Alec could hear the crunching of the gravel as Jaime sped up to walk next to him. The cold air blowing across their path smelled of cinder and ash and Alec knew they were nearing the farm. His clan were sheep herders, among other things, and it was just the right temperature for his father to demand a fire after working outside all morning. The cropping was over for the year but the sheep they didn’t sell this year would have to be kept through the cold months. They would also provide the wool his sisters needed to make clothing and blankets. As they approached the top of the rolling hill, Alec stopped and sighed.
“There she is,” he stated, looking out at his farm, the chimney of the rather large house billowing smoke from the fireplaces.
“Wow,” Jaime responded. “That’s beautiful. It looks like a small castle.”
“Me great-great-grandfather built it with his own two hands, he did,” Alec boasted. “The McDermont clan started as poor farmers, and we have built our wealth and stature from there. There is no clan in Scotland that donna ken our name by now. I’m sure of it.”
“I remember touring old castles like this when I was a child,” Jaime mumbled. “It was always so enchanting, like a fairytale.”
Alec looked down at Jaime as she spoke, remembering she still thought she was from another time period. Alec wished she would remember her true background, so he would have some sense of where she belonged. He knew if she spoke of this in the house, his father would have her thrown out as a lunatic. Alec took a deep breath and turned to Jaime.
“Things aren’t as simple inside those walls as they have been on this journey,” Alec stated firmly kindly. “My father and sisters, they will nae understand what yer saying of how you came to be here. I must ask that ye don’t speak of it in the house.”
“Oh,” Jaime said, mulling the statement over in her head. “I understand, but what shall I say?”
Alec sighed. “Yer not from around here, that much is for certain. They will think ye to be English, which you likely are, lass. You must not let them think yer aligned with King Edward's way of thinking.”
Jaime nodded and the two started down the hill towards the farm, Alec’s step lightening and growing faster. As they walked up the makeshift dirt road towards the towering stone home, Alec spotted his sisters peering out the window and chattering excitedly. He dropped his bag as the youngest of the two left her post and sprinted from the door and into Alec’s arms.
“Oh me wee darlin’,” Alec said as he squeezed the little girl, no more than ten years old. “I missed ya!”
Alec set her down on the ground and smiled as her wild hair, matching his color, blew with the wind. Her velvet green dress showed stain at the bottom, signifying she had been out in the fields that morning with her father. The girl turned to Jaime and smiled sweetly.
“Who is she?” the girl asked.
“Oh, I forgot my manners. Emilia this is Jaime. Jaime this is Emilia, my tiniest of sisters,” Alec stated, looking up Jaime, the affection he had for the girl showing in his eyes.
“It’s lovely to meet you,” Jaime stated, shaking the little girl’s hand.
“And you,” she replied with a confused look on her face. “That is a strange accent ye have.”
“She has traveled all over the world, so her Scottish accent has disappeared,” Alec replied before Jaime could say anything. “We donna hold it against her.”
“Wonderful,” Emilia said, her eyes growing wide. “Have you been over there to that new America?”
“Not yet,” Jaime replied. “I don’t much like the English, and there are a lot of them there.”
“Me either,” Emilia stated, scrunching her nose up.
“Emilia, let’s get inside and get Miss Jaime comfortable,” Alec said, looking down at Emilia as she tugged on his shirt.
“Miss Gillie is inside,” she whispered. “And her smelly father.”
“Is that so? Well, this should be interesting then,” Alec said, a nervous smile on his face. As they approached the front door, Alec turned quickly to Jaime.
“I need ye to do me a favor, and no matter what is said in there, please follow me lead and let me explain later,” he said in a whisper. “Can you promise me that?”
Jaime only had time to blink in bewilderment before a large older man she assumed to be Alec’s father approached. She looked at Alec with a quick nod of her head before straightening and smiling at the man in the doorway. Alec turned and threw his shoulders back, puffing his muscled chest forward.
“Father,” Alec said, leaning forward and shaking his hand.
“Alec, Balloch told us you would be along soon, though I didna ken ye would be bringing company,” the man said gruffly.
“Aye, Father, this is Jaime of the Abernathy clan,” Alec said stepping to the side to allow the two to share greetings. “Jaime this is my father, Cinead McDermont.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Jaime said timidly.
“Aye, well, come inside,” Cinead said stepping out of the entrance and eyeing Jaime critically as she passed. “The weather is blustery today.”
Alec led the group through the hall and into the parlor where Alexandra and her father, Rory Gillie, were standing by the fire. Jaime stayed slightly hidden behind Alec, feeling very out of place. Cinead moved around Alec and stood next to Rory uncomfortably.
“The Gillies have come to speak of arrangements for the marriage,” Cinead stated with pride. “It seems we have come to a worthy agreement of clans.”
“It has been a long road,” added Rory, “and I hope that ye, lad, will be good to me daughter.”
“These arrangements will na be necessary,” Alec said with might. “Though I am sure the Gillie clan would make a fine addition to the McDermonts, I have already chosen a wife. This is Jaime Abernathy...McDermont.”
