Highland Destiny (32 page)

"Why would ye want to kick some boxes?"

"It's a way of fighting."

Connor sighed. "You are quite determined to learn?"

"Definitely."

"Then, aye, tomorrow. If your arm is feeling better. You were hit with an arrow just yester morn. It is acceptable for you to rest, to recuperate. Now, I think you ought to sleep for a while longer."

"You're bossy," Mackenzie grumbled.

"And you're stubborn," he countered. His eyes were soft, though, and he lay down next to her. "It'll be dark for a few more hours yet, try to sleep."

"What about you? Aren't you going to sleep too?"

"Nay, love, I've some business to tend to. We caught the man who shot you." His eyes had darkened as he thought of the shooter. "And I'd be glad to talk to him again." He flexed his fingers in anticipation.

"What did he say?" She sat up in her haste, and the burning in her arm intensified with the sudden movement.

Gasping she fell back against the pillows again and waited for Connor to say something.

He just pressed his lips to her forehead and said, "Rest."

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Connor sighed and gazed at her for a moment before nodding. "All right, aye, he is one of the Campbell's men, and he has indeed heard that I wed you. He was aiming for me, the foolish, inept archer! He was supposed to kill me and then he would steal you away while I lay there bleeding. He had very little information for me that I didn't already know. But I have heard that the Campbell is growing mad with anticipation of the ritual he wants to perform on you. He is slipping ever deeper into his madness, and he is making mistakes. This is good, because if he is not in his right mind, then I can easily outwit him; however it is also bad, for if he is slowly going insane, then he will be unpredictable and he will more readily use the dark forces to which he has sold his soul."

It was the longest speech Mackenzie had heard him speak.

And the thoughts of the Campbell being mad were frightening to her, because her plan was to run to him as soon as she was in the shape to do so. She was going to learn to at least defend herself first, but that was still her plan, nevertheless.

And if Connor was worried about this man using his delusions as an excuse to delve deeper into the black arts, then Mackenzie was worried even more so.

"Now," Connor said, "Will ye please get some sleep?"

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" She really didn't want to lose any of the precious time she had left with him.

Her two weeks were shortly becoming days, if her plan 313

Connor slid into bed beside her and settled her against his chest. "Aye, my love, I'll stay."

He'd called her
my love
, she was ecstatic. The last thing Mackenzie remembered was the even thumping of Connor's heart lulling her to sleep.

Another nightmare. She was sitting next to the man with the cold eyes, only now his eyes were wild, excited. He held her hand in a painfully tight grip, but she kept her face smooth. They were watching as the prisoner was being dragged in. Mackenzie had to fight to keep herself in her seat; it was Connor! He was shackled and it looked as if he'd been beaten. How had he been captured? The Campbell stood and dragged Mackenzie up before the guests.

He addressed the crowd, "We gather today to celebrate my impending marriage," he glanced at Mackenzie, whose eyes were on Connor. "And as a wedding gift to you, my dear, I shall kill your husband. Tomorrow you will be free to marry me."

Mackenzie stifled a horror-stricken gasp.

"Now watch as your husband dies!"

Mackenzie tried desperately to feign indifference, but all to no avail. Her stricken eyes never left Connor's bruised face.

She begged his forgiveness with her eyes as he glared at her with hate and distrust. He thought she'd betrayed him. Her heart broke and shattered into a million tiny pieces at the thought not only of Connor's death, but of him thinking she would ever betray him. How was she supposed to fix this?

There had to be a way. Mackenzie racked her brain for some way out of this. The dagger! She'd stuffed it under her sleeve, and tied it to her forearm with a leather thong. If she could just get to it without attracting attention....

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This had been the most detailed of all of her dreams.

Nothing was left to innuendo, and the Campbell had spoken this time! Mackenzie had to keep Connor away from the Campbell. Her dream was telling her that he would come after her if she ran, and if he did that, he would be killed.

Mackenzie felt it was her job to vanquish the Campbell, now, and not Connor's, as the wizards had originally hoped. Their vision was flawed. Not only were they wrong in being able to guarantee her safety, but this was her fight, not Connor's, just as she had thought all along.

She was shaking from the dream, and freezing cold. She glanced around Connor's room and saw that the fire had died sometime during the night. She wondered when Connor had left her, and what he was doing now. Now that she understood her dream more fully, she didn't like not knowing where he was. For all she knew, he was out riding alone where the Campbell's men could capture him. Mackenzie took 316

It was six in the morning. The household would definitely be up and about, so Mackenzie slid out of bed and found the simplest of her gowns; this one laced in the front, and she skipped the stays. Hopefully no one would notice. Donning a clean shift was harder than she'd expected. It still hurt like crazy to lift her arm above her head, and the wound was very tender to the touch. She managed it, though, and as long as she pulled her dress on from the bottom up, her arm didn't hurt too much. This one was green, almost the same emerald color as her eyes. It was very flattering, to say the least, even without the cinching provided by the stays. Mackenzie pinned her hair quickly up in a loose chignon, and headed for the door.

Dashing down the stairs, she heard her name. She froze and waited, but she realized that it was just Connor and Liam.

About to continue down the stairs, she paused again as she heard Connor say,

"Aye, brother, but what am I to do? Even if she isn't who she says she is, she is my wife, and she thinks she is with child. If there is a MacRae bairn growing in her belly, I'll no'

let him have it. Or her."

"Could she be lying about the child?"

Connor's voice was curt, "No."

Liam sighed and he sounded resigned when he responded,

"Then we shall keep to our plan. The wizards' reply is too vague to count on their help. We must rely solely on ourselves. Are the men ready for this?"

"As ready as I can make them."

