Duncan closed his eyes and rubbed the spot between his brows. “Is it that obvious?”
“Aye.” Nicholas sat next to him. “But from what Rowan has told me, and from what I have seen from the moment I met you, you have always had a soft spot for the stubborn, selfish—”
“She is not—”
Nicholas laughed quietly. “Not anymore, ’tis true. It seems she has grown up at last, and while circumstances of late pushed her there, you appear to have something to do with her transformation, too.”
“Transformation?” Was their indiscretion that apparent?
“You are not blind—yet—and neither am I. You have been training her with weapons.” Duncan gave silent thanks, then realized what Nicholas had said. “If I had not seen it myself,” Nicholas continued, “I would know from the way she carries herself.”
“Seen it? ”
“You forget that my first calling was as a master spy. Did you not think I would keep an eye upon you and your charge when she has caused so much trouble?”
Duncan sighed. “’Tis a measure of how preoccupied I have been that I did not consider that.”
Nicholas chuckled. “She is a distracting woman. But as I said, even if I had not seen her training myself, I would know. No longer does she wander about, swaying her hips, and looking for mischief as she did when first I saw her trysting with Conall.” An unwanted flash of anger had Duncan scanning the gathering for the blond warrior.
“She moves differently than she did even a tenday ago. Now she strides about like a warrior, her eyes scanning for trouble, her reactions swift and often ending in a fighting posture. And I daresay she is getting quite good with her weapons, given the number of bruises and cuts I have seen on you in the last few days.”
Duncan looked down at his nicked hand, and rolled the shoulder she had whacked with her blade just that afternoon, knowing there would be a fine bruise in evidence by morning.
“She does not want it known until she is ready to join the warriors, and aye, she is getting very, very good with her sword and shield.” He could not help the pride that he was sure Nicholas could hear his voice, nor could he keep from glancing across the fire at Scotia, catching her watching him. Flustered, they both looked away.
“Does she expect to fight with the warriors?” Nicholas’s tone was flat, as if he did not want Duncan to know how he felt about that possibility.
“She does, and I have promised her she will when the time comes.”
“That will not sit well with her sister and my wife,” Nicholas said.
“I do not think Scotia cares about that. ”
“I am sure she does not. Have you any understanding of this knowing Rowan told me about?”
Duncan was grateful for the turn in the conversation. He explained the testing he continued to do with Scotia, and what they had discovered about why and when she might know something and why and when she did not.
“We must determine how best to use this gift of hers in our fight against the English,” Nicholas said, tossing a pebble into the fire. “It might just give us the advantage we need. Do you ken if proximity has aught to do with how or when she receives a knowing ?”
Duncan had to think back to all the tests he had given Scotia in the last few days.
“She had the knowing about Sherwood, so that was from afar. She kent the allies were arriving in this glen before the guards at the pass blew the horn, but not long before. She kent where her sword was.” He looked at Nicholas, knowing this next bit of news would not sit well with the chief.
“We found it just near the Story Stone, though she did not ken it was there until we were already at the meadow. Other than that,” he continued, “everything we have worked on has been within the confines of the glen.”
“Do you think she is ready to venture further afield with her training?” Nicholas asked.
“I think she is chafing at the bit to venture further afield.”
Nicholas laughed as he looked across the cook circle at Scotia, then back to Duncan. “Always, with that one, aye?”
“Always,” Duncan agreed.
“I have just the task for the two of you, but Rowan will insist you take more warriors with you to keep Scotia safe.”
“If this is a test for Scotia, then warriors will interfere. She does not want anyone to know what she is about until she is sure she will be a boon to our fight. I have promised her to keep this secret—though neither of us thought you still in the spy business.” ’Twas another good reason not to let what had happened between him and Scotia happen again, he only then realized.
“You have placed her in my care, and I have earned her trust.” Unless he had lost it today, but he did not say that to Nicholas.
“I will not jeopardize that by pushing her on this. Not yet.”
Nicholas took a moment to consider Duncan’s words, looking from Duncan to Scotia again, who seemed to purposely look anywhere but at the two men.
“Very well. You have done well with her so far. I will give the lass a little more time to hone her skills in privacy, but only a little, for if Jeanette’s visions are true, Lord Sherwood and his detachment will be here very soon. In the meantime ...”