The Scottish Siren

by Kirsten Osbourne

After Morvan had disappeared, Beth wandered around the small room. What was she supposed to do while the other woman was gone?

  Then she couldn’t help but wonder where her friends thought she was. Had Dr. Lachele told them about her disappearance? Would she send the others to where they wanted to be as well?

  She shook her head. Those questions were not for her to answer. She sat and waited patiently, wishing she could play with her cellphone. Of course, it wouldn’t work in this time period, and the battery would die soon. Maybe she could get in just one more game of Candy Crush before it did die. How she wished she’d gotten herself a solar battery charger when she’d first heard of them. It just hadn’t seemed to make sense with her lifestyle. She had used her phone very little since she’d charged it, and perhaps it would still be fine. She felt like she needed to keep it close, as it was her last connection to the twenty-first century.

  Of course, none of the internet things would work now. She wished she could do just a bit more research on the time period, but the book she’d brought with her would have to be enough. If she could figure out where to hide it. Hopefully the author had done her research well.

  Life here would be very different than what she was used to, but that would have to be all right. She would simply get used to things. She couldn’t help but wonder if there was a loophole to her wish. Would she be given the chance to travel back to the future? Or was she stuck here forever? And did she really feel stuck? Gavin was handsome and smart. She enjoyed being around him. Surely love would come. It always did in the romance novels she read.

  Morvan opened the door and took her mind off her thoughts. With her was her daughter. “This is Kirstine. She will be your maid after today. I brought her to sit with ye while ye eat, and ye two can spend some time getting to know one another.”

  As soon as she was gone, Beth looked at Kirstine. “I’m happy to meet you. I hope we’ll be fast friends.”

  “I canna see us being anything else,” Kirstine said with a smile. “Let me tell ye about me betrothed.”

  Four

  When it was time for the wedding, Lady Gillian knocked on the door to the room Beth had used. “Are ye ready? ’Tis time.”

  Beth got to her feet, her hair in a long braid down her back. “I’m ready.”

  Gilly smiled at her. “Ye make a beautiful bride, Beth.”

  “Thank you, Lady McClain.”

  Gilly shook her head. “Ye will call me one of three things. Gilly, Gillian, or Mother. Those are your only options.”

  Beth smiled. “Let’s start with Gilly and see if I feel comfortable calling you Mother later.”

  “’Tis not required,” Gilly said. “Call me whichever of those three things ye like.”

  Together the two of them walked toward the stairs. “Are there a lot of people here?” Beth asked. She’d never been fond of crowds. She’d refused to walk across the stage during her graduations, because she hadn’t felt comfortable in front of people.

  “Gavin insisted on keeping it small because he knew ye would prefer that. It is only family and servants who live here in the keep.”

  That still sounded like a huge amount of people to Beth. She wanted to turn and run, but she forced herself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. When she reached the first floor, she walked into the room that in her mind would be called the great hall. She’d ask Gavin what it was called when she got a chance.

  Gavin stood in a fresh plaid, his hair obviously recently combed. It was dark, and yesterday it had been sticking up in a variety of fun ways. Today it looked like someone had attacked him with a wet comb, ensuring his hair would stay down. Gel would have helped, but she had a feeling there wasn’t any hair gel in this time period.

  She stepped up beside him, and he took her hand, the two of them turning to face the priest. She responded when prompted, feeling herself shaking. When Gavin was told to kiss her, he didn’t hesitate. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her for all he was worth. Beth responded but felt strange kissing him in front of his family.

  There were many cheers, and Gavin introduced her to his brothers. All six of them. Beth didn’t even try to listen, knowing she’d never remember their names anyway. She tried to imagine his entire family wearing, “Hello, my name is” stickers, and that brought a smile to her face.

  There was a feast following the small ceremony, and that was open to all the clansmen. People poured into the keep, all thrilled to be able to share in the feast and celebrate the wedding of the new laird.

