Never Love a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy #3)(44)

“What matters have you been thinking on?”

“Tell me why you dress as you do and why you’ve put so much practice in with a sword.”

Her eyes widened. Of all the subjects she thought he might broach, this wasn’t one of them.

“ ’Tis plain to see you’ve devoted a lot of time to the practice of warfare. You have to admit ’tis an odd undertaking for a lass. Your father wasn’t approving. I saw his reaction when you bested the McCabe warrior when you were visiting McCabe keep.”

When she remained quiet, he stroked over her back again, his touch light and soothing.

“And now, when you were attacked and sorely beaten, a traumatic event for anyone, much less a lass as slight as you are, I thought it had made you afraid, but you were angry because you’d been stripped of the ability to defend yourself.”

“Aye,” she whispered. “It made me feel helpless. I hated it.”

“What has made you so fierce in your determination to protect yourself, Rionna? ’Tis not something a lass usually thinks upon. ’Tis up to her kin, her father, brother, or husband to watch over her and protect her from harm, and yet you ask no one to do these things for you.”

She closed her eyes as shame crowded in. Caelen knew of her father’s disgraceful actions, but saying her fears aloud only made it worse.

“Rionna?”

He pulled away and tipped her chin up so that he could look into her eyes. The candles he’d left burning provided just enough light that she could see his grim expression and the determination in his eyes to uncover her secrets.

She sighed and looked away. “You know what kind of man my father was. And that when my father tried to force himself on Keeley, my mother made her an outcast. She was my cousin. And Keeley wasn’t the only young lass my father targeted. I knew of his evil from a very young age and I always feared …”

She sucked in a deep breath and looked back at Caelen. “All I could think was what if he turned his attention to me? If he could do such a thing to his niece, what would it matter if I was his daughter?

“I grew br**sts at a young age. I had a pleasing shape that I knew men liked to look at. So I began to hide my attributes and make myself look more like a lad than a woman. And I learned to wield a sword because I swore if my father ever tried to force himself on me, I would be able to protect myself.”

Anger and disgust simmered in Caelen’s eyes. He touched her cheek, stroking his finger from her jawline to her temple and back down again.

“You were right to do so,” he admitted. “His obsession with Keeley never ended. Even years later. He would have raped her just weeks past if I hadn’t intervened when he dragged her into a chamber at McCabe keep.”

“His desires are unnatural, and he cares not who he hurts. He thinks only of himself and his pleasure. I would kill him for what he did to Keeley alone.”

“If he ever touches you again, whether in anger or with lust, I’ll feed his carcass to the vultures.”

“ ’Tis when you’re not near that I worry,” she said quietly.

“Aye, I know it, lass, and as much as it pains me to admit, you have a solid argument for why I should allow you to continue with your training. ’Tis the truth I gifted Mairin with a dagger so she would have means to protect herself. It only stands to reason I’d afford my wife the same opportunity and the skills to do so.”

“Thank you,” she said softly. “It means much that you support me in this.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” he warned. “I’ll not be easy on you just because you’re a lass. If you are to protect yourself, then you’ll have to learn to best a man twice your size and with twice your strength.”

She nodded but he continued on.

“I’m a brutal taskmaster and I’ll work you long and hard until you’re ready to cry mercy. I’ll expect the same from you that I expect from my men.”

“Aye, I understand,” she said. “Now hush and let me thank you properly, husband.”

His eyebrow went up. “Define properly.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his strong body. “I don’t think you’ll issue any complaints.”

CHAPTER 19

“Get up and try it again, Rionna.”

Rionna staggered to her feet and rubbed her poor abused bottom. Her arm felt near to falling off. She’d long since lost feeling in her hand. She was so weary that her eyes crossed, and still, her husband pressed on.

There was no impatience in his command. He had to be the most patient man she’d ever come across. Even Hugh, when he’d instructed her, had often thrown up his hands and stomped away, grumbling about the impossibility of teaching a lass to fight.

But she’d shown him. Just like she’d shown all her father’s men who’d mocked her early efforts. And she’d show her husband, who seemed determined to see how many times he could knock her on her butt.

The tip of her sword nearly dragged on the ground as she stepped forward to face Caelen again. But she was careful to prevent the blade from doing so. Caelen had already taught her a lesson about abusing her weapon.

“God’s teeth, lass, you’re making me daft,” Gannon grumbled. “Pivot this time. You weigh naught. Should be easy for a lass your size to be quicker than a man of the laird’s size. Use that quickness to your advantage.”