On Highland Time

by Lexi Post

  He covered her hand with his and sighed. “The war has taken all but Kerr from me. Him and the few left in our wee clan. I’m glad ye joined us. I hope ye will eventually feel this is yer home.” His inner sadness called to her in a different way from his persuasive sexual advances. In that moment, he touched her heart.

  “I’m sure I will. It is the only home I have now.” She grimaced inside at such a bald-faced lie.

  He dropped his arm from around her, but reached his other hand up to cup her chin. He stared into her eyes before brushing a light kiss on her lips then raising his head. “I want ye to share my bed, when ye are ready. I hope ye won’t keep me waiting long.” Languidly, he brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, and it was all she could do to keep from kissing it.

  When he dropped his hand, her breathing stopped, but he turned away and silently strode down the wall-walk, the edge of his leine swinging against his thighs, his kind confidence causing her to admire and resent his pull on her all at once. Taking a deep breath, she backed up against the crenellation and slowly sank to the walk, her legs curled up beneath her. She rubbed her face with her hands. Holy Hamlet, she was in trouble.

  …

  Torr descended the stone staircase that led from the three bedrooms to the Great Hall. His night had been better than he’d hoped, and he wanted to celebrate. Since it was Sunday, everyone was free to do as they wished, and he wished for more company with a particular lass. He also looked forward to seeing a certain man’s face when it was discovered the king was no longer in residence.

  His brother sat at the high table with Evan and Fergus, the three chuckling. The variegated hair on Fergus’s head appeared to be growing whiter every day. Soon it would match his brows and beard. Perhaps he should be kept to easier tasks than training the men. Kerr was more than able to do so. It was time to change their duties.

  He strode to the table and joined them. “Did I miss a jest?”

  Evan looked at Kerr and flushed red. Fergus slapped him on the back before answering. “Nay, this lad was in the middle of enjoying the lass of his dreams last night when another lass joined them.”

  He raised his brow. “Is that so?”

  Kerr shook with quiet laughter as he waited for Evan to answer. Evan grew redder. “’Twas not like ye think. We embraced, nothing more.” He paused to elbow Kerr in the ribs, which caused the man’s laughter to escape. “And then the new lass, Diana, trips over us.” He lowered his brows. “I did not expect her to be about in the deep of the night when she should have been sleeping. It is not that she stayed. She left as soon as she regained her feet.”

  Fergus put his arm around Evan’s shoulders. “I’m sure she did, lad. We were nothing but jesting with ye.”

  Evan stiffened. “Well, I don’t think it was a jest that someone followed her into the castle. My guess is it may have been serious.”

  Torr put down the bannock he’d been about to bite into. “Who followed her?”

  Evan shook his head. “I do not know. It be too dark.”

  “Man or woman?”

  “I think it was a man, but I’m not sure. Maybe she was meeting someone.”

  He tensed. Before or after she’d seen him? Could she be in league with the spy? Is that why she was up on the wall-walk? Tendrils of betrayal crawled into his gut. “How late was it, exactly?”

  Fergus and Kerr came alert at his tone, and Evan’s brows lowered with concentration. “It be very late. The moon had set below the south woods.”

  He relaxed, but his pride rankled. Did she meet another after kissing him? Is that why she was reluctant despite the passion she exhibited?

  Kerr interrupted his thoughts. “What is it, Torr? Something concerns ye.”

  “Aye, it does.” He scanned the room. “Have all our men eaten?”

  His brother stared hard. “Aye, but the king and his men haven’t made it into the hall yet. Why?”

  He leaned in and lowered his voice. “King Robert has left because we have a spy.”

  They turned grim. Fergus whispered through gritted teeth. “Who?”

  He breathed the word with disgust. “Graham.” All three nodded their heads. They, too, didn’t completely trust the newcomers. “He is the only one I am sure of. We could have more.”

  “Do ye mean Douglas or Ian?” Fergus’s face flushed with anger.

  He nodded. “Or Diana.”

  “Nay.” Kerr shook his head. “She is not of the right ilk.”

