Page 5 of Highlander’s Dangerous Love

“Lassies,” he said, nodding at both of them to be polite, but it was clear that he was there for Gemma, as his body faced hers.

“Congratulations on yer win,” Gemma said.

“Aye, thank ye. Always helps tae have a bonny lass tae impress,” he said with a wink.

Gemma hated that she blushed at his flattering words, but she could not help it. Her fair skin always betrayed her.

“Och, there are many bonny lasses here,” she said sheepishly.

“Oh aye, who said I was talkin’ about ye?” Bryce teased.

Well now, that smarted a bit.

“Ye’ve a lot of nerve, Master MacNeill,” she remarked, half-joking.

“I only jest, Gemma. Thank ye for bein’ here taeday.”

There was something in his eyes that she didn’t quite recognize — there was a bit of warmth, to be sure, but also…something new. Something almost…amorous. She wondered what he could mean by it, but then his father called him away. Bryce nodded, giving her one last lopsided smirk, then left to join his father and some other noblemen.

As everyone else milled about while some of the men prepared for the next challenge — archery — Gemma noticed something perplexing. It looked as though the stone Bryce had thrown was slightly smaller than the one Colin had thrown. Now of course she could not judge the sheer mass of the rock, but she huffed softly to herself and shook her head, wondering if Colin had been aware.

There was no need to worry for his pride, as it happened. Archery was the next little competition. She knew Colin was good at that. Having a father that was captain of the guard and thereby a weapons and warfare expert served him well for such feats.

“Alexander is a fine specimen in this light, dinnae ye think?” Violet’s voice sounded beside her. Gemma had been so focused on watching Colin’s fine form in the sunlight that she had not realized anyone was standing beside her.

“Goodness, Violet, ye frightened me!”

“Sorry. Enjoyin’ the view as I am?” she asked with a grin.

Gemma’s heart beat a little too rapidly for her comfort. Had she been gawking? Did Violet see? Because if Violet saw, then surely that meant others had seen, too.

“Just admirin’ the general splendor,” she recovered quickly.

Violet did not seem to notice her stammering, instead directing her to look at Alexander with her.

“It takes such great strength tae draw the arrow back like that and hold it for so long. Christ, I ken he’d be a wonderful husband,” Violet sighed dreamily.

“Has he said as much?” Gemma asked. Violet was always dreaming about some new lad every month or so, but her feelings for Alexander had lasted a little longer than her other phases.

“Well…I ken he wants a wife. He’s found property and will build on it soon. That can only mean one thing next.”

Aye, it was true. A man needed a house for a wife to make into a home. It was the way of life. The fact that Alexander was building signified he was quite serious about his search for a wife. And really…Gemma hoped it worked out for Violet. As silly as she could be sometimes, that did not mean she was undeserving of happiness.

Master Frazier announced it was time for the arrows to start flying. Each man’s arrow was painted a color that would identify his should it go astray, and Gemma saw that Colin’s was a brilliant green. It matched his eyes well. Not that that mattered…

There was a tawny, stringent sound as the arrows were pulled back, and a whistling noise as they all flew through the air, hitting their targets or the ground with a satisfying “thunk.”

The boys ran down to inspect the targets, but Gemma could see clearly that Colin’s had hit the dead center of his target. Bryce’s was at least in the inner circle, but not dead on. Her heart surged with pride at that, and she grinned, mindful not to be too visibly happy. But when Colin’s gaze caught hers as everyone cheered for him, she could not help it. He looked so genuinely happy, and his eyes had sought her out before anyone else. The very thought of it warmed her great and spread to the rest of her limbs.

Before she could approach him and congratulate him, however, Muriel tugged at her elbow.

“Come. They’re starting the feast, and yer mother wants ye.”

Gemma stole one last longing glance at Colin before Muriel dragged her away. Even with her back to him, she felt his eyes on her.

Havingto smile for so long at the feast was tiring. Gemma found herself wishing for the comfort of solitude in her own bedchamber, but as the daughter of nobility, appearances had to be kept up. She had only just come of age, but her father was already ready to marry her off to the richest man who asked. Thankfully, her mother had a little more sense than that, but Gemma knew that every man she met that night was someone her father considered worthy as a husband.

“Mama, can I please be excused? I’ll return, I just…need a moment to breathe properly,” Gemma finally asked as the feast neared its end.