She gasped, and her gaze flew to him. “When did you have time?”
“The very day you came to me, Grayce.”
That’s how he saw her arrival? She’d come to him? Grayce’s breath caught, and she ran her hand over the wool. “What did you make for me?”
“Open the sack and see for yourself.” He leaned back against the wall of the cottage, stretched out his legs, crossing them at the ankles, and watched her with his arms crossed over his chest.
As hard as he tried to appear nonchalant, nervousness pulsed from him. This gift meant a lot to Brian. She opened the sack and reached inside. “Oh, they’re so soft,” she murmured as she pulled out a pair of moccasins. She set them on her lap and ran her hands over leather. “They’re wonderful.” She glanced at him. “Thank you, Brian. No one has ever done anything like this for me before.”
“Ye are most welcome. Try them on.”
Nodding, she leaned over and untied her hiking boots. She toed them off and slipped her feet into the slippers, turning her feet from side to side to admire the workmanship. They were well oiled to make them waterproof as well.
“I used several layers of rawhide for the soles to protect your feet from sharp stones,” he said, his expression tender and so achingly sweet.
“They’re perfect.” Her throat closed. With no warning, no time to blink them back, tears flooded her eyes and slid down her cheeks. “I … I have a twin sister,” she sobbed. “Do you know what a twin is?” she sniffed.
“Tell me,” he said so quietly she barely heard him.
“When a woman carries two babies at one time, they’re called twins. We were born seven minutes apart, and we’re identical—except I cut my hair short and dye it outrageous colors,” she babbled. “I have an older sister too, and my mother, father, two sets of grandparents, one great-grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins.”
Sucking a long breath, she tried to get control over the roiling emotions that had come over her so quickly, she’d had no way to stop herself from reacting. “They must be so worried about me, and I miss them like crazy.” More than anything she wanted Brian to put his arms around her, but she couldn’t ask. “My coming here has to be a huge cosmic mistake.”
“I don’t believe that for a moment. Fate brought you to—”
“Nobody else I’ve talked to came through like I did. Your mother took a single, painless step into your valleys while visiting a ring of stones in Kenmare. Rebecca closed her eyes for a second, tripped and found herself here. A few of your mom’s friends told me their stories while we were carding wool. None of them got scraped and bruised or slid down a tunnel through a mountain in the process.”
“Ye believe because ye came by a different route, and because your entrance was painful, that means your being here is a mistake?” He slid closer and put his arm around her shoulders.
“I do. Your head wizard said only one woman comes through when someone passes, yet now there are two of us. Rebecca’s story matches what the other women told me.” She bit her lip and swiped at her tears. “There is so much I need to tell you, Brian, so much you need to know.”
“Like?” He drew her against his chest and rested his chin on the top of her head.
“I’m not sure where to begin.” The steady rhythm of his even breathing soothed her. If only she could stay right where she was now, absorbing Brian’s warmth, his strength and the safe way he made her feel as he held her, she’d be happy. Well, as happy as one who’d lost their entire family and way of life could be.
She snuggled closer and said nothing, wanting only to revel in the moment. Sighing, she finally began. “I have fae DNA, and my older sister’s husband is a third-century Fiann who trained under Fionn MacCumhaill himself. You see, Fáelán was cursed by an evil faerie princess and—”
A soft snore and warm breath tickling her forehead interrupted her confession.
“And you’re asleep.” A few more tears slid down her cheeks, and she brushed them away. She had to tell him everything, or he wouldn’t understand why she believed she was not meant to be here. More important, he’d understand once and for all that she wouldn’t be here for long.
She should wake him and send him off to bed, but not just yet. More than anything, she wished to stay safe and warm in the arms of the dearest, most considerate man she’d ever met. “I deserve a few moments of happiness, don’t I?”
“Hmph?” He shifted and tightened his arms around her. “You smell good, wee Grayce.”
“Do I?”
“Mm-mm.”
“It’s your mother’s soap.”
