Lost in the Mist of Time

by Karen Michelle Nutt

  “I’m ready,” she said as she tightened the last knot, yanking on it to make sure that it would not come loose.

  “I wish that ye would reconsider, milady. It is a long way down.” Moira gulped as she glanced out the window. She had the urge to slam the fortified shutters closed and lock them up tight so that Aislinn would not be able to partake in this life-threatening escapade.

  “The homemade rope is long enough. I plan on swinging outward, using the castle walls as leverage. Then I’ll let go and land on the soft dirt.

  “The dirt does not look all that soft to me.” She turned to see that Aislinn was already tying the one end of the sheet to the thick post of her bed. Moira marveled how at ease her mistress seemed over this little adventure that she was so determined to embark on. When she, herself, was a nervous wreck.

  Aislinn took one look at Moira and almost laughed, for the girl looked like she was about to burst into tears. “Do not worry, Moira. You are not sending me to my death. I’ve done things like this before. Why I have gone bungee jumping and rock climbing with my brother Connor many times. Believe me,

  to keep up with him has kept me in very good shape. This is no harder than walking down the stone steps, but so much more fun. Maybe you will want to try it.”

  “Nay, I could not.” Her blue eyes widened so much that they threatened to pop right out their sockets. This time Aislinn did laugh.

  “Don’t worry, Moira. I would never insist you try. Now help me get the rest of this to the window.”

  Dougray had been avoiding Aislinn because he felt in some way that he was being dishonest with Ella’s memory. Aislinn haunted his dreams, and now seemed to be in his waking thoughts as well causing him to be quite irritable with everyone around. He didn’t know what to do with her. He had promised her that he would try to find a way to send her home, but he had a feeling that this might not be so easily accomplished. He also was beginning to realize that maybe he didn’t want her to go.

  He wanted to laugh at himself for even having this foolish thought, for the woman drove him to distraction. They couldn’t even have a decent conversation before they were both at each other’s throats. So why was he dreaming about her? “Dar Dia! She is nothing like a woman should be.” Again he was mumbling under his breath, trying to convince himself that he was not attracted to the unconventional female. He had thought by purposely staying away that he would get her out of his system and see her as she truly was, but the longer he did not converse with her, the more he desired to do so.

  And the blasted woman had not stayed quiet in his absence. Within five days, she had already made a name for herself. He had heard men, woman, and children whisper her acquired name, Scathach, the eponymous goddess of the Island of Skye. She had been the martial teacher to the great Cuchulainn, among other great heroes. “Warrior woman, Dar Dia!” He continued at a brisk walk to the keep. He didn’t care that it was early. He needed to talk to her especially about the latest matter that had been brought to his attention. He had been told that she took on the cripple as her student. He shook his head. “Aye, if she were Scathach, she most certainly would do such a thing.” The goddess was known as the guardian of the young people, who sought to know their full potential. The only problem was how could she have encouraged Hamish to believe that he could be with the kern?

  He looked up when he saw Cormac making a mad dash around the keep. Knowing that he was the one on guard to protect Aislinn, he was quick to follow.

  What a sight that Dougray beheld. His nerves tensed immediately for sailing through the sky like winged bird in flight was Aislinn swinging from a long white rope. He was too afraid to yell at her for fear that she would lose her concentration, but she looked so at ease with her stunt as if she had done this a thousand times. Maybe she had. She never ceased to amaze him on her agile abilities to do the unexpected. Still he did not relax until he witnessed her final push from the side of the castle wall. She landed with a thump on her behind, nearly on top of his feet.

  Aislinn hadn’t realized until that moment that she had an audience. She looked up rather sheepishly to see Dougray’s gray eyes glaring down at her. She gave him an irresistibly devastating grin that made him unsure if he wanted to throttle her or kiss her. “So there you are?” Her voice held just a hint of irritation. “I was beginning to think that you had abandoned me.”

