Page 18 of The Lone Wolf's Bride

‘What if I don’t want to?’ she groaned.

‘Then you will never learn and you are not the sort of person to give in.’

‘How would you know that?’

You are Duncan Campbell’s daughter and you always had more of him than your mother in you, and he is as stubborn as can be. Come, I’ll show you.’ And with that, he despatched three arrows in quick succession with each and every one, hitting its target.

‘You know Murry you are so full of yourself, you remind me of one of our bulls, strutting around showing off to the cows!’ she said, but she couldn’t help smiling.

‘Well, my confidence is not misplaced, is it? Good bowmanship is a combination of strength tempered with delicacy, and at the moment you have neither.’

‘Give me the bow.’ He smirked and handed it back to her along with another arrow.

Ilene was nothing if not determined, and she would not be bested, so she tried to remember every single thing he had said as she took aim. Without his hands on her it was easier to concentrate, and when she let loose, the arrow, by some miracle, managed to find its way to the outer edge of the target.

‘Look I did it all by myself see Murray. I don’t need you to aim it for me.’

‘No that may be true, but don’t you want me to?’ Something he had exposed in his voice thrilled her.

He was looking at her intensely, his fierce blue eyes boring into hers and he had become very still. Something about Murray made her heart beat a little faster. Could he have read her thoughts? Did he know what she felt when his hands were on her? There was something dangerous but exciting about Murray, something which unsettled her whenever he was near.

‘I don’t need your help for I’m no child now Murray.’ She softened her words with a smile.

‘No you are not.’

Ilene could only stare back at him, acutely aware of every detail of his face, the stubble of bronze hair on his firm jawline, the gold streaks in his hair where it had been kissed by the sun. There was a slight hint of a smile in the lines around his mouth. She stole a glance at the angry red of his newly healed skin within the ragged edges of the scar. His chest swelled as he took a deep breath and stepped towards her.

‘Whatever are you doing here Ilene?’ Aidan’s voice carried on the wind as he came across the field towards them.

Ilene whirled around and dropped the bow in confusion, rushing towards him with a hot face and guilt written all over it.

‘Are you finished here? Remember you promised to go riding with me,’ he said, his jaw working.

‘Yes, yes I am coming.’ She turned back to Murray. ‘Thank you for helping me.’

‘It was my pleasure,’ he replied with a cold nod of his head and a steely look at them both.

Ilene walked back across the field on shaking legs, which she supposed to be because Aidan was angry at her. When she was halfway back to the castle she risked a glance back.

Murray was still standing as she had left him with his eyes fixed on her. She could feel him looking relentlessly until she was out of his sight, and for some strange reason, she hoped he would not look away.

Chapter Six

Ilene flinched at the clang of swords echoing around the yard as she watched her father and Murray throw themselves at each other. Some days had passed since their last encounter but his effect on her lingered, and she felt uncertain around him. Now nervousness tied her tongue whenever he was near. As it had become impossible for her to talk naturally to him, she had begun to avoid him where possible. This proved fairly easy as he had spent most of the time with her father and the other men, out patrolling the boundaries of MacLeod land. Instead, Aidan had sought her out, never letting her out of his sight, and her pride swelled at his attention.

On this warmer than usual day, a crowd of onlookers had gathered, shouting encouragement as the men showed off their skill in fighting. Both Murray and Duncan were the centre of attention, with much wagering on the outcome of their contest. Ilene tried not to be afraid for Murray, as her father threw his full force behind a series of bruising blows.

Murray parried well enough and, though his shirt was soaked with sweat and had begun to stick to his skin, he didn’t even appear to be out of breath. For a tall, powerful man he was light on his feet and swirled and ducked gracefully, whirling his heavy sword around as if it were part of him. She was mesmerised by the brutal beauty of it. He was obviously being tested in some way and was acquitting himself admirably so far, but Ilene worried he would get hurt going up against a swordsman as skilled as her father.

Aidan sat beside her, watching, and because he had taken an instant dislike to Murray, she kept her face a mask of indifference.

‘You look beautiful with the sun on your hair and that light in your eyes,’ he said with feeling.

The easy intimacy between Murray and her father, in spite of the years apart, made her feel bad for Aidan. He had always been treated with cool formality, and she guessed that was one of the reasons for Aidan’s enmity for her adopted brother.

She entwined her fingers in his with a sly smile on her face, feeling a swell of happiness.

‘Damn but you’re a good swordsman Murray. Truth be told, it’s good to have you back fighting by my side,’ shouted Duncan breathlessly.

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