Page 57 of His Secret Highland Bride

Having no funds to speak of made it unnecessary for Shane to waste any more time studying the books. All it did was frustrate him and make it impossible to catch his breath.

If he was going to be out of breath, he’d do so with a sword in his hand. Alec had left early that morning, so Shane went to the bailey to oversee the drills. He stepped up behind a large man named Fitz as the man was attempting to motivate the warriors of the MacPherson guard. Shane recognized the man by his wide smile. He’d been one of Alec’s friends, and like Alec, he’d grown to become a mountain of a man.

“I’ll spar with you,” Shane offered. “And when I beat you, I expect the next man to be waiting in line to get the same treatment.”

Fitz gave Shane a smug smile and shook his head. “You forget I’m not the squeaky-voiced lad you left behind.”

“Bigger men canna move as quickly. It means they just make bigger targets.”

The men gathered around them, making a circle. Shane guessed they might have cast wagers on the outcome if any of them had more than a coin to their names.

“We shall see.”

Shane knew a sound mind was better in battle, so he drew calm around him, blocking out the enthusiastic taunts from the other men. He focused on his enemy and did his best to remember he didn’t want to hurt him. Fitz moved first, as Shane expected, and Shane moved so his sword glanced off, then tapped the warrior in the back with his weapon. The men roared in laughter, making Fitz’s face turn red. He attacked again and again, and each time Shane was able to defend the attempt.

“You can protect yourself all day, but you will not win that way,” the man said.

“Perhaps not, but I also won’t lose, and when you have tired yourself out…”

Shane burst into action, spinning under Fitz’s thrust to come up at his side with his blade at the man’s throat.

“As I said, when you have tired yourself out, I have the advantage.”

Fitz laughed and pushed Shane away.

“Bloody bastard with your tricks,” he said with no anger.

“Who’s next?” Shane called. When no one moved, he decided to tempt them further. “If anyone bests me, I’ll give them my sword.”

The men looked at their sorry excuses for weapons and then at his claymore, the one given to him by his mother when he was only a lad. It had belonged to her brother, who’d been claimed in battle.

It was as fierce as it was beautiful. A winding thistle pattern could barely be seen on the blade. The same pattern was deeper across the hilt and handle, though the handle couldn’t be seen, since Shane had it wrapped in leather to aid his grip.

Another of the larger men came forward. Shane recognized him but couldn’t place the man.

“Get him, Paul!” someone called.

“Paul?” Shane stood straighter. He knew someone named Paul. He’d been a good friend of Ronan’s, and his sister…

“Aye, laird. I’m that Paul. And I’ve been waiting a long time to make things right for what you did to my sister.”

“Bloody Christ.” Shane jumped back as Paul attacked. He was much faster than Fitz and more bloodthirsty.

“We’re only sparring, Paul. Don’t kill the laird. Alec will be mad if he gets back and finds he’s in charge of the clan,” Fitz warned.

“The man defiled my innocent sister.”

“Do you have another sister besides Ruthie?” Shane asked as they circled each other.

“Nay.” Paul lurched forward, and Shane barely kept the blade from catching him in the side. “Just the one, thank heavens.”

“I hate to be the one to tell you, but Ruth wasn’t innocent when I was with her. She’s the one who taught me the way of things.”

“How dare you!” Paul’s blade clashed with Shane’s in a few swipes.

“It’s true.” Shane used the man’s forward momentum to send him to the dirt, then rested his blade on the man’s chest right next to his heart to keep him from standing up again. Shane glanced around the ring of men.

“Who else here has lain with his sister, Ruth?” Shane called out, knowing he wasn’t the first or the last.