Highland Games Through Time by Nancy Lee Badger

Author:Nancy Lee Badger [Badger, Nancy Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Nancy Lee Badger
Published: 2016-12-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

Jake’s hammer fell again and again as he did his best to work out his frustrations. What else could he do at this point? Haven had disappeared the night of the ceilidh.

I should have gone to the dance. I should have kept an eye on her.

He slammed the metal so hard it split. Cursing, he tossed it into the water barrel. Steam rose, and sweat poured off his face. He tossed his leather gloves to the ground.

Grabbing a coarse piece of linen, he wiped his forehead and chin. Perspiration dripped down his chest, beneath the leather apron. A warm breeze glided over trickles of sweat that trailed down his naked back. He wished he could take a shower and throw on a clean shirt.

How can I think of comfort when Haven could be anywhere?

He hadn’t found Iona, either. Not since she walked away with the big Scottish brute.

“Iona Mackenzie. Show yerself!”

Ross Mackenzie marched into the village and roared her name again. Ice filled Jake’s veins, because Iona’s father voiced his fear. Iona was gone. Had she left of her own accord, or had the big, fake, Highlander wanna-be convinced her to follow him home?

“I haven’t seen her for awhile, Mr. Mackenzie.”

Why would either of the women go off with strangers?

“Where is she? She promised to relieve me so I could grab some food. Had to ask Joanna MacPhearson. Now she’ll expect dinner.”

Jake chuckled. “Sounds like a great idea.”

“Nay. The woman has matrimony on the brain. Now, where be my daughter?”

“Last I saw her, she was with a man.” That bastard, Cameron Robeson, seemed pretty taken with Iona, he wanted to say.

“A man? What man?”

Iona was a grown woman, but her father acted like she was still in pigtails. “Iona was here, earlier. Said she and Cameron Robeson were going looking for Haven MacKay.”

“That makes sense, but I thought Haven got married.” Ross shrugged his shoulders and turned on his heels. Jake stared at the feather drooping from Mackenzie’s hat. The man’s pleated kilt flapped in the breeze as he marched down toward the food vendors.

Jake’s stomach growled.

Every year he played the role of an ancient Scottish blacksmith, a volunteer position that helped Iona and the games association. How could he begrudge them a few more hours until he took a break? Iona, if she were here, would crack the whip and tell him ‘Just a little while longer.’

Returning to his obligation to bring history to life for the visitors to the games, he picked up another piece of iron and slammed it into his furnace. Glowing cinders escaped, and wisps of acrid smoke soothed his concerns.

I love the smell of metal melting in the morning.

He shouldn’t worry. Iona was smart, but she would do anything for Haven; including following Cameron Robeson to Hell and back. She’d better come back, or Robeson was a dead man.

Jake plastered a smile on his face to placate several passing visitors, and answered a few questions. When the metal glowed orange, he slipped his protective gloves back on.

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