Gavin stopped abruptly and turned around so he was facing her. Paige thought for sure he would offer to take the bag, and she lifted it out to him.
He gave the bag a cursory glance. “Lass, if ye want ta tag along ye need ta be quieter.”
Her eyes boggled. “Are you kidding me?”
“Lass, if ye want me ta answer ye need ta speak more plainly.”
At the end of her patience, she lifted the bag and threw it at his feet. “Carry the bag,” she yelled. “My arms are tired.”
“Och, lass, why didn’t ye say so.” He lifted the bag and put it over his shoulder as though the weight was of no consequence. “Did ye bring those little chocolate cookies with the white filing?”
“Yes,” she sighed. “I brought the Oreos.” Paige found out very quickly in the future that Gavin had a sweet tooth. He loved candy, cookies, cakes and pies. But Oreos were his favorite. After she gave them to him once, he wanted to eat a whole sleeve before bed every night with a big glass of milk. Unfortunately, she couldn’t bring the milk but she did bring three packs of Oreos. And she had news for him, though, he wasn’t getting them all to himself either. He was going to share, whether he wanted to or not.
“Did ye bring the milk as well?” he asked with a hopeful look.
“No. I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because it would go bad without refrigeration,” she explained.
His lips turned down.
“I did bring more candies though.”
“The ones in the gold foil?” he asked.
“Yes.”
His lips lifted again and he gave her a winning smile.
That smile went straight through her, making her legs feel weak. “Unbelievable,” she muttered, more to herself than to him. Her Grans always said, “The way to a man’s heart was through his belly”—Go figure. She probably should have wrapped herself in chocolate then she wouldn’t have had such a hard time trying to convince him to bring her with him in the first place. As it turned out neither of them had much choice in the matter—they both were ripped back to the past—she just wished that he had told her that he wanted her to come.
Gavin was at odds with himself. Part of him was happy that the lass was with him but the other part, the one that knew what he had to do now that she was with him, was not.
♦
It was well after dark and a full moon tinged with yellow bore down on them casting the area in an unnatural looking glow when they finally arrived on the perimeters of the castle. There was something unholy different about the place. Maybe it seemed that way because she was so tired, or that there was a fog surrounding the castle and walls, as though it was trying to smother it. Paige wasn’t sure which, maybe it was both, but either way, she felt uneasy. She said as much to Gavin, “Why does it seem so…different?”
Gavin looked toward the castle, his home, and even though he didn’t voice his concerns he felt the same. Something did seem different, he just wasn’t sure what it was. “I do not know.”
“What should we do?”
“We are not doing anything. Ye are staying here.”
“What?” She grabbed his arm, freaking out. “You aren’t going to leave me, are you?”
“I am only going to check on things. I will be back in a moment.” He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and removed it from his arm.
“But…”
“Stay here.” Gavin dropped the bag at her feet. Ducking down, he ran the thirty or so feet to the wall. Once he was in the shadows, he straightened and pressed his body against the stones.
Not wanting to be noticed, Paige ducked down too and squatted beside the bag of goodies in the tall grass.
“Ye are staying here,” she mimicked, irritated again. She knew her foul mood had more to do with fear than anything else at this point.
Sliding down the wall, Gavin pressed his body closely against the stones, staying in the shadows and listened intently for any sounds out of the ordinary. Half way down, about twenty feet from the gates, he heard a noise and froze. Two shadows passed in front of him from overhead where the walkway was located. So they were not alone, somebody was here, he thought with a hefty amount of irritation of his own. It didn’t take long however to discern who it was.
Broderick passed two guards on the top walkway surrounding the wall of the keep. They were talking animatedly between themselves, laughing at something. “What do ye find so amusing?” he asked, stopping.
They both looked up in unison, stunned they had even been spoken to. Broderick paid them coin, filled their bellies with food and drink but other than that, they had no contact with him.
“Twas nothing, really, Laird,” the shorter of the two said.
Broderick grunted. “Take heed to yer duties, I am no paying ye ta stand around dawdling.”
“Aye, my Laird,” they both said in unison and after giving one another a knowing look, they went their separate ways.
Broderick stopped and placed his hands on the wall, feeling the damp stone underneath. A thick fog surrounded the castle, which made it difficult to see past. He felt like something was about to happen, something he had been waiting quite a while for which was for the real Laird of the castle to reappear from wherever he disappeared to that night. He still had no idea where he went and if he didn’t witness the Laird, and the girl, fade into the mist himself, he would have never believed it. But he did. And no amount of telling himself otherwise could erase what he had seen with his own eyes. A shiver of something akin to dread slid up his spine. He shook it off, like he had done on many a night in the past and made his way back down the walkway to the stairs that led to the courtyard.
