The laugh came out as a strangled sob and before she knew it, Violet was full on bawling. In-between blowing her nose and ugly crying, she told him the whole story. And before she knew it, she’d told him the full truth of her parents’ marriage.
“So they stay married to each other, but they both have affairs. It started with my dad. He’s charming and in the early days, he did a lot of the photography for the business. Can you say model? He started having affairs with models. My mom pretended not to know. Dad would buy her a new car or take her on a fabulous vacation when an affair ended, but then there’d be another model and it would start up again.”
Violet took a few sips of beer. She sat next to Duncan, grateful he listened without interrupting.
“A few years later, my mom started her own affairs. Now I think they cheat to hurt each other. They both know the other cheats, and yet they still lie about it. To each other. To gram. And to me.”
She shifted in the chair to look at him.
“Why? Why do they lie?”
Violet wiped her eyes. “I cannot and will not abide a liar or a cheater.”
Exhausted and spent, Violet slumped in the comfy chair.
Duncan took her hands in his, stroking the back of her hands.
“I will never hurt ye, Violet.” He lifted her out of the chair and settled her on his lap, holding her close.
“I give ye the protection of my body. I will always put you first and let no one harm you.”
Which of course made her cry again because he had to go home. He had family who would be frantic with worry over what had happened to him. If he didn’t go back, they’d never know, never have closure.
Duncan murmured to her in Gaelic as he stroked her back. There was a breeze off the waterway, the air smelled of him, of fresh water and mud, and of orange blossoms.
Violet told herself she’d only close her eyes for a moment.
18
When Violet woke in the morning, she was in the chair with a blanket covering her. The smell of coffee reached her nose before she spotted Duncan dressed in jeans and a tee shirt, walking barefoot across the grass, holding two cups of steaming coffee.
Her heart thumped as she watched him stride across the grass, his eyes on her.
“I know how much you like coffee to wake in the morn. Mr. Williams heated the water on his grill. I offered him more meat for the coffee.”
She grinned. “You love coffee. Admit it, you wanted it for yourself.”
He handed her the cup. “Aye, thanks to ye, I crave it in the morn.”
When he leaned against the rail, she watched him rub his shoulder.
“It’s amazing how fast you heal.”
“Aye, I always healed fast. A good thing as many times as my enemies have stabbed me. ’Tis a wonder what excellent food and rest will do.”
He stretched. “Sam said he might know a few lads who would practice a bit of swordplay with me so I do not run to fat.” Duncan patted his perfectly flat stomach.
The sun came out from behind the clouds, illuminating him. There were dark brown highlights in his black hair, stubble across his cheeks and chin, and he looked… content. Being outside every day, he had a great tan. He took her breath away. What would she do when he left?
“Swords would be good. Maybe use wooden swords so you don’t kill them. Men today have little need for swords.”
He was about to answer her when there was a loud noise. Music sounded across the waterway, lights came on, and somewhere an alarm went off.
“Yay, the power is back on.” Violet jumped up and turned to look at the house. She’d turned off all the lights except the lights out on the lanai.
“’Tis verra noisy.” Duncan took a sip of his coffee.
The muscles in his arms stood out as he tried to process the racket. To lighten his mood, she pointed to the lights.
“You can look up electricity on the internet. No asking me eight million questions about how it works.”
She smiled. “All I know is I flip a switch, and it works. We’re going to have ice cream tonight. Wait until you try Moose Tracks.”
“Moose Tracks? I dinna want to eat a moose.”
Her laugh echoed across the water. “Not a moose, it’s just what they call it. It’s chocolate. Delicious chocolate.”
She folded the blanket. “Come on, you can shower first. Lots to do today.”
After she and Duncan showered and dressed, Violet was busy making a list of what she needed to replenish the refrigerator and freezer when there was a knock at the door.
Duncan beat her to the door, a blade behind his back.
“Well, well, you must be the Duncan I’ve heard so much about.” Her gram held out a hand.
He took her hand and kissed it. “You must be Violet’s sister.”
“Keep this one around.” Her grandmother patted his shoulder. “It’s nice to have a handsome, strong man around the house.”
Duncan said he was going across the street to help Mr. Williams with a few things and would be back soon. She appreciated him giving her time to spend alone with her grandmother.
Violet went to the kitchen to pour her grandmother a glass of tea.
“I’m so happy to see you. I think you brought luck with you. The power came back on an hour ago.”
Gram looked great. Well-rested and content. Violet narrowed her eyes. Something was up.
“Did you meet someone on the cruise?”
Her grandmother’s cheeks turned pink.
“I enjoy spending time with handsome men, but I’ll never marry again. The love I had with your grandfather only comes around once in a lifetime if you’re very lucky.” She hugged Violet. “Now tell me everything.”
Violet let out a long sigh. They took their tea and settled into the overstuffed pink sofa.
“Dad said mom wasn’t ‘stealing’ my designs. He said we’re all family, so it isn’t stealing. If mom would have asked, I’d have gladly given her the designs.”
