Page 27 of Conquer the Highlander

Titus looked at the man. Almost more than any of the others, Cam had a sense of concern and compassion for his friends. He didn’t come from a warring background, which meant that the inherent cruelty that men could so often commit against each other in battle wasn’t ingrained in him. He was genuinely concerned for Titus.

But Titus couldn’t let Cam know that he was a wee bit concerned, too.

He patted Cam on the cheek.

“Ye worry like an old woman,” he said. “But I wouldna have it any other way.”

As Cam smirked and shook his head at his cocky friend, Titus handed his gladius off to one of the servants who tended the field and the armory. They were everywhere on the arena floor, making sure the men were properly armed and that everything was in good condition.

Without another word, and without a hind glance to The Bear, who was trying very hard to impress upon Titus the beating he was in for that evening, Titus headed out of the arena. He wasn’t thinking about The Bear.

There was a certain Spanish lass he intended to see.

It had been a busy morning.

It had all started after the infants had been put to bed. Esme had returned to Titus’ cottage to collect his laundry, and by the time she had emerged with it, Isadora and Lilia were heading in her direction, their arms heavy with garments. Isadora was even carrying a big basket loaded with more items like hose and slippers and combs.

Esme was pushed back into the cottage by her well-meaning new friends. She set Titus’ laundry aside as Isadora and Lilia went to work on her. They had brought her so many things that it was difficult to know where to start, but they began by pulling out a clean and serviceable broadcloth dress.

Lady Ayr’s fine green silk came off.

The broadcloth was a little worn, but still very nice. It belonged to Lilia, who was about the same size as Esme. They had also brought soap and linens with them, and they helped Esme wash before pulling a shift over her head. The broadcloth dress followed. The sleeves were long, and the bodice was made snug with a tie in the back that Isadora tied so tightly that Esme joked she must have been used to saddling horses.

In truth, Esme was touched that they should go through so much trouble. She had never been around women who were so willing to help. All of the women she had ever known since coming to Scotland had been self-absorbed and not particularly compassionate to a young woman who did not fit in. Therefore, to meet two young women who were so willing to be kind to her was surprising.

But it was also wonderful.

Finding them, in all places, at a fight guild.

When Esme was finally dressed, Lilia stayed with the children while Isadora gave her a tour of the complex. Among the many hidden attributes of the place, Esme discovered that there was a community garden where women tended vegetables to serve to their men. Both Isadora and Lilia had their own little plots, and Isadora explained that not long ago, women weren’t even allowed at the Ludus Caledonia.

But times had changed. Entire families were at the Ludus Caledonia, and it was as self-sufficient as any city. Some women liked to grow their own food even though there were two massive kitchens that provided meals twice a day, and there was also a butcher where cuts of meat were provided from the herds of cow and sheep that belonged to the Ludus Caledonia.

In addition to the butcher and garden, there was also a wash house where the laundry was done, a big stone structure that was built around a well and a trough, and there were already a dozen women inside tending to their washing. There was much gossip and laughter going on, and Isadora introduced Esme to the women. She braced herself for more cattiness but was surprised, yet again, by their polite and genuine interest in a morning that had been full of such surprises.

In fact, it had been a day of unexpected pleasantness.

The tour took about an hour, and when it was all done, Esme could see that the Ludus Caledonia was a city unto itself, completely self-sustaining. The only difference with this city was that the source of revenue came from the fighting games, which took place four nights a week. The nights were not consecutive, most of the time, so the warriors would have a rest in between their bouts, and not all warriors fought every night.

She also learned that the warrior classes were tiered. There were novices all the way up to the professional fighters, like Titus. Since Titus was such a popular fighter, he had his choice of the nights he wanted to fight, and Esme was told that he generally fought at least three nights a week, depending on how big the purses were. There was speculation that Titus was the wealthiest fighter at the Ludus Caledonia because since he had arrived, he had never lost a fight.

It had been a very enlightening morning.

Once they returned home, Isadora set up the wash area in the trees behind the cottages. As it turned out, neither she nor Lilia used the common wash house, and Esme washed every bit of clothing she had found in Titus’ cottage with perfectionist zeal. It had taken her most of the morning to do six tunics, three pairs of linen breeches, and the linens off his bed.

It was hard physical labor, but Esme didn’t mind. She enjoyed doing something useful, so different from her days of idleness at Culroy. When she was finally finished washing all of Titus’ items, she hung them up on the branches of trees. She was just hanging up the last of the bed linen when she caught sight of Titus.

Her heart skipped a beat.

He was naked from the waist up as he approached, his broad chest a beautiful shade of bronze. After all she’d heard that morning about him, she was coming to realize that he was a very important person. At the Ludus Caledonia, he’d earned himself quite a reputation, and there was a part of her that thought, perhaps, she was unworthy of such a man. It had been presumptuous of her to have asked for his help.

She was suddenly nervous.

In her haste to greet Titus, Esme ended up yanking down one of the big bed linens that she had so carefully washed. As it came down over her head, her foot caught in it and down she went into the dirt.

Hands were reaching down to untangle her.

“Are ye in there?” Titus asked.