She wasn’t getting any closer to answering those questions and couldn’t tolerate this cold much longer. She staggered up the beach to the dunes behind the boats and floundered up them in the desperate hope that she could see some sign of people. She needed help, and she needed it now.
Upon reaching the top, her jaw dropped at what she saw. A tiny encampment of rough shacks sat not far away, crouched among the dunes, out of the wind.
Ree’s heart exploded in relief. Thank heaven!
By the time she reached the crude dwellings, she couldn’t feel her leg anymore. Her vision swam and her mind wouldn’t function, but at least she was somewhere she could find people. They couldn’t turn her away in this condition. She stopped in the middle of the encampment and looked all around her before realizing something wasn’t right.
A few men came out of the shacks and stared at her the same way she stared at them. They all wore kilts and swords. Everyone she could see had long hair and wore long woolen socks up to their knees. Their shaggy beards gave them a feral appearance, and they showed no sign of sympathy for her situation.
Her teeth were chattering so badly that she couldn’t make her mouth work. Her wet hair hung in her face, and she couldn’t feel her lips. She took a few stumbling steps forward.
The men retreated before her.
She choked out the words, “Help me!”
More men gathered, emerging from what looked like tents made out of furry animal hides propped up with crooked sticks. A few open fires smoldered in the open, cooking pots resting in their embers. None of the men responded to her plea.
She couldn’t wait for them to take care of her, so took a few numb steps toward the fire and crumbled onto the cruel ground. She held out her shaking hands, trying to soak up the meager heat. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
She stole a glance over her shoulder. Twelve burly men who looked like they’d seen hard living glared at her. She needed to get out of these wet clothes and into some dry ones in a hurry, but she wasn’t going to get any help from them. They eyed her like they hadn’t laid eyes on a woman in decades.
While she sat there trying to get her addled mind to work, a ruckus erupted at the far end of the encampment. When she looked again, the men turned aside and exchanged a hurried conversation in a strange language, some pointing into the distance.
Ree huddled into a ball and did her best to disappear. She didn’t want to think about where she was or who these men were. What happened to her when she got pulled into the duck pond?
The commotion got louder behind her. The men scurried away in different directions. It got so noisy that Ree turned around to look.
A line of people that looked nothing like these men came striding through the dunes toward the encampment. Four of the newcomers were men in kilts, but they were all clean-shaven and neatly presented. Their swords gleamed in the cloudy light, and they scanned their surroundings with confident ease. The fifth person was a woman. Her gray hair hung in a long rope braid behind her back, and she wore a tartan plaid wrapped around her body. It formed a sort of skirt around her legs but couldn’t be called a kilt like the men wore.
These people walked into the encampment and stopped not far from Ree. The woman noticed Ree immediately but said nothing. Her eyes twinkled; then she faced front where the men of the encampment had lined up to confront the strangers.
“Ye’ve no business here,” one gruff customer barked. “Turn around and go back where ye came from.” He spoke with a thick Scottish accent.
Between the accent and the kilts, a picture started to form in Ree’s mind of where she must be.
One of the newcomers stood taller than anybody in either group. His chestnut-red hair was swept back from his face in a tight braid that hugged his head. His square shoulders dwarfed everyone he deigned to look upon. He said, “Ye’re the ones trespassing. This is McLeod land, and well ye ken it. Ye’ll start a war poking yer noses where they’re not welcome, and ye’ll be the losers. Do yerselves a favor. Load up yer boats and push off. Ye’d be better off anywhere other than here.”
“If ye want to drive us out, ye’d better sharpen yer blade before you come at us,” the first man countered. “Ye’ll no’ find it as easy as all that.”
“The McLeods are already amassing their allies against ye,” the tall man told him. “How many of ye are there? Fifty at the most? Ye cannae stand a full assault. Ye might get away with a raid here or there. Ye’ll no’ get away with anything more. I say this as a friend. The McLeods dinnae take kindly to strangers on their land. Find another place to camp before it’s too late to save ye.”