  He frowned. Was it his brother she desired more than he? “Why do ye say so?”

  “A woman with the ability to calm a raging horse has not the evilness in her to turn against our king.”

  Despite his growing distrust, he recognized not only his brother’s sense, but remembered her concern when he’d issued the challenge. “Aye, I agree.” He looked at Evan. “Then again, perhaps she is spying on Evan and Nessa.”

  The man relaxed at his jest and colored once again. “I told ye, we was just—”

  “I know, son. I know.” He grinned to put him at ease, but his thoughts refused to steady.

  Kerr leaned in again. “What do ye wish to do with Graham?”

  “Watch him. I want to be sure he has no partner before we restrain him and invite the king back.” He held the gaze of each man, one by one. “I need one of ye to be with him at all times, but not all at once. I don’t want him to become suspicious. I want to know how he takes the news the king has left.”

  “Good plan.” Kerr rose. “I will find him now.”

  He nodded once, but remained when the other two men left. If Diana were in league with Graham, he would not be kind. And if she wasn’t? The possibilities were tantalizing. He picked up the bannock and took a bite, the usual dryness tempered by a hint of honey. He liked her ingenuity.

  The woman had more knowledge than most, which could indicate an ability to deceive, but she had a body to stir any man’s blood. He stilled as he remembered the feel of her breasts against his chest and the taste of her warm mouth. Today he needed to learn enough about her motivations and interests to allay his concerns, so he could further explore her attributes.

  …

  Diana walked next to Mairi with Beth just behind them on the narrow path through the wood. Braigh, Mairi’s husband, walked ahead with young Ian and Douglas, the man who had already shown an inconvenient interest in her. He had insisted on joining them, much to her irritation. According to Beth, there was a small pond where they could relax and enjoy their midday meal. She had hoped Graham would join them, but he appeared busy with the other men. She’d have to wait until another time to talk to him.

  It was so much easier talking to men at Gealach Castle compared to the London receiving rooms of Regency England. Then again, that assignment had been easy—ensure Lady Sutherland met the Duke of Leicester. However, finding the Disruptor who had changed history by preventing the meeting had been impossible. She hadn’t even been allowed to talk to a man unless properly introduced, not that she’d minded since she’d been looking at the women as possible Disruptors, but there had been too many.

  Now, her current companion was a shy woman who preferred not to say a word to anyone, which could be an excellent cover. She studied Mairi, who walked with her head slightly bowed as if she feared being noticed. The woman was petite, with a nice figure and long straight black hair the TWI seamstress, Zania, would approve of. “Mairi, have you been to this pond before?”

  Her companion started as if surprised she’d been spoken to. “Nay. This be me first journey outside the castle since I arrived.”

  “Is that because you’re so busy?” She was aware Mairi’s duties included cleaning the three bedrooms of the castle as well as the common areas. She had help, but she did work hard.

  “Aye, that and…” The woman raised her delicate face from watching the path to look ahead at her husband then her faced turned a pretty pink. “Braigh likes me to be near.”

  She wanted to kick herself. The woman was obviously s
mitten and enjoying her newlywed status. It was doubtful she could be a Disruptor. “I’m sure he does. You’re very lucky. He is a braw man.” She wiggled her brows, but Mairi didn’t look at her, though her blush turned a darker hue.

  Braigh was the embodiment of the phrase “speak softly and carry a big stick,” only in his case it was a big sword. He had a quiet maturity about him that said he knew who he was and was content. In appearance, everything about him was brown—his long thick hair, his eyes, even his skin tone was darker than most of the others.

  They continued on awhile when suddenly Mairi whispered, “I be with child.”

  Compared to the bluntness of Nessa and Beth, Mairi’s confession touched her heart. She patted the woman’s arm. “That’s wonderful.”

  Mairi smiled, clearly pleased and happy.

  The men stopped. Braigh turned around, looked directly at his wife and held out his hand. “Come.”

  Mairi shyly stepped forward. Braigh clasped her small hand and maneuvered her to the front.

