Each of them must shoot ten arrows. Tormod had just shot his seventh. As Arran drew his seventh and sent it soaring into the center of the target, Tormod didn’t miss the roar of his clansmen. Their scores tied once again. With each perfect shot of his own, Arran matched it. Currently it seemed that they would have to go well beyond ten shots to declare a winner.
Drawing his own arrow, Tormod released another flawless shot, quickly turning to take in the crowd that remained mostly silent. His sister had been right. There was no denying the well wishes of his own clansmen lay with his rival. It would be a difficult lairdship if he took over as leader without the support of his people behind him.
Edana would be furious, but he knew that he could comfort her with his lies. He could make her work with him, and perhaps it would be even easier to destroy Arran if he had an ally that shared Arran’s bed.
With Arran sending another perfect shot, Tormod drew his bow and jerked his body at the last minute so that his arrow went flying wildly to the side, missing the target completely.
He would allow Arran to be laird for now, but it would be short-lived. Tormod vowed to contemplate a dozen ways to destroy the doomed Conall.
Chapter 13
Scotland
Present Day
Bri was due back to arrive at the inn today, and I still had no idea what Eoin wished to speak with me about. The week had passed in anything but silence as we spent most of our time listening to stories told by Jerry and Gwendolyn, whom finally had asked that we call her by the name that we’d first known her as, Gwendolyn. Morna was the woman of her past, and I could tell that it pained her to think back on the brother and family she’d left behind.
She was a vivid storyteller, and we all enjoyed listening to the adventure stories of Eoin’s father, Alasdair, and me own father when they were growing up. ’Twas a pleasure to watch Eoin discover the aunt he hardly remembered and had envisioned in his mind a very different woman than she actually was. Her spells and magic were just a small part of the lively, funny, warm woman, and ’twas easy to see why Alasdair had adored his sister so much when many of those around them feared her.
’Twas the first morning Eoin and I had spent alone together. Jerry and Gwendolyn had left earlier to visit a neighbor, but I was quite certain the closest thing they had to a neighbor was the castle itself. I suspected they’d left to allow us time to talk.
We sat across from each other in the living room as Eoin tried to busy himself with the television remote, randomly pushing the buttons, watching with fascination as the pictures changed on the screen. I sat silently for a few moments, knowing that me impatience was about to burst forth if he dinna set the remote down and start talking soon. Still, I knew me own fascination with the oddities of this century and so tried to be understanding.
“Eoin. Will ye please turn it off? It’s time for ye to tell me why ye and Bri asked me to come here.”
He dinna look at me immediately, instead staring at the remote as he searched for a way to stop the moving pictures. I reached over and pushed on the red button, taking it from his hands as the television ceased its movement.
Rising up, he situated himself more comfortably on the couch and crossed his arms as he looked up at me. “Aye, I suppose ’tis time. I should tell ye beforehand that this was no my idea. And I’m no too pleased with Bri for leaving me here to ask this of ye, all alone. She knows more of this than I.”
Why would Bri know more about anything than Eoin? She’d been there only a short period of time, and while I was still adjusting to the many differences of modern day life, I was sure she was still adjusting to the loss of modern conveniences, as well. “Just get on with it, Eoin. I doona care which one of ye tells me, I’m only anxious to know. Ye have left me waiting for the past week.”
“I know and I’m sorry. I’m only unsure of how to explain this to ye.” He paused as he cleared his throat, searching for a way to delay explanation even further.
“Eoin, if ye doona wish for me to cause ye physical harm, it would best serve ye to tell me right away.” I leaned forward, placing me elbows on me knees and rested me head on me clenched fists, doing me best to look as threatening as possible.
His hesitation ended as he spoke very quickly, obviously nervous. “Bri seems to believe that ye were in love with Arran, and that is why ye left. Ye dinna want to marry me, and ye couldna marry him, so ye decided to stay here. She believes that Arran is in love with ye, as well.”