The first man drew himself up but couldn’t come close to his adversary’s height. He returned to his friends, who gathered in a circle and pretended not to notice the visitors.
The newcomers cast their sharp eyes over the encampment one more time. The woman nodded to the tall man. The four men turned to leave, but the woman walked over to the fire and squatted down in front of Ree. “What are ye doing here, lass?”
Ree’s voice cracked when she tried to speak. “I…I don’t know. I just…I just washed up on the beach. I don’t know how I got here. I don’t even know where I am, and I’m freezing. I…I need to get out of these clothes. I just stumbled here to try to find someone to help me, but…”
“Ye’re on the Isle of Lewis,” the woman replied, “and this is no place for a lassie like ye. We must get ye warm, and no mistake.”
“That’s all I want,” Ree replied, “but I just…I didn’t know…”
The woman laid her hand on Ree’s arm. “Never ye mind. Ye come with us, and we’ll see to ye in no time.” She helped Ree to her feet.
Ree glanced at the strange men whose encampment she’d entered so rudely. They watched the woman lead her away, back the way they came. After about ten minutes walking through the dunes, Ree’s mind shut down. She didn’t know where she was going, and she didn’t care. Putting one foot in front of the other required all her concentration. Her leg, her hands and arms, and her brain were all numb from the cold.
The woman’s voice shattered her confusion. “Here we are. Ye get warm by the fire.”
Ree emerged from her trance as the woman pushed her into a small stone house. Blessed heat billowed through the door. The woman guided her to a bed, and Ree sank down on it in relief.
“There,” the woman crooned. “Ye rest there, and I’ll bring ye some dry clothes.”
Ree’s shoulders slumped. As the fire prickled its delicious heat all over her skin and her hands tingled, she looked around. The house wasn’t much more than a large closet. The one room barely contained the bed and a small table. That was the whole house, but the fire never felt so good.
The woman returned in a moment and laid a dress on the table. “Ye put that on. Here are some underclothes. They’ll keep ye warm. The wind kicks up out here something awful. Ye need yer underlayers if ye’re going to spend any time out here.”
Ree raised her eyes to the woman’s face. How could she begin to ask the questions plaguing her? “I’m really sorry to trouble you, but…I seem to have lost my memory somehow. You said I’m on the Isle of Lewis, and I can see I’m somewhere in Scotland. Is this…do you mind…what year is this?”
The woman came to her side and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Not to worry, lass. Ye’ve nothing to explain about it. It’s the Year of Our Lord 1740.”
Ree’s hand flew to her head. “Oh my God! No!”
“Never ye mind, lass,” the woman murmured. “Ye’re all right now, though what ye were doing in that camp, I dinnae ken.”
“I don’t know how I got there,” Ree cried. “I just…I just came out of the ocean, onto the beach over by those boats. I don’t know what happened.”
“There, there, lass,” the woman replied. “I’ve seen this kind of thing before. We’ll see to ye, and we’ll find yer people and send ye home. Ye’ve nothing to worry about anymore.”
“Who were
those men, the ones in the camp?” Ree asked. “You and your friends seemed to know them.”
“They call themselves Lewis, though that’s not their real name.”
“How do you know?” Ree asked.
“They’re not Lewis because there is no one by that name in Scotland. Lewis is a Welsh name. There is no Clan Lewis or any other family with that name.”
“They looked and sounded pretty Scottish to me,” Ree remarked.
“Oh, they put on a good show,” the woman replied. “No one really kens where they’re from, but one thing’s certain. They aren’t Lewis. They only call themselves after the Isle. That’s all.”
“How do you know so much about them?” Ree asked.
“We’re Clan Gunn,” the woman told her, “and I am Cora Gunn. We came out here from Orkney to deal with them. We’ve been tracking them for years. The Isle of Lewis is Clan McLeod land, and the McLeods asked us to come and help them get rid of these Lewis men—them, and the pirates.”