  Diana glimpsed between the trees and sighed. It truly was a lovely spot, the small clearing boasting a little pond surrounded by grasses filled with pale blue and yellow wildflowers. The whole scene reminded her of New England during revolutionary times, before everything became so civilized. Her gaze drifted to Braigh, who looked down at his wife as she enjoyed the view. Mairi was no Disruptor. The two were completely in love.

  “Why did we stop? Are we there?” Beth’s loud voice pierced Diana’s enjoyment.

  She looked over her shoulder. The woman’s robust figure vibrated with impatience. Older than the rest of the women, she tended to lord it about with both her bulk and her personality, but she took care of them all and wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.

  She nodded. “Yes, we are.”

  “Well, let’s settle in then. The day will only last so long.” Beth bustled by and through the men, completely oblivious to Mairi and Braigh.

  She sighed when Beth bumped into Braigh though he didn’t let it jostle Mairi. Now that was a husband.

  Once Beth had broken the awe-inspiring moment, everyone set about laying wool blankets on the ground at the edge of the small clearing. Diana placed the sack of food she had carried onto a corner of one blanket and the others followed suit. Mairi and Braigh immediately wandered off, and Beth took off her shoes and waded into the pond, or perhaps waddled would have been the correct term. Ian joined her, shucking his shoes as well and jokingly lifting his kilt to the woman’s dismay—or delight. It was difficult to tell.

  Douglas sat on one of the blankets.

  Now was a good a time as any to learn more about the man, but she hesitated, looking at the cool water where she could as easily talk with Ian.

  “Come, lass. Sit down and enjoy the view.” Douglas patted a spot next to him.

  Not in a million years. “I’m not tired. The walk was much shorter than I expected.” She glanced at the wool blanket than brought her gaze to his face only to find him staring at her braid with longing. Unsure what to think, she took a step away. “I think I’ll join Beth and Ian. The water looks so pretty.”

  She strolled to the pond’s edge, closer to Ian than Beth. Beth could be abrasive, but probably didn’t have a truly mean bone in her body.

  “Come in and be cooled, Diana.” Ian’s youthful voice was a welcoming sound.

  “I think I will.” She sat on the short grass, removed her shoes and wiggled her toes before standing.

  Ian held out his hand. “Here, let me help ye.”

  She grasped it, and with her other, she lifted her long leine. Ian helped her negotiate around the stones and rocks near the water’s edge before cold water reached her shins. She stifled a grimace as her feet were buried in the muck at the bottom of the pond. It was moments like these that reminded her how spoiled she was in the twenty-first century. She needed to remember that next time she took a dip in her pool at Stonehaven or took a swim off the small private beach.

  Ian released her hand once she steadied, and she held her dress above the water. When confident she wouldn’t slip, she spared a glance for the young man next to her. He was at least twenty-two with light red hair past his shoulders, like Torr. Though a distant cousin to old Fergus, she couldn’t see the resemblance. Fergus was stocky with dark brown eyes and a large nose, someone she could see pillaging with the Vikings. Ian, on the other hand, she could see at Queen Elizabeth’s court. He was of medium build and had just the very beginning of a beard which she guessed was due to a month of not shaving, while Fergus’s was full and bushy to match his eyebrows. Ian wasn’t a handsome man, his wide brow and overly large lips not truly appealing, but when he grinned, she couldn’t help smiling. And when his amber eyes sparkled, she would bet he could charm most any lass he wanted, even a Disruptor.

  Time to get to work. “Do you miss your family?”

  He looked toward her, but not at her. “Like ye, I don’t have many family left…or rather many who want me around. Fergus was the only one I knew about.” His gaze swept downward as if it hurt to think about it.

  “Fergus does seem to be happy you’re here.”

  “Aye, he is and it is better to be with a clan, than on one’s own. Fergus is a good fighter, and he teaches me much.”

  She sensed something unsaid. “But not all is well, is it?”

  He didn’t answer at first, moving his gaze to the trees, before he glanced in her direction, not meeting her eyes. “He means well, but he never leaves my side. Today is the first day I was able to slip away. He makes me feel like a child.”

