Grant Clan 06 - My Desperate Highlander (21 page)

Diana sent Micheil out to take part in the planning for the festival. Father Rab had been by to pray with her and had agreed to assist in the contest planning in her place. Logan was going to do double duty and help Micheil out with the horseback obstacle course since Gwyneth had the archery field under control. The first practice was set for the next morning.

Lady Ramsay had just left with her finished meal platter when a quiet knock sounded at her door.

“Come in.” Diana had no idea who it could be. She had seen most everyone this morning, though not many of the bairns.

Torrian stuck his head through the cracked door. “May I come in, Lady Diana?”

“Of course, Torrian.” She waved him inside and over to the chair next to the bed. “I would love to talk to my only nephew.”

Torrian was at an awkward stage—still young, yet trying to act like an adult. His shoulders were broadening, and his voice crackled when he talked. She could tell his voice would deepen a couple of octaves over the next few moons.

He sat in the chair and asked, “Is there aught I can get for you?”

“Nay, your grandmama just left, so I have everything I need. ‘Tis thoughtful of you to come check on me.”

“We just finished our meeting about the festival, and I wanted to give you an update. We have all decided to postpone for a sennight so that you will be well enough to come and watch. Alex agreed to stay with the lads until after the festival. Actually, I was hoping you would consider being one of the judges in the obstacle course for the young ones?”

“If Brenna says it is all right, I would love to judge. Tell me what you have arranged for them in the course.” Diana thought it was a wonderful idea and could not wait to see the lads and lassies compete, though she tried her best not to think about her husband jousting. “Will those older take part in the other competitions?”

“Molly wishes to stay in the younger competition. Jennie and I will try the horseback obstacle course, and Avelina will join us for the archery contest.”

“So is Gwyneth training everyone in archery?”

“Aye, practice starts tomorrow. Mama and Papa will walk the young ones through the obstacle course while the rest of us practice the other two courses. Do not worry about the horseback obstacle course or the jousting, Alex and Micheil have it under control.”

“Torrian, I must confess, a short while ago naught would have excited me more than a jousting competition, but now naught frightens me more.” She studied her fingers as she realized how much she had changed in such a short time. She had been delighted to attend in Edinburgh.

“You worry about Micheil? You should not, he has always been our strongest. Papa and Logan are better with the bow, but Micheil is the best at jousting.”

“I will try to trust in my husband’s skills. Tell me about the obstacles for the lassies, though I expect Alex’s lads will join in.”

“Actually, Papa has opened it up to any of his guards’ families.”

“Oooh, this is exciting, do you not agree?”

He nodded and grinned. “So far, we have a log set up over a wee stream, then two barrels they must crawl through, then a long field they must run across, then we plan to set a tent really low that they must crawl underneath without knocking it over. The last thing they must do is throw hazelnuts toward a target. At first, we were going to do rocks, but Papa said Jamie and Jake can be a wee bit wild. He didn’t want any rock throwing with all the bairns around. What do you think?”

“Torrian, that sounds wonderful. I agree with your da that the nuts would be safer than the rocks. Either way, the wee ones will have great fun.”

Torrian stared at his hands for a moment and scowled. Then he raised his gaze to hers. “Would you mind if I asked you a couple of questions? They are a bit unusual.”

“Sure, ‘tis what an aunt should do. I would like to help you if I can.”

He thought for a moment, then said, “My apologies for losing your sire, but I would like to ask you something. Are you concerned about being the laird now that your sire has passed?”

Diana smiled at her nephew, trying so hard to grow up, yet still so young at heart. “Torrian, I am petrified most days that I will make a mistake. I am verra thankful to have Micheil by my side for guidance.” She glanced up at the beams overhead. “Before my sire passed, I thought I would never be able to act in his stead. It frightened me to think of my decisions affecting so many. Is that how you are feeling?”

He nodded. “Aye. Papa has asked me to follow him everywhere now to learn from him, and I do not know how he does it all. Some days, I think I could never do it. He must live forever because I will not be able to handle the pressure.”

