Highland Sparks (Clan Grant #5) (8 page)

She wondered where he slept tonight. Would he even think of her?

***

The next morn, everyone sat at the family table in their great hall, enjoying a feast while they all talked at once. Logan was pleased to have been able to tell the Grants—Brenna in particular—that Robbie would arrive in just a few days.

Since the night before had been chaotic, this was the first chance they would all have to get acquainted. Lady Madeline had told Cook to prepare a feast and had specifically requested pastries for the two girls.

Gracie and Ashlyn ate in sheer delight. The wean had started with porridge, then moved on to freshly baked brown bread with coddled eggs, and was presently devouring goat’s milk and boar stew. Ashlyn hadn’t eaten quite as much, but she’d definitely filled her belly. It was a pleasure to see them this way.

Lily sat on his lap, chattering with Gracie on one side of him and Ashlyn on the other, and Gwyneth sat across the table from them, taking everything in without comment. He thought she still looked tired, but better.

Lily’s excitement overflowed. What spirit she had. “Uncle Logan, I am so glad you brought me new friends to play with.” She turned to give him a kiss. “Will you play stones with us?”

“I think Gracie would rather play stones with you. Uncle Logan needs a rest after his long travels,” he said, patting her back.

Gwyneth snorted but didn’t say anything.

Quade raised his eyebrows as he peered at his brother. “Did you have a difficult journey, Logan?”

“Och, nay, just a different journey, as I was traveling with three lassies.” He grinned at Gwyneth, earning a frown in response. He had kept his promise not to banter too much with her on the journey. Now that they were here, he was ready to tease her again. He continued to stare at her and she ignored him.

The servants brought out the apple and cherry pastries for the girls and set them on the table. Lily leaned down to Gracie and said, “Cook makes the best pastries here. Do you like apples or cherries better?”

Gracie nodded and Logan laughed. She probably hadn’t enjoyed anything like a pastry in a long while.

“Which one?” Lily asked, waiting patiently for an answer.

Gracie finally pointed to a cherry tart made of oats with a honey glaze over it. Lily set it in front of her and said, “Here, I’ll show you how to eat it.” Lily filled her mouth and said, “Yum. Here, Gracie, you can eat the rest.”

Sticking a wee finger in the tart, Gracie then plopped her finger in her mouth. Her eyes widened as she tasted the sweet delicacy inside and everyone at the table giggled.

Ashlyn said, “Is it that good, Gracie? Let me try.”

The girls all fussed over the sweets, and Logan caught Gwyneth’s gaze again. “Och, try a pastry, Gwyneth. Mayhap ‘twill sweeten you up a touch.”

Her gaze threw daggers his way and he laughed.

Alex said, “How could you hunt with all these lasses to guard, Logan? Couldn’t have been easy.”

Gwyneth answered, “He didn’t hunt. I did. And I could beat him at hunting any day.”

Logan jumped in, “She did well, Alex, but she was only competing against Neil and Gilroy. My job was to protect the lassies while the others hunted. Had I gone with her, I am sure I would have speared more rabbits than she did, though she did well and killed four the first night. And with my help, we caught the pheasant we brought back with us.”

Gwyneth bounded out of her seat. “Take me to any range, any day, Ramsay, and we’ll see who the best archer is.” Apparently embarrassed by her fervor, she blushed and sat back down.

The whole table had quieted, awaiting Logan’s answer. He glanced at Quade and saw the twinkle in his brother’s eyes, challenging him to accept her offer.

Logan smiled and nodded. “Naught would give me greater pleasure than to accept your challenge, lass. Just promise me you won’t get upset when you lose.”

Gwyneth barked, “I won’t lose.” She glanced at Alex. “’Tis there a sound field nearby we could use in an hour or so, Laird Grant?”

Alex’s chuckled. “Aye, I’ll find one for you. Sounds like great entertainment for the afternoon.” He smirked at Logan. “Just so you know, Ramsay, I’ll be rooting for the lass.”

Gwyneth directed her next comment to Alex. “Will you find an unbiased judge for our contest and come up with a fair target?”

Quade jumped up. “I would love to help set up a target for you, Gwyneth, but I probably shouldn’t act as the judge since Logan is my brother. What say you that we find three judges, just to be fair?”

Logan and Gwyneth both nodded their agreement. “Then it’s settled,” Logan said. “You get one hour of practice before the start of the competition, Gwyneth.”

“I don’t need practice, Ramsay. You have no idea who you are up against.”

Logan just winked at her for an answer.

As everyone got up to prepare for the challenge, Logan overheard Quade as he leaned over and whispered to his wife, “You’re right. There will be some
real
sparks flying this afternoon on the field.”

