Page 41 of Never Fall for a Highlander

“I’m afraid so.Ye seem to be doing quite well, and I ken Aunt Dorathia is expecting me back to take over the healing for the clan.”

Jena picked up the bairn and sat on her bed.“I doona want ye to leave.”Her voice shook and she took a deep breath.“I was hoping ye would find someone here that appealed to ye and marry so we could be together always.”

Helena sat alongside her sister and took her hand.“Things doona always work out the way we hoped.”

“What about the laird?Ye canno’ tell me he is no’ interested in ye.Or ye in him.”

She shook her head and played with the folds in her skirt.“He needs to marry well.I am the orphan of a blacksmith.”

“Stranger things have happened, sister.Conall Sutherland married a lass from the village.Her da had been a farmer before he became disabled and her brothers had to take over.”

“Conall was not the Laird of Clan Sutherland.”

“Nay, but he was the brother of the laird.”

Helena shook her head.“’Tis a useless conversation.I need to start thinking clearly and get myself packed.When the men return from the competition, I will be ready.”

Jena’s eyes filled with tears and she reached out to her sister.“I really doona want ye to leave.”Her voice continued to tremble, causing Helena’s own eyes to fill up.

“I will come for a visit again.‘Tis no’ so far.And ye can travel to the Sutherlands so all can see yer sweet lad.”

Before she fell completely apart, Helena stood.“I am going to the great hall to see if I can help with setting things up for the noon meal.”She patted Jena on her shoulder.“I will see ye downstairs.

All she really wanted to do was go to her room and collapse on the bed in tears.Although she would not admit it to Jena, she still held hope in her heart that Robin would return from the competition, take her in his arms and tell her he wanted her as his wife and they would live forever happy.

Those things didn’t happen to an orphan of a blacksmith.

* * * *

The day the competition was supposed to begin was put off because it was raining so hard, it would be impossible to see the targets the archers were aiming at since an archery contest had been set for the first day.Instead of wasting the time waiting for the weather to clear, once it became just a light drizzle, The Gunn suggested they do a hand-to-hand combat.No weapons, just their bodies.

“Some of these Gunn warriors are large men,” Finn said as he, Craig and Robin were preparing themselves for the matches.Not wanting to have anything an opponent could grab onto the Mackay brothers decided to fight in the nude.Once the others saw what they were doing, there was soon a pile of clothing against the keep wall.

Lamond, a Mackay warrior was up first against Dungar, a warrior from Clan Mackenzie.

It was a quick match since Dungar, a very large man, didn’t anticipate the sharp moves of the smaller and younger archer, Lamond.In less time than it took for the crowd to get settled into the fight, it was over.

Robin patted Lamond on the back.“Verra good job, lad.”

The fairly new archer glowed with the laird’s praise.

Next up was Knox and Finn.“Knock that smirk off his face, brother,” Robin said.”

The two men faced each other.“Think ye can beat me, little brother?”Knox said as they crouched and circled.

The fight began.Knox was the aggressor and lunged for Finn immediately.They both went to the ground.Finn landed a punch on Knox’s chin right before Knox pulled Finn’s foot out from under him.

It went for so long that both men were covered with mud and panting for breath.It was obvious they were well matched and The Gunn called it a tie.Neither man was happy about that, but they stood, shook hands and joined their men.

“Good fight, Finn,” Craig said.

As the day wore on the rain stopped and the sun shone brightly.The matches gave wins to Mackenzie, Gunn, and Sinclair.The Macleods and the Mackays tied for first place, with the Sinclairs coming in third.It was obvious Gunn wasn’t please with his men’s performance, but once the warriors had quenched their thirst and poured cold water over their heads, Laird Gunn grinned at the two lairds of the winning teams.

“What say ye to a match between The Macleod and The Mackay?”Laird Gunn said.Without hesitation, Robin nodded, ready to secure the day’s top honor to the Mackays.

“I doona think this is a good idea, brother.Ye are still recovering from the slash to yer side,” Finn said as he eyed the Macleod laird.

“I’m mended.‘Tis no’ a problem.”