Page 66 of How to Heal a Highland Heart
“Laird,” Carrick said, giving him a look that conveyed he had information to share.
Brodee dismounted and motioned his men to ride on. The tournament was set to start at noon, and they needed to prepare. “I’ll make my way there shortly,” he assured Cul and Fergus, who lingered behind as the other men continued toward the stables. Both men nodded and followed the others.
“Speak,” Brodee said.
“Nae long ago, yer wife and William stood on the ramparts and she was in his arms.”
“In his arms?” Brodee repeated, his blood beginning to boil.
Carrick nodded. “Aye, Laird. They were talking, and then William pulled her into his arms, and they stood that way for a few minutes, and—”
“Brodee!” William’s voice cut across the silence of the courtyard, tipping Brodee’s anger to an uncontainable point.
Brodee’s hand went to his sword, and as he pulled it out, he handed it to Carrick. “Take this for me, and it dunnae matter what I say, dunnae give it back to me until ye see I have cooled.”
“Aye, Laird,” the man said. He quickly took the sword and scrambled back.
Brodee whipped around toward the sound of William’s heavy footfalls. The man, his supposed friend, was scowling at him. Brodee began to tremble with the need to launch his attack, but he first said, “Disarm.”
William stopped, a confused look coming to his face. “What?”
“Disarm now, or I will call my men to disarm ye.”
“Ye’ll what?” William still looked confused.
Blood rushed in Brodee’s ears, and the fury coursing through him made him break out in a sweat. He curled his hands into fists and took a step toward William. “I will fight ye man to man, nae with weapons. For if I have my weapon, I will kill ye.”
“Ye’ll kill me?” William repeated, still seeming confused.The swine.
“Aye. Disarm.”
William unsheathed his sword and tossed it to the side, his narrowed gaze steady on Brodee. “Just what is it ye wish to fight me about? I’m here to speak to ye!”
“I imagine ye are. It took ye long enough, ye cuckolding coward.” With that, he closed the distance between them, and in a flash, he smashed his fist into William’s nose.
With a grunt, William’s head jerked back, and he came forward once more, his fist connecting with Brodee’s lip. “Ye think I’m bedding yer wife?” William roared, shooting out a fist, which Brodee dodged.
Brodee landed a jab to William’s jaw, but the man surprised him with a hard hit to his ribs. Pain danced up Brodee’s left side. With a sharp inhale, he snarled, “Aye. I ken ye are! She kissed ye!” He kicked out and caught William at the knee.
The man’s legs buckled, but William was a fighter. He grabbed Brodee as he went down, and the two of them fell together, fists flying. For one breath, they rolled, then William came up on top of Brodee. He punched him in the nose, and Brodee tasted blood immediately.
William glared down at him. “Yer wife kissed me on the cheek out of gratitude for advice I gave her regarding ye!” he spat.
Brodee froze, his fist stopping mid-punch, as he’d been about to deliver another blow to William. “What?”
“Ye heard me,” William said, then rolled off Brodee and gained his feet.
Brodee quickly followed. “What advice?”
“The ill-served advice that she should nae relinquish hope in ye. The encouraging words that led her to go find ye the day ye were swimming in the loch.”
Instantly, Brodee recalled the day. He swiped at the blood dripping from his nose, as William did much the same. Brodee opened his mouth to question William further, but William cut him off. “I sent her to ye because I thought ye honorable. Ye dunnae deserve her!”
“And ye do?” Brodee growled, his heart beating so hard it thumped in his head.
“I dunnae want yer wife, ye clot-heid.”
“Ye had her in yer arms today on the ramparts,” Brodee said, hearing the rancor in his tone.
