A Very Highland Holiday - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,138
herringbone pattern is due to the manner in which it was forged.”
Her eyes gleamed with wonder. “That’s fascinating. So this isn’t the Cumbric language?”
That she was aware of the dead language of his ancestors was more than impressive. Tavish leaned over the sword and kissed her. “You are brilliant. I can’t say for certain since there are no surviving texts of the Cumbric language. How do you even know about Cumbric?” He sat back, smiling.
She shrugged. “As a writer, I’ve sought to learn about Celtic languages. I don’t know if that makes me brilliant, however. I’m just glad to have found your sword. Except for the part when I had to bring it upstairs.” She made a face.
“It would be quite heavy for you. How did you manage it?”
“Carrie helped me, thank goodness. But we agreed that taking it up to your room was beyond our ability.” She laughed, and he laughed with her, amazed at how joyful he felt. It was more than just finding the sword. That was a relief. It was sharing this moment with her, knowing she’d worked to help him, that without her, he might not have found it.
“Thank you for finding my sword,” he said softly.
“Why is it so bloody heavy?”
Tavish easily picked up the weapon, feeling its vibration through his hand and up into his arm.
She gaped at him. “You’re unfathomably strong.”
He chuckled as he got to his feet. “No, it isn’t heavy for me. It’s part of the magic of the sword. Dyrnwyn is the same, but slightly different. Dyrnwyn is heavy for everyone but those who are worthy. Lann Dhearg is heavy for everyone until someone from our bloodline deems them worthy. More simply, I can give it to someone to use, but it’s a very specific act and, once done, can’t be reversed.”
She began to rise, and he quickly offered his hand to aid her. Putting her fingers in his, she said, “So you’d better be sure that person won’t use it for ill purposes.”
He tipped Lann Dhearg down but didn’t let go of her hand. “Exactly. As far as I know, no one in my family has given—or loaned—it to someone else in hundreds of years. But then, it’s been hidden at Dumbarton. Until I was idiot enough to take it with me to Culloden.”
“You weren’t an idiot.” Her voice was gentle, understanding. He almost believed her.
“I thought it would be safe because no one can wield it without my granting them the ability. I didn’t imagine someone would steal it, even if it was difficult to do so.”
“It had to have been incredibly difficult. I had a hard enough time getting it upstairs. And I had help.”
Tavish let go of her hand and went to set Lann Dhearg in the corner. When he returned to his room, he’d reunite it with its scabbard. “Do you know how to use a sword?”
“No. A paring knife is about the extent of my skill with blades.”
Tavish smiled, wondering if she was trying to lighten his mood. “I suppose you could protect yourself with that if you had to.”
She took a deep breath, moving toward the fire as she did so. “What will you do now that you have the sword?”
He should go home immediately and return the sword to its hiding place, where it would remain. “Well, when I was out tonight, it seems the snow melted enough today to allow for travel.”
“Did it?” She sounded as disappointed by that assessment as he felt. “For horses only, or also for vehicles?”
Crossing the room, he joined her in front of the hearth. “Either. I imagine you and your aunt will wish to continue to Dunkeld.”
Elspeth tipped her head back to look up at him. The firelight danced across the arch of her brow and the curve of her cheek. “Yes, I’m sure she will.”
He couldn’t look away from her, not just because of her beauty, but because of the way she looked at him. As if he were more than he was. “But not you?”
“No.” She blinked. “I mean, I do want to return. I also don’t want to leave.”
He half smiled. “Because the inn is so inviting?”
She stepped toward him, closing the gap between them. “It’s nothing to do with the inn, and I think you know that.”
“I wasn’t completely certain, but I am now.” He itched to touch her, to claim her. He flexed his hands against his thighs. “May I accompany you to Dunkeld?”