Cinead’s teeth clenched, and his hands balled into fists. Rory’s mouth dropped open, and he looked at his daughter Alexandra who squinted angrily at Jaime, before turning back, red-faced, to the couple. Alec stood his ground, his chest taut and his hand around Jaime’s wrist. He could feel her fist begin to ball next to him, and he attempted to soothe her by pulling her close.
“This is a great dishonor!” Rory shouted. “Cinead are ye going let this stand? Surely ye know the consequences.”
“Are ye threatening me father?” Alec shouted back angrily. “Our clans would never have been at peace, marriage or not. You ken that, I ken that, and I am sure my mother did too. Leave this house at once.”
Jaime watched as Cinead stood silently, staring at the two of them. Rory took his daughter by the arm and dragged her to the front door, the smug smile now cleared from her face. Alexandra, however, didn’t seem the least bit upset by this intrusion, and looked down at her hands, inspecting her nails. Rory turned back towards Alec, who had stepped into the hall.
“This will not go without retribution,” Rory hissed through gritted teeth before turning and pulling the heavy door shut behind them.
Alec stepped back into the parlor room and stretched his shoulders. He looked up at his father, who he knew would have some choice words for him. Cinead began to walk across the room and stopped, looking Alec in the eyes.
“Do mhàthair a bhiodh fo bhròn. Tha thu air na disgraced dhuinn,” his father said to him in Gaelic before staring down at Jaime and then stomping from the room and slamming his bedroom door.
“What did he say?” Jaime whispered to Alec, whose face was torn with sadness and anger.
“Yer mother would be saddened. You disgrace us,” he replied, no expression on his face as he stared ahead in front of him.
“Alec,” Jaime said, “Your father shouldn’t have said that to you, but how about your disrespect for me? I appreciate you helping me out here, but to tell your family we are married? It’s one thing to lie to the innkeeper or the dressmaker, but Alec, you never said a word to me of this little plan of yours. When did you decide on this little scheme of yours? You know I have a life! I’m not a mail o
rder bride to do with as you please.”
Alec watched as Jaime pushed past him, dropping her shawl on the floor and bursting out of the door into the cold afternoon air. He picked up the garment from the floor and chased after her, surprised at the fear of her flight flowing through his chest. He closed the door behind him and looked out at Jaime standing in the yard, staring out at the sheep grazing in the field, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, for warmth or comfort, he was not sure. He slowly walked up to her and wrapped the shawl around her shivering shoulders. She turned angrily towards him, slapping him in the chest.
“How dare you put me in that position,” she hissed. “What am I to do now? Leave your family to clean up this mess or stay and forget everything I am? I don’t belong here, Alec, why don’t you understand that?”
“You do not even know where home is,” he snapped back. “I have just handed ye a life, a good one. Why are you so angry at me for that?”
“I am not from here,” she cried out. “This is not right, this is not where, or when, I am supposed to be. I have a life and friends and…and…a life.”
“You said that,” Alec responded. “Please, Jaime, do this for me for a time. If yer truly from another place, or another time as ye say, then we will all disappear from you when you return. But for me, it will save my family. The Gillies are planning something treacherous, and I need the time to prove it, to ensure our families are never merged.”
“For how long?” she asked angrily. “Until I am old and gray and don’t even recognize home when I go back? All of this is insane.”
Alec sighed as Jaime stepped forward, putting her face in her hands. The idea had seemed so simple before he knew anything about Jaime. Now, however, a burning tinge of guilt and sadness flooded him, and he knew he would eventually have to appease her and go look for this fairy tale “portal” she kept speaking of. Knowing that it would at least calm her nerves, Alec stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder, seeing the tears in her eyes.
“Please donna cry,” he said gently. “If you do this for me, for a fortnight, two at most, I promise I shall help you find yer way back to yer time.”
“You don’t even believe I am from another time,” Jaime scoffed, drying her eyes on her shawl.
“It will nae matter what I believe if we can find the portal and send you back,” he stated. “Help me, and I shall help you find it.”
“Really?” Jaime asked, looking up cautiously from the wrap around her shoulders. “Do you really promise or is this another trick you have cooked up?”
“I promise,” he said, standing up straight and sticking his hand out towards her.
“Fine,” she said angrily, pushing his hand away. “But so you know, for the future, sleeping with a woman, playing with her heart, that’s not the way to get what you want.”
Alec’s face dropped as soon as he her words hit him with their full force. Making love in the woods the night before had never been part of this plan or on his mind. It had just happened. Guilt surged through his chest as he looked at the small, beautiful woman in front of him, her green eyes darkened in anger.
“That was never me intention,” he said sadly, shaking his head.
“Whatever,” she scoffed. “It’s cold. Will you show me to our room at least?”
Alec nodded and allowed Jaime to walk ahead towards the house. Her strawberry blonde hair glistened in the sunlight, and at that moment, he started to regret what he had done — taking her last night, making her his “bride” today — but it was too late now. Wherever this woman had come from, Alec feared, she would change his life forever, before returning whence she came.
