“Bloody hell, lad, leave us a chance at least tae be able tae continue tae seduce our wives,” William joked. Jamie laughed, and Troy smiled, blushing slightly at the compliment.
Marianne blushed. “William!”
Jamie jumped in and stood in his stance. “We’ll definitely have tae beat him now, William. We cannae be having this with our women sitting nearby.”
William turned to him, “Och, and I thought the minister was tae come tae teach me about cheating or something like that.”
“Forget it now. We’ve got a mountain tae conquer here.” William chuckled, and Troy approached the circle, slightly embarrassed at the titter he’d caused amongst the crowd. He hadn’t shown his body in public for a long time now, and although he’d known that he was in shape, he hadn’t realized it would bring about comment.
He walked up to the pair and took his first swing at William, before pushing Jamie out of the way with an elbow. Ruth stood at the side, still unnoticed by Troy, and she felt like she was in a daze. Troy was the most beautiful male specimen she had ever seen. She had seen the male form in painting and sculpture, but this, this was true male beauty. And it made her feel something new she hadn’t felt before, or at least not with this intensity. It was as if her every appendage was warm, and it all radiated from just below her center. Her mouth had gone dry as she watched his half-naked form expertly fight against his opponents. His every muscle pulsed and tightened as he swung his sword in different directions.
And, without his coat and shirt, Ruth could get a good look at his backside and legs, which were clutched by the tight black breeches he wore, leaving her with the impression that he was well-muscled there as well. Her body screamed for him, and the familiar ache grew along with her frustration.
“Damn him!” She whispered. “For a man to control my body from a distance simply by being so...so…” she didn’t want to put it into words. She placed a hand on her chest, and she felt her heartbeat and breath quicken at the sight. She didn’t want to, but she was forced to admit that although he had negative views of women, he was a very handsome man, even more so than she’d ever realized. That made her angry. It made her feel like she still felt those feelings for him, and she didn’t want to. She’d hoped she’d locked them tightly away after finding out his beliefs.
“A man will not control me and my body! Why do I feel like this?” she continued to talk to herself. She looked up and saw that Jamie and William were getting tired in the battle against the fresh Troy, who spun and attacked both men with ease. Marianne and Amelia were watching with glee, knowing that their husbands could afford to be knocked around a bit.
With one of his swings, Troy ended up on one knee. His eye was caught by the look of a green gown, one he had seen earlier that day. He looked up to see Ruth, her eyes on him. Her skin was flushed, and her beautiful lips were slightly open as she stared at him, seemingly lost in thought. So she was surprised at his performance. Good. And he couldn’t help but feel a little bit happy that Ruth was there to see him fight.
Troy shot Ruth a wide grin and a wink, and Ruth’s face got even redder. She hmphed and put her good arm on her hip. She moved to sit by Marianne and Amelia. He knew he’d caught her in a stare. But just then, Troy felt a heavy clang against his sword and a boot to the shoulder which pushed him to the ground. He had been so distracted by Ruth’s presence that he’d forgotten he was meant to be battling Jamie and William.
He lay on the ground, and then William called out, “That’s it! We are victorious. Can’t have ye showing us up with our wives present.” Jamie kept his boot on him. “That’s right, lad. Wouldnae be right for ye tae beat the laird.” He attempted a serious tone but had a glint of humor in his eye.
Troy held his hands up in defeat. “Och, so I willnae tell ye that I was distracted, and that’s what gave ye yer victory?” He grinned.
“Nae, nae. Ye’ll be doing no such thing, lad.” William helped Troy up. “I’ll have tae thank Ruth for the distraction, shall I?” He grinned devilishly and slapped Troy on the back. Jamie laughed. Inwardly, Troy groaned.
Chapter Seven
Troy shifted uncomfortably. “Uh...aye, I suppose so. I... didnae expect tae see her there, that’s all.”
William rolled his eyes, and Jamie and William grasped onto Troy’s shoulders as they moved towards the castle. “We’re both experts at not admitting things, so we can spot a man trying tae keep his feelings in check.”
Troy replied quickly. “Nae, friend, ‘tis not like that.”
William nodded. “Och, well it’ll take time I’m sure.” He chuckled at Troy’s flustered expression. “Come now, lad, we need a restorative beverage tae set our bodies tae rights. Come with us.”
Troy picked up his shirt and coat and placed them back on. He did not want to go with the men if they were going to pursue this line of ridiculousness. He did not have feelings for Ruth. He had been trying to avoid her for months, and he was in the middle of a plan to repel her once again! Did that sound like a man trying to disguise his feelings?
He bolstered himself with that thought even though a niggling feeling of doubt crept into his mind. He shoved it away and joined the men after waving goodbye to Amelia and Marianne. He noticed Ruth had fled after he’d fallen, and so he was relieved not to have to face her after Jamie and William’s remarks.
