Page 59 of Defy the Highlander

His eyes opened, staring at the ceiling in frustration. Again? With a grunt of effort, Brody swung his legs onto the floor and stood up, staggering his way over to the door.

“Who comes?” he demanded.

“Cam,” came the muffled reply.

Curious, Brody unbolted the door. Cam was standing on his stoop, looking at him with concern.

“Are ye well, lad?” he asked.

Brody nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

“Did I just see Titus leaving yer cottage?”

“Ye did.”

“What did he want?”

Brody shrugged. “He came tae see if I was well,” he said. “I think he came tae discover for himself if he’d badly injured me.”

“He dinna try tae smother ye?”

Brody gave him a lopsided grin. “Nay,” he said flatly. “He made no move against me.”

Cam seemed satisfied. “Good,” he said. “I wanted tae make sure. I also wanted tae know if ye feel well enough tae fight in a bout tomorrow night. Sir Clegg liked what he saw. He’ll let ye fight for a purse tomorrow if ye feel well enough.”

Brody’s eyes widened. “He will?” he said, shocked. “But I dinna think novicius could fight for a purse.”

“Not usually,” Cam said, amused by the look on Brody’s face. “But ye did so well tonight that he’ll make an exception. Can ye do it?”

“Of course I can. I could move mountains if there was money involved.”

Cam grinned. “Good,” he said. “Sleep well tonight and tomorrow, we’ll see how that wound fares.”

Brody looked down at his wrapped torso. “It wasna deep enough for stitches,” he said. “If I keep it wrapped, it should be fine.”

Cam had a twinkle in his eye as he patted Brody on the shoulder and left him standing there in his doorway. Brody watched the man go, suddenly not so tired. The prospect of fighting for a purse tomorrow night had him excited.

This was what he’d come for.

The first step towards securing Lilia’s freedom.

He didn’t think he’d be able to sleep, but he was wrong. The moment he lay back down on his bed, an exhausted sleep claimed him.

His dreams had visions of plucking the feathers from a certain eagle.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Brody was back fighting again tonight.

The only good thing about coming to the Ludus Caledonia two nights in a row was the fact that Lilia got to see Brody again. Clearly, the wound on his torso from the previous night wasn’t a factor that hindered him because as she sat in the front row of the arena yet again with Lady Currie, Brody was in the very first bout and he looked strong and healthy.

Even so, Lilia was so wracked with nerves that she was trembling and beside her, Lady Currie was breathing heavily at the sight of the warrior she was beginning to obsess on.

The woman hadn’t worn the Roman gown this time. She’d dressed in a wine-red silk that Lilia had made for her some time ago, one that was cut low so that her bosom would show. It wasn’t very warm in this icy weather so she wore a heavy fur wrap with it. She’d dressed carefully that afternoon, primping and powdering, putting perfume on her breasts and on her thighs.

Lilia had been in the chamber when she’d dressed, watching Lady Currie as she prepared herself for what she hoped would be a night with the warrior they called the Highland Protector. That’s what she’d told Colly, who frowned but wisely kept her mouth shut.

The main reason Colly wasn’t allowed to go to the Ludus Caledonia was because she was old and frumpy, and Lady Currie didn’t want to hear her judgment. She wanted companionship that wouldn’t dispute her wants, and she also surrounded herself with pretty young women so the warriors would have more incentive to look in her direction.