Alex tried to put distance between them, particularly since it might grant him valuable extra moments to determine the nature of his initial wounds and work around them accordingly.Not only that, but the more he could stay out of range of Callum’s attacks, the more likely it was to anger and frustrate him so he’d make mistakes and trip himself up.
Callum, on the other hand, did not seem particularly inclined to take the bait.
Rather, he showed restraint, allowing Alex to maintain that distance, waiting for him to start to feel as though he was making a poor showing of valor in front of the others, waiting for Alex to lose his temper and make a move.
As the seconds ticked by, Alex was disturbed to find that it was working.
The fact that he recognized the tactic did not make him immune to it, either. He’d chosen to come to training so he could release the emotions inside of him. And from the knowing glint in Callum’s eye, he recognized that, along with Alex’s mounting discomfort with himself for staying back and waiting for an opening to present itself.
The other soldiers were tense, waiting for the next part of this battle to play itself out. The air was thick with sweat and anticipation. If Callum had been sparring with anyone else, the jeers and laughter would have started long before this, with his opponent being called craven for hanging back.
But no one dared this time. Not when it was Alex.
Eventually, inevitably, Alex’s patience ran out. He looked for an opening and, finding none, decided he would simply have tomakeone instead.
He ran at Callum and feinted an overhead strike, when he actually intended to go low and kick the man’s legs out from under him.
Callum saw it coming, and planted his feet hard enough to keep them in place. Despite the strength and accuracy of Alex’s kick, he may as well have been trying to fell a tree with his boot.
And now, alas, he was far too close to Callum for comfort.
Callum reached out and grabbed Alex roughly, lifting him clear off the ground. From the way he heaved, it seemed likely that he meant to toss the laird, and a considerable distance at that, given Callum’s strength.
Alex did not fear the pain that would come from being flung. He did not even fear that losing this conflict would make his people think less of him as a leader, for he was quite certain that would not be the case. If anything, it would be a testament to his leadership that he oversaw a standing army of men so strong and skilled that there were those among their number who could even prevail againsthim.
No, the simple and stubborn truth of it was that he wanted to look good for Isla. He wanted to show her the kind of man she’d be marrying, to convince her that she would be safe by his side.
So as Callum lifted him and prepared to throw him, Alex resorted to the only defense he could think of, one he would normally have never relied upon during a mere training session.
He reached down and boxed Callum’s ears sharply.
Callum roared, dropping Alex to the ground.
Many of the soldiers looked surprised—including Bryan. However, the fact that such a tactic was not often resorted to during sparring did not make it dirty pool.
To say nothing of the fact that it had appeared as though it would have been Alex’s only means of wresting triumph from the jaws of failure.
Now that Callum was stunned, it was easy enough for Alex to wrench one of the large man’s arms behind his back and force him to the grass until he gasped, “I yield!”
The soldiers clapped… and from the hill a short distance away, Alex could hear the two women cheering for him as well. This surprised him somewhat, for he had thought that things were still tense between himself and Isla. When he turned tolook at her, though, he saw that she was indeed beaming and applauding. So was the servant girl next to her.
Alex released Callum, who slowly stood to his full height. He glowered, but there was a grudging admiration in his eyes as well.
“Are you badly hurt?” Alex asked.
The huge man shook his head. “Merely stunned, Laird Alex. As well I should be, for I ought tae have been prepared for such a tactic.”
“No shame in it, Callum,” Alex assured him briskly. “You’re a credit tae our ranks, and no mistake. And if ‘tis any consolation,” he added with a wan smile, “one fight with you has been more than enough tae sate me for one day, so I shall take my leave.” He gave Bryan a small bow. “As ever, my thanks for allowing me tae look in on your training. Keep up the good work.”
Bryan nodded slowly, looking vaguely puzzled. “Of course, Laird Alex.”
Alex strode purposefully over to the hilltop, and Isla and Moira rose to their feet at his approach. Each gave him a prim curtsey, though Moira’s was a good deal clumsier than Isla’s. As he neared them, he found himself becoming strangely fretful at the prospect that she might still be displeased with him and reject his company. She’d been gracious enough at supper, but what if that had been an act?
Worse, what if she had seen Douglas’s loutish behavior and assumed that his son would be the same?
Despite the heat of the day, that thought caused him to shiver. He hoped it was not noticeable.
“How fare you, good ladies?” Alex inquired.