Violet cleared her throat, the tightness spreading through her body as she replayed the conversation.
“He reminded me I’d dropped out of college.” Violet wiped a lone tear from her face.
“Does he know what happened?” Gram moved closer, taking Violet’s hands in hers. Gram smelled like roses. Her skin was so soft as she patted Violet’s hand.
Violet nodded. “He said it was silly to drop out of school over a breakup. I tried to tell him it wasn’t the guy, it was the betrayal and the fact he posted private pictures online. I trusted him and he cheated, just like mom and dad do to each other. I don’t want a relationship based on lies.”
Her head stuffy, Violet blew her nose, glad Duncan wasn’t here to see her falling apart.
“I’m still trying to let go of the anger I feel towards mom. I understand a competitor stealing your designs, but your own mother?”
“I’m sorry, dearie. Your mother always was ambitious. You do your best to raise your children with manners, morals, and values, but in the end they become who they’re meant to be. My daughter will have to live with the person she’s become and the things she’s done. Your parents have a relationship difficult for others to understand. Don’t let their lies to each other color the way you view relationships. I worry about you, you have so much to give if you’d only open your heart.”
Gram swirled the ice in her glass, her eyes twinkling.
“That’s enough of that. Now, tell me everything about that sexy delicious Scot.”
The world was brighter with Gram in it, Violet relaxed and feeling much better, said, “Duncan fell from the sky during the hurricane.”
When she’d finished telling her grandmother all about Duncan, her gram sat there, thinking. Violet knew to let her be until she was ready to talk.
“The world is full of wonders, things we can’t explain. I think it’s a great idea for him to offer classes on how to use those wicked-looking blades. You know, there’s a small company in Sarasota that works w
ith movie theaters. I know the owner and could talk to him about Duncan. Your Scot could make a very good living letting grown men play with sharp objects.”
“You’re right. What is it with men and swords?”
They caught up with each other and talked about the shop. It was a tremendous blow, hearing Gram wanted to retire for good and sell the boutique. She offered to let Violet have it, but something kept her from saying yes. Did she really want the boutique or was it time to open her online business? Or do something entirely different?
She walked her grandmother to the door and hugged her goodbye.
“I’ll think about it and let you know.”
Gram kissed her on the cheek. “Let me work my magic for Duncan. I know someone who can get him the identification and papers he needs.”
Why wasn’t she surprised? “Who don’t you know?”
Gram laughed, the sound filling Violet’s heart with joy.
“When you’ve lived as long as I have, you pick up a few tricks along the way.”
19
Duncan was watching the ripples in the water when he heard Violet walking across the grass. The grass was strange here in Florida. It crunched under his feet.
“What are you looking at?”
He put a finger to his lips and pointed at the ripples.
A black form surfaced. He’d seen the beasts several times, yet still they made him cross himself. Duncan imagined his ancestors’ reaction at seeing a dragon for the first time had been the same.
The alligator lazily rolled side to side in the water, watching him.
“Hey, Spot.” Violet grinned.
“I had a feeling we might see him again. It’s such a nice day, and he loves to sun himself on the opposite bank. The people across the water spend half the year up north. They haven’t come down yet for the winter, probably because of the hurricane.”
She held out a bag filled with white things.
“What is it?”
“Don’t tell anyone or let the neighbors across the waterway see you. We shouldn’t feed them, but I think we can make an exception for a time traveler.” Violet narrowed her eyes at him. “This is a onetime deal, okay?”
“Aye. One time only.”
She handed him three white things. They were soft and squishy in his hands.
“They’re marshmallows. Go on, taste one, then toss the others to Spot.”
Duncan squeezed the marshmallow. He sniffed it and made a face, but did as she bade him.
“Nay, I do not care for this marshmallow. It tastes like chalk.”
She grinned. “Did Dora trick you into tasting chalk?”
“I dinna want to talk about it.”
Then Duncan grinned. “Mayhap the wee hellcat did, but ’twas only fair as I tricked her into tasting beets.”
He eyed the gator, then tossed the marshmallows into the water.
“Beets? You’re lucky she didn’t talk you into eating one of her mud pie creations.”
With a snap, a marshmallow disappeared. Duncan jumped into a crouch, dagger drawn.
“Saints, they have a great many sharp teeth.”
He heard a sound and turned his head to look at Violet.
“Are you laughing at me, lass?” Duncan narrowed his eyes at her.
Violet shook her head, then covered her mouth with both hands, shoulders shaking.
To his credit, he did not jump when the beast ate the other marshmallows.
“Not a verra picky eater, are ye?” The alligator turned and swam off down the waterway, leaving ripples in his wake.
A giggle escaped, then another. Violet doubled over, laughing.
“I’m sorry… it’s just… you should have seen your face when he ate the marshmallow… he won’t eat you.”
Hrumph. Duncan refused to dignify the lass with an answer. If he went back, the tales he could tell his clan about splendid beasts, horseless carriages, people flying in metal birds, an abundance of food and shelter, so many wonders. But if he returned, he would lose Violet.
