Page 34

“ T wo days.”

Ellie stood at the small window in the alcove, her arms wrapped around herself as a gentle breeze tugged at her hair, which fell loosely around her shoulders.

The view before her was one she hadn’t yet tired of—quaint white cottages, rolling green hills dotted with sheep, and, beyond all of that, the sparkling blue of the Atlantic Ocean.

Slowly, she rubbed her arms. Light wool, just warm enough for June on the west coast of Ireland, was wrapped around her upper arms, sewn to a gauzy fabric that draped fashionably over her elbows, flowing artlessly over her forearms to her wrists.

The dress she wore, which was long and surprisingly light, carried ornate stitching of maroon and marigold.

Gwen paced restlessly, her bright curls flying out behind her in a sea of movement.

Their maid had carefully created circlets of braids around their heads, which held their hair back from their faces, and Ellie thought it made Gwen look rather like a fierce goddess-warrior, ready to charge into battle.

Apropos, considering that, according to the messenger they’d listened to at dinner last night, a neighboring clan had requested the assistance of the MacWilliams to exact vengeance on another neighboring clan for stealing cattle.

Or perhaps sheep. Ellie wasn’t sure what the animals were, but she knew it was food, and food was scarce for many in this part of Ireland.

She was getting into the spirit of their castle stay.

After much discussion, Gwen and Ellie approached the laird, and asked him outright if everyone was in training.

They were clearly at Reilly’s sword school, and Gwen was certain the people here were in serious training for an upcoming movie.

There was no other explanation for it—everything was so realistic.

It was the perfect location because it was so remote, with no cell service or even a road for miles.

They hadn’t yet heard a plane overhead, though they had to be close to the flight path for Shannon Airport.

Laird Nioclas scratched his chin for a bit, drank deeply of his wine, then nodded his head.

“Aye, you seem to have the right of it. If you care to stay a few days, you can meet my sweet lady wife, who is a dear friend of your O’Malley.

Of course, as he is, as you’ve stated, the laird of this place of learning, I’ve no doubt he’ll be along as soon as he can be to fetch you.

But I must inform you the only way back to whence you came is by walking and, perhaps, a goodly amount of luck.

If you do dare venture out, these trees hold all manner of creatures that would aim to hurt you. ”

“You mean the other actors, from neighboring tribes?”

“Clans,” he corrected, a twinkle in his otherwise serious face. “Aye. Their swords are as sharp as ours, and they may not…”

“Oh, I get it. They might mistake us for actresses. Gotcha.” Gwen smiled radiantly at him, and the laird nodded sagely.

“Aye to all of it.”

The women agreed to stay, and though wary at first, they soon realized they were safe enough within the castle walls.

And the laird seemed quite certain that Reilly would come for them at any moment, and while the time passed peacefully, Ellie could admit that she was nervous about staying any longer.

Surely the director or whomever was footing the bill would show up soon and realize there were two women in the castle who weren’t in the script.

“We have to get out of here,” Gwen was saying, and Ellie tried to refocus on her anxious friend. “I feel like I’m going crazy with all this doing nothing!”

“Gwen, you heard Laird MacWilliam. He’s sure Reilly and Colin will come for us as soon as possible. And his wife arrives today.”

Gwen let out a frustrated half scream. “How are you so serene about all of this? There you are, sewing and chatting and so calm about all of this. We’re essentially prisoners here!”

“We are not,” Ellie countered calmly, turning fully to face her. “We can leave at any time, Laird MacWilliam said so. But even you have to admit, finding a car will be difficult. And it’s not like he can call for one, with there being no cell service.”

“Walking is better than sitting here,” Gwen mumbled irritably.

“Think of it as a vacation,” Ellie suggested. “On a really imaginative medieval movie set.”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Oh, yes. What a great vacation…there are no toilets here! Not even a Porta-Potty! Just a…”

“Garderobe?”

“Yes! I mean, how gross is that?”

“Better than a chamber pot.”

Gwen clenched her jaw. “I don’t even want to know what that is.”

“Well, this set certainly gets points for authenticity.”

“It’s less of a set and more of an extreme immersion program,” Ellie replied.

“What else could this be, really? No one speaks English except the family, and that’s only to us.

Everyone is very intent on performing their castle job.

We can certainly play along; our job is nothing more than to sit and do as they tell us.