* * *
Ruth had rushed away, embarrassed and angry that Troy had caught her. She thought that in his eye it showed that he knew she’d been looking at him, staring actually. She was a modern enough woman to not feel shame at regard for a man and a man’s appearance, but she was frustrated that he’d come out the winner once again.
Who was he really? One moment he was soft and kind, the next moment he was a rake, and then he moved on to nearly defeating the two strongest men of the clan in a sword fight while looking like a Greek god. What was he hiding? She smiled remembering how his catching her in a stare had cost him the fight. “‘Tis what he deserves,” she said to herself. She decided it was time to walk back home. She would see if she could avoid him until Sunday, when it was both church time and the day of her birthday.
She would have to see him then, and of course, he would be invited to her birthday gathering after church. But now that the dance was sorted, he wouldn’t need to help her with anything else. Well, she would not let him know about anything else. That was his request after all. If she needed anything. “Not from you!” she whispered to the air, “you beautiful, frustrating man.” The air would not judge her for her desire, and there was no one else to hear her admit it.
* * *
Ruth was successful. She did not call upon Troy for any assistance in her preparations, and she asked Marianne not to ask him either, to which Marianne reluctantly agreed. But over those few days before Sunday, she had tried to engage Ruth in conversation about seeing Troy at the fight.
They had sat idly in the main room, Marianne writing in her journal and Ruth reading. Since Amelia had inspired her to put her feelings down on paper, Marianne had really taken to it. She wrote at least once a day and found that it cleansed her and kept her from hiding her true feelings. Her journal had been her solace in Ruth’s time of sullenness and discontent, a place where she’d kept many of her feelings hidden away.
She was happy that in the last couple of days, Ruth had been at least feeling something besides despondence, and despite its origin, she had Troy to thank for that. With each passing day, Marianne became more and more convinced that this match was a good idea. And it would get Ruth to stay nearby, in Scotland, at least, if not in Brechin.
Marianne was jotting down the occurrences of the swordfight and looked up at Ruth. She smiled. “Ruth, we have not yet discussed it.” Marianne attempted to appear casual. “What did you think of Mr. Ferguson’s fighting? I must admit that I was quite surprised at his...prowess.”
Ruth looked to see Marianne grinning from ear to ear. She smirked. “Yes, his...prowess is something to be admired, bu
t he’s still a brute, and I would never want him to know that he was being admired, least of all by me.”
Ruth returned to her book, proud of her self-control. “Besides, he did not even win. He goes around with airs about his capabilities, and then, poof! He loses the fight. I must say that I was secretly delighted at the outcome.”
Marianne chuckled. “Goes around with airs? I don’t think I’ve seen Troy put on airs one day since we’ve known him.”
“Well, we didn’t know him so well then. He has revealed his true colors to me.”
“Really?” Marianne looked pleased and intrigued, and Ruth tried to not make her look so happy.
“Yes. And they’re not pleasant ones, you can be sure. He’s full of cocky swagger and insults. It will be a surprise to look up at him in the pulpit on Sunday with what has been revealed of his character.”
“You know why he lost the fight, don’t you, Ruth?” Marianne still looked tickled with glee.
Ruth didn’t look up. “Because he’s less skilled than the other two men?”
Marianne shook her head and sighed. “Don’t be so obtuse. He was looking at you! He got distracted, and then Jamie was able to get his final hit in.”
“He was looking at me to make me uncomfortable. Not for any other reason,” Ruth replied.
“Oh, believe what you will. But, I’ll wager that Troy Ferguson has been enjoying his time working with you these past few days. Clearly, you’ve turned his head.” Marianne laughed at her own joke, feeling quite content that all would turn out well.
Ruth sighed, remembering the way his eyes looked when he’d turned to her during the fight. He had winked, but he had been watching her, closely. And there was the moment when he had curled a piece of her hair around his finger. He was surely just attempting to discomfit her and throw her off balance with his unusual flirtations.
She didn’t think anything more of it, but did others think it was his open regard? Certainly not. The man would barely glance her way a few days ago, and now he was trying to make people think he was interested? What was he playing at? Ruth resolved to find out, somehow.
Ruth waved her hand. “‘Tis nothing, Marianne. Simply a man being ridiculous.”
Marianne chuckled, and replied, “If you insist.” And they’d left it that, with Ruth feeling justified in her opinion and Marianne thinking that something was brewing between them without their knowledge.
Sunday morning arrived, and Ruth sat before her vanity trying to calm her nerves. Why was she so nervous? She hadn’t seen Troy in days, and she hoped that the feelings from a few days ago would pass, but they hadn’t. They remained fixed in her, and now she would have to face him again. But she cheered herself. She wanted to try to steal into his rooms at the church to try to find out something more about him.
Margrete, Marianne’s lady’s maid, came in to help her dress, and Ruth smiled up at her as she tied up her long auburn hair.
“Happy birthday, my dear,” Margrete said with a smile.
“Thank you, Margrete.”
Margrete had come with them from London as well, for she did not want to be parted from her mistress. And she was recently married to one of the other clansmen, John. She was a kind woman and became Ruth’s lady’s maid as well once they’d moved into William’s home.
