Timeless Mist (25 page)

Sorcha could on
ly
nod in agreement. She
knew she would get no further on the subject.

*          *          *

Iain returned to his own chamber
and collapsed on his bed after remov
ing
his boots. Saints what a day. He pinched the bridge of his nose, try
ing
to ease the pains in his
head. He
had
much to
think on, but he
was
bone weary.
Not
that
he would be able to
sleep much this night, with all the thoughts rush
ing
about in his head, each one demand
ing
attention. He prayed silent
ly
that
some clarity of
mind would be forthcom
ing
.

*          *          *

A week later, after much thought,
Iain final
ly
came to a
decision. He would speak to Kristianna about the betrothal. His
màthair
was
right about it be
ing
the most logical
solution. Kristianna couldnae return to her time, and
had
no one in this time to protect her or care
for her, outside of himself. Aye, 't
was
the most sensible, logical way to proceed.

Now he just
had
to convince her. He
headed out of the hall to find her. On his
màthair
's
advice, he'd left her alone to come to terms with her situation. He'd heard her
weep
ing
the day before
and
had
wanted to
comfort her, but would
n't
even know where to begin. Now, he would see how she fared and mayhaps if she
would
like
to join him
in the hall for dinner.

*          *          *

Left on her own for the better
part of the preced
ing
week, Kris again paced her room. She'd seen neither Iain nor Sorcha for several
days and
was
beginn
ing
to get bored and lone
ly
with on
ly
herself and her thoughts
for company.

Elsbeth
had
appeared several times throughout the week,
br
inging
food, or see
ing
to a bath for Kris, but
she'd seen neither hide nor hare of anyone else. Three days ago, Elsie
had
come in with Kris' meal
and produced several skeins of wool, tell
ing
Kris they
were
from
Iain.

When Kris
had
pushed and questioned Elsie about where
Iain and Sorcha
were
hid
ing
themselves,
Elsie
had
shrugged and
told her they wished to give her some time alone to come to terms with the
situation in which she now found herself.

Kris
was
grateful for it at
that
moment. She'd put
that
time to good use, too. Digg
ing
a crotchet hook from her
sack, she'd used the wool and made several pairs of socks, as well as begun
work on a sweater for Iain. She'd thought over her circumstances, she'd wept,
she'd slept uncountable hours of the days away and when she'd done all of
that
, she'd final
ly
come to grips with it
all. At least as much as she was able to for now.

She took all of her sorrow and
misery and tucked it away in a secret, secure part of her heart. She
was
here, in the seventeenth
century and this
was
where
she would
have
to make
her life. Somehow.

She knew in order to accomplish
that
, she could
not
continue to pace this
one room without go
ing
bonkers. She
had
to
get out of here and do someth
ing
,
anyth
ing
besides look
at these same four walls.

She looked at the door and an
idea began to take shape. She
was
no longer locked in. She could
pretty
much come and go as she pleased. A little explor
ing
might be just the th
ing
to help her settle down. If she kept busy, maybe she could keep her depress
ing
thoughts away for a
time. She did
n't
want
to think anymore, nor did she wish to cry. She'd done enough of both since
she'd realized she could probab
ly
never get home.

One th
ing
she knew for certain, she
was
go
ing
to
have
to find a way to
support herself. She
had
no idea how she could achieve
that
,
see
ing
as she
really
did
n't
have
the skills necessary to be a cook or a
seamstress. Perhaps she could become a lady's maid or someth
ing
. Whatever she did, she
was
stuck here, so she might
as well make the most of it.

Her decision made, she headed for
the door when a sharp rap sounded a moment before Iain stepped into the room. Kris
met his gaze and felt the heat of a blush warm her cheeks at the open
admiration in his eyes.

Iain let his gaze travel from her
face, down her neck, down more to view the tops of her full breasts and his
breath hitched in his throat.

"Ye look love
ly
lass." He spoke
after several moments of try
ing
to find his voice.

The gown she wore fitted her
torso snug
ly
then
flared a bit from the waist. The deep burgundy of the dress illuminated her
skin, the candlelight mak
ing
it glow. Her eyes
had
changed from their normal blue-green to an
almost
brilliant blue in color.

"Thank you," Kris
managed, her cheeks again grow
ing
warm as Iain continued to stare at her. She glanced down at her feet, feel
ing
shy and awkward against
the
very
obvious
double mean
ing
in his
gaze.

There
was
a t
ing
l
ing
in the pit of her
stomach as she fought the overwhelm
ing
urge to be close to him. It would be too easy to get lost in the way he looked
at her. Such a lure would be hazardous to her emotional state and someth
ing
she could ill afford to
do at the moment. She needed to make plans for her future and those plans did
not
include the man in front
of her.
Not
that
he'd be interested
anyway.