What in hell was that supposed to mean? Could it be that Gwyneth returned his interest? Had she said something to Brenna? He would have to do everything very carefully on the field this afternoon if he didn’t want to push Gwyneth away. He didn’t think she would like losing.

***

By the time Gwyneth walked out to the lists, a good sized crowd had gathered. The Grant had chosen a large meadow with several trees at the end to hang various rope targets for the contest. The trees were at different distances, but they both appeared to be good lengths for her.
Good, I will embarrass him even more with a crowd.
The crowd sat down the side of the meadow, with no one allowed at the end except the judges.

Gwyneth’s entire family had practiced archery for fun. She had initially been taught by her father and her brother, Gordon. They had held many competitions, and it had been a long time until she was ever good enough to win a contest. After their deaths, her archery had taken on different meaning for her and she had trained daily. Uncle Innis had worked with her until he was no longer able. Then Rab had trained her at the butts near the Kirk. She had been forced to cut back once she was employed by the Crown, but she still managed at least three trips a sennight to the butts.

Naught had driven her more than the thought of putting an arrow through the heart of Duff Erskine. Aye, she had an arrow saved for the man who’d tried to sell her as if she were an object. But her goal for today was to prove that women could be just as good as a man. Ramsay was about to eat crow.

It was a glorious day, with a slight breeze that swirled the fallen leaves around her feet. She waited, pacing occasionally to help gather her strength, while the clan gathered off to the sides.

A voice broke into her thoughts and she looked up in time to see an exuberant Loki leaping and running across the field. “I’m one of the judges. My laird chose me.”

She couldn’t help but smile at the lad. “Does that surprise you, Loki?”

He came to a quick halt in front of her, gasping in excitement. “Aye. I just became a Grant.”

Gwyneth’s brow furrowed as she stared at the lad. She had heard part of his story, but not everything.

“You see, I used to live in a crate behind the tavern in Ayr, and Brodie Grant found me, and I helped him find missy angel, Celestina, and then we saved missy angel from the surly pig-nut—” his eyes grew wide as he swung his fist in the air, “—and we fought the mean Norse together, but I had to get my sire to the healer ‘cause he was wounded.” He paused to take a breath. “Then I went to tell my mama Brodie was wounded, but she wasn’t my mama yet.” He stopped to point at Celestina and gave her a huge grin. Tipping his head to the side, his hand came up to his mouth in thought. “I… helped her come here and....” He stopped, a scowl across his face as if he had missed something in his tale.
His face lit up. “
Then my laird had a ‘ficial cereminny and made me a Grant. So now I have a sire, Brodie Grant, and a mama, and I am Loki Grant.” He pounded his chest with a smile.

“After this contest, I’d like to hear more about that. Tell me, you don’t have a problem with a lass beating a lad, do you, Loki Grant?” She smirked as he stared at her, his eyes wide.

“Nay, my lady. I will vote for whoever is best. I promise to be honest. ‘Tis part of being in the Grant clan. I must always tell the truth.”

Gwyneth ruffled his hair. “I trust you will, lad. Why don’t you check the targets to make sure everything is set up properly?”

“I will, my lady.” Loki yelled back over his shoulder as he took off down the field.

Alex came out onto the meadow carrying a chair over his head, which he set up on the side of the field. He disappeared again before returning with his wife, whom he settled in the chair with a fur over her lap.

Maddie raised both arms over her head and shouted, “Go, Gwyneth! Yay for lassies.”

Gwyneth bowed to her and waved as the crowd continued to grow. Quade and Brenna settled in near Maddie with Gracie, Ashlyn, and the rest of the bairns—Jake, Jamie, Torrian, and Lily. Kyla and Bethia had stayed inside with Alice, Maddie’s maid.

Gracie and Ashlyn ran over to wish her luck, and the elder lass gave her a hug. “I hope you win, Gwyneth. I wish our mama was here to watch you. Will you teach me someday?”

Gwyneth gave her a kiss on her cheek. “Of course, I will.”

The wee one tugged on her skirt, so she leaned over to pick Gracie up and sat her on her hip. Gracie kissed her and smiled. “My mama come soon.”

“Aye, she’ll be here before you know it. She misses you, I’m sure.” She set her back down and the girls raced over to sit with Brenna.

Alex, Brodie, and Celestina joined her with Logan directly behind them. He bowed to her and flashed her a wide grin. “I can’t wait to get started, lass.”

Brodie addressed both of them in a voice loud enough for the crowd to hear. “I am in charge of the contest. Your judges are to be Alex, Celestina, and one more. Where is he?”

