Page 12 of See A Highlander (A Highlander Across Time #10)

CHAPTER 12

A s they returned to the castle, Tom said, “I shall see you later,” and then walked off before Annie could even reply back. He made his way back to his office, his mind on what had just occurred down on the shore. He had wanted to take her into his arms and kissed her. There was nothing he wanted more. He knew that he couldn’t indulge though. He had nothing to offer her. She deserved someone of higher rank than he and she knew it. He was nothing more than an herbalist. What could he offer her? She must have come to the same conclusion judging by what he’d seen in her eyes after a couple moments.

Still, he’d desperately wanted to taste her lips and pull her close. This sentiment moved around in his mind until he thought he would go mad. Therefore he knew that he needed to distance himself from her or at the very least try to, which was why he’d suggested they return to the castle.

Tom decided the only way to deal with his feelings was to bury himself in his work. The morning of the day he was supposed to take her to visit the fishermen and their families came to quickly and he knew he had to find her and beg off of taking her. He couldn’t be alone with her when she was the only thing in his mind. He couldn’t do it.

He found her in the Dining Hall, eating breakfast with Lady Cara. Slowly he approached their table, and when she noticed him, her face lit up with a smile.

“Good morning, Tom. I was just having breakfast with Cara before coming to look for you to go see the fishermen.” Her smile was so bright it lit up her whole face.

“Um, about that. I’m sorry, lass, but I am unable to leave today. Perhaps in another couple of days we might go?”

A disappointed look crossed her face for a moment and then she smiled again, but it was softer. “Oh. If you are busy of course, I understand. I can wait,” she said.

He quickly looked away from her again across the room, knowing that if she continued to be gracious to him, he would give in and take her today. He needed a distraction and quick, and noticing Cameron seated at the high table, he pretended he was being summoned. Thankfully, her back was to the Laird, so she wouldn’t know he was about to lie to her.

“The Laird has need of me. T’was good to see you, lass,” he said and then walked away, his head and heart full of regret.

“Bye, Tom,” she called after him, making his heart ache even more.

He walked toward the Laird’s table and softly said, “Good morning, Laird, I’ll be in my office this morning if you want to come by when you’re finished here. I know you said a few days ago that you were wanting to pick up a sleeping tonic and I’ll have it ready.”

Cameron nodded. “Aye, I did, thank you for reminding me. I’ve not been sleeping well.”

“This should help you get some good rest. I’ll see you later, Aye?”

He nodded once more. “You know, I’ll walk out with you.” Cameron turned to his lady wife and kissed her. “I’ll see you later, my love.” He rose and joined Tom.

Back in Tom’s office, Tom found the bottle he’d made for the Laird. “Here you are. Add a teaspoon to a cup of tea and it will have you drifting off.”

“Thank you, Tom. It’s good to have you back here at the castle. We’ve been in need of a good healer, and you’ve proven yourself.”

His words made Tom feel good, but he still couldn’t shake the thoughts of Annie from his mind. “Thank you. I appreciate you thinking so.”

The Laird left and Tom got busy with his work. He thought the work would keep his mind occupied and he’d stop thinking so much about Annie, but it didn’t work. Thoughts of her invaded his mind at every turn. Days passed and no matter what he was doing, his mind would turn to her and what she might be doing. He found he missed her greatly and anytime something intriguing happened, she was the first one he wanted to talk to about it.

He was beyond frustrated with himself and messed up a tincture for the third time. In anger he threw the vial at the wall and it shattered.

“What did that vial ever do to you?” a voice asked from the doorway.

Tom turned and sighed at seeing David. “I’m just frustrated. It won’t come out right.”

“I can see that,” David said with a chuckle. “Perhaps you need a break from this? Come with me to the village. We can have a meal and drinks in the tavern. Getting away would do you some good.” Tom was ready to turn down the offer, but getting drunk at the tavern might be just what he needed. He wasn't doing any good work, anyway, being frustrated and conflicted about his feelings for Annie were driving him crazy. He might as well go reset himself with a good drink in town.

“All right then,” Tom said giving him a nod.

“Well that was easy. I thought I would hear much more resistance from you. Let us get on then,” David replied with a grin.

Soon they were mounted on their horses and leaving the castle grounds. It was just what Tom needed. He hadn't been away from the castle since he went to see Wallace a couple weeks earlier. Not that he needed to leave the castle. He enjoyed it here normally, but his feelings for Annie were starting to suffocate him.

