Page 52 of The Plight of a Scottish Lass
Life was returning to Duart Castle.
Most surprising was to find Dyna working with Tamsin in the archery field. Eli applauded but then headed inside the castle.
Once they’d had a small repast, Maitland said, “I’m going back to the village to recruit more guards. I wish to see how many are there, who wishes to plant, and anything else I can learn. With all these new tenants, we could use a nice deer to have a feast in a couple of days. Feel like hunting, you two?” He grinned and took his leave.
Alaric said, “He makes a solid point. We could use the meat. We have the ability to smoke whatever we don’t eat, and I look forward to a feast for the new villagers.”
“I must find someone who can bake. But meat comes first, so I’ll go.”
“I challenge you. Who can bring back the largest prey, bird or animal. Though I do not mind losing to my beautiful wife, I must be able to hit a rabbit, at the very least.”
Eli laughed and grabbed his arm, tugging him along. “I say we go now. I could change my tunic, but I’ll change after we hunt.”
The two rode together to leave the horses for the others.
“I’m enjoying the fish, Eli. We could go to the loch, if you’d prefer.” Alaric flicked the reins toward the forest.
Eli was accustomed to Alaric’s teasing. She never tried to hide that she preferred meat to fish, though a nice salmon was sweet at times. “Meat, husband. You know how much I love meat.”
He snorted. “And I’m glad of it.”
She threw her head back and laughed. But then she became serious. “I’ve had enough trout. The fishing is fine here, but the deer meat we had at Thane’s was delicious. Could the red stag be tastier than the typical Highland deer meat? Either way, it was a tease to my taste buds. I need a big stag of our own, Alaric. But what am I looking for exactly? What else besides deer? I didn’t see any boar on our journey.”
“Maitland said mostly red deer. He did mention pheasant. Eagles, osprey, rabbit, duck, mayhap geese.”
“No boar?”
“He didn’t mention it, and we have not seen any yet. Mayhap you’ll see one.”
“I’m hoping for a big fat pheasant or a deer.”
“Duck, straight ahead,” he whispered.
She fired but missed. “Bloody hell and a hedgehog.”
Several moments later, Alaric slowed his horse. “Deer ahead. A big stag.”
“I see it,” she whispered. Eli climbed off the horse, Alaric helping her to drop silently as she held her bow with one hand, her quiver across her back. She would not lose sight of the beast. They needed that meat.
She fired one arrow but missed, the deer only moving slightly, turning its head toward her.
“Come on,” she whispered. “Give me the broad side, big lad. Easier to hit.” She waited, holding her breath, for just the right shot. Before she loosed her shot, another arrow crossed her path. She ignored it, doing what she had to do. She let hers go and caught the stag, dropping him.
But she couldn’t forget what she’d seen. A moment later, another arrow passed in front of her eyes, not close, but close enough.
She dropped her bow. “What the hell?”
“Eli, someone is shooting at us. Get back here!”
But something caught her. She was close enough to the arrow to know she recognized that fletching. She followed the path of the arrow until she found it lying in a bush.
“You witchin’ bitch! I know who you are!” She took off running straight at the source of the arrow, in the opposite direction of Alaric and their horse. Two more came at her and went wide.
“Eli, wait!”
She ignored him, too focused on her prey at the moment, and they would not escape her this time.
“Eli, arms up. I’m coming for you.” Alaric’s voice came from a distance behind her.
