Lorna bit her lip, trying to contain her broad smile. “Aye, perhaps so,” she said vaguely, trying to keep her excitement in check. She wanted to see Bryce and thank him herself. In person. Alone. A frisson of desire swept down her spine.
“Let’s go and see that note,” Kyla teased, and when they entered Lorna’s chamber, Kyla motioned to the table, and Lorna went to pick up the bluebells. But there was no note.
“What does it say?” Kyla asked from across the room, putting the cloak into the wardrobe.
“Naething. There is nae note. It isnae here. Naething is here.”
Frowning, Kyla joined her next to the table, and she put her hands on her hips. “It was here. I saw it. I saw him with a pencil in his hands, and the paper was on the table.” She blushed and looked at Lorna guiltily. “I’m sorry, lass, but I think he took the note. And I think it is all me fault.”
* * *
After his talk with Kyla, he sent the letter to Tobias, and then he spent the rest of the time before dinner trying to help the Lady Arrin. He prepared tea and a poultice, and after a couple of hours, he heard from a servant that she was doing better. Gratified, Bryce made his way to the main hall for the evening meal.
At least he’d been able to help Lady Arrin, even if he couldn’t figure out who the murderer was, nor could he find the courage to really tell Lorna how he felt. Lorna, Kyla, and Athol arrived soon after, and Bryce waited for the women to sit before he sat down next to Lorna. He knew Athol might not approve, but he couldn’t help himself. It was getting worse and worse, this desire for closeness with her.
She was watching him strangely as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t. His arm brushed against hers, and he tried to think of anything else to distract him from the heat that surged through him. His feelings and desire for Lorna were only getting more intense. Would he be able to survive at this rate until he left for his own castle?
“Are the preparations finished, then?” Athol asked as he cut into a slice of chicken on his plate. Lorna was sipping her wine, and Bryce frowned when he saw her hand trembling a little.
“Aye. All ready. We went tae remind Father McCauley, but someone may need tae go down taemorrow morning and get him, in case he forgets.”
“Aye, the man is growing far too old.” Athol scowled. “Perhaps we should seek a new priest. Have him come and learn for a little while before taking over. What do ye think, Kyla?”
Bryce watched as Kyla looked at Athol with little affection. “I think it could be a good plan, but the church will need tae protect and care for Father McCauley, even if he isnae working as the priest anymore.”
“Aye, lass, of course.” Athol grinned at Kyla, but she looked away. Bryce didn’t like what he saw, and it made him think back to Kyla’s warning speech to him, about knowing a thing or two about bad men.
“Well, I hope the families come tae the funeral. It would be a sad thing if they didnae. Conan’s family, I mean,” Lorna said.
“He hasnae many family members left, if I recall,” Athol replied, buttering a piece of bread. “But who kens? It is their choice of the way they wish tae grieve, lass. Ye ken that.” He pinned her with a brotherly look of disapproval, and she looked away.
Bryce remained silent. Now that Lorna had brought to his attention the restrictions of women, he could see them more plainly. Women were questioned, put down, and made to feel as if they weren’t grown. Athol and Fergus had made Lorna feel that way for so long. Even Watt seemed to only see her as a little girl. It made Bryce want to fight them all and then get down on his knees and tell Lorna just how perfect she was.
“Well, I am sure they will come, and then the bodies will be safe in the ground. They will be mourned,” Bryce said before taking a long sip of his wine, hoping to cut short the conversation.
He cleared his throat and asked, “I wonder, Lorna, if ye might fight against me in the training grounds. I need some help on something.”
Kyla lifted her brows, Lorna’s mouth opened a little, and Athol scowled. “Are ye asking me sister for training, lad? Do I nae give ye enough training in the mornings? We have some of the best warriors in all the Highlands.” Athol’s face was growing red, and Bryce felt like his plan to make Lorna feel powerful and useful wasn’t exactly going according to plan.
“Ye are a good warrior, Athol. So are ye men. Very good. It is nae that. But I am used tae fighting against tall, large men. We are all the same size, and we have similar skills. I thought it would be useful tae fight against someone smaller, lighter, quicker. That way, I could make sure me practice was good. The war is over for me, but there are always battles tae prepare for.”
He turned a smile to Lorna, whose cheeks were turning pink. It made her lovely mouth look even rosier, and Bryce swallowed, hoping to keep from Athol just how much he desired her. “What do ye say, lass? I have been wanting ye tae show me this since I found out ye could fight.”
“Aye,” she said with a little tremble. “But it is dark out. We cannae use the training grounds.”
“Then ye will fight in the armory downstairs. By the dungeons. There is plenty of light there, and we can light more torches,” Kyla said helpfully, but it seemed to only enflame Athol’s ire more. But Bryce knew that he had a little bit of power over Athol, now that he knew his secret, and Athol would do much to keep his secret safe.
“Fine then,” he grunted, as if he’d been asked for permission. “I will need tae check on the night patrols on the battlements anyway. We need tae keep watch for this murderer. Who kens who and what is safe?”
Lorna smiled and said to Bryce, “Aye, I will fight ye. But only if ye promise nae tae hold back.”
Athol chuckled. “The lass has an ego, that’s for sure.” He stuffed his mouth full of food again, and Lorna scowled at him.
“Well?” she asked, turning back to Bryce. “Ye will nae pretend tae be bad when we fight?”
“Nae, I willnae pretend tae be bad,” Bryce laughed. When she beamed at him, his heart did a little flutter, and he knew that he was in serious trouble. There would be no leaving McAdam Keep without having his heart completely entwined with Lorna’s.
