“Truly,” Merryn asked, her green eyes locked on his. Hell, but every single time he looked at the lass, she grew more appealing. Her skin was flawless, her lips as rosy as they came, but it was her eyes.
Broc could always see it in a lass’s eyes when their gaze fell upon his scar. They would stare at the large imperfection, then look away, their expression changing to one of disgust or revulsion. Their gaze would then return again before they would look across the hall and escape.
Every time. He was used to it. Only his close family members were accustomed to the scar and no longer stared, but the young lasses always noticed.
Merryn hadn’t stared at it yet. It freed his mind from worry. Even though he’d grown his beard to cover it, he knew the scar was still visible, especially up close. Sometimes, if he met someone new, he would count to see how long before they noticed.
He gave up counting with Merryn.
“You wish to be an archer, Broc? I find it challenging. For you, it will probably come easily.”
“I need to make myself a stronger fighter. I was always in awe of the Ramsay guards who were good at both. Logan is a powerful swordsman and an amazing archer. I don’t know how he is so skilled. His son Gavin, Eli’s sire, was also excellent at both. I need more skills. I’ve tried archery before, but not seriously. I must work harder at this. Do you mind if I join you?” He arched a brow at her.
“I would love it.” Merryn smiled.
He could never allow such a situation again. Dagger, sword, bow—all of them had to come easily. Switching from one to the other would be a challenge. But he was up to it. He had to make his elders proud of him. He reached down to make sure his father’s dagger was still attached to his belt. It was.
Somehow, he had to make up for the travesty he’d just been involved in. He glanced around the hall, pleased to see no one paid him any mind.
Well, no one but his mother, who would glance over at him with Merryn and grin, then she’d whisper to his father. They’d pushed for him to find someone, but it had never happened. He’d blamed his scarring, but was it more than that?
He’d not think on it and instead focused on the lass next to him.
At the end of the meal, Sandor jumped up from his spot and began to run circles around all the tables. In and out he traveled, giggling and pushing against something imaginary.
Alasdair got up quickly and went to Sandor’s side, stopping him. “Is it Uncle Jake again?”
Broc was close enough to hear everything, the shivers traveling up his neck whenever Sandor spoke.
“Aye, Unca Shakie chaseen me aden.” The lad pointed at an empty spot behind him. “Wight dare. Unca Shakie wight dare.”
Alasdair whispered, “Why, Da? Why are you here?”
“Unca Shakie say be weddy. Twouble comeen.”
“How? When?” Alasdair asked.
“Bye, Unca Shakie!” Sandor waved and returned to the table.
What the hell was going to happen?
Chapter Sixteen
Kelvan
Two days after Ramsay had visited, Kelvan was still furious with Glenna, but now that she was near death from the fever, he had to do something. He couldn’t just sit there and watch her die. How he wished the one who cut off her hand was here now. It was all his fault that Glenna had the fever. The healer had warned them that Glenna would surely get the fever from the wound. It had only taken a little more than a day for the fever to set in. She’d worsened overnight.
He gathered two of his guards and made a decision. “We’re going to take three ships and wait a distance down from Craignure. I hear there will be many coming to aid the Granthams, so we shall wait until a ship arrives. Then we’ll come in from shore and wait until the chaos begins, and we’ll go over the wall and grab bairns.”
Samuel, his best fighter at present, asked, “But you said a sennight.”
“God’s rotten teeth, I changed my mind. Do you have a problem with that?”
“Nay. Go on. Tell me the plan so I can see it done.”
“I’d prefer to find Merryn and Shealee eventually, or Kyla and Finlay, but right now all we need is bait. If we have bairns, they’ll negotiate. We’ll grab whomever we can and wait for them to come and beg for the return of their precious babes.”
“Where?” asked Samuel. “Where are you going to stash them all? Not in Mingary Castle. Glenna will never be able to handle bairns crying. You know she hates them.”