She shrugged
that
thought aside and
closed her eyes, purpose
ly
shutt
ing
out any
awareness of him. With her eyes closed, her other senses sprang to life. She
heard Iain move closer to her, could smell the musky, male scent of him, could
feel the heat emanate from him.

Iain reached out a hand to gent
ly
cup her chin, "open
your eyes, lass."

Not
know
ing
why, Kris
obeyed.

Through narrowed eyes, Iain
watched her gaze meet his, then drop lower to his lips before dart
ing
away. The tip of her
tongue came out to slide over her lower lip, wett
ing
the shell pink flesh until it gleamed in the muted light. The gesture
was
innocent
ly
sensual.

Iain suppressed a groan. For one
insane second, he wanted
not
h
ing
more than to bend his
head and replace her tongue with his own. The urge
was
so strong and so sudden it pushed the
breath from him.

He shook his head, try
ing
to clear it. The
repercussions of such an action happen
ing
again he did
not
even
wish to think about. He wanted no entanglements with a
not
her female. He'd already had enough of a
taste of her too know that she would be dangerous to him, too his heart. He
would betroth her if necessary, but 't
was
on
ly
a logical
decision. He could
not
afford to let his emotions become involved.

Besides, he reminded himself, he
had
no emotions. He would
wed her in the Highland way, for a year and a day. If, at the end of
that
time, either of them
wished to end it, neither would suffer from it. She would then be free to go
her way or stay with his clan and marry someone else of her own choos
ing
. There would be no hurt
feel
ing
s, for there
would be none of those involved. His heart, his emotions, would
not
, could
not
, be involved. He could
not
let them be. Beathag and
Isobel
had
snuffed out
any heart he'd once
had
.

Kris came to her senses slow
ly
. She
was
shocked to see how close
Iain
was
stand
ing
to her; a mere inch
was
all
that
separated his chest
from hers. The thought no sooner crossed her mind than she sensed more than saw
him lean closer. Their bodies touched, hard against soft, warmth against
warmth. Kris sucked in a breath and tried to move away, but her feet refused to
cooperate.

Iain's head lo
were
d without his permission,
though he did his best to squelch it, too bury the urge. As their lips met,
Kris sighed and melted into his embrace. It
wasn't
an all-consum
ing
kiss.
It
was
mere
ly
a gentle touch
ing
of his lips to hers. He
simp
ly
wanted to taste
her mouth again. Wanted to feel them soft and welcom
ing
beneath his. Just when he would
have
normal
ly
deepened the kiss, he
broke it off.

Kris swayed, her eyes still
closed, a contented sigh escap
ing
her still parted lips. He rested his forehead against hers for a moment, just
trying to catch his own breath. The simple kiss had shaken him to his core.

"Mathair sent me to find
ye." He rasped, his voice husky with the desire the kiss and her closeness
evoked in him. Clearing his throat, he tried again for a more normal sound. "Are
ye ready to join me in the hall for dinner, lass?"

Kris' eyes snapped open,
"what?"

"We are ready to dine. I
came to escort ye to the hall to eat."

Kris blinked, startled. "Dinner?
In the hall?"

Iain nodded.

"Um, yeah, sure." She
looked at him a moment. "May I ask you a question?"

"Aye."

"May I ask what
that
kiss
was
all about?"

"Aye."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

Kris sighed, exasperated. "What
was
that
kiss for?"

Iain considered a moment, "I
said ye may ask. I ne'er said I would answer." Iain bit the inside of his
cheek to keep a smile suppressed when Kris growled at him. The lass
was
far too easy to goad and
he found he enjoyed
that
about her. Besides, how could he tell her he hadn't the slightest notion what
he'd been about when he'd kissed her? That it had been an impulse he'd been
helpless to refuse? He cast a sidelong glance at her. She looked
like
she wished to do him
bodi
ly
harm again. Before
the idea could take full root in her head, howe'er, he took her arm in his. "Shall
we?"

Kris glared at him for a moment
before she shrugged and preceded him out of the room.

Chapter Fifteen

Kris stepped cautious
ly
into the great hall, Iain
right behind her, and looked around. The room
was
already full of people seated at the many tables set up for the afternoon meal.

The hall grew quiet as many
stopped talk
ing
or lo
were
d their voices to
whispers and turned to look at her. She glanced down self-conscious
ly
to make sure e
very
thi
ng
was
in place and
not
h
ing
showed
that
should
n't
.

Iain guided her forward to the
dais, though she would much rather
have
turned and fled back to the safety of her room. If
not
for Iain's hand rest
ing
gent
ly
at the small of her back, she would
have
done just
that
.

