Page 294 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Talbot feinted left, then swung right and pierced the skin between arm band and chain mail. Dayton cursed. A man appeared around the side of the cottage, sword in hand. Carr.

Talbot slid right to keep the man away from his back.

“Get him, fool,” Dayton shouted.

“You cannot face me on your own, craven,” Talbot snarled at Dayton.

Carr charged Talbot’s left side.

Boot falls pounded and, an instant later, Seward and Derek burst into view. Both men held swords at ready. Carr whirled to face them. Talbot blocked a left, then right parry from his brother.

“This one is mine,” Derek shouted. The knight brought a hard blow down on Carr, who blocked, but fell back a pace.

Talbot sidled forward, jabbed low, then parried left. Dayton dodged the blow, but Talbot saw the opening and rammed his sword tip into Dayton’s collarbone. Dayton leapt back, narrowly dodging the sword, and Talbot swung a sideways arc that sliced the top of Dayton’s sword arm.

Dayton howled, a wounded animal’s cry, then brought his sword down in a bone-jarring blow that cut a gash in the sleeve of Talbot’s chain mail. From the corner of his eye, Talbot glimpsed Rhoslyn and the woman standing beyond the fighting. Seward hurried to the women.

Dayton swung his sword low. Talbot deflected the blow as Dayton spun and brought his sword around to Talbot’s left. He dodged the weapon and skittered back several paces. Talbot thrust, ripping a hole in Dayton’s leg below his chain mail. Blood spurted, but Dayton pressed his attack. Talbot blocked a heavy blow and dodged behind a tree as Dayton’s sword narrowly missed his midsection and split a gash in the wood.

A man’s shriek broke through the clash of steel, but Talbot’s focus didn’t waiver. Dayton rushed him, swinging left, then right, then left and right. Talbot gave one mighty push and shoved back with the next blow. Dayton stumbled to the side, but regained his feet, then brought a heavy blow down across Talbot’s left arm. His chain mail protected his arm, but the shock of the blow reverberated through his arm. He gritted his teeth against the pain as Dayton landed another hard blow. Steel slid against steel until the hilts collided and they strained nose-to-nose.

“You are not a St. Claire,” Dayton said. He breathed heavily, but his voice still held no emotion.

Talbot shoved him away, then allowed his sword to falter, as if the blow Dayton had landed on his arm had weakened him. Dayton lunged, and Talbot thrust his sword into the opening at his brother’s jugular. Dayton’s head snapped back, then his eyes riveted onto Talbot’s. Talbot yanked his sword from his brother’s neck and he fell face down onto the ground at this feet.

Talbot leaned a palm against a tree, breath coming in heavy gasps. Dayton’s blood pooled around him like thick syrup. Talbot felt nothing. Not even relief.

What would his father say?

* * *

Rhoslyn shook like a leaf, but managed to dig her heels in and stop her grandfather from forcing her back into the cottage.

“Help St. Claire,” she ordered.

His brother was driving him back toward the trees.

“Your husband can handle himself,” her grandfather said. “After all, he is—was—Edward’s favorite knight.”

Rhoslyn looked at him in horror. “You wager with his life? He is the father of your grandchild.”

“If I interfere he will only kill me in punishment.”

“She is right, Kinsley,” Diana said. “Ye must help him.”

Rhoslyn’s heart leapt into her throat when Dayton’s sword swung perilously close to St. Claire’s face. “Sweet God, Grandfather, I beg you.” She grasped his arm and yanked.

“Have faith in your husband, Rhoslyn.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “He might die. At least help Sir Derek.”

Her grandfather snorted. “Carr is no match for him. See,” he said when Sir Derek’s sword slashed through the flesh on the man’s wrist.

A wave of pain washed over Rhoslyn and she jerked.

Her grandfather looked sharply at her. “What is it?”

She shook her head.