“Come sit on the bed next to me.” She patted the covers, and he sat down with a sheepish expression on his face. “One thing you must remember is that your sire rarely ever acts on his own.”

He gave her a puzzled look. “Aye, he does all the time. He decides punishment for anyone who commits a crime against the clan, he decides how to spend our coin and what crops to grow. ‘Tis his decision for everything.”

“Mayhap you are correct, but I’m sure he discusses many of these things with others.”

“Who? I do not see him discuss aught with others.”

“Does your father not have a steward? I know I would be lost without my steward.”

“Aye, he handles most of the coin and the crops, but not without my sire’s instructions.”

“True, but I would presume they discuss many things, maybe when you are not in the chamber.”

He thought about this before nodding slowly. “Mayhap you are correct.”

“And your grandmama? I am sure she is a wealth of information. She has been here for many years, and she stood at the side of the previous laird for a long time, aye?”

“‘Tis true.” His hand came up to rub his chin, though no whiskers were there for him to stroke yet.

“And what about Brenna?”

“Och, he talks to her all the time.”

“Aye, because she was verra close to another laird.”

“Hmm, my thanks, Diana. You have given me much to consider. I will pay better attention to Papa when he is about.”

“You have to remember that your clan is made of many people, and you must all work together for it to succeed.”

“I am so afraid I will not be strong enough…”

“Why would you say that, Torrian?”

“You did not know me before, but I had a sickness that kept me abed for a long time. I try so verra hard to eat and build muscles like my da and my uncles. I want to be a strong warrior like the Ramsay guards and the Grant warriors, but naught seems to help.”

“You are not full grown yet, Torrian. I think you have quite a bit more growing to do. Do not worry about that yet. When lads grow, their muscles grow with them.”

“Truly? Do you believe it?”

“Aye, I do. But keep learning as much as you can from your da. You will not regret it. You will be a fine laird someday. I know it.”

He quirked his brow. “How can you tell?”

“Because you care, lad, and ‘tis the most important thing of all.”

***

Two days later, Jennie and Avelina were on the training field, learning archery from Gwyneth. Jennie glanced at Avelina, surprised to see how intent she was on her task. Torrian had been there for a while, but he’d left with his da.

Jennie nocked and released another arrow, missing the target by a long shot. “Why do I even bother? I don’t need to know how to shoot, do I?”

“It cannot hurt you to know how to protect yourself,” Gwyneth retorted. “It is something you have to practice. Lina has been coming out here for some time, haven’t you, lass?”

Avelina sighed. “Aye, for six or seven moons. I started early last spring, and I can still barely hit the target. My arms are too weak.”

Jennie laughed as she released another wild arrow, way off target. “At least you come close to your target, Lina. I am terrible at this. I concede to you and Torrian.”

“Nay, do not quit. I want you trying with me.”

Gwyneth shot two more arrows before she put her things away. “Lassies, I have to go feed Sorcha, so I will leave you to practice. Do you have any other questions?”

“Nay,” Jennie sighed. “I will keep trying.”

“Alex is in the next field, so if you need anything, holler. He’s close enough to hear you, and there are a few guards still in the area. I’ll pass by him and advise him you are still out here.”

“Thanks, Gwyneth, for your patience,” Jennie said, a defeated expression on her face.

“You’re welcome. Now make me proud, lasses. Aim and release!” She gave them each a pat on the back and left.

Jennie dropped her bow. “I’ve had enough. I cannot do this. I’m ready to quit right now. How about you, Lina?”

“Nay, I have a few more left. Come, do not make me practice alone. You have three arrows in your quiver. Shoot them. It can only help to practice.” She pulled her bow back and released another arrow, hitting the outside area of the target.

“Nice shot! I could not do even that.” Jennie watched in amazement as Avelina hit the target twice more. “All right. You’ve inspired me.” She nocked her arrow, pulled it backed, and aimed carefully before releasing it, Lina watching her with an encouraging smile.