  Beth couldn’t help but notice that there were people carrying things down the stairs during the ceremony, and she knew that her mother-in-law hadn’t been joking when she’d said they were moving out that very day. It all seemed like a dream to her, and she wondered if she’d remember anything about this day.

  Throughout the celebrations, Kirstine was just behind Beth at all times, helping her with anything she hesitated over. Just when Beth felt like all the people were becoming too much, Kirstine came up behind her. “I need your help with something, Lady Beth,” she said softly, leading Beth upstairs.

  Beth collapsed onto the bed, wondering what Kirstine could possibly need. She took a few deep breaths, and then looked at her new maid. “What do you need?”

  “To get ye out of there before ye fainted with fear.”

  Beth grinned. “Was I that obvious?”

  “I spent much time with ye earlier today. Aye, it was obvious to me.” Kirstine smiled. “I will get ye a damp cloth to bathe your face. That should make ye feel better.”

  “Thank you!” Beth realized it seemed odd that someone with social anxiety could survive in New York, but she’d always been careful to hide it. She’d hide behind her phone or a book, and the world would disappear away. Even on the subway, she could close her eyes and listen to a book on tape.

  The room Kirstine had brought her to was much larger than the one she’d spent the night in, and the bed was three times the size. This must be the bedroom she’d be sharing with Gavin. How was it that she could be both excited and nervous about the night to come?

  Kirstine brought her the cloth, and she spent a minute bathing her face. “How long could I hide here before someone noticed I was missing?” Beth asked.

  Kirstine smiled. “Gavin was very aware of me taking ye from him, but I dinna think anyone else will notice anything for a little while yet.”

  “Good. Was your betrothed at the feast?” Beth asked.

  “He was one of the men helping the former laird and lady move their things to their new home. I will ensure ye meet him soon.”

  “That would be nice.” Beth was glad to have a friend and confidante in this place already. It was good not to feel quite so alone. “So what else will happen today? How long will the feast last?”

  “Well into the night. The men will be asking Gavin how he feels about different fighting strategies and many other things ye willna care about. I will make sure ye are free to leave just as soon as I can. Would ye mind feigning a headache?”

  Beth frowned. “That will work for everyone but Gavin. He will know.”

  “He will understand. I promise. Ye can claim to have a slight headache, and we will come up here. I will help ye ready for bed, and then we can talk. I have heard ye come from another time, and though I promise to tell no one about that, I would love to hear more meself!”

  “I’m not sure you’re supposed to know that.”

  “But as your maid, I will need to know everything there is about ye so I can help ye better. I promise ye, I will keep the secret to me grave. Even me betrothed will never know.”

  Beth nodded, understanding the reasoning. She took a few more deep breaths and stood. “I thank you for keeping my secret and for helping me escape. Now, I need to get back there and pretend it’s where I want to be.”

  “I will be watching ye for signs of ye needing to escape,” Kirstine said with a smile. “We will go whenever ye need.”

  “I appreciate that.�
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  “’Tis me job. And I can see that with a lady like ye, it will be one I love.” Kirstine led her down the stairs and back to Gavin’s side.

  Beth was surprised when his arm came around her waist, seemingly without him even noticing he was doing it. “Are ye all right?” he asked softly.

  “Yes, I just don’t do well with a lot of people around.” Beth hated admitting it, but it was something he’d definitely learn in time, whether she wanted him to or not.

  As the evening wore on, she tried many new foods, refusing to think about what she could possibly be putting into her mouth. She knew the foods were all commonly eaten by the ancient Scots, and they were known as a strong and hardy people, so she wouldn’t complain about anything. Hopefully no one would ever tell her which thing was mutton, because the mere thought of eating sheep made her want to gag.

  When Beth started to get overwhelmed again, Kirstine took her arm, and said, “Let me take ye to the kitchens to meet the staff there. They will all appreciate your thanks for a wonderful feast.”

  This time Beth knew what her maid was doing, and she smiled, nodding. “Thank you for your rescue.”

