A few minutes after Gavin left, Dani disobeyed and crept down the stairs to Lunn's room to check on him. Finding the door locked, she gave a sigh of relief and returned to their bedchamber.
After barring the door again, she figured out how to strap the sgian dubh and sheath to her thigh under her skirt. It felt awkward, but she was safer armed. She would use it only in an emergency.
Sounds of clashing metal and men's shouts from below startled her.
"What are they doing? Sword fighting?"
Gavin could be killed.
She ran to the door, removed the bar, and rushed into the corridor. Drawing closer to the loud clashes, she crept down the spiral stone stairwell, stopped in the shadows, and peered out into the great hall. The tables, holding several lit candles, had been pushed against the wall. Gavin and a light-haired stranger—Alpin, she guessed—circled each other.
Using basket-hilt swords, the two launched into noisy swordplay again, slashing, thrusting, and blocking. Neither made a cut with that onslaught. Both drew back and moved with deliberate calculation and skill, holding their tempers in check. Gavin's malicious grin would've frightened her if she hadn't known him.
Alpin's gaze darted to her. "Is that her?"
She drew back. Dammit, she'd assumed she was hidden in the shadows. When she glanced back again, she found Gavin had placed himself in front of the stairwell doorway, between her and Alpin.
"M'lady, go back to our chamber," Gavin ordered in a stern voice.
She detested his bossy tone. Didn't he know she cared about his safety?
"But Gavin, I wish to meet your new bride," Alpin said in a suave tone. "'Tis the reason I came. How about a truce, hmm?" He held his sword aloft, then shoved it into its scabbard.
Gavin did not sheath his sword, but held it at his side, pointed toward his cousin. "Nay." He sent a quick glance at Dani. "Go upstairs. Now," he demanded in a low but forceful voice. "I told you to stay in the chamber. Bar the door."
"Excuse me for worrying about you. I heard the swordfight and wanted to make sure you were okay."
"You have little confidence in me," he snapped, his glare fearsome. "Stop being daft and go. Now!"
"Bastard," she whispered under her breath, trying to hide the sheen of tears his callous words and tone provoked. Being daft, was she? Anger and hurt feelings propelling her, she rushed up the stairs toward the bedchamber.
"What a jerk! I should leave. That would show him," she muttered, her feelings still smarting as if he'd slapped her.
Angry tears burning her eyes, a rebellious idea occurred to her, and she paused in the upstairs corridor. He must have gotten the sword from the armory. Maybe he'd left the door unlocked.
Her footfalls hushed, she hurried down the steps again and headed toward the armory. If he'd left the door open, she would grab the sword and leave this godforsaken place.
When she arrived, she found the door locked as always.
She felt like a deflated balloon but… relieved in a way. Her rage cooled to annoyance, but she still felt like crying because of the harsh way he'd spoken to her.
He'd given her the option to hold the sword before. Would he again? And if so, would she seize the chance and leave him?
She wanted freedom and control of her own destiny, not to be ordered around like an animal and her intelligence disparaged.
∞∞∞
After Dani disappeared up the turnpike stair, Gavin glared at Alpin's sudden fish-eating grin.
"My, she is bonny. But a rebellious and wayward whore, is she not?"
His fury spiking, Gavin lashed out with his blade. Withdrawing his sword quickly, Alpin blocked him, but Gavin returned, again and again, beating him back into a corner, in full-out battle mode, rage firing his powerful slashes. His blade sliced Alpin's shoulder.
Alpin's guards leapt into the fray, shouting. Gavin parried and slashed toward each of them in turn. His cousin threw in a strike here and there but favored his bleeding shoulder. Gavin had nicknamed the guards Hum and Drum because they possessed lackluster fighting skills.
Placing himself between the enemies and his own guards, Gavin removed the foot-long Highland dirk from the scabbard on his belt and tossed it to Ewan. "Cut Finch loose, then guard the stairwell."
"Aye, Chief!"
