The Imposter

by Jenna Stone

  “Hello,” I said cheerily, “What’s going on?” I questioned, pretending to have just walked upon this scene.

  “Nothing,” both men shouted at the same time, goofy smiles still fresh on their faces.

  “Jaime just had a wee accident,” Devon smiled as he clapped his cousin firmly on the back. Jaime coughed in response and straightened.

  “Have fun,” Jaime wheezed, maintaining his forced smile.

  I returned his smile and walked towards Devon’s outstretched hand.

  “How was yer bath?” he questioned.

  A smile of pure bliss radiated across my lips. “Heavenly,” I replied. “Thank you.”

  “It was the least I could do.” he smiled back as he opened the door to the stall in front of us. “Wait here,” he commanded as he stepped inside.

  I heard the stamping of hooves and a whicker of recognition. Devon whispered some words in Gaelic to the horse. Of course I couldn’t understand what he said, but I knew that they were sweet words by the manner in which they were spoken. This was a man who loved his horse.

  Devon strode from the stall, reins in hand followed by a horse so enormous that it was my turn to have my breath taken away. He expects me to ride that thing? I took a step backwards and the giant beast whinnied as if sensing my fear.

  “Doona fret, lass,” Devon encouraged, chuckling at my obvious fear of his gigantic horse. “This is Stanley. He’s a good lad,” Devon said proudly as he patted the shoulder of the horse, who nuzzled his chest in return. “He’ll do ye nae harm as long as yer with me,” he assured.

  I was not yet convinced that being anywhere near this gigantic horse could be safe.

  With one svelte motion, Devon swung his leg up and over the giant horse and was astride the beast. Had I been paying closer attention and not been so riddled with anxiety, I might have had an answer to the age old question. “What do Scotsmen wear underneath their kilts?”

  The Scotsman in question held out a hand to me, encouraging me with a delicious smile to step forward.

  “You’ll hurt your arm again! I’m not riding with you,” I said firmly, taking a step away from him and crossing my arms defiantly across my chest.

  “No I won’t. This time ye’ll have tae hold on for yerself, or I’ll just let ye fall off and learn the hard way,” he said matter-of-factly.

  “You wouldn’t dare,” I said with a huff, knowing full well that he was bluffing.

  I stepped forward and took his strong hand, noticing how small my own looked when captured inside of his. In one fluid motion, Devon had me settled in front of him on the horse, and I felt his solid thighs beneath mine and his chest against my back. The intimacy of our contact caught me off guard and sent shivers pulsing through my body. My senses were heightened by his touch. Every time that this man touched me I was reminded of my undeniable attraction to him.

  I had planned to insist upon riding my own horse, but admittedly, I was relieved that I would not have to face up to the challenge. I relaxed against Devon, spread my skirts about my legs and held on for dear life. Jaime tied the reins of a smaller dapple colored mare onto the back of Stanley’s saddle and slapped the stallion softly on the rump.

  Devon made a subtle clicking sound which spurred Stanley into motion, and we were on our way. Devon’s hands gripped the reins as he guided Stanley out of the stables. His arms encircled me in the process and I felt quite safe for being astride a giant beast. We came out into the sunshine and I closed my eyes, inhaling sharply as I leaned back slightly against Devon’s broad chest, being careful of his injured shoulder.

  “Ye smell divine, lass.”

  “Thank you,” I replied, finding it ironic that I had also been admiring his scent. The autumn breeze had kicked up his masculine scent, enticing my senses. He smelled of sandalwood, sunshine and sweat, but mostly he smelled of Devon. His scent was blatantly arousing, and I remembered it from our encounter yesterday in the forest.

  Will he kiss me again? I hoped that he would, then chastised my conscience for even allowing the silly thought to enter my mind.

  “Lavender and sunshine,” his cheek brushed against my hair as he inhaled deeply. “Ye have beautiful hair, lass,” he said as he reached up and tucked a stray lock behind my ear. “Did they send Martha as I requested?” he inquired.

  “Martha?” I asked, unsure of what he was talking about. I was still lost in my fantasy of kissing Devon again.