  Kirstine giggled. “I have a feeling this will happen often in the years to come. We will learn to do it even more smoothly.” She led her to the kitchen and introduced her to the women who were busy cooking. One woman’s face was bright red from the heat in the room. “Lady Beth, this is Morag, our cook. She will introduce her staff.”

  Beth smiled at Morag after the introductions had been made. “The feast today has been wonderful. I thank you for making my wedding day so special.”

  Morag smiled and nodded. “’Tis me pleasure, Lady Beth.”

  “Please just call me Beth. I don’t need anyone to be so formal around me.”

  Morag nodded again. “I hope ye will make some time for me on the morrow so the two of us can sit down and go over what ye would like for me to cook.”

  “I’d be happy to.” Beth was thinking some chili would be wonderful, but she seemed to remember tomatoes were a new world discovery. Maybe Morag would be able to make her a shepherd’s pie. That was one of her favorite things from the time she was a child—but wait . . . weren’t potatoes a New World food as well? And she knew chocolate was. Ugh. All of her favorite foods were gone. She sighed. If only she could make a decent taco, she’d be happy.

  Before long, Beth was back and part of the feast. Gavin introduced her to his brothers and their wives, as well as a plethora of nieces and nephews. As someone who had never had a family, Beth was both overwhelmed and thrilled. A family as big as this one was sure to keep her busy. And the seven children Gavin kept telling her she’d give birth to. If he knew anything about modern-day genetics, he’d know it was impossible to predict the number of children that way, and the fact they’d all be boys? She wanted to laugh, but she didn’t dare. She needed him to believe her, so she needed to believe him.

  The feast was still going strong when Kirstine came to her and whispered that it was time for her to prepare for bed. Beth blushed, knowing that everyone would know she was about to sleep with her new husband, but what was more natural than making love and having babies? These people were primitive enough to know that those things kept the world going.

  Kirstine helped her get out of her kilt and into her nightgown, sitting with her and talking until she was too sleepy to talk any longer. “Promise me ye will tell me some things about the future tomorrow.”

  Beth smiled. “I will.” They were far enough in the past that she shouldn’t have to worry about the space-time continuum that was always discussed in time-travel science fiction movies. Whatever that was. She really didn’t care, to be honest. She was there to live her life. And it looked like her life was starting any moment.

  The door closed behind Kirstine, and Beth closed her eyes.

  Gavin was very aware when his wife was taken from him, and he vowed he would follow just as soon as he could. He had just decided to leave the feast when a contingent of soldiers walked up to him. “Sorry, laird, but the McPhersons have raided again.”

  “What did they take?” he asked, brushing his dark hair away from his face. He honestly didn’t much care what they’d taken, as long as it wasn’t his new wife. Her, he was keeping.

  “Cattle, goats, a few sheep. And . . .”

  “And?”

  “Coira. Your brother James is frantic and says we must head out and find her immediately.”

  Gavin sighed. “Aye, we must.” Coira was his niece and only four years old. She must be found and returned. He had no doubt even the evil McPhersons wouldn’t hurt the child, but they needed something. He had to find out what. “Ready a raiding party. I will lead it.”

  “Aye, Laird.”

  Gavin brushed the back of his neck, considering going to Beth and letting her know where he’d be, but why bother? She was probably already asleep anyway. Nay, he’d do his duty to his clan and find his wife later.

  The sun was high in the sky when Beth woke the following morning. The pillow beside hers was untouched, and the bed was perfectly made on the other side. Where was Gavin?

  She looked at the foreign clothes, wondering how on earth she was going to figure out how to dress, just as a knock came at the door. “Beth?”

  Beth hurried to open the door to Kirstine. “Help me dress, please. Gavin never came to bed last night.”

  “Aye. He had to lead a raid into McPherson territory. The McPhersons have stolen his niece Coira.”