Maybe she should
n't
have
been
quite
so anxious to leave the sanctity of her room.

She sudden
ly
recalled her speech class in high school. She'd
been so petrified about giv
ing
her speech
that
she'd
on
ly
made it about
half way through before she'd bolted from the class. She'd run all the way to
the ladies room, thank
ing
God it
was
on
ly
a short distance from the
classroom. Once there, she'd lost the contents of her stomach.

She'd been so humiliated by the
experience, she'd
almost
dropped out of school complete
ly
.
Lucas and Hailey
had
talked her out of such drastic measures. She
had
dropped her speech class though.

She'd felt as if she
were
on display, all her
secrets exposed, her heart lay bare before all. Those same feel
ing
s assaulted her now. Especial
ly
when, as Iain led her to
the high table at this end of the hall even the low murmur
ing
stopped and there
was an
absolute dead
silence. Kris
had
never heard a silence so loud before. It fair deafened her.

Iain's hand moved from her back
to her elbow and tightened slight
ly
,
effective
ly
stopp
ing
her from turn
ing
on her heel and runn
ing
as fast as her legs
could carry her back up the stone stairs to her room.

If she could somehow escape to
the safety of her room, maybe she would bolt the door from the inside this
time. And she would
n't
come out again unless she discovered a way to return to her own time.
Not
that
that
would be possible, but a girl could dream.

Iain felt her tremble and
wondered at the cause of it.

"Iain, I do
n't
think I can do
this," Kris turned to whisper as a wave of apprehension and fear swept
through her again. "Maybe I should…"

Iain cut her off before she could
finish. "Mayhap ye should just sit here and hush," he said, though
not
unkind
ly
. He held out a chair for
her, saw her seated comfortable, then sat beside her in the large, ornate
ly
carved chair.

She looked around at all the
people who stared at her and a wave of panic welled in her.

Iain
not
iced Kris' hand shak
ing
, and placed his large one over hers, giv
ing
her a gentle squeeze of
reassurance. "Ye will be fine, lass. They willnae bite. They are just
unused to see
ing
a
Sassenach sitt
ing
at
the lairds table." He smiled and winked at her. "Now, ye must needs
relax or ye willnae be able to enjoy the meal, nor my fine company."

"Humph," Kris said
quiet
ly
, "you
sure are bossy, are
n't
you?"

Iain shrugged but before he could
retort and goad her more, a noise to his left made him look in
that
direction. Kris looked
as well. She
not
iced Iain's
suppressed smile and heard the others in the hall give a quick
ly
covered gasp. They all
appeared shocked
that
Sorcha
had
entered and
was
mak
ing
her way to the high
table.

Iain rose from his chair and
strode over to meet his
màthair
,
offer
ing
her his arm,
he led her to her place at the laird's table.

"Dinnae say a word, Iain, or
I swear I shall find the stoutest cudgel I can and beat ye black and blue with
it. I am here for Kristianna, to gi'e her support."

Iain gave a slight nod of his
head to acknowledge her words, but said
not
h
ing
until she
was
seated.

"Are ye comfortable,
màthair
?" Try as he
might, he could
n't
quite
keep the smugness from
his voice.

She glanced at him sharp
ly
but made no rep
ly
. Instead, she turned her
attention to Kris. "You look love
ly
in
that
gown, my
dear." She smiled serene
ly
.

Iain's eyes narrowed in her
direction.

"Aye," Sorcha nodded,
do
ing
her best to
ignore Iain's warn
ing
look, "much better than many a
not
her
would, I can tell you."

Kris
almost
choked on her wine. She knew without a
doubt who Sorcha spoke of thanks to her chat with Elsie. She glanced at Iain,
then looked away. His mouth
had
thinned into a grimace and he looked ready to do battle.

The hall
was
still and silent as those gathered watched
what happened on the dais with avid interest. Sorcha's appearance in the hall
signified better than anyth
ing
her acceptance of Kristianna. Iain knew it. He also knew what his
màthair
was
up to. He realized too
that
he
had
stated his intentions
clear
ly
to his clan
about Kristianna as well by seat
ing
her at his right.

He raised a brow at Sorcha,
started to tell her he knew what she
was
about, then thought better of it. He closed his mouth with a snap and turned to
the hall at large.

"Are we to eat sometime this
day? Or are we to just sit here and stare at one a
not
her and pretend we ha'e eaten?"

The hall erupted into a flurry of
activity. E
very
one
began talk
ing
at once.
Servants bustled from the kitchens to place large platters of food on the
tables, while e
very
one
else studious
ly
pretended
there
was
not
h
ing
amiss or out of the ordinary about a
Sassenach lassie sitt
ing
at their lairds table in the seat usual
ly
reserved for the laird's wife or betrothed.

