In Bed with a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy 1)

The McDonald man staggered back then sheathed his sword. Then he yanked his helmet from his head and a mass of golden hair spilled from the confines.

Rionna McDonald stood in front of the assembled men, her hair flashing in the sun. The women next to Mairin gasped in astonishment.

“ ’Tis a lass!” Gretchen exclaimed in delight. She rounded on Robbie, her eyes gleaming with unholy light. “See? I told you that women could be warriors!”

Crispen and Robbie were both staring at Rionna with a mixture of awe and grudging admiration.

Rionna’s father was apoplectic. He shoved through the crowd of men, his face mottled in rage. He waved his arms and shouted at Rionna, and Mairin strained to hear his words.

Rionna bowed her head, but not before Mairin saw the flash of anger cross her face. Rionna’s free hand curled into a fist at her side and she took a step back from her ranting father.

Mairin was on her feet, her heart going out to the woman despite the fact that she’d donned man’s garb and humiliated a McCabe warrior. Indeed, Diormid was furious, his face as dark as a storm cloud.

Still, Mairin found herself hurrying toward the courtyard, intent on rescuing the lass from a horde of angry men. Murmuring pardons, she elbowed through the men, ignoring their irritated murmurs when she shoved them aside.

Getting through the last line was difficult because the warriors were all shoulder to shoulder. She poked and prodded without success and finally she kicked one in the back of the knee, causing it to buckle.

He turned with a snarl until he saw who was behind him. His expression turned to one of shock and he hastily stepped aside to let Mairin through.

Relieved that she’d made it into the ring, she realized she didn’t have a plan beyond getting there. Ewan didn’t take her presence well and he stared holes in her from across the ring of warriors.

Mairin tucked Rionna’s hand into hers, ignoring Rionna’s look of surprise.

“Curtsy,” Mairin whispered.

“What?”

“Curtsy then back away with me. And smile. Really big smile.”

“Begging your pardons, Lairds. We’ll be going now. The children of the keep need our attention, and we must see to the evening meal,” Mairin said. She offered them a dazzling smil and dipped into a curtsy.

Rionna flashed a smile, and Mairin marveled at how stunning the lass was. Her mouth spread into a wide smile, showing perfectly straight, white teeth and a dimple in the smooth skin of her cheek. Rionna also dipped low in a curtsy and then allowed Mairin to drag her toward the perimeter.

The men tripped over themselves to move as Mairin gifted them with another sweet smile. She dragged Rionna off, fully expecting Ewan’s roar at any moment. When she managed to exit the courtyard, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Where are we going?” Rionna asked.

“There is a little girl who would dearly love to meet you,” Mairin said cheerfully. “She was most impressed with your performance.”

Rionna shot her a puzzled look but allowed Mairin to take her all the way up the hill where the others sat watching with avid interest.

Gretchen could contain herself no longer. As soon as Mairin and Rionna drew near, Gretchen jumped to her feet and fairly danced over to Rionna.

She curtsied but bubbled over with excitement and proceeded to bombard Rionna with a dozen questions in succession.

Seeing Rionna’s complete befuddlement, Mairin took pity on her and laid a hand on Gretchen’s shoulder to staunch the flood of chatter.

“Gretchen wants to be a warrior,” Mairin explained. “It was explained to her that women couldn’t be warriors, and now she’s decided that ’tis obviously an untruth since you defeated Diormid in swordplay.”

Rionna smiled, this time a genuine smile, and knelt in front of Gretchen. “I must share a secret with you, Gretchen. ’Tis not a popular opinion, but I firmly believe that a woman can be whatever she wants to be if she sets her mind to it.”

Gretchen was aglow with delight. Then she became somber as she looked beyond Rionna to the courtyard. “Your papa wasn’t happy that you fought Diormid.”

Rionna’s eyes darkened from the light gold to an amber hue. “My father despairs of ever making a lady of me. He’s not impressed with my skills as a warrior.”

“I’m impressed,” Gretchen said shyly.

Rionna smiled again and took Gretchen by the hand. “Would you like to touch the hilt of my sword?”

Gretchen’s eyes rounded and her mouth dropped open. “Could I?”

Rionna guided her hand down until it hovered over the jewel-encrusted hilt of the sword. “ ’Tis smaller than a normal sword. ’Tis lighter, too. Makes it easier for me to wield it.”

“That’s amazing,” Gretchen breathed.

“I want to see!” Robbie said belligerently.

He and Crispen both shoved forward, their eyes bright with wonder.

“Can we touch?” Crispen whispered.

As reticent as Rionna had been over the meal, she was open and friendly with the children. Mairin decided she must just be extremely shy.

As the children gathered around Rionna, chattering and exclaiming over her sword, Mairin chanced a glance back at the courtyard to see Ewan standing in the distance, hands knotted at his waist as he stared at her.

She offered a small wave and turned away before he got any ideas about summoning her.

When the children drifted away from Rionna, Mairin eyed the other woman. “Would you like to have a bath drawn before the evening meal?”

Rionna shrugged. “I usually swim in the loch, but I suppose it would horrify my father if I were to do so here.”