Page 15 of A Bridge Through Time (The Bridge Through Time #1)

C ailin thought about disobeying his sister's orders, but he knew better than to cross her. She was a gentle and kind woman to be sure, but not one ye wanted to rile. As he rested, he thought about the beautiful young woman he had brought home to Breaghacraig. Despite the fact that she was different from any woman he had ever known, Cailin found himself very attracted to her. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his thoughts since he had been ordered to stay abed.

He didn’t know what to make of her being from the future, but it was true; she was certainly out of place here.

He would talk to his sister about it, despite Ashley’s concerns.

Irene would know how to handle the situation.

Whenever Cailin had suffered from woman troubles in the past, he had always sought Irene’s council.

She gave him good advice and he usually followed it.

He’d had his share of women over the years, but nothing had ever been serious and his more pressing concerns were usually avoiding an entanglement that might lead to marriage.

Especially if the lass didn’t understand, that he wasn't offering marriage.

He wished he were downstairs, sitting next to Ashley as she met the rest of the clan.

He could tell she was frightened to be without him, and while he enjoyed the thought that she needed him, he didn’t want her to be nervous.

His brother, Cormac, would do his best to make her comfortable.

Cailin scowled. That better be all he did.

He hoped Cormac knew that Ashley was his woman.

Cailin had known it from the moment he met her, and he would do everything he could, to convince her to stay at Breaghacraig with him.

He didn’t want her to leave, of that he was sure.

***

Downstairs, Cormac met Irene and Ashley as they entered the great hall. There was a group of children waiting there for them, as well.

Irene introduced Ashley to her children. "This be wee Robert, Isobel, Fiona, and Brian."

"I'm very pleased to meet you." Ashley thought they were beautiful children and they seemed so well behaved. The oldest looked to be about nine years old and the youngest perhaps two.

"Have ye eaten?" Irene asked them.

"Aye, mother." They all chorused in unison.

"Ye've met our guest, now off to bed with ye. I'll be up later with your Da, to check on ye."

They all kissed their mother affectionately and dutifully marched up the stairs to their rooms.

"Lady Ashley, I'd be pleased to escort ye to yer seat.” Cormac gave her his arm and Ashley gratefully accepted it.

As they walked towards the head table, Ashley made up her mind to try to relax and enjoy the experience.

After all, how many people from her time could say they had experienced dinner in the sixteenth century?

In her life in San Francisco, she had always loved the opportunity to put on a pretty gown for an event or party, and here she was, wearing the most beautiful gown she had ever seen.

Heads turned as she walked by, some out of curiosity and some looked at her with appreciation for her beauty.

"Thank you, Cormac." She smiled up at him, as he held her chair out for her.

"‘Tis me pleasure, Lady Ashley."

Lady Ashley? Where did that come from? Just play along, she reminded herself. Cormac sat in the chair to her left and Irene sat on her right.

The room was filled with Highland warriors, each one seemingly taller and stronger than the next.

There were women and older children here and there throughout the room, sitting amongst the men.

She assumed they were the wives and families of these fearsome-looking warriors.

Servants were busily moving among the tables, providing bowls of water for people to wash their hands.

A bowl was placed in front of Ashley and she looked around to see what everyone else did with it.

Following suit, she dipped her hands in and washed them.

A cloth was presented to dry her hands, which she did.

Handing the cloth back to the servant, she thanked him.

A very tall, very good-looking man entered the great hall.

He had long dark brown hair, which fell past his broad shoulders.

He was dressed very much like the other men in the room.

He wore a plaid draped over his shoulder, fastened by a large gold brooch embedded with emerald stones in a Celtic design.

The man strode towards Ashley and took her hand in his.

"Ye must be Lady Ashley." He smiled warmly at her, with deep brown eyes and dimpled cheeks.

Wow. They sure knew how to grow them in 16th century Scotland, Ashley mused .

Every man she'd met so far, with the exception of Thomas, had been stunningly handsome.

She smiled back at this good-looking gentleman, as he continued with his introductions.

"I be Robert MacKenzie, laird of our clan.”

"I'm pleased to meet you, Laird Robert."

He raised her hand to his lips. "Please, call me Robert. I hear we owe ye a debt of gratitude for saving our Cailin."

"Well, he saved me first, so I think we're even," she blushed.

"I thank ye, Lady Ashley."

"Please, if I'm to call you Robert, then it's only fair that you call me Ashley."

"Ashley, ye are welcome here among our clan and ye will stay here under my protection for as long as ye wish." With that pronouncement he came around the table to Irene and leaned over, lovingly kissing her cheek and taking her hand as he took his place beside her at the center of the table.