At the last second, her arm twitched and the arrow flew way off course into the woods. Jennie started laughing and Avelina grinned, but as soon as the arrow landed, a yelp came out from the copse of trees the arrow had disappeared into. Immediately after the yelp, a deep bellow rang out. “Who shot me? Hellfire, who is it? Come out and face me like a man!”

Jennie stared at Avelina wide-eyed. Without hesitation, her healer instincts took over and she ran into the trees to find her victim.

Avelina followed, yelling at her all the way. “Jennie, be careful. You have no idea who that is. He could be dangerous!”

As soon as she made it past the line of trees, she saw five men and five horses. Four of the men stood gathered around the fifth, a dark-haired lad who was prostrate on the ground. His friend reached down to assist him.

“Help me up,” he groaned. “I’ll find out who did this, and I’ll fix the rotten bastard. Since when do you fire wild into the trees with naught around to shoot at?” He stood up and limped around in a circle.

Jennie ran into the middle of the circle of men. “Are you all right? My apologies. My arm jerked and my arrow flew wild. I did not intend to hurt anyone.” She came up behind the man she had shot, stopping abruptly as soon as she saw her arrow, right in the middle of the right side of his arse. “Oh!”

He whirled around, his long dark locks tossing high into the air, and her gaze met the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen. They were filled with fury.

“Seems you are correct, lass. You hit me in the arse. What in hellfire are you doing?” The more he spoke, the louder his voice became, and his arms flew up at his sides, swinging in the air close enough to hit her. “You belong in the courtyard, indoors tending the bairns, or in the kitchens, not out here shooting good lads for naught. Foolish wench!”

Avelina charged in behind Jennie, but came to an abrupt halt just outside the circle.

Jennie said calmly, “I’m a healer, not a wench. Mayhap I can be of assistance.” He stood a good head taller than her, but she refused to cower before his ire, instead choosing to wait until reason returned to his head.

“You wish to assist me?” He glowered at her, bringing his face down toward hers. “I think you have
assisted
me enough.”

Heat shot from his body to hers, traveling through her face and down to her core. Who was this lad? He made her feel strange things, and she did not like it. His gaze left hers for a moment, running down her body and back up again. His expression changed to one of admiration, but she had no idea why. Her brother allowed her little contact with lads, and she had never seen a reaction like he had.

“I say let her assist you,” one of his friends said with a shrug. “She should pull it out, not me. Better than you pulling it out.”

Another lad chuckled. “Aye, let the lass pull it out and we’ll watch.”

A third whistled as he stared over Jennie’s shoulder at Avelina. “Please, Cameron. Let her assist you, and I’ll let the beauty behind her assist me. I think I have an arrow in my arse, too. Come, lass, check it out for me.”

The others chuckled and stepped back, pushing Avelina up next to Jennie.

“So you want that one, Drew, and I’ll take this one? Is that the plan?” the man referred to as Cameron asked, his eyes never leaving hers. He took a step closer.

Jennie could breathe in his scent—he smelled like horse, leather, and something else, something that made her move in closer to place the other pleasant aroma.

“See something you like, lass?” He quirked a brow at her and grinned.

Jennie was not amused, not even when his breath hit her with the fragrance of mint leaves. Aye, he was pleasant looking, but there was something about him she did not like. “Do you wish my assistance with your wound or not? Otherwise, we will take our leave.” Rather than backing away from him, she stood tall, daring him to insult her again.

Lina whispered behind her, “Jennie…”

“Do not be afraid of them. I am not.” Her gaze hardened.

The other four circled Cameron and the two women, whistling and hollering, attempting to instigate something.

From outside the copse of trees, Alex bellowed, “Jennie!”

The five lads turned around in time to see Alex Grant approaching at full stride on Midnight, his destrier. Three of them hopped onto their horses and took off, but Cameron reached for the arrow in his arse and yanked it out.