The sun was descending in the sky as they arrived at the Horse and Shield. It was a cozy tavern with a large roaring fireplace and good hearty food. Tom knew that the tavern could get fairly rowdy with the various guards, travelers and locals who patronized the place.

This was exactly the sort of atmosphere that Tom needed at the moment to distract him from his thoughts of Annie. They entered and sat down at a table. Immediately there was a blonde barmaid at their side wearing a wide smile.

“FionaWhat can I get you men?"

"I’ll have a whisky, David said.

“Give me the same,” Tom replied.

"Yes, of course.” She batted her eyelashes at David and went to grab their order.

"A good strong hour of drinking and a meal and I’ll be feeling right as rain, I should think,” Tom said, taking a deep breath, trying to relax.

“Aye, that will do nicely with me,” David agreed as his gaze traveled the room. “There are a lot of pretty lasses to look at here.”

Tom followed his gaze to a couple of young lasses standing near the door to the kitchens. “Aye, indeed there are,” Tom said, eyeing the women as well. Perhaps all he needed was one of these young lasses to distract him from thoughts of the woman who was too good for him.

Their barmaidFiona reappeared with their drink orders and placed them on the table. “I’ve not seen either of you in here before, are you from the castle?”

"Aye, we are guards. I’m David and this is Tom,” David said indulging in the flirtation.

"That's what my friend said over there. I’m Fiona. Would you like our company? Buy us a drink as well,” Fiona said.

“Aye, that sounds like a good idea,” David said, grinning. “Will the tavern keeper mind you joining us?”

Fiona shook her head. “No, we’re off for the night in a few minutes. He won’t mind us takin’ off early. Give me a moment to grab my friend, Maisie.”

Fiona smiled and walked to her friend with the black hair and whispered to her. They returned and sat down next to Tom and David.

As they drank and ate the food they ordered after the lasses joined them, Fiona, who seemed to have a good heart, paid close attention to Tom but he couldn’t stop thinking about Annie. Thoughts of her only made him angrier and caused him to indulge in drink a lot more. Before he knew it, he was deep in his cups and as he looked over to his friend, he realized that he was also very drunk.

He was about to suggest they each get a room for the night when another man approached their table. “Fiona, Maisie, what’s this then? You’re entertaining MacLeods?” He sounded angry.

It took Tom a moment to realize he was a MacDonald, and he gritted his teeth.

“Who I entertain is none of your business Christopher MacDonald. I’ve had enough of you and your lecherous behavior,” Fiona said.

“Bernard and I are here to spending our coin and you should be talking to us not these two MacLeod fools."

Another MacDonald man stepped up next to the first and glared at Tom and David.

"Now you heard the lass. She doesn’t want to talk to either of you. I'd advise you to sit down and enjoy your drinks well away from us,” David said.

"You must be wanting my fist then, MacLeod,” Christopher said.

“Go away, Christopher! You don’t own me. I can speak to whoever I want. Maisie too.” Fiona said defiantly.

Christopher yanked Fiona from the chair.

David jumped up. “Unhand her!” he demanded.

Tom knew it was wrong to enter a fight with a MacDonald, but he was just drunk enough, and his blood was boiling at the thought of letting this go.

“Why don’t you make me, MacLeod dung.” Christopher growled.

Fiona yanked her arm free, and she and Maisie backed away from the group of men.

“Are you challenging me?” David raised his fists.

That was all it took. Christopher threw a punch, aiming for David’s face, but David blocked it and immediately countered with a punch to his gut.

Bernard, who’d remained silently seething up until now, immediately went for Tom landing a punch to his jaw. It shook him for a moment, but he recovered quickly and threw his own punch landing directly on Bernar’s nose. David and Christopher traded several punches and then began to grapple as they fell to the ground and began rolling around on the ground wrestling. Between the four of them it was an all-out brawl, with tables and chairs being knocked over and glasses smashed. People shouted and ran out the door as the tavern keeper and a couple of other men waded in and put a stop to it, throwing all four of them out of the tavern.

“And I don’t want to see you MacDonalds back here for a month! You go cool your heads or I’ll have you brought up on charges and take you before the Laird! This is MacLeod land, and if you cannot behave, you’ll be seeing the inside of Dunscaith dungeons!” the tavern keeper warned them.

Christopher and Bernard slunk off as Tom and David stood next to the tavern keeper.

“Thank you,” Tom muttered and pulled out some coins. “Here, for the damage.” He handed it over.

David did the same. “Aye, we’re sorry for the trouble.”

The tavern keeper took the offered coins. “Bout time someone put those MacDonalds in their place, but I’ll take the coin to replace what was broken, thank you.”

