The warriors’ encampmentwas dozens and dozens of stone cottages in neat rows that didn’t seem to be guarded.
The problem was that all of the cottages looked alike and Isadora had no idea where to find Cam. As she entered the encampment, she could see women and children about, and cooking fires giving off a great deal of smoke. Passing by cottages, it was clear that some men had brought their families with them as wives kissed husbands and children played at their feet. It would have been a rather pleasant atmosphere except for one thing—it was obvious these men were here to train.
Men were battered and bruised. Some were bloodied and missing teeth. But she received a sense of contentment from them, all of them here for a unified purpose. It was the same purpose for Cam, too.
To learn to fight.
Halfway into the camp, she asked a woman if she knew where Cam Netherton was. The woman didn’t know, but she asked her husband, who pointed toward the end of the encampment. Now with a location, Isadora went to the very last cottage on the second row and knocked softly on the door. There was no immediate reply but when she went to knock again, the doorsuddenly jerked open and Cam appeared. His eyes widened in surprise.
“Isadora?” he said. “What are ye doing here, lass?”
She smiled timidly. “Am I welcome?”
He was pulling her into the tiny cottage before she finished speaking. “Of course,” he said. “I dinna mean tae be rude. I wasna expecting ye.”
“Who were you expecting?”
He grinned. “Food,” he said. “They have men who come about and bring food tae those who dunna have a wife tae cook for them.”
He was indicating for her to sit on a cot with a wooden frame and a rope mattress. “I saw the families in camp,” she said as she sat. “There seem tae be many.”
Cam nodded. “The Cal allows families tae stay together, although I’ve heard rumor that lairds looking for warriors are less inclined tae take a man with baggage.”
“A family, ye mean?”
“Aye.”
She nodded in understanding but the conversation died as they two of them simply looked at each other, each still struggling with the disbelief that they were actually together again. Isadora grew serious.
“Cam, I thought ye were dead,” she said softly. “When I never saw ye again after Netherton burned, I thought ye were dead. And tae find ye here… I’m still stunned.”
He sat down on the ground in front of her, taking her hands in his. The feel of flesh upon flesh nearly did them both in, an electric touch that branded them both.
“I dinna know where tae find ye,” he said honestly. “I went tae the vale because that was where we first met. I thought… it was foolish, I suppose, but I thought ye might come by and find me there. I dinna have time tae search the hills for ye.”
Isadora gazed into his eyes, wondering if it was even her right to ask him what had happened. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. That might lead to more conversations on the fact that she was part of Clan Keith, the very clan accused of burning Netherton. Did Cam know that? She wasn’t sure, but she was terrified to bring it up. She was afraid their growing feelings for each other couldn’t overcome the death of his grandfather if he thought it was at the hands of the Keith.
She wasn’t yet willing to take that chance, not now when she’d just found him.
“I understand,” she said. “The hills are vast. I… I’m only sorry I dinna receive yer message.”
Cam nodded, lifting her hands to his lips for a gentle kiss. “But ye’re here now,” he said. “I still canna believe it, either. There’s so much I want tae say but I dunna know where tae start.”
There was much Isadora wanted to say, too, but was afraid to. Perhaps it was best not to try.
“I’m proud of ye for learning tae fight,” she said, veering away from the subject of his departure. “I told ye before ye have a presence about ye. I could see it from the first.”
He cracked a modest grin. “It is not an easy thing, learning tae fight. I dinna grow up learning how, so it has been difficult at times.”
She squeezed his hands. “That’s what I came tae tell ye,” she said. “My brothers are here with me and they tell me there are tae be fights tonight. Mayhap ye’ll be fighting, too.”
Cam eyed her dubiously. “I hope not. Not a man in my group is ready for it.”
Isadora couldn’t disagree with that, considering what she’d seen that afternoon. “But if ye have tae, then ye need tae remember a few things,” she said. “Dunna look tae those watching the fight; it’ll make ye nervous. Concentrate on yeropponent and look for his weakness. Remember how yer trainer knew yers?”
He made a face. “I can never forget. Had ye not helped me when he did, I’d probably still be lying in the dirt.”
She laughed softly; this was the sweet smithy she knew, the one with the sense of humor. “I think ye would have figured it out eventually,” she said. “But he used yer weakness against ye. That’s what ye have tae do with yer opponent. See where he is weak and use that tae yer advantage.”
