Page 3 of To Win a Highlander’s Heart

Sarah’s good humour faded. “You could have missed.”

“I never miss,” Isolde said with a lift of her chin.

“Your stubborn pride will be the end of you one day, Isolde.” Sarah’s lips pressed into a thin line. “John is trying to help see you settled. It is his responsibility to do so. He truly wants to see you promised before our child arrives.”

“I want different things,” Isolde said tartly.

Sarah shook her head. “Women do not have the luxury of wanting anything other than marriage and children, no matter how talented they are with a bow. It is your duty as the laird’s sister to obey him. John has been more than fair with you. In fact, if you would come below with me, you would see that your brother is prepared to offer you a compromise.”

Isolde frowned. “What kind of compromise?”

Sarah’s features eased into a more sincere smile as she motioned towards the open doorway leading from the tower to the rooms below. “Come and see for yourself.”

In silence, she and Sarah slowly walked down the stairs that curved inside the tower. Isolde kept hold of Sarah’s arm as they descended to make certain she did not fall. The pace gave her plenty of time to observe the windows that were too narrow to slip through along the stairwell. Through the castle’s open doorway, Isolde heard male voices. They were still too far away to make out the words. What kind of compromise awaited her in the courtyard? Her brother was not often charitable when it came to her. So she would be wise to temper her expectations. But she had to admit she was curious.

When they reached the bottom of the tower, Isolde opened the door for Sarah to pass through then stepped out onto the grassy area adjacent to the courtyard. The late-summer sunshine was only now burning through the mist that still lingered on the ground, making the scene before her seem a little unreal.

Seven of the men who had arrived earlier now remained near her brother. As she approached, they all turned to stare. Ewen smiled and punched the man beside him in the arm. “There she is, my soon-to-be bride.” His deep voice resonated through the courtyard, setting Isolde’s nerves on end. Instead of arguing, she glanced at her brother.

Sarah moved to her husband’s side and whispered in his ear. Most likely telling him how she’d found Isolde on the tower. A frown of displeasure cut across John’s face. “Were you about to slay one of these men?”

“I do not condone murder, Brother. But I will defend myself, if necessary, from you forcing me into wedlock.”

“I have learned long ago that I cannot force you to do anything you do not wish to do. So, instead I have devised a test of your abilities that will determine your future for you.” He turned towards the open area of the courtyard, which had been set with three stacks of hay and three targets made of coiled straw that were a great distance away. “Since you take great pride in your skill as an archer, I challenge you to best Ewen in hitting these targets. If you win, I will allow you to fight with my guards. If he wins, you will surrender your bow and arrow and marry him this very day.”

Isolde stared at her brother in disbelief. Was he truly giving her a choice? Or at least a chance to decide her own fate? Or was this a trick of some sort? If she agreed, and didn’t live up to her end of the competition, she would be married by the end of the day. Or was that what John hoped? That by agreeing, she would start to question her own abilities and fail?

Whatever may be, she didn’t really have any other option. She had to compete, and she trusted her own skills to see her through. “I agree to your terms,” she said without looking at Ewen.

“Then come.” Her brother motioned for her to follow as he headed towards the castle. With the stone wall behind them, the entire courtyard lay before them. She would have to strike the targets from at least seven and seventy yards away. She’d done that before, but this time she would have to do it better than the man who now stood beside her.

In his hands, Ewen held a long bow, and his quiver held a number of arrows that were several inches longer than her arrows. While he strung his bow, the sound of footfalls coming from the castle doorway filled the air. Others from the castle had come to watch, alerted by their voices that something significant was happening outside.

Silence suddenly filled the courtyard as Ewen raised his bow and nocked an arrow. He gave Isolde a smug smile before he let the arrow fly, easily driving one arrow then another into the coiled straw, marking the target. “There. Best that,” he said stepping aside.

All eyes were upon her as she lifted her bow, drew an arrow from her quiver, then concentrated on the target. His arrows had struck the target in the centre. She would have to hit the space between his arrow to best him.

She forced her arm to remain relaxed as she sighted the target and let first one arrow, then a second.

Her arrows hit the target. She didn’t have to race down to the target to see that her strikes were directly above his arrows.

John and Sarah rushed to the target to inspect the shots. “It’s a tie,” John announced before moving back out of the way.

Ewen nodded, seeming pleased with that outcome. He moved to the left, in alignment with the second target. He took his time lining up his shot, then let his arrows fly in rapid succession once more. One arrow hit the target dead centre and the other arrow knocked the first from its placement. He’d shot both with exact precision.

A heaviness weighed Isolde down as she took her place and raised her bow. She’d proved herself time and again. To Father. To his master-at-arms. To at least half the men in the castle. And now she would have to prove herself yet again. She had to hit near dead centre twice, or her hopes of gaining her freedom from marriage might be at an end. Swallowing tightly, she drew the string of her bow back until it touched her lips and the middle of her chin. As she had a hundred times before, she let her arrow ease off the string. It arched at what seemed an impossibly slow pace, but as the arrow reached its arc it sped towards the target. Isolde held her breath even as she reached for a second arrow, sending it after the other. The first arrow hit right next to Ewen’s arrow at the centre of the target. The second arrow hit right beside the first, setting all the arrows quivering at the impact.

Isolde lowered her bow as John moved to the target. Ewen frowned. Once John had finished his inspection, he turned to those gathered and announced, “Round two goes to Isolde.”

“Well done,” Ewen said, but the words hardly sounded like praise.

Even so, a swell of pride warmed Isolde’s chest for a heartbeat before she tamped it down. She had to win this final round for her dreams to become reality—to prove once and for all she was worthy of fighting alongside any of them.

With a stern look on his face, Ewen moved to the third target. The crowd murmured in anticipation as he prepared for the final round. Once he brought his arrow up, silence descended over the courtyard. His arrow flew straight and true, burrowing into the target at the centre. His second arrow followed quickly, and hit the target right beside the other arrow. His smug grin reappeared. “Try to beat me now, if you can.”

Ewen wasn’t giving up without a fight. She had to best him once more with two perfectly aimed arrows. Again, those gathered conversed amongst themselves as Isolde lined up with the target. Ewen came to stand beside her.

“You’re not worried about hitting the target, are you?” he asked in a snide tone.