Page 124 of Edge of Yesterday

To Cailean’s surprise, Lennox said, “Dinnae worry, Cailean, a man who repeats gossip is nothing more than an old woman.”

Lawren frowned. “Are ye taking his side?”

“He is my brother-in-law.” Lennox’s gaze hardened. “And Lady Julianna is my sister.”

“She was to be my wife,” he snarled.

Cailean rested his hand on Triumph’s hilt. “I seem to remember her turning down your proposal.”

The knight’s face reddened and Cailean read his intent an instant before he lunged. Cailean yanked his sword from its scabbard and swung the blade in an arc that collided with Lawren’s sword with such force that the clang of steel hurt his ears. Lawren bellowed in rage and jabbed at Cailean’s ribs. Cailean dodged him by a hair and parried right. Bloody hell, he was going to have to start wearing chain mail at all times.

Men crowded around the Red Lion entrance with Lennox and watched as Lawren forced Cailean back several paces before Cailean managed a blow to his arm. Triumph glanced off Lawren’s mailed shoulder. Dammit, he didn’t want to kill the man. Lawren slashed at Cailean’s arm and cut his shirt.

“Goddammit,” Cailean cursed.

“Bloody blasphemer,” someone muttered.

Lennox wasn’t wrong. Lawren was an excellent swordsman. Cailean’s fury had died enough for him to know it wasn’t Lawren he was angry with. The man was only reacting as expected. If not for Cailean, Julianna probably would have married him and lived a contented life.

The knight feinted left, then swung right and came within an inch of slicing Cailean’s nose. Anger flashed anew and he advanced on the man with a vengeance.

“I gave ye every chance to back off,” he growled.

Lawren retreated three paces, then spun and dodged. Cailean whirled, barely missing Lawren’s blade as it whizzed past his shoulder. Cailean saw an opening, jabbed at his ribs, tearing through the mail shirt. He leapt in and rammed the hilt of his sword against the side of Lawren’s head. The knight crumpled to the ground without so much as a peep.

Cailean stumbled back a pace, breathing heavily. He stared for a long moment, then stepped over him, headed for the Red Lion. The men parted as he pushed through the door to enter the public room, then followed him inside.

The innkeeper hurried over to Cailean and Lennox, pushing his way through the throng. “Good men, what can I bring--”

“The strongest liquor ye have,” Cailean ordered as he dropped into a seat at the nearest table.

The innkeeper bustled away, returning almost as quickly with two small cups of sharp-smelling uisge beatha. Cailean drank the whisky in one gulp, not even wincing as the fiery spirits sped down his throat.

“Another.” Cailean wiped his mouth and thrust the empty cup at the innkeeper.

The man looked at him and Cailean knew he was waiting for payment.

“My brother-in-law Lennox Grray is paying,” Cailean said.

The man waited as Lennox pulled a leather money purse from his belt and slapped it on the table. “You’ll have your coin when we leave,” he said, patting the pouch. “For now, I will have the same.”

The innkeeper nodded and refilled Cailean’s cup. He drained it while the man poured for Lennox.

“Ye seemed certain I would pay.” Lennox sat back, looking at him.

“Why no’? Ye made a tidy sum on betting I would win.”

“I didnae bet ye would win.”

Cailean’s eyes narrowed. “I might have been fighting, but I heard ye. Dinnae deny it.”

Lennox downed his cup, then set it on the table. “I bet ye would last at least five lunges at Lawren, nae more.”

“We need more uisge beatha,” Cailean called to the man behind the bar, then he turned back to Lennox. “Neither you nor Julianna seem to have much faith in my swordsmanship.”

“On the contrary, there are very few men who could walk away from Lawren’s blade, much less send him sprawling into the dirt. Yet ye knocked him on his arse.” To Cailean’s surprise, Lennox chuckled. “The bastard needed a good setdown.”

“Ye make it sound like luck.”