A parade of servants brought food to the tables.

There was pheasant, venison, rabbit, and an assortment of vegetables and bread.

The delicious aroma caused Ashley’s mouth to water.

Wine was poured into goblets placed in front of each person along with trenchers for their food, which was served family style.

Trays were laid on each table and everyone helped themselves to their favorites.

Cormac must have noticed that Ashley was a bit overwhelmed. He started filling her plate with an assortment of various items. He explained what everything was, and then he handed her a small knife. "I almost forgot. Cailin told me to give ye this Sgian Dubh."

She accepted the jewel-encrusted knife and glancing around, noticed everyone was eating with a combination of their hands and their knife.

She did as they did, thinking of the time she’d gone to a medieval dinner and show in Las Vegas.

This was kind of fun, but it would be more fun if Cailin was sitting beside her.

From the corner of her eyes, Ashley could see Irene and Robert were deep in conversation.

They watched each other adoringly as they spoke.

It was apparent they were very much in love.

Ashley was a little bit envious. She’d never been fortunate enough to enjoy the gift of an adoring mate.

No one had ever looked at her in the way Robert and Irene did.

Not even Dax. Of course, he’d never looked at her that way, because he was a complete idiot and a cheater , she thought sourly.

"Those two are like a couple of moon-eyed puppies when they’re together," Cormac chuckled, seeing where her attention was concentrated. "Married ten years, can ye believe it?"

"They've been married for ten years?" Ashley exclaimed.

Irene couldn't be much older than she was.

Then Ashley remembered where she was. It wasn't unusual for a girl as young as fifteen years to wed.

Life could be short and certainly difficult in this era.

People took happiness where and when they could find it.

"What of ye, Lady Ashley, do ye have a husband where ye come from?"

"Please, call me Ashley and no, I don’t have a husband."

"Are ye a widow then?"

"No. Women don't marry until later in my…country." She caught herself before she said ‘time’.

"America?"

"Yes. That's right."

"Tell us of America, Ashley." Their conversation had caught Robert’s attention.

"Okay." She wasn't sure what to tell them, but thought as long as she didn't get too specific, it should be alright. "I live in a small apartment in the city of San Francisco, California."

"San Francisco, ye say?" Robert asked.

"Yes. It's a big city. Like London. Thousands of people live there," Ashley explained.

"Thousands… The laird of San Francisco must have a very large castle," Cormac chimed in.

"No. No castle and no laird," Ashley said.

Cormac looked puzzled at this.

"We have a mayor and a city council. They all live in their own homes or apartments," she quickly explained. They have no clue what I'm talking about .

"Who lives in yer home?" Robert wondered aloud.

"Just me. It's a small apartment. Only room for me."

Robert sounded shocked when he responded. "What of yer family? Do they approve of this?"

"My family is all gone. I mean, they’re all dead."

"I'm so sorry, lass. So who protects ye, if ye have nae family?" Cormac questioned.

"I take care of myself. It's not unusual where I come from."

Laird Robert obviously couldn't believe his ears. "A young lady, such as yerself, needs to be protected. I am verra happy ye found yer way to Breaghacraig. We will protect ye."

Ashley thought better of telling him that women didn't need the protection of a man.

She knew that in 16th century Scotland, women were treated differently than they were in her time, so she merely thanked him and took a sip of wine.

What she wouldn't give for a good shot of tequila right now, but the wine would have to do.

What she really wanted to do was head back upstairs and clamber into bed with a certain grey-eyed dream man.

What was wrong with her? One handsome face, one gorgeous smile, and she turned into putty in his hands.

He'd been such a gentleman, yet all she could think about was kissing him and touching him and…

"Ashley." Cormac was trying to catch her attention.

"Yes," she said. "I'm sorry; I guess I'm just a bit tired, what were you saying?"

"‘Twas nothing, lass. I just wondered if ye'd like to go outside for a wee bit of fresh air, but I can see yer tired from yer journey. Would ye like me to escort ye to yer room?"

"I'll escort Ashley to her room, Cormac. Ye and Robert must speak with Cailin about Richard," Irene interrupted.

Cormac had clearly been put in his place by the beautiful Irene. Ashley could see that she was not one to be argued with when she made a decision.

"If yer done, Ashley, I'll walk with ye to yer room," Irene said, getting to her feet.

"Thank you, Irene, and thank you Robert, and Cormac. You've all been so kind."

The men nodded in her direction as she walked away with Irene.