Page 59 of Highland Spy

The crowd echoed Caleb’s disappointment when it didn’t even go as far as his competitors before him.

“Bid the devil,” he griped as Angus walked by chuckling.

“Let me show ye how it’s done,” said Angus, holding his hammer in one hand as he strutted to the starting line.

Caleb ignored the pompous man, glancing up to the dais where the king sat watching. Standing at the rail in front of him but to the side were Bridget and her father. That pesky new chronicler, Sorley, and his counterpart, Sim, stood on the opposite side of the king. Sorley busily wrote in his book. Caleb saw Bridget nudge her father with her elbow, and he pretended to write as well.

“Tough luck,” said Logan, coming to join him.

“Storm isna goin’ to be happy with me,” remarked Caleb.

“It wasna that bad of a throw,” Logan tried to console him, but Caleb was no fool. His bad throw could have just cost him the game.

“Ye’re still ahead with the most wins,” said Logan, handing Slink over to Caleb.

“Aye, but we dinna ken how long that will last.”

Caleb’s back was to Angus, and he didn’t even want to see his throw. Logan, on the other hand, watched intently. Suddenly, his eyes opened wide and people screamed. Logan leaped at Caleb, pushing him and Slink to the ground.

“What the hell?” Caleb landed on his back with Slink atop him. Logan landed next to him on the ground. An iron ball flew through the air right above Caleb’s head and landed next to him, rolling away, disappearing in the crowd.

The spectators had parted and were pushing each other so as not to get hit. Screams went up from the sidelines since Angus’ hammer had come loose. It was supposed to fly in the opposite direction.

“Thanks,” Caleb told Logan, getting to his feet. “This is gettin’ out of hand. Someone could have really gotten hurt.”

“Angus MacKenzie will receive no points for that throw,” the herald called out. Angus was furious and threw the handle from the hammer to the ground. “That means that Clement MacLean wins this event. Now we will move on to the rowin’ competition.”

“God’s eyes, I canna even have a moment to figure things out since these events are happenin’ so fast,” griped Caleb.

“Well, ye’d better do somethin’ soon before someone gets killed!” Logan reached out and took Slink from Caleb. “Go row,” he told him. “And be careful no’ to drown.”

Chapter 20

“Yer Majesty, would ye like us to read to ye what we’ve recorded concernin’ the events of this mornin’?” asked Sorley, looking from the sides of his eyes toward Bridget and her father.

“Aye, I’d like that very much,” said the king with a nod. “I want to hear how creatively ye’ve both told the story of what just happened.”

“Ye first, Brigham,” said Sorley, as if he knew there was nothing on the page and wanted Bridget’s father’s secret to be uncovered.

“Go ahead,” said the king when Brigham hesitated.

“Pardon me, Yer Majesty, but the rowin’ event is next and everyone is already headin’ down to the water,” Bridget intervened. “Perhaps ye’d like to wait and hear it all at the same time later on today?”

“Aye, ye wouldna want to miss the start of rowin’ event,” said Brigham.

“Ye’re right,” agreed the king, standing up and being escorted by his guards. “I will hear both of yer renditions of today’s activities at the meal later.”

Bridget let out a deep sigh of relief as they walked away. “That was a close one, Faither.”

“Aye,” agreed Brigham. “I wonder what the next event will be.”

“Da, ye ken very well it’s the rowin’ competition,” she told him, realizing his madness was setting in again. She wished they had time to go back to their chamber where she could give him more herbs and he’d have time to take a nap. Unfortunately, there was no time for that now.

“Rowin’?” asked her father, stopping dead in his tracks. His face became ashen.

“Aye,” said Bridget. “Da, what is the matter?”

“Bridget, ye will no’ go near the water. Do ye understand me?”