Tom and David shook the man’s hand and then, at Tom’s suggestion, they headed to Wallace's cottage to get cleaned up and find a bed for the night.

Wallace welcomed them, and David told him of the fight. Wallace laughed heartily at David’s description of the fight, but all Tom could think about was Annie. By the time he woke the next morning, he knew he could avoid her no longer.

Upon returning to the castle, he tracked her down, finding her in the courtyard later that afternoon. “Lass, I have been looking for you,” he said.

“Really? That’s surprising. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” she said.

He noticed that the sparkle in her eye was gone, the one that she usually had for him when he showed up. He felt bad for having treated her so poorly and he vowed to make it up to her. “I am very sorry. I have been busy with work lately. I am free to take you to the fishermen tomorrow though. That is if you still want me to,” he said.

He half expected her to turn down the offer out of punishment for him being so distant. He wouldn’t blame her for such an action.

She was quiet for a moment as she sat looking at him, as though trying to discern what he was thinking and feeling. She finally answered, “Yes, I would like that. I have many questions to ask them for my research.”

He noticed that she made sure that he knew it was for her project and not because she wanted to spend time with him. It didn’t sit well with him.

“Then I will meet you here in the courtyard after you break your fast. Have a good evening, lass,” he said before walking away feeling unsure about the situation. He felt that she was a little cold to him, but she had every right to be. He had asked for it. He had wanted distance from her, and he’d gotten it.

That night was a restless one. He tossed and turned, thinking about her as he lay in bed wishing that she was at his side. It didn’t make the morning any easier.

The next morning, after eating, they made their way to the grouping of cottages out on the seaside. The ride had been tense and they barely said a few words to each other. It was definitely different from their usual outings, more strained. He felt a fool for treating her in such a manner. But he kept thinking, why give into his feelings for her when he knew that he couldn’t have her? She was much too good for him.

“This is Jacob MacLeod. If there tis a leader among the fishermen it would be him,” Tom playfully said, introducing Annie to an older gentleman with red hair.

“Aye, tis true, lass. Though no one here tends to listen to me,” the man said loudly in jest.

“Hello. I’m Annie Mills. Pleased to meet you,” she said.

“That tis a strange accent,” the man said.

Tom notice that Annie looked to him with wide eyes not knowing what to say. “Annie is from a small village in the south of England,” he answered for her.

“Aye, that must be it. Don’t get much Englishwomen here in the wilds of Scotland. Brave of you to travel so far.”

Annie gave him a hesitant smile. “Um, yes.”

“So what brings you here? We’ve no sickness for you to see to, Tom.”

“Aye, I know. Miss Mills is doing a study of the castle and clan MacLeod. She’s heard many of our tales about Scathach and the strange occurrences around us. She was hoping to hear some of your tales as well and record them in her research,” Tom explained.

“O’ course. Come in and sit by the fire. I am more than happy to tell you of the old stories that I have heard since I was a child. We shall have some tea.” Jacob said, leading them into the cottage.

“Thank you very much I would greatly appreciate that.”

They sat down as Jacob poured out cups of tea, then joined them. He began to tell them of a hundred year old legend called the Tale of the Selfish Traveler, which involved a woman brought to them by Scathach, who appeared in the castle gathering room one floor above the dungeons.

“Nobody knew of where she came from, this woman, as no one had seen her before. She was very strange in appearance, with oddly colored hair that was brown with auburn ends, and a rude and vexatious temperament.”

Tom’s immediate thought was that he could be describing Bella and nearly snickered.

“The Laird of the time offered her respite, allowing her to stay with them, but she was quite the troublesome guest. Often found her arguing with women and trying to seduce their husbands. She claimed to be looking for Scathach, the witch who is said to have built Dunscaith, whom she planned to kill. She quickly wore out her welcome and was banished from the Keep.”

“Did anyone ever see her again?” Annie asked.

“No, for they sent her through a strange doorway in which she claimed to have come through in the gathering room. Once she went through the door, t’was sealed by the Laird so she could not return.”

Tom and Annie shared a look. He kept his mouth shut about the fact that Annie and Bella had come through the same door. As well as many of the ladies now married to many of the clan.

“Why did she wish to kill the witch Scathach?” Annie asked.

“She said the woman ruined her life by sending her here,” Jacob replied.

“Hmmm, what do you think happened to her?” Annie wondered.

Jacob chuckled. “I think t’was a lot of nonsense meant to keep us boys from getting into the Laird’s stores of whisky.”