“Och, I was just showin’ off for ye,” he answered with a broad grin and Moira blushed. Then he turned to Isla. “My lady, ‘tis a great honor tae meet ye.”
“The honor is all mine, I’m sure!” Isla assured him. “Yer form and skill are most impressive. ‘Tis no wonder my new friend here insisted we come and watch ye!”
He raised an eyebrow in Moira’s direction.
Before he could say anything further, though, there was a slight commotion among the men. Isla looked to them, and saw that Laird Alex had joined them. He was looking at her quizzically, but addressed the soldiers around him.
“Are there any among ye,” he queried, “who might be in the mood tae provide me with a bit of exercise?”
The men exchanged uncomfortable looks. It was obvious that none of them had any real desire to tussle with the laird. Not thatIsla could blame them, given how tall and strong Alex was, to say nothing of his temper.
After a few moments of tense silence, Bryan scoffed at them. “None of ye strappin’ lads are willin’ tae step forward? Very well, then. I supposeIshall have tae accept his challenge.”
Alex nodded tightly, and stripped off his tunic to reveal a torso of rippling muscles and arms which looked as thick and strong as tree trunks. The sight made something quiver deep within Isla’s core, and she cleared her throat, embarrassed. She tried to remind herself that for all of his handsomeness, the man had treated her abysmally just days before.
He had sent Moira to her, though.
Might that be sufficient reason to forgive him, at least for the moment?
As she pondered this, Bryan and Alex began to circle each other. Alex appeared wary, while Bryan wore a teasing smile. “Well, then?” Bryan quipped. “Shall we demonstrate for them why it’s so important tae train every day, rather than sittin’ around in a stuffy old castle and growin’ soft?”
Alex took the bait and lunged at Bryan. The captain of the guard side-stepped, and Alex narrowly missed him. But the laird regained his balance instantly. Indeed, he did not seem to lose it, even for the barest moment. He was on Bryan like a cloak.
“He’s so agile!” Isla marveled aloud. “Especially for a man his size!”
Moira nodded. “He’s Bryan’s equal in strength and skill at least. But I’ve seen the two of them spar together before, and Bryan knows how tae taunt him just so… tae get him tae lose his composure and strike wildly.”
“Bryan tends to win these matches, then?”
The servant girl smiled. “Well, I didnae say that, did I? Here, watch!”
Sure enough, Bryan was continuing to mock the laird, and itdidseem as though it prompted Alex to lash out more wildly, with less control or consideration than Bryan displayed. Still, Bryan remained on the defensive, backing up as he blocked as many of Alex’s blows as he could. He even managed one or two successful strikes of his own.
But then Alex’s temper flared mightily, and with the added power it gave him, he attacked Bryan relentlessly, showering him with steady blows, too fast for him to block and too strong for him to endure. After a few moments, Bryan sagged to the ground. “I yield!” he laughed. “Enough, before ye send me to my grave!”
Isla expected Alex to smile, or convey any sort of pleasure in his victory at all. Instead, he merely nodded tightly, as though the outcome was precisely what he had expected.
Then he looked at her again.
It was barely there, the merest and briefest flash behind his eyes, but it was enough to let her know that he was checking to see if she was impressed.
No, more than that. Hewantedher to be impressed.
Which she was, to some degree. His fighting prowess was spectacular; he had clearly demonstrated that.
Had that been the reason he’d chosen to intrude on his soldiers’ training? Had he seen that she was observing the proceedings, and decided this might be the best way to gain her favor?
Except I don’t need tae know that my husband can beat up everyone else’s husband, she thought.I simply need tae know that he will care about me, be attentive to my needs, and not fly into a rage at the slightest provocation.
Still, she supposed it would make her seem rude and standoffish if she did not clap for him, and so she did. Moira joined in.
Alex clapped Bryan on the shoulder, then sauntered off in the direction of the castle.
Bryan approached Isla. “I hope we gave ye a decent show,” he remarked cheerily.
“Most definitely,” she agreed. “Does Laird Alex spar with you and your men often, then?”
He shook his head. “More often than not, he and I take our exercises together in private. From time tae time, though, he likes tae demonstrate tae them that the man they may follow into battle someday will be able tae hold his own.”
