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‘No, I didn’t, and you should learn to control your horse better and your temper too.’
‘Aye, and this girl is a better rider than you, Darroch,’ said Meyrick stoking the young man’s anger by laughing.
Kenna felt sorry for him, being mocked so by his friends. Darroch’s pride was obviously injured, and she knew how men valued their pride.
‘That hare came out of nowhere. Any one of us would have fallen off at such speed and stopping so suddenly,’ she said.
Darroch gave her a chilly smile and turned to his companions. ‘No, Meyrick is right. You are an excellent rider, impressively so…for a woman.’ He glared at her. ‘I say well ridden Kenna. Now tell me, are you as good on your back as in the saddle?’
There was silence for a moment, and then another man said. ‘We’ll have to ask Conall.’ They all started laughing, except for Meyrick.
Conall’s face darkened, and his fists balled.
‘Aye, he’ll have broken her in well,’ said another.
The cruelty of their words froze Kenna to the spot, and she felt tears well up in her eyes. She struggled to hide her distress as Conall hissed in a low voice, ‘Shut your mouth, Darroch.’
‘Come on, Conall,’ continued Darroch, humiliation spurring his anger onwards, ‘you’ve never yet found a lass who won’t open her legs for you, and I hear this one is eager enough.’ He turned to Kenna. ‘When he’s finished with you, girl, maybe you should give me a go.’
Conall launched himself at the other man and grabbed him by the throat. ‘One more word, just one more, and I will rip your tongue right out.’
‘Keep your whore if you want to for now,’ spat Darroch. ‘But sooner or later, I’ll get her on her back.’
Suddenly they were at each other, punches flying everywhere and no one doing anything about it. Darroch got a good right hook into Conall’s jaw, but it barely slowed him down, and soon they were both on the floor, Darroch pinned and being pummelled mercilessly in the face.
‘Meyrick, do something before he kills him,’ Kenna screamed
‘Darroch deserves it for insulting you,’ he said, watching the fight intently.
‘But this is horrible. You have to stop this before Conall really hurts him. Please, Meyrick.’
He looked at her for what seemed like the longest time. ‘’Tis dangerous to get between Conall and a fight, especially when he is enraged like this. He goes almost mad with it but for you, I will do it, Kenna.’
He threw himself on Conall’s back and stopped his next punch by pinning his forearm back, which seemed to galvanise the others, who joined in to help. Kenna had the distinct feeling that they all wanted the fight to continue and had no concern for either party in it. It was just sport for them. They were no better than a pack of wolves, slavering and vicious.
Conall struggled to get free of them as Darroch was dragged over to his horse by one of his companions, bloodied and swaying.
‘If we let go, Conall, you are to swear to stay down and not go for him again,’ shouted Meyrick.
Some awful cursing followed but eventually, he nodded in agreement, and they all let go and stepped swiftly back.
Darroch was on his horse by then, cradling his nose in his fingers. It was gushing blood. ‘You smashed my nose in, Conall, you bastard.’
‘Good. I hope you learned a lesson, and that goes for all of you,’ Conall snarled. ‘You say one bad word about Kenna, and I will do the same to each of you, I swear. Now get on your horses and leave while you still can.’
When they had all gone, with Meyrick giving her a hard look and a nod, Kenna went over to Conall. He was wiping blood from his nose and feeling along his jawline. ‘Christ, that hurts,’ he muttered.
‘Is your jaw broken?’
‘No, it’s fine.’
‘Good.’ Kenna slapped Conall’s face as hard as she could.
‘What in the hell was that for?’
‘You told them that we lay together. How could you?’
‘I didn’t. Kenna, look at me. I did not tell them. I would never treat you like that.’