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"I ken your feelings, Liam. But as I have stated, she is my wife, and the Lady of this keep, and that means she is your sister now, Liam. And we protect our family."

Liam sighed again, and muttered something in Erse.

Mackenzie was beginning to understand Erse a little more, since most here spoke it to each other, but she had little opportunity to use it when she spent all her time with Connor.

But by his tone she assumed that what Liam had said was a string of curses. This time when Mackenzie walked down the stairs, she stepped loudly and tried to make a little bit of noise, so they wouldn't guess that she'd been eavesdropping.

"Mackenzie?" Connor sounded surprised. "What are you doing out of bed? I thought we'd agreed you would rest."

"I got hungry, and we agreed that if I were up to it, you'd teach me to use a sword."

Liam stared at her as if he were torn between wanting to laugh, and wanting to be the one to teach her to fight; he probably wouldn't pull any punches, Mackenzie thought.

Connor stared at her as if he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and put her back in bed.

"You promised," she accused, pouting a little.

Connor's face relaxed, and he said, "Are you up to it?" She nodded. "Liam? Your sword?"

Liam obliged, and leaned against the post of the stairs to watch.

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Her eyes grew round, but she gripped the sword with both hands, and tensed. Connor came at her with a mighty blow and she nearly lost a grip on her sword, her left arm screamed in pain. Liam looked like he was suppressing a laugh. Mackenzie flushed, but gripped the sword with her right hand.

"Use both hands, Mackenzie. We aren't fencing. If you are determined to learn, you'll learn properly."

Liam laughed this time and taunted, "Are ye sure she has any Scots blood in her at all? She is too tame."

Mackenzie's eyes narrowed and she grasped the hilt of the sword with both hands, preparing for Connor's attack. This time she anticipated his next move and parried with one of her own. It took both men by surprise, as she clashed swords with Connor, and held her own for all of five minutes. Really, though, it wasn't Connor she wanted to fight, it was Liam. He was so smug, sitting there throwing insults her way whenever she did something wrong. After one particularly cruel insult, she retorted, "Hey, I got shot with an arrow. At least I'm trying here. All you're doing is talking. Are you all talk, or have you got any game to back up that mouth?"

She felt incredibly stupid for goading him, because his eyes flashed the same way Connor's did when he was angry.

"Is that a challenge? I doona feel 'twould be a fair fight, lass."

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"All right, forget the swords. You and me, Liam one on one."

Connor's eyebrows rose, and he stepped forward to object, but Mackenzie glared at him and murmured "Don't you dare,"

under her breath.

"I'll no' fight a lass."

"Afraid?" she taunted.

He glared at her scoffed, "Of a wee daft lass? Nay."

"Fine," and Mackenzie turned around to look at Connor.

Liam took the advantage and came at her from behind. The second she felt his arm cross her right shoulder, she shifted her weight into his hip and pulled his arm out and down. By shifting her weight, his balance was thrown and she flipped him neatly over her shoulder. Luckily, the throw was an easy one not dependant at all on strength. Just balance. Once he was down, Mackenzie grabbed the sword lying on the ground and pressed it into his neck.

"Do you give?"

Liam swore.

"That's no way to speak to a lady." Connor interrupted, clearly enjoying this.

"She's no lady," Liam spit out from between clenched teeth.

"I couldn't agree more," Mackenzie quipped. She handed Connor the sword and offered Liam her hand. He grasped her hand, and yanked her down on top of him.

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Connor's hands spanned her waist, and he lifted her up, wrapping an arm around her as he tucked her into his side.

"Enough. The both of you. Liam, leave her be, Mackenzie, you've proven your point. How is the shoulder?"

"Fine."

"Truly?" He glared at her.

She sighed, "All right; no it hurts like hell."

"Aye, no more until you're healed." He quickly changed the subject, "Let us find some food for you. Did you no' say you were hungry?" He pulled her with him as he turned for the kitchen without waiting for her response.

When they left for the kitchen, Liam was staring after them, deep in thought. What Mackenzie would give to be able to read his mind right now. Her best guesses were that he was either really mad, or really impressed. That thought made her smile, but Connor steered her into the kitchen interrupting her train of thought.

"Was that entirely necessary?"

"He started it." Mackenzie sounded like a five year old, and she knew it. She sighed. "Should I go apologize?"

Connor grinned and said, "Nay, he could use the lesson in humility."

She smiled back at him as he drizzled honey on some brown bread for her. "Yum, carbs," she murmured to herself as she took a bite. "Which reminds me, Connor, since you won't teach me to fight until I heal, would it be alright if I started running?"

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She smiled patiently; she didn't mind explaining all of her anachronisms. "It means that I'd like to run a couple miles every day to stay in shape."

He still didn't get it.

"My point is that I would need to wear pants, er, breeches.

Would that be all right?"

"Let me understand this; you want to wear breeches to run around outside?"

"Well when you put it like that I just sound like a raving lunatic. Hmm...how can I explain this? Why do you and your men practice all the time?"

"To be prepared, and to be at the ready for an attack from an enemy clan."

"Right, to stay in shape, so I'd like to run to stay in shape.

I'm losing all my muscle tone." Mackenzie patted the soft curve of her abdomen.

His eyes softened. "But, what if ye are with child? Should ye really be runnin' around outside?"

"Well I have to do something! I'm tired of waiting around for something to happen. This is so frustrating!" And she needed to be in shape if she were going to put her plan in action.

Connor grew serious. "But Mackenzie, what would you do if there were an attack? You would not be out there fighting with my men. Even if I could train you to use a sword properly in time, even if you were healed, you still would not be fighting alongside my men."

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