Six
Bridgette dreamed of her and Lachlan. Then she dreamed of Lachlan and Lillias. Lastly, she dreamed of Lachlan and Helena. She awoke with a start and jerked upright in bed. She blinked and realized immediately that she had been crying in her sleep. Angry at herself for weeping over a man who obviously lusted afterallwomen, she swiped at her damp cheeks and rubbed her wet eyes dry. Lachlan was the devil, and she refused to be tempted and tormented by him any longer.
She dragged herself out of bed and padded over to her window. She leaned forward into the narrow space to peer out the small pane of glass. She was glad to see that the sun was coming into the sky. She didn’t want to continue to lie in bed and think of Lachlan. She was going to fill her days so full that there would be no time for images of the green-eyed Scot to fill her head. She made haste through her morning routine, yanked on her gown, and rushed downstairs determined to find some suitable task to take her attention for the day.
Perchance she’d offer her assistance in the kitchen. She started toward the kitchen with that idea in mind, but when she passed the great hall, she stopped at the sight of a group of men gathered there. Rory Mac raised a hand to her in greeting. She peered into the room and did not see Lachlan, so she went in and approached Rory Mac.
“What are ye men preparing for?” she asked.
“A bull intent on defending its young has gone wild and stabbed one of our men in the arse as he was traveling home through Portree, and it stabbed another in the leg. Iain has ordered us to find the bull and kill it.”
“These are the men going with you?” she asked, an idea forming in her mind.
“Aye.”
“Perfect!” she exclaimed, realizing how odd her words must have sounded when Rory Mac frowned at her. She scrambled to think of how to explain. She certainly could not reveal she wanted to have time away from Dunvegan and that devil Lachlan. “I dunnae see a marksman better than me in yer group, so I’ll join ye.”
Rory Mac’s mouth fell open in a gape. “Ye? Join us?”
Bridgette clenched her teeth in frustration. “I am better with the bow and arrow than most men. I can take the bull out from a distance without anyone being endangered.”
“Ye’re a woman,” Rory Mac said, his tone and scowl showing that she’d not swayed him.
She arched her eyebrows at the clot-heid Scot. “And they say ye’re nae observant.”
Rory Mac narrowed his eyes. “I’m observant enough to see that ye’re a soft woman and, therefore, could nae ever outshoot a man.”
Her temper boiled, but she managed to force a smile she hoped looked sweet and not murderous. “Who is yer best marksman attending the hunt?”
“Me,” he replied, his tone and expression smug.
“If I outshoot ye, will ye let me join ye?”
“Certainly,” he replied with a grin that said he didn’t believe she had any chance of doing so.
Not long later, Bridgette stood in the courtyard surrounded by six of the men going on the hunt and Alanna, who had wandered up as the party was making its way outside. Rory Mac stood beside her, and they both were preparing to shoot.
Alanna winked at Bridgette and then patted Rory Mac on the arm. “Dunnae fash yerself. When Bridgette triumphs, I’ll still think of ye as braw.”
Rory Mac glared at Alanna, who threw her head back and laughed. “Bridgette will nae trounce me,” he said.
Alanna set her hands to her hips. “De ye care to make a stake, husband?”
Bridgette’s palms started sweating. She didn’t doubt her ability to outshoot Rory Mac, but what if she made a mistake and he bested her this time? She didn’t want Alanna to suffer for it. She subtly tried to catch Alanna’s eye, but the woman was staring too intently at her husband to take note of Bridgette.
“What sort of stake do ye propose, wife?”
“If Bridgette beats ye, then ye will get up with the bairn tonight when she wails even after I’ve fed her, and I’ll get some sleep.”
“But I’m a man.”
Alanna’s lips twisted into a wry smile. “I ken that well, husband. If ye’re scairt…”
“I’m nae scairt,” he growled. “When I best Bridgette, I also want to claim a prize.”
“What might that be?” Alanna teased.
“Ye have to pledge nae to ask me ever again to get up with the bairn in the night.”
