Page 43 of Conquer the Highlander

Titus’ eyebrows lifted. “The Celtic Storm?” he said with surprise. “I’ve not seen the man in years.”

Clegg could see the pleasure on Titus’ face. “You’ll see him now,” he said. “I knew he was your friend, so I have invited him to fight at The Cal. A happy Titus is a victorious Titus. Does this please you?”

“It does, m’laird, very much.”

Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Titus smile faded. Clegg’s question had him grasping at a myriad of responses. His first thought was of Esme, something Clegg would find out about sooner or later now that he had returned.

He wanted to be honest about it.

“Aye, m’laird,” he said. “There is a… woman.”

Clegg’s eyebrows lifted curiously as he moved to a table containing a rock crystal decanter of wine and matching cups. “A woman?” he said. “Someone you want?”

Titus watched the man as he poured ruby-red liquid into a cup. “Nay,” he said. “It is no one I want, at least not in the manner ye’re suggesting. It is a woman I knew long ago. She has come tae me for help and I have agreed.”

Clegg’s curiosity grew. “What kind of help?”

“She wants tae return to Navarre,” he said, which was true. So far, he’d managed to avoid lying to Clegg about the situation. “She has asked me tae help her earn money for her passage. She is very intelligent and can read and write several languages. She has offered tae help those at The Cal learn tae read and write if they wish, as a way of earning money.”

Clegg apparently didn’t think that sounded too outlandish. There was a time when he had been adamant about not having women at the Ludus Caledonia other than comfort women for the warriors, but over the past few years, he’d greatly relaxed that stance, which was why Titus had no fear in asking. He was certain Clegg would agree.

As it turned out, he was right.

“I have no issue with her remaining,” he said. “But if she needs money, why not just give it to her?”

Titus smiled ironically. “I have tried,” he said. “She willna take it. She says she willna take money she hasna earned.”

“A lady who will not take your money but would rather work for it? Astonishing.”

“She is… unusual, ’tis true,” Titus said. “If ye’re agreeable, I will spread the word that she’s willing tae teach for a small price.”

Clegg didn’t hesitate. “That might be beneficial,” he said. “I think some of our warriors might wish to learn. What languages does she speak?”

“She is from Navarre, so she speaks Spanish,” Titus said. “She also speaks English, French, and Catalan.”

“Ah,” Clegg said. “An educated woman.”

“Aye, m’laird.”

Clegg scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Does she know Latin?”

“I dunna know, but I shall ask.”

“Do,” Clegg said. “Mayhap I can give her some work. I have many volumes from Rome, written in Latin, that she may be able to translate for me. My Latin is not as good as my English.”

“I shall ask, m’laird,” Titus said. “Thank ye for allowing her tae remain.”

“Where is she sleeping?”

“In my cottage, m’laird.”

Clegg snorted. “I might have known,” he said. “Well, keep her to yourself if you wish. As I said… a happy Titus is a victorious Titus.”

Titus knew exactly what Clegg meant. Titus’ reputation as a womanizer wasn’t something that bothered him until this very moment. He wasn’t keeping Esme in his cottage so he could ravish her nightly, but Clegg thought that was the exact reason. Titus didn’t care that Clegg thought that of him because it was a true assumption, but Esme…

She wasn’t that kind of woman.