  “Martha the wee maid. For yer bath.”

  “Oh, Martha!” Immediately, I felt bad. I hadn’t even asked her name. “She was wonderful!” I exclaimed. “She washed my hair, and massaged my back, and…..”

  “I thought ye might enjoy her attentions,” he chuckled.

  “And to think that I almost sent her away!”

  “Ye what?” he exclaimed. “Do ye ken what it cost me tae get her?”

  I smiled. “But, I didn’t send her away, and I’m thankful for that. She was wonderful. Thanks again.”

  “So, am I forgiven? I think that I must ask ye tae doubly forgive me, once for being an ass while ye were stitchin’ me up and again for abandoning ye in the forest.”

  “Forgiven,” I assured him. “For both, I mean. But, you are most definitely not forgiven for kissing me,” I said coolly, looking straight ahead.

  “I didna ask for yer forgiveness for kissing ye. I’m not sorry that I did it, in fact, I think that ye liked it,” he said boldly.

  “I most certainly did not like it,” I responded, knowing full well that I was lying.

  “Then why did ye kiss me back?”

  “I did not kiss you back,” I lied.

  “Sorry to break it to ye lass, but ye most definitely did kiss me back. And ye liked it.”

  “Just don’t try it again,” I warned, knowing that I was fighting a losing battle.

  “Where are we headed?” I asked, opting to change the subject before I further embarrassed myself.

  “Forever asking questions, ye are. And me wanting tae bask in yer forgiveness!” he laughed. “Be patient, lass, and ye’ll see.”

  “I’m not patient by nature, but you haven’t led me astray yet. You have dumped me in the forest, but you haven’t led me astray,” I joked, and settled myself more firmly atop his thighs, feeling their strength beneath mine as he gently guided Stanley. I felt the muscles of his thighs tense beneath my own.

  “Sae kissing ye was not leading ye astray?” he asked boldly, bringing the subject deftly back to our encounter in the forest. He was clearly enjoying chiding me about our kiss.

  “I’m changing my mind about this surprise,” I warned, refusing to talk about the kiss.

  “Hold on!” Was all the warning that I received as he spurred Stanley forward into a full blown run, the mare trailing behind us.

  I’d never gone so fast on a horse in my life. It was scary at first, but I was confident that Devon’s capable arms would keep me safe. My body gradually became less tense and I found myself quite exhilarated by the speed. The ground was a blur beneath us and the rhythmic beating of Stanley’s great hooves striking the Earth filled my ears.

  Devon transferred the reins to his right hand and slid his left arm around my waist. Clearly he was less than satisfied with my ability to hold onto the swiftly moving horse, thinking it best to provide me with added security. He gathered me soundly against his chest and I was thankful for his strong body. I felt free. I also felt utterly and completely safe held against his chest. The wind whipped against my face and my unbound hair cascaded out behind me.

  Oh my. His close proximity made my blood rush.

  Devon bent down and lowered his cheek against mine. I felt the stubble of his day’s growth of beard against my sensitive skin. “Close yer eyes,” he whispered into my ear.

  I did as he commanded, without question. I surrendered to the sensation of freedom and safety. With my eyes closed my other bodily senses were heightened. Devon’s masculine smell mingled with the smell of lathered horse and damp Earth,
overtaking my senses. My ears were flooded by the whistling wind and the rhythmic pounding of Stanley’s hooves on the ground. My sense of touch was overwhelmed with the rigid strength of Devon’s body around me, supporting me. My fingers dug into the cool leather of the saddle. I felt Devon tug the reins ever so slightly, slowing Stanley’s pace. As the giant horse slowed down, I came back to reality and opened my eyes. What I beheld was breathtaking.

  “Surprise,” Devon whispered into my hair, arm still encircling my waist.

  The harsh beauty of this place was unmatched by anywhere I had ever seen before. Stanley had stopped in a large grassy clearing that was surrounded by forest. The colors were vivid and full of life. Beyond the trees there were tall, craggy peaks so high that they seemed to defy all possibility.