Nay, he would stay, change her fate, and learn all the wonders of this world.
Mayhap he could not go back even if he tried during the full moon. The plague had killed so many people, there might not be a clan to go back to.
“Violet?”
“Yes?” She was watching him closely, as if she could see his thoughts.
“If I canna return to my own time… mayhap I could stay. Show lads how to wield a sword.”
“I know how much you want to return to your own time, but if you can’t, it might not be so bad to stay here in America.”
“Everyone has been dust in their graves for hundreds of years. Even if I could go back, what if I ended up in another time?” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I do miss my homeland.”
Violet laid a hand on his arm, the heat of her palm warming his heart.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland. Gram is working on getting you papers. A passport. Once you have identification, you can go anywhere. You have plenty of money from the coins you sold.”
“You would travel to Scotland? How far is it from here?”
She pulled out her phone and tapped a few buttons. “We have to cross the ocean and there it is.”
His shoulders slumped. “’Tis verra far.”
“We can take a plane.”
“A great metal bird?” He shuddered. “Nay, I do not wish to fly.”
Violet patted his arm. “You’ll change your mind once you see how lovely it is to be up high in the sky. But you know, we could always take a boat. It would take a lot longer, but it might be the way to go. Then we could fly back.” She stopped.
“Unless you wanted to stay. Then I could fly back home. Alone.”
Did she not wish to stay with him? Duncan would talk with Sam, he understood women in this time.
Violet was strong, she enjoyed being on her own, mayhap she did not wish him to be hers? Had she only been kind to him, as she would be kind to any lost stranger?
He was a dolt; he had fallen in love with her and she did not love him back.
That afternoon, Duncan was peering intently at the screen when Violet looked over his shoulder.
“Whatcha doing?”
She wore dark blue shorts and a pale blue shirt. He still wasn’t used to seeing so much skin on women in public. Her skin was golden, her blue eyes looked almost purple, and she smelled of lavender, grass, and her fabrics.
“You smell most pleasing.”
She turned pink. “Thank you. It’s one of the new scents I’ve been working on. You have a good nose, would you help me on the scent for men this afternoon?”
“Aye, you honor me.” He showed her the screen.
“I was reading about horses and places close to us to go riding. Then I looked up men who teach swordplay. Did you know there’s a man in England named Connor McTavish?”
Her eyes sparkled. The sunlight coming through the window turned her hair to gold, and Duncan knew deep in his bones, he’d found home.
“McTavish?” She said. “Maybe you’re related.” She took a deep breath. “Could it be the Connor McTavish?”
Duncan snorted. “The world has changed if a relative of mine would work for the damnable English.” He leaned back on the sofa, letting the sun warm his bones.
“Nay, it could not be him, though many said he was so pleasing to the eye he could charm the devil himself.”
“You can’t be the only human who has traveled through time. Maybe it is him. Why don’t you email him?”
Could it be? Might he have kin in this time?
“You can use my email.” Violet took the laptop from him. “Let me show you.”
She looked at the screen, the corner of her mouth twitching.
“Swords, huh? How did you go from researching swords and horses to watching videos about squirrels?”
Duncan was unsure.
“I clicked on a story and then later somehow found myself watching videos of bab
y goats.”
He threw up his hands. “Did ye know people put sweaters on them and then make movies of them running around in the snow?”
Instead of giving his lass time to answer, Duncan went on.
“And then somehow I watched videos of birds eating seeds.” He snorted. “People make movies for cats, so the beasties are not lonely while the owner goes to work. What kind of world is this?”
He pointed to the screen. “Then I found this. Someone made tiny tables and plates so squirrels could come eat at a table. And the wee beasties ate at the wee table. ’Tis a strange world you live in, Violet.”
She was laughing so hard her eyes were leaking.
“I warned you that you would start looking up one thing and hours later find yourself watching a video on how to live off-grid in the mountains.”
Violet arched a brow at him. “Exactly how long have you been on the internet today?”
Duncan mumbled.
“What was that?” Her lips curved up.
“’Twas four hours, but it wasna my fault.”
“No, it’s never our fault, it’s the addictive nature of the internet.” She kissed his cheek. “Shall we have some ice cream?”
“Do you have more of the moose?” He loved the cold cream.
“I should think so. You bought ten cartons of the stuff.”
“Dora wanted it. Who could say no to the wee lass?”
The next afternoon Duncan helped her with the perfumes she’d been working on. Violet wanted to make a scent for women and one or two for men. They were happy with the one for men. She was calling it Across the Moors to evoke a scent of mystery and another time. It had hints of leather, horse, steel, salt, and mountains and lochs. If she were honest, it smelled like Duncan. The bottles would fly off the shelves.
Now they were working on A Day at the Beach. At first Violet thought it would be for women, but the more they worked on it, they agreed men or women would like the scent.
Right now it smelled of salt, ocean, sun, sunscreen, oranges, grapefruit, and a hint of grass and river water.
Falling Through Time: A Lighthearted Time Travel Romance (Knights Through Time Romance Book 13) Page 11