Barreling across the meadow with all his might, Loki shouted out, “Here I am. I’m a ‘ficial judge.” He stopped next to Alex, panting, and gazed up at his adoptive uncle. “Am I not right, my laird?”

“Aye, ‘tis true, and we count on you to use your Grant honesty.” He patted the lad on the shoulder and stepped back, signaling for Brodie to continue.

While Brodie explained the contest to the crowd, Gwyneth assessed her competition out of the corner of her eye. Logan Ramsay was a fine specimen of a man. His hair almost glittered in the sun, and his brown eyes sparkled with excitement. She was quite sure he was going to enjoy this as much as she was…that is, until he lost.

He stood a few inches taller than she did, which was rare. She could look many men in the eye. He flexed his hands as Brodie talked, sending his muscles rippling under the tight tunic he wore for the contest. A warm glow spread across her belly and down to the juncture of her thighs. She swallowed, uncomfortably aware of her body’s response to the nearness of this man. As if on cue, he turned and winked at her. She jerked her head away and focused on Brodie’s words, but unable to erase Logan’s image in her mind. She wondered how it would feel to have him hug her in a warm embrace, or run his hands down her body in a soft caress.

She returned her focus to the contest, still shocked that a man could distract her so. Two different distances, three shots each. Overall victory would go to the archer who achieved the greatest distance. Two large oak trees had been chosen for the targets, with very little to get in the way of either one.

She was to take the first shot. As she passed Logan on the way to the mark, he leaned over and whispered, “Lass, I’ll let you win the shorter distance so no one will look poorly on you when I defeat you in the longer distance.”

Gwyneth spun around and glared at Logan, fire in her eyes.

Brodie said, “No taunting allowed. This is to be a fair contest.”

Logan held his hands up. “My apologies, lass.”

Then he winked at her again—that infuriating gesture he always made.

Gwyneth’s eyes narrowed. Now the contest was starting, and she would beat his arse but good.

Chapter Nine

Logan would wager he had the best seat in the meadow. He stood behind Gwyneth and a bit to her left, the perfect spot to watch her form as she prepared for her shot. More specifically, he watched her sweet bum; those tight leggings she wore concealed nothing, revealing even the flexing of her muscles. She shouldn’t be allowed to wear such things. If he lost to her, it would only be because of how enticing she was in her warrior’s clothing.

He imagined standing behind her and rubbing the soft surface of her bum as she drew her arrow, hearing her moan as he caressed her soft skin. She would have to remove those leggings. His next thought was of the two of them practicing with naught on. He wondered if she bound her breasts. They didn’t get in the way, but did she flatten them or was she truly that thin?

Her first arrow flew and the crowd roared when she hit the coiled target made of matted straw. Hellfire, he squinted to look. She was almost dead center. Lucky Loki ran over and measured the distance with his hands and then turned to show the audience how far away her arrow had landed.

She swiveled around and winked at him, clearly proud of her accomplishment. God’s teeth, she was a saucy wench. He had to clear his head or his bulging breeks would embarrass him in front of the crowd.

Brodie grinned at him as he walked up to the mark to take his turn. He glanced around the nearby crowd and noticed a sea of smirks that had not been there before. Gwyneth had surprised them with her skill. No problem, he could beat her. He pulled his bolt back and aimed. Unfortunately, right before he released it, a vision of Gwyneth nocking her arrow in the nude flew through his mind.

He was close to her arrow, but he couldn’t tell for sure whose shot had flown true. Loki measured and turned to the crowd, showing the distance between his bolt and the center. The first round went to Gwyneth. Logan attempted to hide the shock on his face, but gave himself away as he heard his brother, Quade, chuckle over in the corner.

“Nice, brother, the lass beat you.”

He turned to congratulate Gwyneth and stepped back, allowing her access to the mark as the crowd applauded her first win. “Nice job, Gwyneth.” He moved back to his spot on her left, but then decided if he wanted a chance at winning this contest, he needed to move to her other side. Her sweet arse had the power to undo him and he couldn’t let that happen. Not here. Not in front of his family and friends.

Hellfire, but she was fluid when she nocked her air and drew. He had to admit he had never seen anything like it. Somehow, she approached the sport with a grace a lad could never achieve.

Logan won the second arrow, redeeming himself, and he knew he could take the match if she wasn’t so sinfully distracting. But then she drew her third arrow and marked it, releasing it to hit the target dead center, right on target.

The crowd roared to life when she won the third arrow, which gave her two to one and the win at the shorter distance. Now he was glad he had taunted her by telling her he would let her win the first round. Not that he had exactly planned to let her win, but he hoped he’d managed to get into her head. It might be his only chance for victory.

