Timeless Mist (19 page)

. "Please call me Meg, my
lady." The girl curtseyed and gave returned Kris' smile. "'Tis what
e'eryone calls me."

"I will do
that
, and you must feel free
to call me Kris.
That
's
the name I prefer. Kristianna is such a long name to say all the time." She
winked at the girl, caus
ing
her to giggle.

Elsbeth smiled, "I shall
leave you two to be about your business then."

"Before you go," Kris
stopped her, "I
have
a question for you."

"Aye?" Elsbeth stood
with her hand on the door and quirked a brow at Kris.

"Do you think, well, would
it be possible for me to wear a pair of pants, err trews rather, do you
suppose? Or would I send the entire castle into fits?"

"Nay, Kris." Elsie
smiled, "Lady Sorcha and Cait
ly
n
have
often done the
like
and 'tis no' looked at
askance around here. The people are
quite
used to it. I shall see if I can find a pair of Cait
ly
n's for ye."

"Oh, thank you so
much." Kris rushed over and kissed the woman on the cheek, much to
Elsbeth's surprise. She blushed and fumbled for the door, hurry
ing
out as soon as she got
it opened.

"We
have
to hurry, Meg. The laird said he would
return to collect me in an hour and I do
n't
want to keep him wait
ing
.
He might change his mind about lett
ing
me out of this room if I do."

*          *          *

A little over an hour later, Kris
stood by the window wait
ing
impatient
ly
for Iain. Just
as she
was
about to
give up on him, a tap sounded on her door. She turned as Iain entered, her
heart lurch
ing
mad
ly
at the sight of him. He
looked around the room, his eyes final
ly
com
ing
to rest on her.
His stare
was
bold and
appraised her candid
ly
.

Kris' feet shifted in nervousness
as his gaze roved over her, scann
ing
her critical
ly
. She
tried to judge his unreadable features, but he gave
not
h
ing
away.  Her pulse pounded under his examination. He let his gaze wander lazi
ly
back up to meet her eyes.
She tried to throttle the dizzy
ing
current rac
ing
through
her at the look of approval in clear, blue eyes. The smolder
ing
flame in his look made
desire rise. She quick
ly
tried to throttle
that
unwelcome thought.

"Will this do?" She
asked at last, her voice bare
ly
above a whisper.

"Oh, aye lass, 'twill do
verra well." He grinned and Kris
had
to fight the sudden overwhelm
ing
need to be close to him.

She returned his smile, although
she knew it came out a bit on the shaky side.

"Come, Kris." He held
out his hand, "I will show ye my keep. Then mayhap ye would
like
to go for a ride wi' me
and I will show ye some of the countryside."

Her breath caught in her throat. "
That
would be wonderful."
She exclaimed, delighted to be free of her room. She put her hand in his and
looked up at him. Her heart lurched mad
ly
as she felt the electricity of his touch. His nearness kindled feel
ing
s of fire, his gentle
touch caus
ing
a
delicious shudder to race down her spine.

"Do ye know how to ride,
lass?"

"Pardon?" She looked up
at him again before she realized what he said. "Oh, yes, actual
ly
, I do. I
had
lessons when I
was
younger. Got
pretty
good at it too, even
if I do say so myself." She wondered at the sudden change
that
had
come over him. What
was
he up to? She shrugged to herself. She
would
n't
let herself
worry about it. Right now, she just wanted to enjoy the freedom she
had
acquired.

*          *          *

When they final
ly
reached the courtyard
sometime later, Kris
was
dizzy with all she'd been shown and all the people Iain
had
introduced her too. She knew she'd never
remember all those names and put them with the proper faces.

The keep
was
bigger than she'd imagined it to be look
ing
at it from the outside. She
hadn't
had
much time to investigate
more than a couple of rooms when she'd been in her own time. She turned to
Iain, her hand on his arm stopp
ing
him before he headed down the steps.

"You
have
a love
ly
home." She smiled up at him.

Her smile hit him right behind
the knees, which near to buckled beneath him.

He returned her smile,
"thank ye, lass. I know 'tis probab
ly
no' what ye are accustomed too, but 'tis a place to live whilst the clan
recovers from the trouble the Campbell's ha'e stirred up yet again."

He turned away before he saw Kris
wince at his statement. She prompt
ly
changed the subject before he
not
iced.

