Page 46 of The Warrior
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Duncan sprang out of bed and picked up his claymore from where he kept it at the ready on the floor.
“What is it?” he called through the closed door.
“’Tis me, Uilleam.”
Duncan opened the door a crack.
“Not dressed, and the day’s nearly over?” Uilleam said. “I suspected that the two of ye weren’t wed yet, and now I know it for certain.”
Duncan could not help cracking a smile. “What urgent business has ye getting me out of bed now?”
“Niall has recovered so well that the neighbors are starting to talk about my daughter Caitlin,” Uilleam said. “If ye don’t get him out of her cottage by morning, they’ll expect me to demand a wedding—not that Caitlin would agree to it.”
“My boat is ready, so we’ll set sail first thing tomorrow,” Duncan said. “I’m grateful to your daughter. I hope Niall isn’t troubling her too much. He seems taken with her.”
“He’s not the first,” Uilleam said, shaking his head. “Bring your whistle to Caitlin’s cottage tonight. We’ll have ourselves a good time drinking whiskey and playing music.”
Duncan felt like celebrating.
* * *
Moira tapped her foot to the lively tune the men were playing as she sat with Caitlin by the hearth. In the morning, they would be on their way home to Dunscaith.
Home. It had been such a long time.
She glanced at Duncan, and he winked when he caught her gaze on him. She could not remember ever seeing him so carefree. Playing music brought him such pleasure, and he truly had a gift for it.
The other men stopped playing, and Duncan strummed his harp.
“Ach, I know this song,” Caitlin said and elbowed Moira.
Goose bumps rose on Moira’s skin as Duncan’s strong voice filled the small cottage. It was an old tune, but she felt as if he had made up the words to sing just for her.
Black is the color of my true love’s hair
Her lips are like some roses fair
She has the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands
And I love the ground whereon she stands
I love my love and well she knows
I love the ground whereon she goes
I hope the day it soon will come
When she and I will live as one
Duncan set his harp down, said something in Uilleam’s ear, then came to stand in front of Moira. When she looked up at him, he gave her one of his rare smiles that went straight to her heart and held out his hand.
“Dance with me, Moira MacDonald.”
“I—”
“Go on, lass!” one of the women called out. “When a man that handsome asks ye to dance, ye must jump to your feet before he goes looking for a lass who will.”