Margrete tied up Ruth’s hair into curls atop her head. Troy would certainly be surprised at this turn of events. Ruth Browne with her hair up? It was a special occasion. Her birthday.
She was 22 today, a true adult woman. It was her first birthday away from her father, and she felt like it was her rebirth into freedom. She made a solemn vow there before the mirror that before she was 23, she would do something new or go somewhere different. She didn’t want to promise herself a great adventure just yet, or else she might be disappointed.
Margrete also helped her to dress. Ruth had more curves than Marianne, but she was still thin around the waist, even without a corset. Margrete always tsked at the fact that Ruth refused to wear one, but she abided by her rules. She helped Ruth to cover her ample breasts with a soft band of cloth and a snug shift before helping her put on her blue gown and tying all of the pieces together. Blue was more of a color fitting for Amelia, but the dark blue also suited Ruth’s clear complexion and brown eyes. It brought out the color of her lips and the redness in her hair. She wanted to look her best today. For herself as a new woman, she told herself, not for any muscled minister.
She looked at herself in the mirror one more time and thanked Margrete before taking a deep breath. She grabbed the cloak and placed it around her. Her arm was feeling better, so she opted to not wear the sling. She did not want to be injured at her own birthday party where she planned to dance and have a merry time. Robyn would be there, and she would make excellent company.
Ruth moved through the hallway to find William and Marianne in the main hall, prepared to leave for the church. They usually walked, as Amelia had taught everyone about the importance of regular exercise, and today was no exception. The closer they got to the church, the more Ruth’s heartbeat increased. She was going to see Troy again, and she was going to find out his secrets. And, she was going to have a party, and he would be there again! It was going to be a full day, and she hoped she would be able to remain strong against him. She planned on continuing to treat him with disdain, especially after what had happened at the sword fight.
They found their way to their seats, the church filling up slowly. As she walked past the benches of villagers and clan members, many of them whispered a hearty ‘happy birthday’ to her, and she greeted her friends and acquaintances warmly. Many of them would come to celebrate with her later. She spotted Colin with his family, and at his grin, she nodded in acknowledgment.
Soon, Troy walked up to the pulpit and looked down at his congregation. Ruth wanted to scream. He looked good. Too good. Ruth looked away, and he began the service with his calm, steady voice.
“My friends. I wanted tae talk today about deception.” Ruth’s eyes flicked up to Troy, and she could see him grinning down at her. He had spotted her in the crowd. She remembered his final words to her after the village. “A minister could not court a woman who lies.”
He actually thought that she wanted him to be among her suitors and she was pretending it wasn’t true. Well it wasn’t true! Not anymore. She glared back at an amused Troy, and he continued.
“‘Tis one of the seven deadly sins, and it can cause much pain to those around us and even ourselves.” Ruth rolled her eyes. Was he not also full of deception? She would make sure to mention that when she saw him later at the party, if she had to speak to him.
Ruth’s mind wandered throughout the rest of the service, daydreaming about traveling on a ship with a brave, strong, shirtless man fighting enemies with a sword.
At the end, when everyone began to start filing out of the church to greet the minister, Ruth decided it was time to make a search of his rooms to see what she could find and see what ammunition she could use against him.
“Marianne, I would like to speak to Robyn. I will walk back to the house myself.”
“Of course, but don’t be too late for your own birthday party, Ruth!”
Ruth smiled. “I wouldn’t dare to miss it.” She then moved away through the crowd, so that Marianne couldn’t see where she was going. She looked around her once as she reached the edge of the crowd and the edge of the sanctuary. Confident no one was looking, she ducked through one of the side doors. Once she was safely behind it, she took a deep breath and ascended the staircase in front of her, clutching her skirts to quicken her steps.
It was slightly dim, but with the morning sun streaming in through a pair of windows at the top, she could see well enough.
She reached the top of the steps and saw a white door, which she opened. Here she had entered into a small room, replete with bed, bookshelf, and hearth. It was not much, but it was very fitting for a country minister.
She let her eyes wander about t
he room, learning more about Troy Ferguson as she looked around. She already knew he was a reading man, but to see a few opened books by his bedside along with a waning candle confirmed he truly had a love for it. She smiled. With his roguish presence gone, she could focus on what had originally drawn her to him. His kindness, his intelligence.
The room was clean, neat, and almost bare, besides the books that filled the shelves. There was also a stopwatch which contained an engraving inside that read, “To my boy who was meant for the sea.” She was intrigued, but she shrugged her shoulders and laid the item back down again, noting the words to think about later.
The only place to search that was of any interest was his bookshelf. She moved through old volumes of theology, philosophy, and, of course, science. The mysterious minister even had a few books on Latin which she fingered jealously. If only they weren’t in the middle of playing a confusing game, she might have asked to borrow them.
Capturing The Reluctant Highlander (Lasses 0f The Kinnaird Castle Book 3) Page 6