  “I’m sorry, milord,” Cormac began. “I did not know she would try to escape out the window. I swear that I never left my post. I was….” He stopped explaining once Dougray held up his hand to halt him.

  “Nay, I do not blame ye. Go now. I wish to speak to Lady Aislinn, alone.” “Aye, milord.” Cormac began walking back to the keep. He glanced behind him only once. He didn’t see a submissive woman before his lord, but an angry one that was actually waving a finger at him, as though he deserved a scolding. Cormac smiled as he continued on. What man would ever be able to tame such a free spirit?

  “You left me for days and without knowing a soul. Thank you very much.” She poked at his chest.

  “I left ye in good hands.”

  “In good hands! Are you daft? I have not had a moment’s peace. First, I have one lurking in the shadows. I nearly had a coronary because I thought that I was being stalked, and then there is Cormac who is a gigantic nuisance.

  I can’t even take two steps without him bumping into me.”

  “Obviously with good reasons.” He pointed to the dangling rope. “What stunt was that, pray tell? Are ye deliberately trying to kill yerself? For if that is the case, please grant me the honor. I’ll do it quickly and be done with it.”

  “I was not in any danger.” Her dark eyes flashed imperiously. “I would not have done it if I thought that I would be hurt.”

  He threw up his hands. “Dar Dia! Do ye think that ye can predict when ye might make a mistake?”

  “I don’t make mistakes.”

  “I give up. I give up!” He grabbed her hand and started dragging her back to the keep.

  “What are you doing? Let go of me this instant.” She tried to pull away from him.

  “Ye have caused enough trouble and I will take over from here on end.” “I’m warning you, Dougray Fitzpatrick, if you don’t let go of me so help me God I’ll…”

  He stopped quick and turned on her. “Ye’ll what? Huh?” He was so close to her face that she could see that his eyes were bloodshot, as though he had not been sleeping well. This infuriated her further, for obviously someone was keeping him up late, and she had a hunch that she knew just who that someone was.

  Without warning, she acted out her aggressions. With one quick sweep of her leg, she landed him on his backside. His mouth opened in surprise at how quick she had been. “You bastard!” she hissed, adding insult to injury. She was about to storm away but he had about enough of her temper tantrums and he grabbed at her leg, bringing her down on top of him. She fought and rolled to get away, but he fought harder and was able to hold her down. He straddled her and pinned her arms above her head.

  His mouth was just inches from hers. “Don’t ever do that again,” he spat at her with such venom that she stilled her movements.

  “Better. Now let’s set the record straight. That was the second time ye made reference to my parentage. Let me inform ye that I am legitimate and I will not hear ye say that I am not.” He pushed away from her and came to his feet. “I must be mad to put up with this! First ye scare me to death. Ye try to do bodily harm to my person and then call me names. Pray tell what do ye do for an encore? To think that I actually sought to share yer company.”

  She sat there her legs arched so that she could rest her arms upon her knees. “Why? Did your little tart need to rest?” The sarcasm dripped from each word. “You look a sight, I’ll have you know.”

  “What are ye talking about?” His eyes narrowed.

  She came to her feet and brushed off her pants. “The woman with the big wannabagos.” She used her hands to get her point across with a qui
ck pretend squeeze of a large chest.

  He almost smiled at her description. “Fiona?”

  “Fiona?” She was put back. She had thought they were talking about Ella. “Who’s Fiona? There are others?”

  Now he was completely confused. “Others?”

  She stomped her foot. “Stop answering me with a question, like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”

  “I don’t know what yer talking about.”

  “Oh forget it!” She threw up her arms and started back to the keep. “Just forget it. What do I care who you sleep with? Sleep with the whole damn village if you want to.”

  So this was what had her all rankled. She thought that he was fulfilling his basic needs and she was…upset? That rather captured him by surprise. He easily caught up to her. “Blast it, lass, stop.”

  She did, but reluctantly with her arms folded against her heaving chest. “Be quick.”