Gavin heard the exchange. “Laird, his arse,” he thought, gritting his teeth, and clenching his fists at his sides. Gavin had to force himself to refrain from calling out to that blackguard. It was hard to keep himself in check, but he knew he must until he could figure out how ta get his home back. Once the shadow of Broderick moved away and finally disappeared, Gavin ducked down and ran back to his lass.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
LOCH MORAR, SCOTLAND
The Past – Greystone Lands
“Now where?” she asked, adjusting her position in the grass. She had to pee. And crouching down in the damn grass wasn’t helping her plight any.
Gavin pulled his gaze back from the castle to her face. “I know a place.” He stood up but kept low and then pulled the bag on his shoulder. “Follow me.”
Paige stood up as well, and stretched her back.
“Stay down,” he hissed over his shoulder. “
She immediately bent over. Staying low, she followed him back up through the tall grass to the other side of the hill they had just come down a short while ago.
Once they were over the other side and there was no way anyone could spot them, she stopped.
“Lass, what are ye stopping for?”
“I can’t go any farther.”
Gavin dropped the bag and stared at her.
“I have to use the bathroom,” she said, crossing her legs.
“Ye will no have much luck finding a bathroom here, lass.”
“I know that. I’ll go behind that tree.” She pointed to the tree over his left shoulder.
“Can ye no wait for a few more minutes?”
“No. I can’t wait a few more minutes,” she snapped. “I’ve had to go since we got here.”
“Why did ye no say so?”
“I don’t know.” She walked over to the bag and pulled out a roll of Scott toilet paper.
Gavin’s eyes went from her face to the object in her hand.
Her face heated. “Wait here and don’t watch me.” She stormed away with her toilet paper in hand to the tree. It wasn’t a very big tree and it gave her little cover, but thankfully he kept his back turned.
After she did her business, she yanked back up her jeans and made her way back to where Gavin was standing.
He gave her an odd look.
“What’s wrong now?”
“Lass, did ye bring anything else ta wear in that bag?”
“Well, yeah. I got some shirts and a hoodie and …” She stopped talking because his eyes were rounding.
“What?”
“Lass, ye remember where we are do ye not?”
“Yes, I know where we are.” What a stupid question, she thought, getting riled again. Of course, she knew.
“Did ye happen ta bring anything ta wear that is from this time frame?”
“Oh.” His words slowly sunk in. “Right.” Paige gave him a sheepish look. “I um…” She wracked her brain. She was in a hurry when she left. Did she? Crap! “Um. Sure,” she finally said even though she wasn’t so sure.
“Good. Ye will have ta change soon.”
“Oh. Okay. Got it.” Paige stood there stupidly wondering why he was just standing there looking at her.
“Ye ready ta go now?” His brow hitched up a notch.
“Right.” She felt like an idiot. “Of course.”
“Follow me.” He lifted the bag again and slung it over his shoulder. Then he took off.
Paige followed behind watching with envy at the way his agile body moved easily over the inhospitable terrain like it was of no consequence while she brought up the rear, stumbling often and getting poked with little stickers attached to God only knew what.
Turns out Gavin’s “few more minutes” was more like five miles. And sure, maybe he could have made it here faster but with her trailing behind, tripping often, it took a lot longer.
Gavin finally stopped at the crest of a hill and lowered the bag. He looked ahead at the small cottage on the edge of the glen. He knew it well. He had spent many a day here in his younger years after his parents died. He vowed to never return and yet, here he was, once again. For a moment, he shut his eyes, trying to vanquish the unwanted memories before they came tumbling back.
As Paige climbed the hill, she bent over slightly from the stich in her side. She was sure she looked like an old beggared woman. Much like the gypsy had looked before I made the deal.
God, that seemed like a lifetime ago, now.
Gavin heard her coming and reopened his eyes. The memories held at bay for the moment. “Here, lass,” he said. “Give me yer hand.” He held out his hand for her to take.
“Thanks.” She put her hand in his and let him pull her the rest of the way up the hill, thankful for the help.
“It’s not much ta look at, but it will keep us dry and give us some protection from the cold.”
Focusing her eyes, she followed his line of vision. There was a small cottage nestled in a group of trees. It looked no bigger than her shed, the one she used to store her clay pieces. “Are you sure it’s deserted?” She wasn’t sure why she asked. Of course, it was deserted—it looked like the damn thing was about to cave in.
“Aye.” He nodded.
Paige frowned at his expression. There was such a wistful faraway look on his face. She didn’t know what to make of it but was too tired to ponder it right now.
“Ye ready ta go?” he asked, adjusting the bag once more.
“Yep. I’m good.” She followed him down the hill to the little cottage, hoping like hell it didn’t come tumbling down and crush them to death while they were sleeping.
♦
The cottage wasn’t as derelict or small as Paige originally thought, but it smelled horrible.
“What is that smell?”
Gavin, wrinkled his nose. “Must be something dead.”
“Something?” She gaped at him. “It smells like more than something. It smells like an army of dead somethings.”
“Lass, let me start a fire and see if that helps the smell, aye.”