  “Beautiful, is it no?” he smiled proudly. I’d planned tae take ye here the other day after our lunch, but ye ken, the bells didna allow for it.”

  “It’s wonderful,” I agreed. “Not quite as picturesque as the forest that you abandoned me in, but nice none the less,” I joked.

  “Not fair, lass. Ye said I was forgiven for that.”

  “You are forgiven. You only did what you had to to keep me safe.”

  “And that is exactly why I brought ye here. I need assurance that ye can keep yerself safe. I’m going to teach ye to fight.”

  I started blankly at him. “Teach me to fight?”

  He must be joking.

  “With a dirk,” he gave me a look of encouragement that was meant to steady me.

  I laughed at him. Or more, I laughed at the craziness of his intention.

  “Alright, teach me,” I said, still giggling. “I promise to be a good student.”

  “And I promise tae be a good teacher. I’ll not have ye defenseless again.” It was evident from Devon’s expression that to him, this was not a laughing matter. He was dead serious.

  He helped me down from the giant horse and withdrew a dagger from the saddlebag, offering the hilt of the weapon to me, green eyes encouraging me to take it. I tentatively wrapped my fingers around the hilt of the dagger, weighing it in my hand, surprised by its unexpected weight. Devon reached down and drew his own dirk from his belt.

  He moved to stand beside me and began my impromptu lesson. “Mind, ye hold it like this, lass,” he instructed demonstrating the correct grip on the hilt of his dagger.

  I adjusted my grip to match his and held the weapon out for his appraisal. He used his other hand to adjust my fingers and nodded in approval. “As a lass, yer best tactic using a dirk is the element of surprise. Most likely, yer attacker will be stronger than ye are, and more experienced, sae hide yer weapon under yer skirts and use the element of surprise as ye plan yer attack. Ye may only get one chance. Use it wisely.”

  I could not imagine using this weapon on another human being, and I noticed how foreign the dagger felt in my hand. Having always been surrounded by my father’s well trained guards, self defense was not a skill that I had previously required.

  “The dirk is best used for stabbing someone in close combat.” He instructed matter-of-factly, as if this was something that happened every day. “There are a few places that ye can try to aim for, but always remember that ye may only get one opportunity, so wait, calculate yer chances and use it wisely. If yer face tae face with the enemy the neck is always a good target. There is a large artery that runs right here,” he demonstrated using his own body, turning his head to the side and tracing the line of his carotid artery with the tip of his dirk. His illustration made me shudder.

  I was unsure if I could slit another human being’s throat, no matter what the circumstances. The dirk suddenly felt heavier in my hand and I tightened my grip.

  “Mind ye that it will take some force tae inflict a fatal wound. Ye must slash deeply. Use the side of the dirk in order tae make it count. Doona stab at the neck, slash,” he instructed, again demonstrating the correct motion with his own dirk against the skin of his neck.

  “Give it a try?” he questioned, looking at me encouragingly as if he were giving a simple lesson in mathematics.

  I held the dirk up, using the grip that he had shown me and raised it cautiously towards his neck. I turned the dirk on its side, placed it against his skin, and mimicked the motion that he had shown me.

  “Good, lass,” he encouraged. “Another good place to aim for is the liver, doona try for the heart. It’s too protected by the sternum and the ribs. Ye’ll never get at it if ye don’t ken what yer doing. Plus, ye have tae pretty much bury a dirk in a man to get at his heart. Most women are not likely tae do that. The liver is more exposed, ken, it’s on the right side of a person’s body, partially protected by the ribs, but partially exposed. Remember when yer takin’ aim at yer enemy that their right side is the opposite of yours when they are facing ye. Take yer dirk and aim it up, strike hard and bury it deep into the liver. Move the dirk around inside of the man’s body if ye can tae increase the chances of a fatal wound.”

  I mimicked his motion, pointing the tip of my dirk towards his right side, thrusting it firmly up, imagining that I was going under the ribs and striking the vulnerable liver beneath.

  “Use both hands, lass, for a more powerful attack,” he said, grabbing my other hand and placing it on the hilt of the dagger. “Like I said, ye will likely only get one shot, sae make it count.”