  “Why? Do ye have another window that ye need to be jumping out of?” “That’s it!” She turned to leave and this time it was final or so she thought. “Then I guess ye are not interested in seeing the one and only person that may be able to send ye back home.”

  That stilled her departure. She turned around and covered the distance that separated them. “You’ll take me to Neala? Now?”

  “After we break fast. It is quite a walk to where she resides.”

  She was so happy that she threw her arms around his neck but just as quickly she pulled away to look at him. “Now why do you have to be so difficult?”

  “Difficult?” He was still reeling from her sudden show of affection. “There you go again, answering my questions with a question, and yes, difficult. You could have said this to me in the beginning and there never would have been this little misunderstanding.”

  He opened his mouth to tell her this was not the reason they argued, but he decided that it was better to let the matter drop. He shook his head. “Come.” He took her arm, which she quickly pulled away as they walked beside each other. He still needed to bring up the matter of Hamish, but thought that he would wait to broach that subject when he had a full stomach. It was not wise to enter a battle without nourishment.

  There were many in the banquet hall that broke fast with them. Aislinn was even beginning to know quite a few of them by name and they acknowledged her as well. They weren’t as rough and unapproachable as she had first thought.

  Dougray leaned near. “Ye seemed to have made a few friends in my absence.”

  “One does what one must.” She drank the warm milk that was given to her. She wasn’t particularly fond of it, but there wasn’t much else to drink. “What I wouldn’t do for a café mocha about now.”

  Dougray chuckled. “One of those coffee drinks?”

  “Yes. I wouldn’t be so grumpy in the morning, you know, if I could start my day out with a little caffeine.”

  “Believe me if I were able to, I would give it to you gladly. God knows that I would love to have ye agreeable. Personally, I do not know how ye were able to drink the concoction. It left my hands trembling a mite.”

  “That would be the caffeine and the sugar combined. If you aren’t used to the combination I suppose that it could do that to you.”

  “Now the tea that ye had me try, that I enjoyed.” He stabbed his knife into a slab of venison and took a large bite. He saw her grimace. “Do ye not like the meat?”

  “Never cared much for it in the morning. A nice scone would be wonderful.”

  “Hmm, the sweet biscuit. Not very filling though.” “That’s about all my stomach can handle.”

  Dougray turned to the servants standing behind them. With a snap of his fingers, a young boy came forward. “Please go to the kitchen and see if Roth has some fresh bread ready.”

  “Dougray, don’t do that.”

  He turned to her. “It is not any trouble.” He looked to the boy who seemed to be hesitating. “Go.” The boy bowed before scurrying off to do his lord’s bidding. “I can’t have ye going with me on an empty stomach. Warm milk is not enough.”

  “Thank you,” she mumbled wishing he wouldn’t have bothered anyone.

  “What did ye say?” He had heard her but wanted her to repeat it. She looked at him with open suspicion.

  “You heard me, my lord, so don’t go asking me to repeat it.” Seeing the amusement in her eyes, he laughed.

  “Ye don’t say more than a few nice words to me; I thought I’d relish in it for a few hands of time.”

  She lightly slapped his arm. “I’m nice to you.”

  “Ye? Surely ye jest, milady, for if ye have displayed warm affections to me, I do not recall them.”

  She was about to make another retort, but the young boy had returned with a plate of freshly baked bread. He bowed slightly when he placed the dish before her. “That smells wonderful.” She was about to indulge, when she saw the young boy lick his lips. For the first time, she noticed how very thin the child was and her heart went out to him. “Here have some.” She offered the bread to him. She saw panic in the child’s face, as he first glanced at her and then to Dougray.

  Dougray placed his hand over hers. “That is not how it is done.”

  Her eyes flashed with anger. “What? I cannot share my meal with a starving child?”

  “The lad will have his share later.”

  Aislinn again glanced at the boy who looked like he hadn’t had a decent meal in a long time. “I want him to have some of my bread. I cannot possibly eat a whole loaf all by myself. It’s good now while it’s still warm.” She met Dougray’s disapproving gaze ready to cause a scene if necessary.