Ree started. “Pirates?”
“Change yer clothes, lass,” Cora said. “Malcolm wants to see ye as soon as ye’re presentable.”
“Who’s Malcolm?”
“The tall man ye saw on the beach. He’s in charge here. Now change out of yer clothes and come.”
Ree stared back at the woman, but the woman didn’t move. They regarded each other for a long moment, neither budging. She sure as blazes wasn’t going to change her clothes with this stranger standing around watching.
At last, Cora gave her an understanding smile and turned to leave. “All right, then. I’ll leave ye to it.”
Ree wasted no time. She stripped off her sodden clothes and dumped them in a pile by the fire. Quick as a flash, she pulled the woolen undergarments over her prosthesis and tied the string around her waist, relieved that no one who came in would see her leg. Water still chilled the Velcro straps holding the false limb to her knee, but she didn’t care about that. No one was going to see her without her clothes on.
Once she got her legs covered, she took more time putting on the rest of the outfit as she studied each piece in turn. The corset looked like something out of a theater costume. She put it on but didn’t bother to tighten the laces. She slipped the dress over her head and buttoned it up just when Cora came back.
“That’s better, isn’t it?” Cora asked. “Malcolm’s getting impatient. We weren’t expecting to find anybody in that camp. He’s got a heap of questions for you.”
“I’m sure he does,” Ree muttered.
“Just tell the truth, lass,” Cora told her. “Ye cannae go wrong. He’s seen cases like this too. He’ll look after ye and find yer home for ye.”
Cora wrapped a woolen shawl around Ree’s shoulders and guided her outside. Ree’s wet hair still stung so that the wind whipped it in her face, but at least she was mostly dry and warm. Nothing else mattered in this harsh climate.
1740! How could she have travelled back in time? Nothing made sense, but at least she was safe with these people. They’d rescued her from those men when she might have died of exposure.
Ree took in the tiny village as Cora led her to a different house. The old woman stood back from the open door, and Ree ducked inside. The dwelling was identical to the first house in every detail. The tall man stood on the hearth, his hard eyes not giving her the same assurance as Cora’s kind smile.
“Cora tells me ye’ve lost yer memory,” he began.
“I seem to have,” Ree replied. “I didn’t know what year it was or where I was until she told me.”
“What’s the last thing ye remember?” he asked.
Ree thought that over before answering. She couldn’t exactly tell him she was working in an office building in 2018 before she got sucked into a pond. “I was standing next to a pond, talking to a young man. He told me to skip stones on the pond, and I somehow got sucked into the pond. I know it sounds strange. Then I woke up on that beach. That’s all I know.”
He cocked his head to one side. She expected him to call her a liar, but he only studied her closer. His eyes gave her a queer feeling. He saw so much more than she ever expected. She’d never felt that way around anybody before—no one except Ned.
“Tell me more,” he commanded. “What did this young man say while ye were skipping stones?”
“He taught me a little rhyme,” she replied. “He said it made the stones fly. It was nonsense…just a child’s story.”
“Did ye repeat the rhyme before ye got sucked into the pond?” he asked.
“Yes, but he repeated it too. It was meaningless, I’m telling you.”
He waved that away. “Tell me the rhyme.”
Ree closed her eyes and recited the words Ned had taught her. She opened her eyes to see Malcolm staring at her.
“Where did ye learn that?” he asked in a low growl, his eyes dark.
“I just told you,” she replied. “The young man I was talking to taught it to me. I’d never heard it before in my life. I’m telling the truth. You have to believe me.”
“Oh, I believe you.” He started pacing up and down the room. “I think ye’d best sit down.”
Ree looked around the room. The bed offered the only place to sit down, so she sat there. At least a fire warmed this room too, so she could relax in the heat.
“Now tell me everything ye ken about this young man of yours.”
“I don’t really know much about him,” she replied. “I…well, he came to work…near me, and we started talking. He didn’t tell me much about himself.”
“What’s his name?” Malcolm asked.
