Warriors In Winter: In the Bleak Midwinter. Michelle Willingham

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      ‘Are you all right?’ she asked Adriana.

      The woman nodded. ‘I’m still getting accustomed to this place. It was just some troubling dreams.’ Though she tried to smile, Brianna noted a tension in her demeanour.

      ‘My brother said you wanted to learn how to protect yourself. I’ll join you this morn, for I want to improve my own skills.’ Adriana waved a hand to Lord de Manzano, who ended his sparring match and sheathed his sword.

      When he strode toward them, Brianna saw the thin sheen of perspiration on his skin. The tunic he wore was shapeless, but she’d caught a glimpse of muscles within the cloth. There was no doubt the man was a strong fighter, like her uncles.

      Murtagh had been competent, but his skill was in building. He’d ignored his father’s wishes and had spent his days laying stone around the castle and working with the king to improve their physical barriers against enemies. Had he trained with the others, he might have been better prepared to fight during the Lochlannach raid.

      A silent grief enfolded her mood, and she remained solemn when Arturo bade them a good morning.

      ‘We’ll move away from the others,’ he said. ‘Otherwise, you’ll distract the men.’ He led them away, pressing his palm against the small of Brianna’s back. Though it was an innocent gesture, awareness of him slid through her skin. She could smell the faint aroma of soap, as if he’d bathed before dawn. His dark hair was pulled back in a cord, and he walked with an air of confidence.

      ‘You should learn the knife first,’ he suggested, ‘before the spear. If a man tries to attack you, it’s the easiest weapon to seize.’

      He stood before his sister to demonstrate. Adriana smiled at her brother, and when he grasped her arms, she retaliated by slipping her hands to his waist. Within seconds, the blade was pointed at his throat.

      Lord de Manzano released her and beckoned. ‘Now it’s your turn.’

      Brianna took the young woman’s place and he instructed her. ‘I’m going to seize your shoulders. Your task is to unsheathe the knife at my waist.’

      Brianna tried, but her hands were locked at her sides. ‘How? I can’t move my arms.’

      Adriana moved beside her. ‘Men have weaknesses when it comes to women. Put your hands upon his chest, as though you want him to hold you.’

      Brianna obeyed, but when she touched Arturo, she grew aware of his hardened chest and the muscles that were like stones beneath her palms.

      ‘Slide your hands down his torso and look at him as though you are enjoying his touch,’ Adriana instructed.

      Brianna hesitated. She wasn’t at all accustomed to using feminine wiles against a man. When she looked into Arturo’s dark eyes, she didn’t like the attraction that sparked between them. Slowly, she moved her palms down his body and saw the flare of interest in his eyes.

      Her breath caught, and in a suspended moment, she recognised her answering response. It had been so long since she’d felt a man’s touch. And God forgive her, she’d missed it.

      ‘When you reach his waist, hold your hands there for a moment before you strike. In one motion, you’ll have to take his blade and lift it to his throat.’

      Arturo’s hands tightened around her shoulders, and Brianna reached for the blade at his waist.

      ‘You have to know where the knife is,’ Adrianna corrected her. ‘If you search for it, he’ll know your intent.’

      Brianna held steady and drew one hand around Arturo’s back, the other hand seeking the weapon. In his arms, she felt the heat of his skin, the dark seduction of his gaze. He watched her with the eyes of a man who knew how to touch a woman and evoke her passion. As if he had all the time in the world.

      Shaken by the direction of her thoughts, her hand closed upon the hilt and she forced it upward, aiming for his throat. She moved too quickly, and the blade nicked his chin.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ she apologised, lowering the blade and touching his chin. It was a shallow cut, but she felt terrible for it. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you.’

      He caught her fingers, moving them aside. ‘It’s nothing, cariño. Don’t trouble yourself.’ He leaned in to her ear and whispered, ‘Unless you want to kiss it better.’

      She jerked away from him so fast, he might have been on fire. But he only laughed at her while his sister shook her head in exasperation. ‘Pay him no mind, Brianna. Arturo is, and always has been, a terrible flirt.’

      She spoke to him rapidly in Spanish, and from her tone, Brianna suspected she was giving him a warning. His response was a lazy smile. ‘Care to try it again?’

      She did, but this time, she was more careful with the dagger. After several more trials, she was able to retrieve the blade without error.

      Liam joined them after an hour, and he took Adriana with him for a walk. When they’d gone, Brianna thanked him, saying, ‘I should go.’

      ‘Why? Because you’re afraid to be alone with me?’

      ‘There are nearly two dozen people around us,’ she countered. ‘We’re not alone.’

      ‘Then keep your part of our bargain. You were going to show me the surrounding land.’

      From the uncertain look on her face, Arturo suspected Brianna would search for any possible means to avoid it. Instead she thought a moment and replied, ‘All right. But first, I’ll get food to take along. We’ll be gone for a few hours.’

      Something about her quick agreement made him wonder about her intentions. She spoke to a young girl with dark brown hair, murmuring instructions. While he arranged for their horses, Brianna departed. For a time, he didn’t know when she would return, but eventually she emerged, carrying a bundle of supplies. An older man and woman followed her. Arturo vaguely remembered seeing them earlier.

      With scarred cheeks and streaks of grey at his temples, the older man eyed him as if considering whether or not to kill him. His hand rested upon a sword at his side, and his eyes were a familiar green.

      The woman had a warm smile, and she spoke to Brianna softly before turning to him. ‘I am Lady Genevieve. Brianna has asked us to accompany you this afternoon on your ride. Of course, we’d be glad to come.’ Mischief brewed on the woman’s face as she approached to greet him. ‘She told me that you wish to see more of Ireland.’

      ‘That is so.’ Arturo bowed and took the older woman’s hand. Raising it to his mouth in greeting, he added, ‘It would be my honour, Lady.’

      ‘Let go of my wife’s hand, Spaniard,’ came a low growl from the older man.

      Arturo met his gaze squarely, but took no offence. ‘I would wager you are Brianna’s father.’ At the man’s curt nod, he understood that this was Brianna’s means of keeping her bargain without being alone with him. Did she truly feel uneasy in his company? When he’d taught her how to defend herself with a blade, they had stood almost in an embrace. Her hands had trembled as she’d touched him, moving her hands down his chest СКАЧАТЬ