Page 44 of Desire of a Highlander

Surprise flickered across her face. “I was?”

“Aye. The villagers need to learn how to defend themselves.” The admission tasted strange, as though the words had scraped something raw inside him. He’d been resisting this for a long time, resisting dragging anything out of his past into the light. But now it seemed he had no choice.

Ronan met her gaze, and damn him if the sight of her didn’t make his heart beat a little faster. “I said things I shouldnae have. I’m sorry.”

She studied him. “Why did my suggestion make you so angry?”

He considered lying. Normally he would have said whatever was required to keep his past buried. Instead, to his surprise, he found the truth tumbling out of his mouth.

“Because I dinna like to remember who I used to be. Aye, I know how to fight. Aye, I could train others how to fight. But it was something I’d hoped never to have to do again.” He inhaled deeply, met her gaze. “I am the fourth brother out of five. A spare brother, an unneeded heir, I was always destined to be a soldier. As a result, I was trained for war since I was a lad. And I hated every moment of it.” Something uncomfortable twisted inside him. “Although according to my tutors, I was very good at it.

Elodie remained silent, her big eyes fixed on him. Listening.

He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I always preferred the smithy. Creating rather than destroying.”

“But sometimes you don’t get a choice,” Elodie said quietly. “I get it.”

He had the strongest urge to reach out and run his fingers through her hair but forced himself to keep his hands at his sides. “No,” he agreed. “Sometimes ye dinna get a choice.”

She smiled faintly. “We all have things in our past we’d rather leave behind.”

Aye, they did, and Ronan found himself wanting to know what she was leaving behind, what past she was running from. He wanted to know everything about her. Yet he knew better than to ask. She would tell him when she was ready or not at all.

“Well, apology accepted,” she said with a smile.

He noticed the sunlight in her hair. The way her eyelashes curled. How close she was standing. How easy it would be to reach out—

He stepped back. “I should go.”

She nodded. “And I should go check on the work over at the main barn.”

Yet neither of them moved. Ronan felt drawn towards her like a fish on a hook. It took all of his strength to nod then walk away without looking back.

He went looking for Eamon and found him sitting with Tam, playing a game of dice.

“Eamon!” Ronan called.

The lad brightened when he spotted Ronan and scrambled to his feet. “Chief!”

Ronan folded his arms. “We need to have words about yer talent for tale-telling, lad. But that can wait. I want ye to round up everyone who wants to learn.”

“Learn what?”

“To fight. To defend their homes.”

A grin spread across Eamon’s face. “Really?”

“Aye, really. Anyone who wants to learn. I’ll teach them. Tell them to gather after the evening meal.”

Eamon’s grin somehow grew larger. Then he whooped loudly enough to startle some wood pigeons out of a tree and took off running.

“Everyone!” he yelled. “I’ve got news!”

Ronan watched him go, trying to figure out what he was feeling. Anger that he’d been forced into this. Disappointment that he’d not been able to avoid it. Resignation that he had no choice. Aye, all of those things and others besides.

He glanced down the lane and saw Elodie standing there, watching him. Their eyes met and she gave him a small nod.

And despite everything, he found himself smiling.