“Ned Lewis.”
He whipped around fast to glare at her. “Lewis!”
“You can’t think he’s related to…I mean, it’s a pretty common name, don’t you think? I’m sure there are thousands of Ned Lewises in the world.”
He went back to pacing, then shook his head as his lips moved in silent conversation with himself.
Ree couldn’t sit still any longer. She got to her feet. “Look. This is all too weird for me. I’d better go.”
“Where will ye go?” he asked. “Ye’ve no way to get back to yer home.”
“I don’t know where I’ll go, but I can’t stay here. I’m grateful to you and Cora for rescuing me, but this is all way too out there for me. I’ll be going, and you don’t have to worry about me.” She headed for the door with purpose.
“Stop!” Malcolm thundered.
Ree halted in the doorway and spun around to face him.
He towered over her, his eyes flashing fire. He drew a step nearer and lowered his voice, but his demeanor didn’t soften in the slightest. “I’m sorry. I dinnae even ken yer name.”
“It’s Ree Hamilton, and Cora told me you’re Malcolm Gunn,” she replied. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and like I said, I’m very grateful. I’ll do my best to repay your kindness, but I—”
“If ye want to repay my kindness, ye’ll sit down over there.” His voice told her she didn’t have any choice.
Ree looked around the room. He was right. She had nowhere in the world to go. If she left this house, she would probably die on the windswept coast. She stomped across the room and sank down on the bed.
Malcolm stopped pacing and came over to her, knelt on one knee in front of her, and fixed his gaze on her face. “Now listen to me very carefully. Those words ye just repeated are part of an ancient spell known only to the Gunns for the last several thousand years. I dinnae ken how this young man of yers learned it, but I can tell ye that ye getting sucked into that pond was no accident. That spell is used to open a portal between one time period and another. It’s no been used in generations, but it still works if it’s done the right way.”
She blinked rapidly, processing. “What are you trying to tell me?”
“This Ned Lewis of yers, he taught ye that spell to send ye back in time. He couldnae have just made it up. He did it on purpose to send ye here.”
“But that…t
hat’s impossible!” she cried. “I…I trusted him. I put my whole life in his hands. How could he do this?”
Malcolm stood up and resumed pacing. “I dinnae ken, but I mean to find out. He’s one of them. That much is clear.”
“Cora says you’re here to try to stop them.”
He nodded. “Aye, but I dinnae ken any of them named Ned.”
“Do you know all their names?” she asked.
His head snapped around, and his gaze locked on her face. Then, instead of answering, he looked away.
Ree had spent enough time around people to recognize when someone wanted to hide something from her. Her senses zinged, and she took a closer look at the man in front of her. As big and imposing as he was, he hadn’t told her the first thing about himself. He’d started interrogating her the minute she walked in the door. Now it was her turn to question him, but she had to choose her methods wisely. She couldn’t throw her weight around here the way she did back home.
“Cora says the Gunns are from Orkney. Is that true?”
Now that she’d called him out, he hesitated to look at her with those piercing eyes of his. “This particular branch of the Clan is.”
“Did you grow up there?” she asked.
“Yes,” he murmured, but his body language said the opposite.
“You’re awfully young to be in charge here,” she remarked. “You’re in charge over someone as old as Cora, and some of the other men I saw out on the beach are older than you. How did you get put in charge?”
He shrugged and still wouldn’t look at her. “It just happened that way. I ken a bit more about these Lewises than most, and the Lewises know me, so I’m in charge. When it comes to negotiating with them, I do the talking. They’re more likely to listen to me than any other Gunn. That’s for certain.”
“Why is that?” she asked. “How do they know you?”
She’d already known before she asked that she wouldn’t get a straight answer out of him. He would be as forthcoming as he wanted to be as long as it was her revealing sensitive information. When she’d turned the tables, he’d closed up right in front of her eyes.
Pirates of the Angui (Cipher's Kiss Book 1): A Scottish Highlander Time Travel Romance Page 3