“This isn’t finished. I will find you someday. You owe me.” Cameron tossed the arrow at her before jumping onto his horse, Drew mounting his steed at the same time.

Drew stared at Avelina and said, “I’ll find you again, too, lass, but not for the same reasons.” He winked and turned his horse just as Alex broke through the trees, cutting him off.

“Touch either lass and you can count yourself a dead man.” He pulled out his sword and rode hard toward Cameron, his sword point aimed straight for his heart.

Jennie screamed. “Alex, nay! ‘Twas my fault. I shot the lad.”

Alex stared at him. “‘Struth, lad? You are injured?”

Cameron returned Alex’s glare before he answered, seemingly unconcerned about the sword poised to kill him. “Naught that I cannot handle. Hold your sword. I want naught to do with her.”

“Let it be known that you have just met Alexander Grant’s sister, and if anyone dares to touch her, I’ll cut his heart out myself. And that goes for her friend, too. Understood?”

Cameron raked his gaze over Jennie again. “Understood.”

Alex lowered his sword to allow the two to follow their companions.

As soon as they were gone, Jennie turned to her brother. “Alex, why can you not let me handle myself? You cannot do everything for me.” Jennie’s frustration with her brother grew each year, but he did not seem to care. She loved him dearly because he had been like a father figure to her, but he had to stop smothering her so.

“Lass, you and Lina were surrounded by five lads. They had different things in mind than you did.”

“How would I know? You must stop protecting me so. I will marry someday whether you wish it or not.”

“‘Tis where you’re wrong, lass. You will not marry without my approval.”

Fury blazed in her eyes. “Then I have no hope, do I?”

***

The day of the Ramsay Festival had finally arrived. The sun shone bright on the late autumn day, making it warm enough to be outside. Diana was excited to finally be allowed out of the castle, but yet she had no wish to watch her husband joust. The day before she had walked inside the keep to see if she was better, and there were no problems. Brenna was confident she could walk out to the fields as a judge.

Micheil strolled alongside her, carrying a fur and an extra plaid to keep her warm. Torrian and Logan had already taken a cartload of stools and benches to the field for the ladies to sit on. Even Micheil’s mother had promised she would come out to watch.

Quade had made sure everyone in the clan understood they were to come to the festival rather than working. They had planned a large feast for everyone in the courtyard after the event.

The first competition was for those under ten. Micheil and Diana were to be judges, and Quade and Torrian had everything arranged. There were ten entrants of various ages, including Alex’s twins, Jake and Jamie, Lily, Maggie, Molly, and five other members of the clan. Ten separate lanes had been set up to accommodate all of them. The course was mostly as Torrian had described to her, and Micheil and Diana assigned two guards as backup judges to assist them at the end in case all ten competitors ended up throwing their hazelnuts at the same time.

The ten lined up as their parents screamed their encouragement. At the last minute, Alex held his hand up to Micheil.

“What is it, Grant?”

“Just need to make this a bit easier on everyone.” The youngest competitors were his two boys, and they stood at the end of the line, shoving at each other in the hopes of getting a head start over the other. “Lads!” A loud bellow stopped all the chatter, including the twins’ squirming.

He marched down the line, picked up dark-haired Jamie without uttering a word and carried him under his arm down to the opposite end of the lanes, moving all the contestants down one to make room for him. Once he had settled Jamie in a different lane, he turned to the event coordinator, Quade, and nodded. “Mayhap they will not kill each other with eight others between them. They are a wee bit competitive.” He made his way off the field to the good-natured guffaws of the spectators.

“One, two, three, go!” Ten pairs of legs flew across the logs, and a couple of entrants fell right away. Micheil followed the course with them as judge, but Diana remained seated at the side with her family. Hoots and hollers followed their trail through the obstacle course. By the time they reached the tent, Jamie and Jake and another boy were way ahead of the rest. Molly was ahead of Maggie, and Lily spent too much time giggling to progress very far or fast.