  She laughed, causing Ian to finally look at her, except he frowned, clearly insulted. She stifled her humor. “I’m sorry, Ian, I’m not laughing at you. You just reminded me of my mother who did the same thing to me, until I cured her of it.”

  “Ye must tell me what ye did. I am going to have to leave soon if I can’t get him to allow me to take a piss without him next to me!”

  Smothering another chuckle, she carefully stepped a little closer. “I don’t know if it will help, but what I did was kiss a young man, full on the mouth when I knew my mother watched. She was so shocked, she decided she didn’t need to be with me all the time. Do you think that could work with Fergus?”

  Ian’s broad smile slowly emerged. “Aye, aye, oh aye, that would!” He grabbed her about the waist, lifted her up and spun around in the water, his strength surprising her. But her arms were pinned at her sides from holding her dress, and she pictured them both coming down in the water if he slipped.

  “Put the lass down.”

  Chapter Five

  Diana couldn’t see Torr, but his voice was unmistakable, and he didn’t sound happy.

  Ian slowed and carefully set her on her feet again, but she couldn’t find good purchase and started to slip. Strong arms lifted her clear out of the water and set her back on the grass.

  Ian followed them. “I’m sorry if I did something wrong.”

  She whirled to face him. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You were just happy.” She turned her gaze on a scowling laird. “Ian has figured out the solution to a problem he’s been having. I helped him find it, and he was thanking me. Is that acceptable?” She made sure her last sentence dripped with sarcasm.

  The laird nodded once, and she sensed Ian relax next to her as he addressed Torr. “I think it be time for a wee bit of mutton and an apple or two.” With that, the young man walked away.

  She didn’t like Torr’s stance. Taking a page from Zania’s book, she propped her hands on her hips. “What?”

  His surprise at her reaction probably didn’t help his mood, but at least he kept his voice low. “Is that who ye were outside to meet last night? That lad?” He pierced her with his stare.

  She rolled her eyes. She couldn’t help it. The man wouldn’t last an hour in her time period. She released her exasperation by mimicking him. “No, I wasn’t out there to meet Ian. I wandered outside to look at the moon because I couldn’t sleep. Who we
re you out there to meet?”

  Okay, maybe that hadn’t been the right response.

  Torr appeared to grow larger before her eyes. He straightened to his full height and looked down at her, his eyes hard. “I was protecting my king and what is mine.”

  She swallowed, his stare clearly indicating he considered her his. She broke eye contact and looked past him to find the two men, Beth, Braigh, and Mairi watching them. Once again, she was the center of attention. Not the right place for a TWI agent.

  Medieval. She needed to think like a medieval woman. What would Mairi do in this case? Actually, the poor woman might very well faint.

  Though it rubbed her all ways but the right way, she kept her gaze lowered. “I’m sorry that helping Ian angered you. I will refrain from doing so again.”

  She heard Torr sigh. “That is not what upset me.”

  Daring to look at him, she hoped her gaze wasn’t too direct. “Then why were you angry?”

  He folded his arms across his chest, usually a common defensive gesture, but one she had begun to believe was his thinking stance. “I did not like seeing ye in the arms of another.”

  That was blunt and to the point. “But aren’t you in the arms of another woman every few nights?”

  He looked away and dropped his arms before quickly changing the subject. “I believe food awaits us.”

  “So it does.” She let her irritation spill into her tone of voice. His double standard grated on her nerves, but that was according to her own time. She had to stop letting him get to her. Crouching down, she picked up her shoes and walked barefoot to the blanket, completely ignoring the hulk strolling beside her.

  When she sat on the blanket, Douglas caught her eye and shook his head.

  Oh, go have dinner with Medusa! She took a deep breath to regain some balance.

  Torr lowered his large body next to her. Holding out his hand, he offered her a chunk of bread and a square of cheese. Reluctantly, she accepted it. Crossing her legs beneath her, she took a bite. The sharp cheese woke her taste buds and refocused her thoughts.