“Nay, ’tis sweet Grayce of the Blue Hair’s natural scent that I find enticing.” He inhaled deeply and made an appreciative purring noise. “I beg your pardon for dozing off for a moment. What did ye wish to tell me?”
“It can wait until tomorrow. You’d best be off to bed, so you’ll be well rested for tomorrow’s fun and games with sharp, pointy objects.” Reluctantly, she disentangled herself from the comfort of his embrace and stood up. She reached out a hand. “Come on, Brian of the Long Legs. I’ll help you up and point you in the direction home.”
Groaning, he took her hand. She tugged, and he came to his feet. Then he yawned and stretched. “Aye, I need sleep,” he said, his gaze boring into her. “Everything happens for a reason, and ye are not the only woman to suffer whilst coming to our valleys. ’Tis fate that brought ye to me.” Brian ran a knuckle down her cheek, arresting her ability to breathe.
“I don’t disagree, Brian, but I fear my fate and yours might be at cross purposes.”
“Fair one, with all my heart I disagree. You believe our paths are meant only to intersect.” He leaned in and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. “Isn’t it possible we might forge a new path, a path we might travel together?”
“Quit your illegal courting. We’ll talk tomorrow. Go. Get some rest.” He chuckled, a deep rumble that weakened her knees and her resistance.
“Aye, we’ll speak more about this another time.” He ran his fingers over the rings in her ear. “Sleep well, Grayce.” With that he turned and headed down the path leading to his cottage.
He disappeared into the shadows, and a hollow ache throbbed in her heart. The women who came to these valleys had no choice but to remain. Without a doubt, Boann and Grayce’s family were working on a way to bring her home. She would be given a choice.
She blinked back fresh tears. She was already half in love with Brian and his parents. Still, did she have it in her to give up ever seeing her family again? Even the thought of that kind of loss wrenched at her heart. She had a life, dammit—a life that included all the amenities and comforts of modern-day living. Could she really handle spending the rest of her days laboring for food, shelter, warmth and everything else necessary for survival?
But then the image of Brian’s lopsided grin and tousled dark hair flashed into her mind. She recalled how wonderful being wrapped in his arms had felt, and how gratifying it was to be the object of those tender, possessive looks of his. He treated her as if she were a precious gift, and that tipped the scale ever so slightly.
No one should have to make the kind of choice she’d be forced to make, and she needed to hold herself in check. There had to be a reason she’d fallen through that hellish gumball machine when she had. Unfortunately, by the time the reason became clear, she’d be in so deep her heart would be ripped apart no matter what the outcome.
Tomorrow at first light, she’d try her cell phone, which was still in the zippered pocket of her cargo pants. She hadn’t had a chance to take it out since the day she’d arrived, and then she hadn’t gotten a signal while inside the cottage. If she were on higher ground, or near the boundary between the valleys and the outside world, maybe that would make a difference. She needed to try to reach her family.
Chapter Five
* * *
Wearing the comfortable moccasins Brian had made for her, Grayce climbed down from the sleeping loft. How odd to
have the unnatural weight of her phone tucked into the pocket of her gown in these primitive surroundings. Such a modern device held no place here.
“Good morning,” she said, turning to face Brianna.
“Same to you.” She smiled back from her place by the hearth. She lifted the cover of a heavy skillet. “Are you hungry? I made scrambled eggs, and I’m heating some of last night’s leftover lamb.”
“I’ve never been a big breakfast eater. I mostly have toast and coffee in the morning. I miss coffee.” She moved to the kitchen area. “Mind if I slice off a couple pieces of this bread and have that with butter and bilberry jam?”
“Help yourself. Sometimes I miss coffee too.” Brianna nodded toward the tools next to the fireplace. “You can toast the bread if you’d like. See the long-handled tool hanging on the wall for that purpose?”
“Oh.” Grayce studied the multitude of cooking utensils conveniently placed by the hearth. “I’ll give that a try.” She bit her lip for a second. “There’s something I need to do this morning. Do you know what a smartphone is?”
