Page 41 of Awakened By Time
“When did she learn how to cook?” Zeke asked.
“She’s spent many an hour in the kitchen at Breaghacraig since she’s been here. ’Tis a good thing, too. Her first attempts were difficult to choke down.” Logan smiled at that thought.
“I can hardly wait to see what she’s made.”
“If ye’ll excuse us, Dougall,” Logan said.
Dougall nodded and waved as they turned and walked away.
* * *
The pathto Logan’s cottage was dotted with small crofts on either side of the road. Each was surrounded by a small plot of land and in most cases, was meticulously kept. As with any small town in America, everyone here at Breaghacraig seemed to know each other. Logan waved to everyone they passed and in some cases, he stopped to introduce Zeke.
“This is Sara’s brother, Zeke Barrett,” he said to a tiny little, old woman. Her hair was completely white, but yet she was in her yard, working her garden. “Zeke, this is Bethia.”
“I’m pleased to meet you,” Zeke bowed his head in her direction.
“Yer sister is a sweet lass. She’s been a big help to me.” She moved closer to the short stone wall separating her from the men.
“Really?” Zeke was surprised to hear this, but he shouldn’t have been. He knew his sister was both kind and compassionate.
“Aye. She helps me clean me croft when it needs it. Me back isnae as young as it once was,” she smiled. “And she brings me food. I’m happy to have them so close by. It eases me mind.”
Zeke smiled warmly at Bethia. Sara had made herself as invaluable here at Breaghacraig as she had back home in San Francisco.
“We’ll speak with ye later, Bethia. Sara is expecting us,” Logan said.
“Och, dinnae let me keep ye from yer meal.”
They waved good bye and then were on their way. “Sara has really made herself a home here,” Zeke observed.
“Aye. She has.”
Sara was standing in the doorway waiting for them to arrive. “I was wondering where you two were.”
“We stopped to speak to Bethia,” Logan said.
“I hear you’ve become indispensable around here,” Zeke said.
“I wouldn’t say that. I just like to be helpful. Bethia’s a sweet woman and she doesn’t always feel well enough to do heavy work, so I help when I can.”
“She’s a saint,” Logan said, kissing her cheek.
“I always knew it,” Zeke smiled.
Sara greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and then taking his hand brought him to the table. “Sit. I’ll get the food.”
Zeke was impressed and a bit dismayed by how well Sara fit in here in this time. He would never have expected her to do so and was secretly hoping that by the time he got here she’d be more than ready to go back home with him. This might be more difficult than he’d originally anticipated.
* * *
“Icannae believeDa expected ye to marry Nevil Munro. What was he thinking?” Dougall snarled. He was angry and Brenna could do nothing more than watch as he paced back and forth before the fire, ranting and raving. “Did the man learn nothing from his experience with me? And Munro, of all people. I’ve heard rumor that he murdered his last wife.”
“Dougall, calm yerself,” Helene said, going to him and placing a hand on his arm.
“I’m sorry, me love. ’Tis a sore subject with me. When last I saw him, I thought him a changed man. I was wrong.”
“Greer has been trying to get rid of me from the first day she arrived. When Da married her, it became her purpose in life to humiliate me at every turn. She and her sister made me feel quite unwelcome in me own home.”