  “I suppose that’s to be expected.” Beth shook her head. She hadn’t really thought about what it would mean to be married to a man who was constantly on call to help everyone who needed him. What had she been thinking? Of course those were a laird’s duties. “How dangerous is it?”

  Kirstine shrugged. “This is the first time in a long feud that a child has been taken. It is usually just cattle, goats, and sheep. Sometimes they take crops but rarely.”

  “I wonder what led them to take a little girl this time, then. It seems out of place.”

  “It is. I believe someone of the laird’s family must be ill. That would be the best way to get Gavin to heal whomever needed to be healed. Everyone in the area knows it. He is the best-known healer around.”

  Beth frowned. “So what should I do to help?”

  “Make certain supper is waiting for him when he gets home, of course. And it might be good if we started some sewing for ye. At the moment, the sum total of your clothing is a borrowed nightgown and a borrowed dress. Ye will want clothing of your own before too long.”

  Beth stared at Kirstine. “I don’t sew!”

  The maid frowned at her. “How do ye get your clothing then? Surely ye wear clothes in the future.”

  Beth grinned. “I do, but I buy them from stores. People make them and sell them. And people like me buy them.”

  “’Tis very odd. Did your mother not make your clothing when ye were a little girl?”

  “My mother died when I was born. No one ever made clothes for me.” Beth had worn hand-me-downs until she’d graduated from high school. In college she’d gotten a job so she could actually buy her own clothes. She could still remember how it felt to put on a pair of jeans that had never been worn by anyone else. It seemed she was back to hand-me-downs now.

  “Well, then I will teach ye to sew. Ye will want to make clothes for the bairns that will surely come soon anyway.”

  How could she have children when her husband roamed around all night fighting other Highlanders? She couldn’t remember when in history the clans had come together and the lairds had stopped seeing one another as enemies.

  “I would like to learn. First, I should get some breakfast and talk to Morag about the meals for the week.”

  Kirstine quickly helped Beth dress, and the two of them went downstairs together. Morag brought her a bowl of porridge, and Beth accepted it gratefully. At least she knew what was in there.

  Kirstine sat down and ate with her, and the t
wo women talked about what they would sew that day. Beth was certain she’d be an absolute mess at sewing, but she was willing to try.

  As soon as breakfast was over and the meals were planned, Kirstine suggested they walk to Gilly’s house. “She will be able to tell us where the fabric is. There is always some stored in the keep for the laird and his lady’s use, but I have no idea where.”

  “Sounds good,” Beth said. She looked forward to seeing the village during the day. The day before she hadn’t set foot outside, and before that, they’d come in during the dead of night.

  Together the two women walked to Gilly’s house, with Kirstine pointing out different things along the way. “The stables are over there,” she said, pointing. “Most of the cottages in the clan are right here in the village. There are crops that are harvested just over that hill.” She kept up talking until they’d reached the cottage where Beth’s in-laws now lived.

  When Gilly came to the door, there were tears in her eyes. “Come in!”

  “Is there news?” Beth asked, her heart immediately plummeting. What if something had happened to Gavin?

  “Nay. ’Tis just hard to know that me granddaughter is with those savages.” Gilly turned away, immediately putting water on. “I will make some tea.”

  “Thank you, but you don’t need to do that.”

  “If ye really believe that, then ye know nothing about Highlander hospitality.” Gilly smiled. “What can I do for ye?”

  “Kirstine is convinced she can teach me to sew, even though I’ve never picked up a needle in my life. We were wondering where the extra fabric is kept at the keep.”

  “’Tis in a hidden room inside the laird’s chambers. If ye look behind the chest against the wall, there is a small switch that activates the chamber. Once open, ye may go through the chests there. They are all yours now.” Gilly sat down with them as she waited for the water to heat. “Ye will find many of the clothes I made for me bairns in there. Please, feel free to use them.”

  “Thank you.” Beth wished she knew what to say to make her mother-in-law feel better about the men being gone and about her missing little granddaughter. “When do we expect the men back?”