Page 45 of Highland Steel

“I know, Sister. I miss them, too. Papa made some wrong decisions, but I believe he was trying to make up for his mistakes in the end. That’s the only reason why he stole the sword. It’s because he was willing to do anything to bring Lockie home to make things right.”

“Do you really think so?” asked Blaine, sniffling and wiping her eye on her sleeve.

This part was a lie, but only Rhoswen knew it. She never told her siblings that her father hadn’t planned on bringing the boy home since he was only the stableboy’s bastard. It hurt Rhoswen to think her father could be so cold-hearted, and that the only reason he really stole the sword was to get close to Ranulph to kill him. He wanted revenge, thinking that would redeem his soul or make it all better. But nothing could change the course of events he set into motion when he decided to betroth his pregnant daughter to a Highlander. He’d made a mess of things, and now it was up to Rhoswen to fix them.

Dear God, she had no idea what to do, and couldn’t do it by herself. Her only hope would be for the MacKeefes to help her. Mayhap after her intimate time with Logan, things would start getting better. Rhoswen was at the end of her rope, and only Logan could catch her when she fell. If he turned them away, Rhoswen didn’t think she and her siblings would have the means or the will to survive on their own.

Chapter 15

Logan kept busy all day, purposely trying to avoid Rhoswen. It wasn’t because he didn’t want to be near her, it was just the opposite. He was afraid he was starting to like her too much and this, he realized, only meant trouble.

Rhoswen had mentioned love last night. He knew what she really meant. She was saying that she was falling in love with him. That troubled Logan. He wasn’t sure if she really liked him, or was just infatuated with the fact that he was her first lover. Had he done the wrong thing by lying with her? She had wanted it just as much as he, so what did it matter? Mayhap the only thing that mattered was that he didn’t want to fall in love with a girl again. In the past he’d had a secret tryst with Drummond’s daughter and thought mayhap, at the time, he was in love. Well, it only brought death and destruction to his clan. He should have learned his lesson.

“Logan?” Hawke brought him out of his thoughts. They’d been teaching Oliver and Newell to spar all morning. The boys were getting very good at it, too. That pleased him. He liked having Newell around. Logan wasn’t a father, but somehow he felt like one, taking the boy under his wing. He liked being the teacher, the provider, and the protector, all rolled into one.

“Oh, sorry, what were ye sayin’?” Logan asked Hawke.

“I said, I see Rhoswen comin’. I’m goin’ to take the boys fishin’ so ye can talk to her.”

“Talk to her?” asked Logan.

“And tell her to leave,” Hawke whispered. “My da will no’ be patient for long. And be sure ye have yer things ready to trade because the merchant comes first thing tomorrow mornin’.”

“Och, that’s right,” said Logan, almost forgetting that the traveling merchant stopped by on the first Thursday of the month with things from other clans. Logan had whittled bowls and cups, canes, and even some toys that he’d held back from the trade fair because he knew Bug, the traveling merchant, sometimes had knives and he needed a new whittling knife desperately. “I’ll get my things together,” he told him.

“Dinna forget to talk to her,” Hawke mumbled, heading away with the boys.

“Where is everyone going?” asked Rhoswen, walking down the hill to join them.

“We are going fishing with Hawke,” said Newell excitedly.

“I’m goin’ to show him how to catch fish usin’ rabbit meat for bait,” said Oliver.

“Rabbit?” Rhoswen giggled, making Logan’s heart beat faster. He loved the sound of her laughter. “Do fish even eat that?”

“The fish in the loch will eat anythin’,” said Oliver. “They even nibble at Logan’s arse when he swims naked.”

“Oliver, that’s no’ nice,” Hawke scolded the boy.

“Well, the lad’s right,” said Logan. “Like he says, the fish in the bay are hungry.”

“Come on, boys.” Hawke led the boys away.

“I was coming to watch their sword practice,” said Rhoswen. “I’m sorry I missed it. I could use a little practice myself.” She ran her hand over the hilt of her sword.

“I could show ye that trick ye wanted to learn,” Logan offered. “How to flip a sword out of a man’s hand with barely tryin’.”

“Oh, I would like that. Please.” Rhoswen drew her sword.

“The first thing is in how ye hold it.” He walked behind her, putting his arms around her, helping her to get the right grip.

“I see.” She looked up at him over her shoulder and he was instantly pulled into her bright, blue eyes. Damn, she was a beautiful woman. This was only going to make it harder when he had to tell her she couldn’t stay with the MacKeefes. “What’s next?” she asked.

“Well, ye have to be able to read yer opponent. To ken what they’re goin’ to do before they do it.”

“How do I do that?”

“It’s all in the eyes,” he told her, once again getting lost in her swirling blue depths. “Usually, there will be a moment when yer opponent blinks, or glances away. It happens all the time. Ye need to take that opportunity, slip yer sword under his until the cross guard hits his blade. Then use a circular motion to turn it quickly. The opponent will no’ be able to hold on to his sword at that angle and he’ll readjust his fingers for a better grip. When he does, ye quickly raise yer sword, twistin’ yer wrist, and his sword leaves his hand, flippin’ up in the air.”