The three lads hit the beginning of the long field where the race would take place ahead of the rest, but Molly was gaining on them. Logan shouted, “Come on, Molly. Show the lads who’s the best.” He wrapped his arm around Gwyneth, who was holding Sorcha on her hip, biting her fingernails as she watched her eldest daughter compete.

Molly was three strides behind the lads, but as soon as she hit the field, the spectators all took their eyes off the leaders to watch her race.

“Logan, she runs like the most beautiful deer I have ever seen,” Gwyneth said.

Diana was in awe. “Gwyneth, I have never seen anyone so graceful. What a lovely sight.” She couldn’t help but pull for a lass sent out by her own sire.

And indeed, Molly sailed across the field with elegance and strength that gave her speed way beyond the others, her long strides powering her to the end way ahead of the boys. She picked up a hazelnut and flung it, missing the target by a long shot.

Logan shouted, “Come on, Molly!” He glanced at Gwyneth. “Wife, could you not have taught the lass how to hit the broad side of a stable?”

She had thrown three nuts and missed each one by the time the lads caught up with her. She had one left and flung it as hard as she could, finally hitting the very edge of the target. Micheil declared Molly the winner, while Jake came in second and Jamie won third place.

Logan ran over and tossed her into the air after they announced the winner and pinned a ribbon on her.

Molly could not stop smiling.

Diana couldn’t help but notice how Molly had changed in the short time she had spent with the Logan and Gwyneth. Her eyes shone bright as she hugged her parents and listened to all the congratulations from the others. She now walked with her shoulders back instead of constantly hunched over and staring at the ground.

Which brought another thought to the forefront of Diana’s mind. Had she changed as much as Molly? Two moons ago, she had nearly swooned at the suggestion of a tournament and men jousting, clamoring to get there ahead of others. Now she wished to avoid it completely. After all the trials of Edinburgh and Falkirk, then losing her father, gaining a wonderful husband, and becoming chieftain of her clan, suddenly she viewed everything differently. Aye, she had grown and matured as much as the wee lass in front of her, she just hadn’t realized it. How could she have missed it?

The next competition was the obstacle course on horseback. Diana cheered from the side, not minding that she couldn’t participate. Eight different contestants had entered, but none could outdo Alex Grant atop Midnight.

Jake and Jamie sat on either side of Diana, in awe of their sire, and they jumped up and down in the air when he was announced as the winner.

The third contest was archery. They moved to a different field to observe this competition. There were two contests, one for adults, and one for lads and lassies. Gwyneth won the adult contest, with Logan coming in second and Quade third. Avelina won the contest for the young ones, with Torrian coming in second and another lad third.

Jennie refused to shoot.

The very last contest, much to Diana’s chagrin, was the jousting competition. She had attempted to talk Micheil out of participating, but he had convinced her it was just in good fun. Diana’s hands started sweating as soon as she saw all the competitors gathered on the field. With twenty entrants, it was the most popular contest. Micheil would have to joust nineteen other contestants if he was to win. She had agreed to say naught, but now the growing tension in her body made her verra uncomfortable. How would she get through this? The same memory played over and over in her mind, that instant in Edinburgh when Micheil had tumbled from his horse and fell bleeding to the ground.

All of a sudden, she changed her mind. She just could not do it, she could not watch her husband in any type of jousting contest. Her hand moved to her belly, calming the butterflies and attempting to relax her churning gut. What would she do if something happened to him? She rubbed her belly, wondering if she was indeed carrying their son or daughter. The more she thought about it, the more desperate she became. It had to stop.

Micheil came flying across the field with his lance in his hand, headed straight for Diana.

“Nay,” Diana wailed, forcing everyone to turn their gaze to her.

Micheil stopped in front of her and bowed his head, positioning his lance for her favor in the same fashion as that odious knight had done in Edinburgh. “My lady.”

“Micheil, nay, please.” Tears misted in her eyes, but he did not falter. “Please do not do this, I am desperate.” How could she get him to stop this foolishness?