  Devon was in his element and it was a beautiful sight to behold. I was in awe of his controlled strength, his knowledge and his grace with a weapon. My attraction to him almost caused me to forget that he was a deadly Highland warrior. To see this warrior in action was both alluring and intriguing.

  “Now, if ye are attacking someone from behind, say they turn their back on ye and ye have a chance tae make a move, yer best bet is tae go for the kidneys or tae slit their throat from behind. The kidneys are located in the lower back, here and here, he demonstrated by turning around and placing his fists in the small of his back. Be careful not tae stab too low or ye might hit the pelvis. Mind ye that a kidney strike would can be fatal, but not immediately. If ye must go for the kidney, make yer move and while yer assailant is stunned, run like hell. Don’t forget tae retrieve yer dirk if ye can.”

  “Alright,” was all that I could think to say, still stunned by the fact that Devon thought that this was information that I would need. I tried to be a good student, but the possibility that I might someday have to use this information scared me to death. This lesson was overwhelming and I knew that it showed in the expression on my face.

  “Need a break, lass?” Devon questioned, again seeming to read my thoughts.

  “Yeah,” I said with relief, dropping right where I stood and settling to my knees on the ground.

  “I hate pushin’ ye sae hard, but I’ll feel better when I ken that ye can defend yerself,” he confessed, sheathing his dagger in his belt. He walked over to the horses and retrieved a jug of ale and two mugs from the saddlebag. He joined me on the ground sitting cross-legged, then poured us each a mug of ale.

  He’s worried about me?

  My heart raced as I contemplated why this beautiful warrior was so concerned with my safety.

  I took a sip and it tasted wonderful, cool and refreshing.

  “So, what is yer plan, Kate?” Devon questioned as he took a dreg of ale. “Do ye plan to go home tae yer family, or will ye stay here and find another match?”

  His direct approach surprised me. I took another drink of ale, swallowing it down in an unpleasant gulp as I pondered how best to respond to this question. I hated living a lie.

  I want to stay here. I’m safe here, here with you.

  My subconscious cringed as I admitted to myself the truth. I wanted to stay here because of Devon.

  “I’ve been thinking about staying here… to see what might happen.” I ventured, knowing full well that I couldn’t go “home” to Ms. Berkshire’s family. Staying here was currently my only option as I bided my time, knowing that I should escape and set my ow
n course in life.

  “Ye will be safe here, Kate,” he said, as if reading my mind. “I’ll see tae yer safety for as long as I can,” he promised. “I still owe ye a debt of gratitude for what ye did for my men, for me. Ye saved Brennan’s life for sure.”

  “I don’t want to go home,” I added for good measure, fearing that I would be sent to Katherine’s home and be exposed as an imposter. I was far safer with the McClains for now, it was unlikely that my father would ever find me here, even if he suspected that I might have survived my dive into the ocean.

  “Leti will be pleased,” he continued. “Nathan too. I’m not sure what ye did there, but ye’ve got Nathan wound right round yer little finger.”

  Will you be pleased if I stay?

  I knew that he was attracted to me, but I was unsure just how interested in me he was. Was he thinking that he might be the match for me? Or, was he just thinking that I might be a lively conquest that would give him another notch in his bedpost?

  “Ye’ll need to speak with Collin, ken? Now that he’s Laird he’ll want tae know yer intentions so as tae find a suitable match for ye.”

  “I get the feeling that Collin doesn’t like me,” I confided. “I won’t look forward to having that conversation with him. He makes me nervous.”

  “That’s his manner. Collin has always operated by intimidation. Makes him feel powerful, ken? Da never gave him the responsibility that he craved, so Collin developed a liking of exerting his power on those he perceives as weaker than himself.”

  “Have you ever gotten along with your brother?” I asked.

  “Not really. He has a different Mam than Leti and I do. There’s always been jealousy between us. I wish that it could have been different. I think that Collin has always felt as though Da tried to replace his Mam when she died by marrying our mother. When Leti and I came along as bairns, Collin felt like an outsider tae Da’s new family.”