Chapter 6
Jaime
Jaime stood in the large bedroom that she she would now be calling home, at least for a little while. She scanned the space, realizing this was nothing more than a place to sleep for Alec. Back home her bedroom was always her sanctuary, and she knew if she kept having to dodge Alec’s father and a warring clan, she would need somewhere comfortable to retreat. She pushed the sleeves up on her gown and straightened the covers on the bed. The furniture was beautiful. The mattress was situated on a poster bed with hand carved crests of the McDermont clan etched into the sides. The desk by the window was also hand carved, and Jaime smiled at the quality of craftsmanship she knew was rarely found in her time period.
Emilia walked into the room carrying several dresses and some blankets, followed by her sister, who looked to be around thirteen years old. The older girl was tall and slender with long curly red hair. The freckles across her cheeks and nose were the only thing holding her back from looking like a grown woman. Her gentle eyes soothed Jaime’s nerves, and she quickly took the garments from Emilia and turned to the girl.
“I’m Jaime,” she said with cheer. “You must be Alec’s other sister.”
“My name is Una,” the girl said sweetly. “It’s very nice to meet you. We brought some dresses for ye, and some extra blankets in case you get cold.”
“That is so kind of you,” Jaime replied, setting the clothes down on the bed. “You will have to show me around later today. We can get to know one another.”
“Of course,” Emilia said sincerely. “Una knows all about cooking and the farm, and I can show ye the hiding places I’ve found, just in case ye need time alone.”
“That is wonderful, though I’ve never been a very good cook,” Jaime responded, laughing at Emilia’s impishness.
“I can teach you,” Una replied. “I have all of Mother’s recipes memorized, and now that yer part of the family, ye can learn them too.”
Jaime smiled and stood up straight, uncomfortable of the secret she was hiding, and not wanting to lie to the girl. Alec walked through the doorway and clapped his hands together, relieving the tension. Una looked back and smiled, making it obvious to Jaime how much they looked to their brother for guidance and love. It would have been endearing if she were not so on edge.
“Alright little lasses,” Alec said smiling. “You shall both have plenty of time to torture Jaime later. I must be getting ready to tend the sheep. Father has gone to Perth, and he will nae return ‘til tomorrow.”
“What is Jaime going to do?” Emilia asked with her hands on her hips. “Ye cannae just bring her home and leave her alone in this room. She’ll be bored to death.”
“I can help with the sheep,” Jaime stated.
“I dinna ken if that’s something you want to jump right into,” Alec responded, trying to say it in a kind way. “Ye donna seem like the farming type.”
“I’ll have you know that I once helped birth not one, but two baby calves,” Jaime stated with pride. “I’m pretty sure I can handle some Scottish farm work.”
“Okay, if yer sure, lass,” Alec said, pushing back a smile. “Throw on one of the work dresses me sisters brought you, yer boots, and meet me at the barn.”
Alec left the room with a condescending smile, and the girls giggled their way into the kitchen while Jaime changed clothes. The new dress was much more comfortable, lightweight, and easy to move in. It was still that dark shade of green that seemed to be everywhere but flowed quietly to just below the top of her boots. She then grabbed the matching cloak and tied it around her neck, making sure she would stay warm. She marched triumphantly out to the barn and stood in front of Alec, waiting for instruction.
“We are gonna move the sheep from that enclosure to this one so I can work on the fence,” he explained. “So, basically we chase the sheep into that gate and out into that enclosure.”
“Seems easy enough,” Jaime stated, taking a long stick from Alec and looking at it curiously. “I’m not hitting them am I?”
“No, no. Just tap them a bit, and they will start running,” he replied. “The trick is to get them running in the right direction, at the same time.”
Jaime nodded her head, feeling a bit less confident than she did originally. She walked behind Alec into the large field where the sheep were grazing and watched
as he stood behind them and started whistling. As angry as she was at his deception, he was certainly a fine specimen of a man. The skin that was bared glistened and gave her glimpses of his rippling muscle underneath. As big as he was, he moved deftly and with agility. His movements brought back memories of the night in the woods.
The sheep began to move slowly but not in the direction he intended. Alec looked up at Jaime and motioned to the sheep. She snapped herself back to attention and took a deep breath and jumped in, tapping the sheep on the butt every time they moved in the wrong direction. Before long she was running all over the field, whistling at rogue animals and trying to woo them into their new home. She looked up to see Alec standing next to the gate motioning to two younger sheep on the side.
Jaime took off running after them moving them in a zig zag pattern through the field. The ground was soft, and her ankles buckled every time she stepped into their tracks. Just as she had them heading straight for the opening, she slipped in the mud and landed hard on her behind. Alec closed the gate behind the sheep and turned to see Jaime, sitting in a pile of dirt. He walked over slowly, obviously holding back a laugh and reached his hand down to help her up. She slipped and slid as her boots lost traction, pulling Alec over on top of her. The two sat in the mud, laughter bellowing from both of them, mud covering their hands.
“Okay, maybe not as easy as I thought,” Jaime said through her laughter. “But I did it.”
“Ye did,” Alec stated, bracing himself to stand. “I had faith the whole time.”
“Liar,” Jaime whispered, smiling as Alec pulled her to her feet. “Oh no.”
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