Two
Katie stood and turned in a flurry with a large stick in her hand.
She was at the ready to swing and hit whoever was nearing her. The person made no move to stay quiet.
“Easy, lass.”
The vision of James served to quicken her pulse further rather than slow it down. Attempting to calm her breath, she inhaled deeply yet unsteadily.
“I apologize. I should have announced myself.”
His golden eyes shined with sincerity and reservation.
“Nay. ‘Tis simply my senses easily frightened.”
He stood watching her for a moment before he realized she wasn’t going to say anything further.
“I saw ye leave and ye appeared a bit disturbed. ‘Tis a sin to have someone so lovely wear such a frown.”
Katie looked down at her feet and helped her hair fall forward to hide her face.
“Such kind words for someone undeserving of them.”
He stepped towards her but she stepped back. He halted his movements, and realized he would need to proceed as if she were a scared deer.
“May I?”
James indicated the ground next to her and she nodded slightly. James sat down next to where he’d seen her sit, and looked on at the calm waters of the loch. He was satisfied when, after several moments of hesitance, she sat, too, only several feet away.
“‘Tis quiet here. The trees are bountiful and hale.”
His voice was gravelly as he tried to speak in a softer tone. He watched her from the side and saw her wistful gaze glide over the mirror sheen of the loch.
“Aye. Brings peace to my soul.”
Her voice was hushed and halting. Was she anxious?
“If I make ye uncomfortable, lass, I shall leave.”
Her head snapped to him and her gaze locked with his.
“Nay. Ye are most welcome to remain here, James.”
They sat in silence before James spoke again.
“Ye need need a better grip, lass. Petite ye are, and so ye should hold the stick with both hands for more force. ‘Twould help make the arc of the descent more powerful. Ye need a true weapon to defend yerself, however.”
She watched him as he spoke. He cleared his throat.
“Ye also need to learn how to defend yerself when ye have no weapon. I can instruct ye.”
Katie turned her head back in the loch’s direction, visibly swallowing as she thought about his words.
Could she learn to use a weapon and learn to fight even without one?
Maybe then she wouldn’t feel so afraid of everything, including her shadow?
She wanted to be strong, to be capable of defending herself and never depend on anyone for the fundamental dignity of safety.
Katie slowly nodded her head. “I’d like that verra much, James.”
He stood with such ease, it seemed as if he was a puppet being lifted by invisible strings.
“Let us begin our first instruction.”
Katie fumbled as she hurried to stand. “Now?”
His eyes were serious but alight with warmth.
“‘Tis a fine enough day to begin,” he said, briefly looking up.
Katie nodded and swallowed.
“We will begin with easier teachings and progress to more difficult ones.”
Eyebrows furled, she asked, “Would ye provide me with examples of each?”
He nodded. “Stance and gripping a weapon are some of the easiest instructions to teach and learn, while awareness of your surroundings is most difficult.”
“But that seems as if it would be the easiest of all.”
He shook his head.
“Nay. That requires one of the most abstruse skills to acquire and hone.”
She tilted her head. James’ eyes roamed over the planes of her face. Lovely, she was, with only a few freckles chasing each other on her delicate nose. Her lips were perfectly smooth and sultry on her heart-shaped face. Her hair was a rich brown that caught the sun’s light.
Katherynne Ramsay was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid his eyes on. That beauty continued to her soul, with a gentleness and intelligence he’d never witnessed in another.
“What’s that?”
“Trust.”
“Trust! Surely, ye jest.”
He shook his head. “Trust in me, but mainly trust in yerself.”
Katie looked away in thought.
“That isna a skill, James, but a trait one possesses.”
Again, he shook his head.
“Nay. Yes, it is a trait but in defense of oneself and others, it is a skill. Skills are actions that need to be refined and honed, and once earned and learned, must be frequently tested, improved upon, and employed.”
Katie’s gaze was studious and measuring.
“Ye’re nay just brawn, eh James? Brains, too.”
He outright laughed, causing Katie to smile.
“Yer brother would add vanity to that description. Now, let us demonstrate this skill so that ye may see what I mean. Willing to do so?”
She considered him for a moment and nodded.
“Aye.”
James unsheathed a small dagger and held it out to her, hilt first.
“Take it.”
Katie hesitantly reached for it and wrapped her small hand around its sturdy handle. Their fingers briefly touched before Katie pulled back as if burned.
“I-I’m sorry. I-” She cut her words off.
He wanted to reach out to her but it was apparent to him that she did not like to be touched. He’d seen her with her family. She even shrugged off their affections when it overwhelmed her.
“Doona be sorry, lass. Never be forced to endure something ye doona want.”
She sighed and looked away, eyes moist.
“I want to. I just canna.”
He moved so that he was in her line of sight.
“Give yerself more time, lass.”
She nodded quietly and once he felt she had calmed herself, he continued.
“Now close yer eyes and wherever ye think I’m standing, I want ye to stab with the dagger.”