They took a short break and he grabbed some ale, hoping to boost his confidence. Quade ran over and laughed at him. “Finally found your match, eh, Logan? How I wish Micheil and mother were here to see this. I haven’t been this entertained in years.”

“Stop your mouth. I let her win. I told her before she nocked her first arrow that I would give her the win at the shorter distance.”

Quade folded his arms across his chest. “She may fall for that, but I know you better. You wouldn’t let anyone win, especially a lass. Unless…”

“Unless what?” Logan’s chin came up a notch as he glared at his brother.

“Unless this lass means a bit more to you than any other. Are you smitten?” Quade’s eyes widened. “You are, aren’t you?” He grinned and slapped him on the back. “My wife said she sensed something between you two, and she was right. You want her bad enough to lose a match?”

“How the hell could I not want her? Have you seen her arse in those leggings?”

Brodie bellowed. “Next match. Ready yourselves.”

Quade slapped him on the back. “Could you try and make me proud to be a Ramsay this time?” he asked, then ran off with a smirk.

Logan had first shot for this round. He grumbled and paced, knowing he had to ignore Gwyneth in order to win this contest. His brother’s words echoed in his ear. Striding up to the mark, he set his bow to the ground, nocked his arrow, drew, aimed, and sent his bolt flying. Good hit, just off center. This was a much longer distance, so he knew she would struggle. A lass couldn’t possibly have the strength to strike an arrow this far. In fact, he should have asked Alex to shorten it to be fair. He didn’t want to embarrass her
too
much.

Gwyneth never glanced at him, but took her time and the crowd quieted for her. After she took her shot, it was too close to tell who’d come closest. Loki ran over to the target and held up his hands, declaring Logan the winner on this one. She walked to the side and Lily ran up to her. “Here, Gwyneth.” She handed her a small stone. “This is a lucky stone for you. You just have to rub it.” Gwyneth thanked her and rubbed it with a small smile before putting it in her pocket.

Logan marveled at how well his niece and nephew were doing now that their health problems had been cured. Lily’s face lit up every room she entered. Still. He scowled. Where was his lucky stone? Lily should have given him the stone, not Gwyneth. After all, he was her favorite uncle.

The next round was just as close, but this time, Gwyneth won by a wee bit. He heard her sigh in relief. Hellfire, he had thought it would be over by now. God’s teeth, but how had this happened? He was one arrow away from losing to a lass. Circling the area, he paced to clear his mind of a soft bum in leggings. He needed to focus or his reputation would be in tatters.

Brodie held his hands up to announce the final shot and reviewed the current standings, while Celestina and Alex moved to the target to verify Loki’s judgments.

In the interim, Lily ran over to him and handed him a stone. “Here, Uncle Logan. I forgot to give you your lucky stone, too. I think you might need it.” He took the stone from her and picked her up off the ground, squeezing her until she giggled. “Why did Gwyneth get hers first?” he asked as he tickled her sides. He noticed Gwyneth watching them with an expression he couldn’t decipher. Was it longing? He guessed Gwyneth hadn’t had much opportunity to deal with bairns living in a Kirk with the priests. He was beginning to understand why she was so serious all the time. He vowed to change that for Gwyneth.

Smiling, he set Lily down and she scampered back to Brenna’s side, giggling all the way. As soon as they returned, Alex announced, “Contest stands as Loki has announced. One arrow each. Final shot to determine the winner.”

The crowd hushed as Logan readied himself to make his last shot. He had to secure the win or he would never live it down, though if he had to lose to anyone, she would be the one. He had to admit she was a fantastic warrior. He would definitely want her on his side in a fight. He drew and shot. Direct hit to center. She couldn’t beat him. His gut clenched in reaction, followed by a cloud of confusion. What kind of reaction was that? Shouldn’t his chest be swelling with pride? Logan paced a small circle, trying to rationalize his reaction, but he couldn’t.

He glanced at Gwyneth, but didn’t gloat. Disappointment flooded her face, but then switched to determination. His attention was totally focused on her. Slud, but she was beautiful when she stood strong and proud. She stepped up to the mark with confidence. God’s teeth, what was she thinking? She couldn’t beat him, yet he had to admire her courage.

She took her time nocking and drawing, and making sure her position was correct. When she finally released her arrow, the crowd gasped, waiting for it to land. It hit the center of the target and fell to the ground. Her face fell, but she acted honorably and turned to congratulate him.