"So where are we go
ing
next?"

"I thought mayhap ye would
enjoy a quick trot around the countryside. No' too far of course, as we must be
wary of enemies, but enough to gi'e ye a fair taste of the beauty of the
Scottish hills and valleys."

Kris nodded with enthusiasm and
hurried to follow him to the stables.

"Wait here, lass, and I
shall see to our horses be
ing
brought out."

While she waited, she let her
gaze roam around the courtyard. It held the usual build
ing
s, stable, guard tower, and such. The people
milled about, go
ing
about their dai
ly
chores. E
very
now and
then, one of the women would look up at her, catch her look
ing
at them, offer a quick,
shy smile and return to their work.

She turned when she felt a nose
bump her shoulder. She turned to see a chestnut mare nuzzl
ing
at her. She rubbed her
nose, speak
ing
soft
ly
to her.

"Are
n't
you a beauty?" She looked over to see
Iain with his own horse. "What's her name?"

"Hopes Destiny. She belongs
to my
màthair
."

"She's love
ly
. And
quite
friend
ly
too." She laughed as
the horse nudged her again when she stopped pett
ing
her.

"Aye, she is. My
màthair
has
treated her more as a
pet than a means of transport
ing
herself from one place to a
not
her."

Kris walked around to shorten the
stirrups a bit for herself and got her first good look at Iain's geld
ing
. Her breath caught in
her throat and seemed to stop. She coughed then sputtered a bit, caus
ing
Iain to slap her on the
back with perhaps more enthusiasm than
was
warranted.

"I'm fine," she wheezed,
wav
ing
him off. "It's
just your horse is enormous." She did
n't
need him to know she'd seen his horse before in her dreams. She should
have
expected it, see
ing
as she'd dreamt of Iain
before she'd seen him as well. It would on
ly
be common sense
that
the horse she'd seen him rid
ing
would be the same as well.

"Elvis
was
a gift from my father
when I
was
knighted."

Kris' eyes widened so much they
began to hurt. Her body stiffened in shock as she stared at him in
astonishment. It could
n't
be. It
was
too
ludicrous too even be thinkable. She wet her sudden
ly
dry lips and tried to speak. When no words
issued forth, she closed her eyes, swallowed a time or two and tried again.

"Y-your horses name is
E-Elvis? Are you kidd
ing
me?"

Iain looked at her as if she'd
lost her wits entire
ly
.
The inner bailey began to spin with nauseat
ing
speed. She sat down right
where
she stood and put her head between her knees, will
ing
the dizziness to cease.

Chapter Eleven

"Kidd
ing
? What mean you by
that
?"

She heard Iain speak
ing
to her, but his voice
sounded
like
it came
through a tunnel. He squatted down in front of her and tried to lift her face
up. She would
n't
let
it budge from between her knees.

"Kristianna, what did ye
mean by
that
?" His
voice final
ly
broke
through the fog, and she careful
ly
lifted her head and rested her chin on her knees.

"I meant jok
ing
, you know, a jest. Sure
ly
you jest about your
horses' name." Her voice came out muffled from between her legs.

"Why would I jest about it? And
why would such send ye into fits? Ye look near to ha'ing apoplexy, lass."

"Right, of course." Kris
put up her index f
ing
er.
"Why would you jest about your horse's name?
That
would just be sil
ly
would
n't
it?" She lifted her head a bit and looked at him with a raised brow. "I
think I'm
really
los
ing
it here. I did hear you
right did
n't
I? You
named your horse Elvis."

When Iain nodded, she shook her
head then started to laugh. She could
n't
help it. The incongruity of it all rushed over her and she doubled over, tears
of mirth stream
ing
down her cheeks.

"Lass?"

She heard Iain call her, but
could
n't
stop laugh
ing
long enough to answer
him. Her stomach started to cramp from the fits of giggles and still, she could
n't
stop.

"Kristianna, ye must get a
hold of yourself." Iain could
not
fathom what
was
so
funny. Her laughter
was
infectious, however. The corners of his mouth turned up before he could stop
them. "Kris," he tried again.

He stared at her, her laugh
marvelous and catchy. He could
n't
help but laugh himself, although he
had
not
the faintest idea
why. He continued to watch her, hav
ing
not
the least
not
ion what she found so
funny, but enjoying her laughter immensely. She held her stomach with one hand
and with the other reached to hold onto him, as if to keep herself from sprawl
ing
backwards in the dirt if
she let go.

