head. “But it can’t be. Either Lord Easton is a lovely man with a pair of very convincing duckies.” He turned his gaze to where Lord Easton slowly strode away with Pip following at his side. “Or Lady Isolde—” He shook his head harder with obvious disbelief. “It can’t be, sir. Ladies don’t fight. Especially not like that. I thought Lord Easton was going to tear Brodie’s head from his body.”
Cormac ran his hands over the edge of his jaw, scrubbing the prickling whiskers. Alan was correct. It was highly unlikely. And yet…
He strode off after the earl. “Ye fought well, my lord.”
“Not well enough.” There was a tremble to the arrogant tone.
Was the voice feminine beneath the air of pretension?
“I can fight for ye.” It was foolish of Cormac to offer, but he couldn’t help himself. Especially if Lord Easton truly was Lady Isolde.
Everyone knew Brodie’s champion, Edmund the Braw, was a beast of a man. Cormac could very well die.
Lord Easton most assuredly would.
A sniffle came from inside Lord Easton’s helm. Cormac found it strange that the man wore it even out of combat. Come to think of it, Cormac had never seen the earl’s face, and his suspicions re-emerged with force.
Lord Easton slowed. “’Tis a generous offer, Sutherland, but I fear this is a battle I must fight. I would gladly accept your council, however, should you be kind enough to offer it.”
“Aye, I’ll do anything I can to help.” Cormac considered the smaller man and wondered again if it was Lady Isolde’s slender body encased in chainmail and padding. If so, had she bound her breasts beneath?
He recalled how they’d been full and firm in her gown at the feast.
He also realized he was staring at the earl’s chest in an attempt to make out any swells of feminine flesh. His cheeks heated, and he snapped his fingers at the dog. “Pip, leave the earl be.”
Pip’s tail dipped between his legs, and he issued another soft whine before trotting off to return to Alan.
“If you’ll excuse me,” the earl muttered.
“Of course.” Cormac stopped abruptly to give the earl his space and watched as the Englishman slowly walked away with a decidedly unfeminine gait.
As the day went on, Cormac searched for Lady Isolde as well as Lord Easton. Despite his efforts and those of his men, neither were to be found.
That evening at the feast, Cormac half-expected Lady Isolde to have taken her meal in her rooms and was surprised to find her sitting in her usual spot at the high table. This time, she wore a silk kirtle as pale blue as her eyes with her auburn hair coiled into a silver caul. Candlelight cast golden shadows over her creamy skin and teased at the hollows of her collarbones and throat.
However, Lady Isolde was not the only person to catch his notice.
Brodie wove through the stream of people, his focus set on her. Cormac was closer and quickened his pace to ensure he arrived before his rival. In the end, it was Pip who beat them all and immediately fell to his place at her feet.
“May I join ye, Lady Isolde?” Cormac asked.
She glanced up at him and nodded, “Aye.”
“I hope yer brother fares well after the fight this morn,” Cormac offered.
Lady Isolde nodded but did not say anything. A pained expression touched her eyes, and she swallowed hard.
“And how do ye fare?” He asked.
She cast her eyes demurely to her lap. “I am quite well. Thank you.”
“My lady,” Cormac lowered his voice to speak privately to her. “Please know you can speak to me with honesty.”
She lifted her head, meeting his gaze, and sighed heavily. “If I’m being entirely honest, I’m vexed.”
“I imagine most would be in yer position.” Cormac cut a slice of meat from the shank of venison laid before them and placed it on Isolde’s pewter plate.
She pressed her lips together.
He’d said the wrong thing again. Irritation for his own blundering tightened along his back.
“I have to wonder if you are where you want to be.” She lifted her head and gave him a brazen stare.
“Do ye think I’m no’?” he asked.
“I saw you earlier before the feast began.” Color blossomed in her cheeks and she slid her gaze from his, but not before he caught the brilliance of hurt in the pale blue depths.
“I only just arrived,” he replied.
She nodded, evidently not believing him, and nudged the venison on her plate with her eating dagger.
Her behavior was…odd.
“I wasn’t aware you were