“A mobile phone you mean?” Brianna’s brow rose. “Of course. The women who’ve come here in the past few decades have brought some of their gadgets with them.” Her eyes filled with sympathy. “None of them were able to reach the outside world on their devices once they came through.”
Her hopes plummeted. “I figured as much, but I still have to try.” So, she wouldn’t be the first to try to reach her family with modern technology. Why hadn’t that occurred to her until now? Worry gnawed at her. She should have at least heard from Boann by now. Either Fáelán hadn’t been able to reach his daughter yet, or King Lir had gotten wind of Boann’s plan to interfere in mortal affairs again, and he’d stopped her.
Boann would find a way around her grandfather, wouldn’t she? Her breath snagged on the lump forming in her throat. “If for no other reason than to let my family know I’m alive and well, I have to try. Maybe the other women who had phones came here before there were as many cell towers and satellites as there are now. We’re still in the same plane of existence, aren’t we?” Dammit, she’d grasp at any last straw she could.
“I couldn’t say.” Brianna’s expression turned to concern. “I fear you’ll be disappointed, but I understand why you must try. I would’ve done the same if I’d had a mobile phone with me when I came here.” Brianna moved to the hearth, grabbed a thick pad of wool and removed the heavy cast-iron skillet from the fire. She set it on the stone hearth and removed the lid. The smell of the sizzling meat filled the room.
“I’m going to walk back to the spot where I fell through. The closer I am to the outer perimeter of these valleys, the greater the chance I have for a signal.” A girl could hope, anyway. She took down the toasting tool and slid two slices of bread into the frame. Then she held her breakfast near enough to the embers to turn it slightly darker. “The druid mentioned the fae magic is waning. Maybe I can find a weak spot that would allow me to catch a signal.”
“Perhaps.” Brianna bustled about, setting a ceramic teapot and mugs on the table. “I’ve made tea. It’s my own concoction. Would you like some with your toast?”
“Yes, please. I don’t suppose your concoction might contain caffeine.”
“I don’t believe so.” Brianna chuckled. “I use chicory root though, and that does taste a little bit like coffee.”
Grayce brought her toast to the table and spread butter and jam on both pieces. She helped herself to a mug of Brianna’s tea and gave it a tentative taste, finding the flavor slightly coffee-like with hints of other herbs and sweetened with honey. “This is good.” She hurried through her breakfast, not wanting to encounter Brian before she left. For whatever reason, trying to use her cell phone in the very place where he’d found her seemed like a betrayal. Ridiculous.
“I’ll be back in an hour or so,” she said, washing her empty mug in the bucket of sudsy water. “Then you can put me to work.” She rinsed the cup in the clean water sitting next to the soapy bucket and upended the mug on the wooden rack to dry—the clever drying rack another example of Sloan’s handiwork.
“We’ll begin your lesson on the spinning wheel.” Brianna sat down at the table with her own breakfast. “A few of my friends will be joining us.”
“Sounds good.” With that, Grayce stepped out of the cottage and into the clear, cool morning. The sun had already risen, and dew sparkled on every blade of grass, leaf and blossom lining the path, turning the trail into something out of a fairytale. Chickens and geese that had been foraging for food scattered noisily out of her way as she headed toward the hill, and blackbirds scolded her for daring to disturb their peace.
Midway up the slope, she paused to study the landscape around her, catching a glimpse of Sloan leading a cow and her calf out of a barn-like structure. Rufus and Rosie dashed around the family’s sheep, herding the flock out to pasture to join a few oxen and horses. Grayce drew in a long breath of sweet, clean air and caught the hint of burning peat and woodsmoke.
Whitish tendrils curled up from the chimneys of both cottages on the family’s land. Brian’s home stood behind a copse of pine and cedar, and all but the chimney was hidden from view. Her heart fluttered, and the memory of being in his arms came back to her in a rush of heat. “Argh. You’re in trouble, lassie.”