Kris looked at the food before
her, try
ing
to decide
what to
have
first. She
was
surprised to find
she recognized much of what
was
placed on the table.

Sorcha leaned close and
whispered, "I
have
always loved to cook and I
have
personal
ly
trained the
cook here. Some of the stuff
that
woman served when I first arrived," she shuddered, "you would
n't
have
wanted to even look at it, let alone taste
it."

Kris smiled, feel
ing
more at ease and relaxed
now
that
e
very
one in the hall
was
not
star
ing
at her anymore. Their attention
was
focused more on Iain and Sorcha.

"I'm certain
ly
glad you did. E
very
th
ing
I've
had
thus far
has
been delicious and
pretty
much
recognizable."

"Ye should try the haggis,
lass," Iain said, reach
ing
for more. The man
had
already cleaned his plate.

He ate faster than she'd seen
even her brothers devour their food. She stared at him, amazed and shook her
head.

"You must
have
been starv
ing
."

Iain looked from her to his plate
and back again. "Why do ye say
that
?"

"He
has
always eaten thus
ly
, Kristianna." Sorcha cut in. "Look
ye at Raibert's plate." She gestured to the man sitt
ing
on her left. "They
have
made it someth
ing
of a contest between
them. Who can finish their food the fastest. They have been do
ing
the
like
since they
were
boys together."

Iain grunted even as he continued
to reload his plate.

"I've seen it before. My
brothers tend to do the same th
ing
.
It's
like
they're
afraid they wo
n't
get
their fair share or someth
ing
,
or they'll never eat again. They tend to grab the food and start shovel
ing
it into their mouths
before it's even cooled enough to taste." Kris popped a piece of bread
into her mouth, pursed her lips, flapped her hand in front of her mouth while
suck
ing
in and blow
ing
out short little
breaths.

"It's reawy goot." She
spoke as if the food in her mouth
was
far too hot and she
had
a difficult time speak
ing
while try
ing
to cool
it down in her mouth.

Elsbeth and Sorcha burst out
laugh
ing
. The other
ladies in the hall chuckled and nodded. Kris swallowed her bread and joined in
the laughter. At the men's identical looks of insult, the women in the hall
laughed all the harder.

"Aye, Kris. 'Tis exact
ly
how they look." Sorcha
wiped away tears of mirth. Lean
ing
closer to Kris, she whispered, "it's
nice
to know men do
n't
change much through the centuries, is
n't
it?"

Kris nodded, but could
not
speak past the sudden lump
in her throat.

Sorcha patted her hand. "I
did
n't
mean to br
ing
up a painful subject, my
dear."

Kris shook her head, swallowed
the lump with force, "it's alright. I'll get over it. I just ca
n't
believe I'm go
ing
to be stuck here
forever. What will I do? I do
n't
know how th
ing
s go in
this time. I do
n't
have
any skills
that
would help me. How am I
supposed to survive?"

Iain leaned over and whispered
stern
ly
, "'tis
neither the time, nor the place to be discuss
ing
such matters." He nodded imperceptib
ly
to the rest of the hall.

"Aye," Raibert agreed
with a pointed look at Kris.

Before he could say more,
however, Elsbeth swatted him on the back of his head. "Mind yer business,
laddie," she warned.

"'Tis my business,
màthair
," he grumbled.

Elsbeth looked at Sorcha and Kris.
Her eyes twinkled with mirth as Raibert rubbed the back of his head.

"
That
's what I call a dope-slap." Sorcha
smiled.

Kris chuckled and e
very
one resumed eat
ing
.

*          *          *

After dinner, which to Kris
was
more
like
a
very
large lunch, she stood
to one side of the hall and watched the activity. The food and dirty dishes
were
whisked away to the
kitchens, the trestle tables, now cleared of debris,
were
put back up against the walls and the hall
quick
ly
cleared of
people as e
very
one
began to go about their business. They all seemed to
have
someth
ing
to see to or somewhere else to be.

Iain headed for the door, look
ing
forward to a bit more
train
ing
in the lists
when Kris' hand on his arm stopped him.

"Where are you go
ing
?"

Momentari
ly
startled and a bit unsettled from her touch,
Iain stared at her.
Not
that
he'd forgotten
about her, 't
was
on
ly
that
he'd expected her to find someth
ing
to do as most of the
women usual
ly
did.

"I must needs go train wi'
my men."

Kris crossed her arms over her
chest, tilted her head to one side, and raised a s
ing
le brow at him. "And just what am I
supposed to do with myself while you're out train
ing
with your men?"