Highland Defender by Kathryn Le Veque

Author:Kathryn Le Veque
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2020-11-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Bane was back fighting again tonight.

The only good thing about coming to the Ludus Caledonia two nights in a row was the fact that Lucia got to see Bane 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, Bane was in the very first bout and he looked strong and healthy.

Even so, Lucia was so racked 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 Lucia 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.

Lucia 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 Defender. 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.

That was why Lucia and, at times, Amy were permitted to go.

They were bait.

Therefore, as Lucia sat next to Lady Currie and watched Bane stretch out his shoulders, she knew that Lady Currie was focused on Bane and she hated the woman for it. She’d never felt such anger or jealousy in her life and it was difficult to suppress it, but exposing her feelings would open Pandora’s box.

She knew that.

Therefore, she bit her lip when Lady Currie stood up and waved to Bane as the man stretched himself out.

“Look at him,” Lady Currie said, waving her hand like an idiot. “He is not looking over here. Why is he not looking over here?”

Lucia was watching Bane as the man twisted his torso, somewhat gingerly. “He seems focused on the fight, m’lady,” she said. “Mayhap ye shouldna distract him. If he is wounded again, ye’ll not have the chance tae see him tonight.”

Lady Currie immediately sat down. “Good thinking,” she said. “I do intend to see him tonight. Sir Clegg cannot tell me that the man is wounded again, for clearly he is not.”

“He’s also not fought yet tonight.”

Lady Currie appeared worried. “You are right again,” she said. “God, I hope the man does not get hurt again.”

Lucia dared to glance at the woman, but Lady Currie was focused on her prey across the arena floor.

Lucia prayed for strength to get through the evening without throttling her.

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