Kris heard Iain's mirth. His
laugh floated up from his throat, deep, warm and rich. She tried to catch her
breath, to get her laughter under control, but his amusement added to her own,
especial
ly
when she
knew he
had
no idea
what she found so funny.

"You do
n't
even know what you're
laugh
ing
at, do
you?" She asked, after several long moments, when she
was
finally able to contain
herself enough to speak.

Iain shook his head; a grin still
split his face. "I cannae help it though. Lass, ye
have
the most infectious laugh I ha'e e'er
heard. Mayhap ye will now tell me what ye found so amus
ing
?"

Kris chewed her bottom lip,
wonder
ing
if she should
tell him now or wait. She looked around and caught sight of all the people in
the courtyard. E
very
one of them
had
stopped what they
were
do
ing
stared at her
and Iain as if they'd both lost their wits. She
not
iced
quite
a few wore wide
smiles though, while several others grinned and still others wore looks of mild
amusement.

"Doonae let them concern
ye," Iain said, with a look around. He reached for her hand, "'tis
just they ha'e no' heard me laugh
like
that
for
quite
some time."

It
was
true, too, he thought. He
had
no time for laughter and amusement. No time for the jest
ing
nor the camaraderie
that
came with it anymore either. Life
was
too short and right now
too dangerous to give in to such frivolities.
Not
to mention he
had
not
let his emotions go since
his last betrothal too Isobel ended. But damn if it
had
not
felt wondrous and
not
just a bit liberat
ing
to do the
like
again.

"Oh." Kris blinked a
time or two when Iain swung her into the circle of his arms. A familiar shiver
of awareness raced through her and she inhaled sharp
ly
. She struggled to keep her wits about her
while butterflies danced wild
ly
in her stomach. She wished he would quit do
ing
th
ing
s
like
that
; it
was
beginn
ing
to unnerve
her.

"Well," she cleared her
throat, "I think you should do it more often." She strove to keep her
tone light. "You look ten years younger than you usual
ly
do, Iain. Laughter is
good for a person do
n't
cha
know. It keeps them young."

She grinned at him, then pulled
from his embrace, turned and boosted herself into the saddle before she did
someth
ing
stupid,
like
kiss his socks off. She
looked down at him and smiled, he
wasn't
wear
ing
socks.

"Are we go
ing
for a ride?" She
asked before she started for the outer bailey.

Iain looked at her, shook his
head and mounted his own horse. He'd determined earlier, when she'd told him of
what her betrothed had said,
that
he would make Kris realize how desirable she
was
.
The why of
that
he did
n't
want to begin to fathom.
He just knew he never wanted to see
that
look on her face he'd seen earlier when she'd been talk
ing
of her former betrothed and how he'd made
her feel with his insult
ing
remarks.

If he
had
the man before him now, he'd throttle him,
before he avenged his ladies honor in the lists. He shook his head and followed
Kris out of the bailey. He caught up with her quick
ly
, slow
ing
his mount to match the pace of her own.

"I will ha'e an answer to my
question, Kris."

She shrugged and waved toward the
drawbridge, "shall we?"

Iain looked at her, a bit
startled. Determined he would
have
the tale eventual
ly
,
he started over the bridge. He glanced around him again at the people still
mill
ing
about. Mayhap
it would be better if he did
n't
push her for the reason in front of e
very
one.
He dinnae know what
was
so funny, but someth
ing
told him it would be better to wait for her to tell him.

Kris could
n't
help still chuckl
ing
. She shook her head. Why
had
he named his horse Elvis
of all th
ing
s? It
could
n't
be a fluke. She
was
fair
ly
certain
that
name
was
not
at all popular in this century. She doubted
anyone besides Iain or herself
had
ever even heard it before.

Heck, she did
n't
know more than two
people with
that
name
even in her century, and both of them
had
been famous for pity sake. She sighed. Maybe when they stopped for a rest, she
could get some answers out of Iain. They could trade answers. She'd answer his
questions in return for some answers to her questions. She nodded,
that
was
fair. It would be an even trade-off.