  “Go on then. Give the lad yer food. Feed the whole keep if ye see fit. I have lost my appetite.” He rose then glowering down at her, “I will meet ye outside the keep. I assume ye will be able to find the way without mishap?”

  “Can you?” she shot back. He didn’t answer her but stormed from her sight.

  She looked back to the young boy, who seemed unsure what to do. Aislinn lowered her voice hoping to put the child at ease. “What is your name?”

  “Edmond, milady.”

  “Well, Edmond, the bread is yours to share with others, if you wish.” “Thank ye, milady.” He took the loaf from her hands. He was about to make his leave when she halted him.

  “Edmond, you did hear what your lord said, that I may feed the whole keep if I saw fit to do so?”

  The boy hesitated. “Aye, but I do not think….”

  “It does not matter what he truly meant. The point is he gave me permission.” She smiled to herself at the opportunity this represented. She looked up to see that Edmond was scurrying away, clutching his meal to his chest.

  Aislinn took her time, finished her milk for she saw no reason to rush to Dougray with his temperament still unleashed. When she felt enough time had lapsed, she started for the doors, but before she left the hall, she noticed a man sitting against the wall as if he was trying to blend into its thickness. That alone made her stop, and when she leaned down to see if he was all right, astonishment washed over her face for she recognized him as the man that Dougray had nearly killed for knocking her down. “I know you.”

  “Aye, milady. I am Dermot.” He was surprised that she would stop to converse with him.

  “Yes, I remember. I never had the opportunity to thank you for trying to bring me a drink.” She looked at the man who seemed not to have bathed in a while. He didn’t look like he had eaten well either.

  He never thought that he would smile again, but she had a way about her that put people at ease. “I practically drenched ye.”

  “Well…the gesture was well meant and I appreciate the effort. Tell me, Dermot, why aren’t you with the other men?”

  He looked at his feet, afraid to meet her gaze. “I have been disgraced, milady.”

  “Disgraced? For what?” Then it all started to make sense. “Dermot, are you disgraced because of the incident with me?”

  He nodded.

&nbs
p; “I will straighten this out.” She stood to leave, but Dermot took hold of her arm in a desperate plea.

  “Nay, milady. I beg of ye, do not do this. It will only make things worse.

  In time milord may forgive me and let me into his services again. Do not interfere and draw attention to me.”

  “But if I could help….” “Please….” His grip tightened.

  “If that is what you wish.” He nodded and released her arm with a sigh of relief.

  Aislinn left the hall not understanding at all why the man wanted to be punished for something that he didn’t even do. Furthermore it angered her that Dougray would discipline the man so unfairly.

  Lost in thought, she wasn’t looking where she was going and nearly ran into Murrough. “Pardon me.” She looked up to see that he was staring at her with a suspicious expression.

  “Milady.” He nodded. She was about to move passed him, but he addressed her again. “Ye best not speak with the likes of Dermot.”

  “And why is that?” She met his gaze not in the least bit intimidated. “It is not done. He is in disfavor with the lord of this keep.”

  She chuckled without humor evident in her voice. “I do not care in the least who Dougray likes or dislikes. Furthermore he was wrong about Dermot. He did nothing wrong.”

  “Milord does not see it that way.”

  “Tell me, Murrough, do you not have a thought of your own?” She saw him flinch at her words.

  “I do not question what milord states.”

  “Well maybe you should. He seems to trust you. You should be honest with what you deem is right, and tell him when he has made a poor judgment. That is what a true friend would do.”

  “Are ye questioning my loyalty?”

  “Calm down, Murrough. I see that you are loyal to your lord. I’m just saying that you should voice your opinions a little more loudly. Come now, do you think that Dermot deserved to be cast aside in the manner that he was?” Murrough didn’t answer but his stance spoke louder than any words ever could. Aislinn sighed. “Dougray is but a man and he can make mistakes too.”

  “Ye will do best not to question the man that houses ye.”