Part 5 (1/2)
”Oh, Martha!” Immediately, I felt bad. I hadn't even asked her name. ”She was wonderful!” I exclaimed. ”She washed my hair, and ma.s.saged 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 a.s.s while ye were st.i.tchin' me up and again for abandoning ye in the forest.”
”Forgiven,” I a.s.sured 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 la.s.s, 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 embarra.s.sed myself.
”Forever asking questions, ye are. And me wanting tae bask in yer forgiveness!” he laughed. ”Be patient, la.s.s, 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 gra.s.sy 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, la.s.s. 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 a.s.surance 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, la.s.s,” 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 la.s.s, 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 ill.u.s.tration made me shudder.
I was unsure if I could slit another human being's throat, no matter what the circ.u.mstances. 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, la.s.s,” 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, la.s.s, 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 a.s.sailant is stunned, run like h.e.l.l. Don't forget tae retrieve yer dirk if ye can.”