Somehow, he just couldn’t gloat. His shoulders slumped as he saw the dejection on her face. Hellfire, he wanted this woman. Perhaps it wouldn’t have hurt to lose to her just his once. Loki was yelling at the end of the field, trying to calm the cheering of the crowd. He didn’t understand any of the lad’s words until Alex let out a Grant war whoop and the crowd stilled and all turned to look at Loki. The boy motioned for the head judge, his sire Brodie, to come out to the target.

Gwyneth glanced at Logan in confusion. “What’s it about, Ramsay?”

“I can’t tell. I’m sure it’s naught, Gwyneth.”

Her hand waved at him. “Shush. I want to hear what Loki has to say.”

Loki told Brodie that he wanted the other two judges to join him at the target to verify the win. Brodie beckoned to the others, and Logan decided to follow them to the target. It wasn’t that Logan didn’t trust the judges; he wanted to see for himself how close he had hit. Gwyneth fell in step behind him.

Brodie held his arm out to the two of them, obviously not wanting them to be privy to the judges’ conversation. Gwyneth stepped ahead of him, but then stopped in her tracks. Logan took a step closer, breathing in her scent, and noticing how long her hair was in her plait. He wondered how it would feel to have her hair unbound, dancing across his chest as she rode him. As if on cue, she glanced over her shoulder at him, and he saw her tense, as if his nearness unsettled her.

Good, he wanted to unsettle her…right into his arms. He leaned a bit closer until his chest brushed her shoulder, hungering for any chance to touch her. Her breath hitched, but she didn’t move, another good sign. He had a new goal in life. Someday, he would have her. For now, if he could just get her sweet arse to brush up against him, he would be a happy man, but that would probably be too much in front of all the spectators.

The crowd waited while the judges consulted together. After they had studied the target for a long moment, Alex turned around and held his arms up, commanding the crowd to quiet. Logan and Gwyneth exchanged a look—she appeared to be just as puzzled by this additional declaration as he was.

“The win goes to Gwyneth of the Cunninghams. Her arrow knocked Logan’s off the target and took dead center.”

The crowd exploded in excitement, everyone running over to see it. Logan’s arrow was different than Gwyneth’s, so there would be no way the two could be confused. Logan and Gwyneth arrived first, and they both stood and stared at the target. Gwyneth’s arrow sat dead center, as Alex had described it, while Logan’s was on the ground.

She had beaten him—both distances. The lass had beaten him fair and square, and he would never live it down, but some part of him felt pride in her accomplishment. Logan turned to her and said, “Well done, lass. Congratulations. I didn’t think you could do it.”

Gwyneth blushed and thanked him, her face beaming as the crowd rushed to her side.

Logan Ramsay had lost to a lass.

***

Gwyneth sat up on the parapets, enjoying the night air. She had been so happy to win, but the crowd that filled the great hall for the celebration was growing too rowdy for her. She needed the opportunity to clear her head.

For some reason, beating Logan hadn’t been as satisfying as she’d expected and she didn’t understand that. He had been a gentleman, not a sore loser, even going so far as to raise a toast to her abilities right before the evening meal. Every time she overheard one of Logan’s friends or family ribbing him, she felt sorry for him. Why?

The door opened with a bang and Gwyneth jumped out of the spot where she sat. Logan stood in front of her, as if having stepped out of her thoughts, his hair whipped by the wind. His smug expression had disappeared, and in its place was a look she didn’t understand. He walked forward until he was directly in front of her. Her stomach fluttered as he closed the distance between them, his gaze holding hers until heat spread through her. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but she was afraid, naïve about the ways of men and women. He didn’t speak either, allowing a moment of tension and desire to spread through her. She didn’t know what else it could be.

And then he did the most unexpected thing she could have imagined. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. She was so startled she jumped in place…but then she leaned into him. His lips were warm and he tasted of ale, but there was something intoxicating about it.

He pulled back and said, “I wanted to congratulate you proper.”

He brushed his thumb across her bottom lip and she sighed. He dipped his head and kissed her again, and she parted her lips with another sigh. His tongue swept inside her mouth and she pressed her body to his, wrapping her arms around his neck as she tasted him in return, swirling her tongue inside his mouth until he groaned and tugged her closer. She never would have guessed that kissing a man could be so intoxicating and so frightening at the same time.

He angled his mouth over hers, deepening the kiss, devouring her until she trembled all over. His hands slid down her back and over her bottom, and he grabbed her bum to pull her closer. She felt his hardness against her belly and wanted to jerk away, but then decided she liked the fact that she had caused this excitement in him. Logan wanted her and she was finally willing to admit to herself that she wanted him, too. She ran her hands through his hair and sucked on his tongue as he moved one hand from her bottom and up her side until he found her breast. He searched for her nipple and froze.