Stitch things, walk around, take in some fresh air…

It’s a nice break from the modern world, isn’t it? ”

Gwen narrowed her eyes. “You’re happy to be stuck here because it means you don’t have to go on any more dates. I know how you think.”

Ellie snapped her mouth closed on the retort she almost fired back.

“Ha! You admit it, then!”

“I admit nothing,” Ellie replied primly.

“Oh please. I thought you decided to go on another date with Superman?”

“I did.”

“But you’re not interested in him.”

“I am too! A lot!”

Gwen’s eyes narrowed. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much. Yet here you are, not worrying that you can’t get in touch with him to at least explain your absence.”

Ellie put her nose in the air. “I’m certain Colin took care of it. That’s his job.”

Gwen looked at her silently for a moment. “Oh, dear. You can’t let go of Colin.”

Ellie turned back to the view, which was infinitely more calming than Gwen. “There’s nothing to let go of. In fact, I doubt I’ll ever see him again. He’s probably already back home, meeting with clients and doing whatever it is he does in the office all day.”

“What a shame, because if he could see you now, he’d be mad not to fall in instalust with you.”

Ellie started to turn, but Gwen was already standing next to her. “I don’t think I want to know what you mean by that,” Ellie muttered.

“Oh, hush. You look like a medieval queen in these clothes, and for some unknown reason, since we’ve been guests—”

“Students.”

“— whatever here, you carry yourself with all the grace in the world. I haven’t seen you trip once!” She counted on her fingers. “You also haven’t fallen out of bed, walked into a wall, knocked anyone over, choked on air—”

“I get it, thanks.”

“Right. And while you’re over there being all medieval and everything, here I am, looking like a hoyden—”

“A hoyden?” Ellie raised a brow.

Gwen flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“Yes, a hoyden . My hair is frizzed out, I’m having serious caffeine withdrawals, and I’m ready to jump out the nearest window just to do something other than drag a needle through some cloth.

I’m going out of my mind here! Good God, Ellie, I have no makeup on!

And I’m in a movie ? This just doesn’t make any sense! ”

Ellie studied Gwen for a moment. True, the calm, quiet life at the school—one where she wasn’t expected to do much except slow down and enjoy life for a little while—did sit well with Ellie.

She loved how the students worked hard at perfecting their roles.

“People watching” took on a whole new meaning—the warriors and guardsmen were outside training almost every day, the blacksmith was constantly creating things in his little shop, and the kitchens were bustling with activity.

Claire was kind enough to take them under her wing and gently guide them in the ways of the castle—mainly, that they were to sit inside and sew pillows. She, as the acting lady of the house, had dinners to plan and a household to run, which looked like it took up most of her day.

But they, as guests, were to do nothing except relax and join the family for meals.

Hers was a small part, but Ellie was fine with that.

And while Ellie loved fading into the background, Gwen did not—and she’d been looking for something else to do since their arrival.

Laird MacWilliam had already escorted her out of the lists, away from the stables, and far away from the blacksmith.

She’d also been warned to stay away from the tanner, even though he was supposedly in a village down the way.

“Perhaps we should look for Claire and ask her for something else to do?” Ellie suggested.

“She did invite us to take lunch outside with her today. The rain looks like it’s slowing to a drizzle instead of a downpour.

Let’s see if she’s around. Maybe there’s another, more exciting part we could jump on.

At least for a little while, until Reilly gets here. ”

“I’m giving him until tonight to show up. If he doesn’t, then we leave tomorrow morning, first thing. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Gwen, looking frazzled and on edge, nodded quickly and threw open the door, nearly knocking herself over with its weight.

“Oh!” A woman stood in the hallway and a string of apologetic-sounding Gaelic burst forth from her lips.

Gwen threw up her hands. “Why can I not understand a word of this language?”

“Oh! I speak a bit of your tongue,” the woman said with a smile. “Lady MacWilliam has been teaching me for years. I’m Keera, the cook.”

Clearly surprised, Gwen stared at her, nonplussed. “Oh.”

Ellie nudged her friend, then said, “I’m Eleanor, but you can call me Ellie. And this is Gwendolyn, but she goes by Gwen.”

Keera continued, “The laird’s brother isn’t in residence at the moment. But perhaps you’ve met him in your travels. Aidan MacWilliam? He has a lovely wife, Lady Emmaline.”

Gwen made a gurgling sound in her throat.