Paige felt bad. “Okay.” She looked around. Pushed up against the wall was a small bed, with a few tattered furs on the top that reminded her of the ones Gavin had given her to sleep on when she first arrived to this time frame. There was a hearth, with a black pot hanging inside, two chairs and a rough wooden table as well. A small window let in the moonlight, as did the door, behind her, which hung crookedly on the wall. It was far from being the Hilton, but it would have to do, for now.
“I’ll get something for us to eat.”
“That sounds good.”
Paige took two steps further into the room and felt like gagging from the smell. “Can we eat outside?”
When he turned and saw her face and slight smile crested his lips. “Aye. We can eat outside.”
“Great. Meet you outside.” She grabbed her bag and headed out the door. It was a cold night and her breath turned white when she exhaled but at least it didn’t smell like death out here.
Gavin bent over and tossed a few pieces of wood on the fire that he just started. The flames were small but at least it gave some warmth to knock the chill off in the air. Unfortunately, it had not done much for the smell yet.
Still, it was a bit surreal being back here, tending to a fire like his father had showed him back at Greystone. He looked over at the chair in the corner over his shoulder. It was the one his mother used to do mending in on nights such as this back inside the castle. He usually stayed near his mother’s feet on the floor, imagining dragons or some other nonsensical thing that he made up to while away a free hour or so, before bed.
As the flames licked up the sides of the smaller pieces of wood, his mind slipped to the past…
MEMORY
Greystone Castle, Loch Morar
“Och, Gavin, pay attention,” his father reprimanded. “Ye will have ta learn how ta tend the fire when I am gone.”
“Aye, father.” Gavin stood up and crossed the room, leaving his imaginary battle behind and crouched down beside his father. He was a large man, with dark hair that hung a good ways down his back that he usually kept tethered with a strip of leather. “Ye will no want ta use the larger pieces of wood first.”
“Will it no burn faster that way?”
“Nay. It needs ta be treated like ye will treat a woman someday. Ye need ta take it slow, build the fire up well and good, and then give it a go with one of the larger pieces of wood.” He lifted his brows up and down with a glint of mischief in his blue-green eyes.
“Och, Nathanial, stop teaching our son such things. He is too young ta understand what ye are speaking of,” his mother scolded.
His father laughed. It was a loud boisterous sound. “See that ye take it slow. The fire ye get as a result will be worth the time ye put in.” His father winked at him and ruffled his hair.
CHAPTER FORTY
LOCH MORAR, SCOTLAND
The Past – the Cottage-Greystone Lands
“Gavin…”
The sound of his name brought his mind back from one of the last pleasant memories he had of his family. “Aye, lass, what is it?”
“The food is ready.”
“What are we eating?” He stood up.
“Well, I didn’t have much time, but I made a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And I have some chips.”
“The ones I like?” His eyes brightened.
“Yes, the ones with the barbeque that you like.”
“Aye. I’ll have two.”
Paige knew that meant, he wanted two handfuls of chips as well as two sandwiches.
Once they were back outside, she laid down a napkin on each side of the blanket along with two bottles of water.
“That looks like a mighty fine meal,” he said, sitting down on the edge of the little blanket.
“Yeah, right.” She laughed. “It will do for now.”
“Aye,” he agreed, smiling a little. “It will do for now.”
♦
Later that night, Gavin lay awake with his lass snuggled as close as possible at his side, as he stared up at the sky through one of the many holes in the ceiling, wondering what he was going to do.
It would have been a lot simpler if he had come back by himself, and even more so, if Broderick the wretched blackguard wasn
’t still residing within the walls of his home. But there was nothing to be done about that now. He hoped he could find another way to get the treasure from the monster of Loch Morar, and in doing so, fulfill the promise he made. The problem was, as with most things he had been pondering on of late, he didn’t have a bloody idea how ta make any of that happen. Giving up on finding the answer for now, he closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep.
♦
“What do you mean you are leaving me here?” Paige gaped at him, not believing they were even having this conversation.
“I already told ye, it will no be safe for ye ta come with me ta the castle,” Gavin argued his point.
“How the hell is it safe for you to go to the castle? You said yourself just last night that Broderick was still there with those men that tried to kill you. Or did you somehow forget about that?”
“Och, lass.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and then dropped them back to his sides. “What do ye want from me?”
“I want you to stay with me until we can figure out what to do. That’s what I want.”
“Ye ask too much. I can no keep hiding. The food ye brought with ye will no last for more than a few days and then what will we do?”
“We will look for food now and deal with the rest when the time comes.”
“Lass, I have ta go and see what we are up against.”
“Fine.” She crossed her arms. “But you will be taking me with you.”
“Lass, it’s no safe.”
“I don’t care,” she argued a losing battle.
“I will no be gone long. I am just scouting out the area ta see what we are up against.”
Lost in the Highlands, Volume Two Page 32