Katie recoiled and shook her head. “Nay, James. ‘Tis dangerous!”
Another slight grin tugged at his lips, a rarity, she’d been told, yet he’d done so a few times in the last several moments with her.
James Menzies was as strong, hard, and unyielding as a great oak tree, and about as serious and dangerous as a sword wound through the stomach.
“Doona ye know who stands before ye, lass?”
And as arrogant as the handsomest of men, which she believed him both to be.
“D’ye? Trust. Ye must trust that I have the agility to move from yer daggered hand, just as I must trust not only in my ability to move quickly, but in yer lack of skill in wielding a weapon.”
Katie laughed. “Aye. ‘Tis true.”
He clapped his hands together. “Let us begin. Close yer eyes, and I want ye to listen to my movements. Calm and measure yer breaths and begin.”
“Should I tell ye when I will strike?”
“Nay. Surprise me.”
“If ye’re sure?”
He nodded. “Most definitely.”
Katie hesitantly closed her eyes. After a few seconds, her hand arced and he tilted to the side. He reached down, grabbed a few rocks, and began tossing them around her. Wherever the rocks landed, she turned and stabbed the air. After ten attempts, he called a halt.
“Stop. Now open yer eyes.”
She opened her eyes, fixing her eyes left, but slowly turned her attention to James. A smile stretched her lips.
“Ye didna move from there, did ye?”
He shook his head.
“Trust. When ye first closed yer eyes, ye did so hesitantly as if ye feared something would happen. When ye first stabbed, ye hesitated again. Ye didna trust my ability to avoid yer blade. As yer uncertainty grew, yer movements grew sluggish. Trust, Katie. ‘Tis the most difficult skill to acquire.”
Katie nodded in understanding.
“Ye werena truly listening. I threw rocks.”
Her eyes widened and she looked down, seeing the several rocks surrounding them.
“Ye will learn to discern the sounds of movements from living beings in contrast to falling leaves or thrown rocks, and the like.”
“Living beings?”
“Aye. People and animals.”
“You can discern the difference?”
He nodded. “Aye. ‘Tis quite difficult to confuse once ye know the difference.”
She smiled at him as she studied him.
“I want to know how to do so. I want to learn how to defend myself. I never again want to be vulnerable and at the mercy of hateful, evil men.”
He took a step forward but she did not move back this time. “Men?”
Katie looked away from him and when her gaze returned to his, he sensed she did not wish to discuss anything having to do with that day.
He’d allow this to pass, but he would eventually gain her true meaning.
“Wish to proceed?”
Katie nodded.
For the next several hours, James instructed Katie as to stance and holding a weapon. Once the instruction was complete for the day, they returned to the holding to find Connor speaking to another outside. Once their conversation ended, he walked towards James who was watching Katie enter the keep with a slight smile on her face.
“Katie seems to be of good humor. ‘Tis heartening to see.”
James nodded and his eyes fixed on Connor’s.
“I am instructing her on self-protection.”
Connor’s eyes widened.
“Did she take to yer instruction?”
“Aye. Like a fish to water. It will be ongoing for the next few fortnights.”
Connor’s eyebrows rounded. “Fortnights?”
James nodded once, serious. “There is much instruction to impart. I will be showing her as if I were teaching a young lad. She willna ever be defenseless again.”
James could see that guilt was gnawing at Connor, and he looked to his right where he saw his newly discovered sister. Although James had not known about her until months earlier, he’d still failed to protect her from her cruel family. His sister had overcome many adversities and was now highly protected and loved by her husband, the Ramsay laird.
The feelings of impotence and anger that accompanies the failure to protect the one you love was new to James, and he suddenly felt a kinship with Connor.
He understood the self-hatred and guilt Connor’s look reflected.
In an unusual demonstration of emotion, James reached out and clasped Connor’s shoulder before letting his hand return to his side.
“We canna protect them from sunup to sundown every day of every month and year, Connor. What befell upon Katie is no more yer fault than what those bastards did to my sister was mine.” His gaze hardened in the next instance. “But I will be damned if it happens to Katie again. I will instruct her in proper defense, both with a weapon and without.”
Surprised again, Connor offered, “I doona know what responsibilities Douglas expects of ye, James, but I’d like to extend to ye an invitation to remain here for as long as ye need or would like. Ye are my brother now, and I know that ye’ve an interest in my sister.”
“‘Tis more than a mere interest, Connor. If she’ll have me, I intend to make her my wife. I accept yer invitation with much gratitude.”
Connor hedged a moment and decided to speak what was on his mind.
“Ye understand that my sister may never wish to marry. As much as I respect ye, James, I will never force her to marry or join with another, especially after what she has experienced.”
James nodded.
“I wouldna wish ye to force her. It matters not, however. I will wait for her. Still, if that day never comes to pass, I will remain waiting for I desire no other.”
Connor nodded and indicated to join him inside. “Come. I will have a chamber readied for ye.”