She pulled out her cell phone, turned it on and continued to walk. At the crest of the hill, she checked. No signal. She gazed toward the cliffs and peaks to the south. Hopefully she’d have better luck near where she fell through. At least her hands were on the mend, so she could climb if she found a likely spot.
By the time she reached the cliff where she’d fallen through, the exercise had warmed her considerably. Grayce tied her borrowed shawl around her waist as she surveyed the massive wall before her. The surface offered no evidence of the tunnel that had opened between the two worlds. Her phone in one hand, she placed her palm against the cool, solid barrier between here and the way home.
Frustration twisted her gut, and she growled. Still no signal. Scanning the area to her left and then to the right, she decided to follow the cliff around the bend to the east. Maybe she’d find an accessible spot where she could climb higher. Keeping her eyes on the signal bars of her phone, she walked on.
“Grayce.”
“Ack!” She jerked, and her phone went flying high into the air. She lunged to catch it before the glass screen crashed against the rocks.
Aiden caught it first, which brought them toe to toe. He had to be around six feet tall, and his hair reminded her of the color of walnut shells, while his eyes were an earthy green with flecks of brown. His face was all sharp angles and planes. If he’d had a kind heart, a generous nature, he’d be really handsome, but he was not a good man. That much she sensed at a bone-deep level, and his outward features reflected his nature.
“I did not mean to startle ye.”
Her mouth went dry, and the same revulsion she experienced with Rebecca assailed her. She held out her hand. “Give that to me, please.”
“Of course,” he said. His expression slightly mocking, he handed her the phone. “Why would I not? ’Tis of no use to anyone here. Why do ye wish to keep the thing?”
“Sentimental value. I have pictures stored on my phone.” Pictures from Conan’s christening, pictures of her family, her home and her life. The backs of her eyes stung with gathering tears, and she blinked them back. She turned off her cell and tucked it into her pocket.
“Will ye show me these pictures? I am curious about the world beyond our borders.”
“I’d rather not. I want to save the battery life.” Did he have any idea what a battery was?
Anger flickered across his features. “What do ye here?”
“I was trying to see if I could get a signal on my phone, so I could call my family and let them know I’m alive.” Had he been following her? “What are you doing here?”
“I have guard duty this morn, and this is the area assig
ned to me.”
“Guard duty.” Grayce rolled her eyes. “What or who could possibly threaten anyone here?” She gestured toward the emptiness surrounding them. “Are you afraid a man came into the valley? Then what? Would you attack him for no reason other than he had the misfortune of taking a wrong step?” Speaking of steps, she took a few, putting distance between them.
“For as long as my clan has dwelt in these mountains, we’ve striven to maintain a certain level of preparedness. Our clan once faced an enemy wishing to wipe us from the face of the earth.” He squared his shoulders. “’Tis our responsibility as men to protect our people from even the possibility of danger. Besides, accidents happen, and oft times those of us who patrol are the ones to find and give aid to the injured.”
“Well don’t let me keep you from your very important duty.”
“Ye have no reason to fear me, lass. My greatest wish is to earn the privilege to court ye.” His blatantly sensual gaze roamed over her. “’Tis ye I want and make no mistake.”
“Does Rebecca know that?” She glowered. “Seems to me you two are perfect for each other.”
“She has her heart set upon another.” His features hardened. “I shall be the next chieftain, and ye might want to consider what my position would mean to ye, should ye be fortunate enough to become my wife.”
Aiden had quite the ego, and it took Herculean effort not to roll her eyes again. She knew who Rebecca had her eye on, and Brian wasn’t looking back. This situation was far too similar to what happened between Sloan, Brianna and Aiden’s parents. Grayce did not want to be the reason history repeated itself.
She lifted her chin. “I’m not really interested in you or anyone else. Like I said at the gathering, I refuse to be a party to this absurdity. I will find a way to get back home.”
“Where none have succeeded before ye?” He smirked. “I see the way Brian looks at ye. He’s not worth your time, lass. Where it takes strength to lead, he’s soft, weak. As my wife, ye’ll be granted the utmost respect.”
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