Page 11 of Highlander’s Misfit Lass

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Trevor shook the stupor away from his mind and rubbed his aching jaw. He hadn’t been in a fight for some time and had almost forgotten what it was like to be hit so hard. His chest heaved as he gasped for breath and allowed the aching pains to sweep through his body. He glanced across at David, who was surrounded by the other Scots. At least the fight was over.

“Are ye well?” Emma asked, approaching in a tentative manner. Her company was welcome, and her words were gentle. He turned to face her, and she winced at the sight of the bruises that were blooming upon his face.

“I’m sorry that happened.”

“It was not your fault, Emma. He said one too many things that I took offense to.”

“Aye, but I should nae hae enraged him like that. He haes always been quick tae raise tae his temper.”

“At least it’s over now,” Trevor said, opening his eyes and stretching various parts of his body to make sure there would be no lasting damage. “I think I could use another drink, though.”

Before he could enter the tavern, however, the innkeeper was in the doorway, staring at Trevor sternly.

“And just where dae ye think ye are gaeing?” he asked.

“I was going to get a drink and then go to bed, I think,” Trevor said, groaning a little as the pain wasn’t subsiding as quickly as he would have liked.

The innkeeper, a man named Shem, placed his hands on his hips. Two dark eyes stared out from underneath bushy eyebrows. “I dinnae think ye are gaeing anywhere. Look at what ye hae done!” he said, his voice rising to a squeak as he pointed into the bar at the broken tables and shattered glass. Trevor ran his hand around the back of his neck.

“Hmm, yes. Well, I suppose things did get rather out of hand.”

“Aye, that’s one way of putting it. Ye are nae welcome here, lad. I cannae let ye stay the night,” Shem said.

“Shem!” Emma cried out. “Ye cannae dae this!”

“Oh, I can, lass. I can, and I am,” Shem said.

“But David was involved as well!” Emma said.

Trevor was touched by the way she came to his defense.

“Believe me, I will be haeing words with him tae,” Shem said sternly, and then turned his back, for as far as he was concerned, the matter was closed. Emma went to call out after him again, but Trevor shook his head.

“There’s no use trying to change his mind. I think it’s charitable enough of him to let me leave without helping him clean up. I certainly wouldn’t let someone like me stay if I were in his position. I’m sure I shall find somewhere else, and if not, then I can find solace under the stars.”

“Under the stars? It gets freezing at night. Ye will catch yer death,” Emma said, and then spent a moment considering a certain matter. “I am partly tae blame for this. I cannae let ye sleep out in the open. Ye shall come back tae my farm and sleep in the barn. It may nae be glamorous, but at least ye shall hae shelter in case of rain, and there is plenty of straw tae keep ye warm.”

“Your hospitality is appreciated,” Trevor said, inclining his head. He was hardly going to decline the offer when he suspected that Emma could lead him closer to his quarry. But he also liked the idea of spending more time with Emma as well. “I suppose we should move away swiftly before David regains his wits and wants to go another round,” he said, and Emma agreed.

They walked as briskly as Trevor could manage. He had a slight limp in one leg that he was certain would go away in time, but for the moment, it stung, and he had to endure the dull throb.

“Where did ye learn tae fight like that? I hae never seen anyone in the village fare sae well against David.”

Trevor pursed his lips before he spoke and then wished he hadn’t because there was a cut on his lip that was quite sore. “It was a long time ago, another life. Truth is, it’s been a while since I’ve done anything like that. I didn’t realize how out of practice I was.”

“If that’s ye out of practice, then I’d hate tae see ye in full flow,” Emma said with a smile.

Trevor swallowed a lump in his throat as he thought about Catherine and how she had fled from him in terror, calling him a monster after he had nearly killed a man. Even though it had been years since that moment, he hadn’t been able to shed that part of him, and he was afraid that if anyone looked into his eyes too deeply, they would see that the monster was still there.

“As I said, it was a long time ago, and I do not wish to talk about it,” Trevor spoke sharply, and his words cut through the air.

Emma turned away from him, the excitement and the smile fading from her face. Trevor thought back to just before David had interrupted them, for Trevor had been about to confront Emma with his suspicion that she did indeed know who Lyndsay was. However, now that they were walking through the village in the peaceful night, he wasn’t sure he wanted to bring it up again. If he pushed too hard then perhaps she might rescind her invitation of hospitality, and he would have to sleep under the stars. As much as he said he was content to do so, he would much prefer to have a roof over his head, even if it was the roof of a barn.

“So David seems to care about you,” Trevor said after a time.

Emma wrung her hands and wore a disconcerting look. “Aye, that he does.”