Page 69 of Highland Sword
“Also, practice with the sword held in your opposite hand. Attacking with your left hand always surprises anopponent.” He took the weapon out of her hand and put it in the left.
Standing so close, feeling his touch on her hand and arm, thrilled her. She glanced up at his mouth, and the memory of their kiss returned.
He raised her left arm, but she let it drop. The point of the sword struck the dirt with a thud.
“You should definitely lift heavy things every day to build strength.”
Morrigan spun the blade once in the air and drove the tip into the wet ground between them.
“Don’t you have somewhere to go this morning, Mr. Grant?” she asked. “Some place really, really, really far away?”
He smiled and she caught herself staring. If she’d sighed out loud—as she nearly did—she would have had to throw herself off the top of the tower.
“I do have somewhere to go. But I couldn’t leave without seeing you.”
Morrigan wished he hadn’t said that. She didn’t need to feel worse than she already did.
“Well, you’ve given me a rigorous schedule of lessons that I’m already following.” She tried to keep her tone flippant. “Have a safe journey, sir.”
“You should also visit the library daily and make a list of interesting volumes you and I can discuss when I get back.”
“You are an educated man, sir. You need no list from me.”
“Oh, but I do. My education is severely limited. Besides, I have an ulterior motive.”
“Which is?”
His hand brushed against hers. “Do you have to ask that question, Miss Drummond?”
She was relieved and disappointed when a number offighters entered the training yard at that moment, greeting Morrigan and Aidan as they passed. Two men stopped to talk to him. There wasn’t a conversation at Dalmigavie that didn’t involve the trial he’d won. He couldn’t be more popular if he were a Mackintosh.
Morrigan decided this was the right time to disappear. She returned the sword to the rack and hurried out.
She didn’t get far. Aidan caught up with her as she was passing through the garden on her way to the kitchens.
“Miss Drummond… Morrigan,” he called out. “May I have a minute of your time before I leave?”
It would have been better for everyone to say no to him, to walk away. But she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. The rain had eased to a mere mist, and they were alone in the garden. This was perhaps the last time they’d have a moment like this.
“I need to apologize for the way I behaved at Samhain. For taking advantage of you and the situation.”
“Youdidn’ttake advantage of me. You asked if you could kiss me. How many men would do that? And I was the one who kissed you. But it was wrong. I shouldn’t have.” Morrigan felt heat rising through her chest and into her face. “And you would do me a great service if you could forget what happened between us and never mention it again.”
“If you wish, I’ll never mention that moment again. But forget?” He shook his head. “For me, that kiss we shared was too passionate to forget so easily. I’m afraid I’ll never forget it.”
Her fists clenched. How did it come to this? This is not what she wanted. Why couldn’t she feel nothing for him? Confusion churned her stomach and scrambled her thoughts. She could no longer hold it in.
“Why? Why must you be who you are? If you were ascandalous rake or if you were a dull and virtuous gentleman, I could cheerfully send you on your way. I could forget you. But you insist on being something in between. Why?”
“Not fish nor fowl. Not man nor beast. You’re not happy that I’m going, and you can’t forget me.” He took her hand and placed a kiss on the backs of her fingers. “I have great hope for us.”
Damn him. He was to be her ruin. Morrigan had no desire to wander around this castle for however long he was gone, drifty and misty-eyed, like Maisie before being reunited with Niall. She stole her hand back.
“Your fellow travelers must be waiting. Go.”
“My fellow travelers are Sebastian and Kane Branson, and they can bloody well wait.” His expression turned serious. “I wanted you to know that Searc has offered to move Wemys to Inverness. He can stay at his house in Maggot Green. He doesn’t have much time left, but there is no need for you to put up with having him here.”
“I’ve already spoken to Isabella. It’ll be better if he remains here. She’ll look after him until the end.”