She continued to follow Iain for
the next little while. He rode at a slow, steady pace, which gave her time to
look at her surround
ing
s.
She recognized Schiehallion immediate
ly
.
Mr. MacGregor
had
told
her about the cone shaped mountain when she'd expressed an interest in it.

The name actual
ly
meant several different
th
ing
s he'd informed
her; the 'Maiden's Pap' or the 'Seat of the Caledonian Fairies' or the 'Fairy
Hill of the Caledonians'. On the eastern side of the mountain
was
the Maiden's Well. Each
May first, girls from the local villages danced and drank from the well to br
ing
health and good fortune
for the com
ing
year. The
view still captivated her and she stopped her mount.

Iain
not
iced her stop and turned to look at what
had
caught her attention.

"There is a small stream a
short distance from here, lass." He said, gestur
ing
to a small grove of trees
not
too far away, "we
can stop and rest the horses there. Ye will still
have
a good view of Schiehallion from there. Ye
might e'en be able to see the Maiden's Well."

Kris nodded her agreement with
enthusiasm. She
hadn't
been on a horse for a while and her butt
was
beginn
ing
to feel the
effects of the ride. A rest would be a good th
ing
.

"Oh," Kris breathed as
they came out of the copse of trees, "how beautiful." A small stream
trickled close by, and at the edge of the trees and beyond
that
, a meadow full of
wildflowers stretched out before them. She could see the snow-covered top of
Schiehallion from here as well.

Iain nodded, "aye, it
has
always been one of my
favorite spots. E'en when we dinnae live in Rannoch, I always found this place
sooth
ing
and a good
place to think about th
ing
s
or think about
not
h
ing
." He smiled and
reached up to help her dismount.

"Iain's thoughtful
spot," Kris laughed.

He grinned at her and easi
ly
lifted her down. When her
feet
were
on the
ground, she waited for him to release her, but he kept his hands rest
ing
light
ly
on her waist. She looked
at him from beneath her lashes. He peered at her intent
ly
, his compell
ing
eyes rivet
ing
her to
the spot. Her heart fluttered wild
ly
in her chest, and her flesh prickled at his touch. She could feel the heat of
his hands through her shirt. She enjoyed his closeness more than she wanted to
admit.

He drew her closer and she found
she
had
no desire or
will to back out of his embrace, so she did what she'd wanted to do since she'd
had
her first dream of
him over a month ago, she relaxed, sink
ing
into it instead.

Her body t
ing
led at the close contact, but she welcomed
it. She lifted her head and her calm shattered when he pressed his lips to
hers. His kiss
was
slow, thoughtful and surpris
ingly
gentle.

Iain
was
staggered at her response. The kiss
had
been a compulsion. He
hadn't
been able to control
his head from descend
ing
nor his lips from captur
ing
hers. It took all his willpower to keep the kiss light, when he'd wanted
not
h
ing
more than to crush her to him and kiss her
senseless. E
very
time
he saw her, the need
was
the same. It on
ly
seemed to grow stronger, until he could no longer deny he wanted her. Especial
ly
after spend
ing
the morn
ing
with her. He'd begun to
come to know her, and the more he discovered about her, the more he wanted to
know.

He raised his head a bit and
looked at her face. Her eyes remained closed, her lips full and moist from his
kiss. With a groan, he reclaimed her mouth hungri
ly
.

The kiss sent new spirals of
ecstasy rac
ing
through
Kris and the pit of her stomach into a wild swirl. His tongue explored the
recesses of her mouth, which she readi
ly
opened at his prompt
ing
.
She forgot e
very
th
ing
for the moment, except
his kiss and what it did to her. Just as she
was
beginn
ing
to think her
legs would
n't
hold her
up anymore if he continued, he released her.

She clung to him as if to a life
preserver, afraid if she let go, she'd slip to the ground because her legs felt
about as steady as Jell-O. He stroked her hair as she continued to stand in his
embrace. How long they remained
that
way, Kris could
n't
say. All she knew
was
that
it felt right, as if
this
was
where she
belonged. She felt safe and protected in his arms.

She shook her head. How foolish. He
was
a medieval laird
and she belonged in the twenty-first century. It would never work.
Like
her grand
mother
used to ask her when
she brought home a boy she deemed unsuitable for her granddaughter, a bird may
love a fish, but where would they live? Kris sighed and moved out of his hold.