Page 13 of See A Highlander (A Highlander Across Time #10)

CHAPTER 13

A nnie couldn’t stop thinking about what Jacob had told her, even as she interviewed other fishermen. His story of the woman a hundred years earlier reminded her of Bella and left her very uncomfortable. Even his description of her odd colored hair reminded her of Bella who wasn’t a natural redhead. She dyed her hair, claiming brown was boring. Not that the woman could have been Bella. There was no way… right?

She was quiet as they made their way back to the castle, her mind occupied with thoughts of Scathach, Bella and the woman Jacob had spoken of. They vied for attention with thoughts of the man walking next to her. Jockeying for position in her mind. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He’d been distant lately and she had wondered if she’d upset him that day on the shore by not kissing him, and thought maybe he’d decided not to continue their friendship. That thought had really bothered her because she looked forward to spending time with him.

Despite the fact that she’d decided to guard her heart against men, against falling in love, she feared he’d snuck past her defenses, and when she thought he’d decided to walk away, her heart had ached. Now she wasn’t sure what to think. Things were awkward between them now and she didn’t know why. Was it her? Was it the fact that she’d been sending mixed signals? She sighed, unsure of the answer.

The ocean was still at low tide and quiet. The crashing of the waves didn’t make the sound they did before, which only added to the awkward silence between them. Annie looked at him. He looked at her. Then they would both look away. This went on for some time until she couldn’t take it anymore. She needed to say something, damn her heart.

She stopped walking. “Look will you just tell me what's going on? I can't stand playing games. I know you don't owe me anything, but it is obvious that you have become distant. Did I upset you that day at the shore?” she asked.

Tom stopped and turned toward her. He looked as though he were completely startled.

“Do you always say what's on your mind?” he asked, his lips twitching.

“No not always. But something’s changed between us. You aren’t as friendly as you were before, so I must have done something to upset you,” she said.

“No lass, t’isn’t you.” He dragged a hand through his hair, looking slightly uneasy. “It tis just that…” he trailed off, leaving her in suspense. “What? It’s just what?” she asked.

He looked at her, almost in anguish, but then turned away and began walking. “Tis just that I’ve been busy. As I said. Nothing more.”

There was something about the way he answered that made her think he wasn’t telling the truth. There was something else weighing on his mind, but he didn’t want to tell her and she didn’t know why.

She hurried to catch up to him. “Really? Really just the fact that you are busy is why you haven't been around?” She couldn’t keep the suspicion from her tone

"It tis. I’ll have more time next week to help you. Whatever you want,” he said.

She noticed that he was still not looking at her. His gaze was on his feet as they walked along the shore back toward the castle. Normally he had a fantastic smile just for her when they spoke but that was gone. She hadn’t seen it once since he’d started talking to her again.

She wanted to press him more on the matter but decided instead to take him up on his offer. “All right next week is fine. In fact I have an idea, and I need your companionship to do it,” she said.

He finally looked at her with amusement. “That must be an interesting idea, then, if you need my companionship.”

“It is. I want to go sit in the doorway. The one that I came through. I want to sit there all night and see if anything strange happens. Since I'm probably not allowed to go down there alone…”

Tom sucked in a breath and stopped walking to stare at her. “Indeed you are not. It is only one floor above the prison and many guards are down there. They keep watch over the prisoners, and use the gathering room to rest and relax, not that they will be there through the night. You though, definitely cannot be down there alone, t’would be dangerous. Not just because of the prisoners, but because something odd might happen with the door and the Laird would not be happy were something to happen to you.”

“So, now you see why I need you,” she said, challenging him with a smirk.

He raised a brow, his lips quirking up slightly. “You need me?” he whispered.

She swallowed hard. She knew that his words had a double meaning but she wasn’t going to allow herself to swallow her pride and give in to it. “Well yes.” She nodded, then added, “I need you so I can continue my research of Scathach.”

She felt like a fool after saying it. She didn't know why she didn’t simply leave it at yes she needed him. She wasn’t ready to admit it though.

“Will you do it?” she asked.

He didn’t answer immediately. Why would he want to waste an entire night with her staring at a door?

There was a look in his eye, as he said, “Aye, I’ll do it. If the Laird allows us to be there at all.”

Relief rushed through her as she had half expected him to reject her. But this joy was quickly restrained when she looked over his shoulder at the horizon out over the ocean.

"What is that?”

“What?” He turned to look at where she was looking.

Annie pointed to a very dark area of the sky that was quickly rolling toward them. Dark gray clouds and lightning illuminated within them.

“Tis a storm approaching, but not any storm. This kind comes fast and pours an enormous amount of water. I should have noticed before. It is headed right for Dunscaith. We will have to run if we are to get back before it reaches us.”

“Run? Seriously? I can’t run in this,” she said.

She picked up the fabric of her heavy skirt. He looked at her and then dropped to his knees in front of her. It immediately turned her on. Then she was shocked when he started to grab the material of the skirt on each side and tie it up into a knot exposing the long stockings underneath.

“Sorry to be so intrusive, lass. But you aren’t of this land and being cold and wet could be the death of you. Let us go,” he said. He grabbed her hand and began to run.

Annie could barely keep up with him, but tried. He was practically dragging her as they ran down the shore toward the castle. But it was too late. Even though the castle was in sight, the rain began to pour down upon them. Just as he had said, it was cold and icy to her skin. She had never felt something so cold before. She thought that she could feel it in her very bones.

The courtyard was empty by the time they reached it and they quickly made it inside the castle. They were soaking wet and shivering as they entered the Great Hall. Annie was filled with adrenaline and could think of nothing more than the man at her side and the cold wetness of the clothing she wore.

“Come, let’s get you upstairs to your room before you catch your death from the cold.” He walked briskly, leading her to her room. He opened the door and walked inside not waiting for an invitation. There was obvious determination to his movements that left her puzzled.

“Quickly now. I will light the fire. You must get those clothes off now,” he directed.

“But…” Annie began, her eyebrows raising. Did he really want her to strip in front of him?

“Don't quarrel with me, lass. At the moment, I am the clan healer. I’ve turned my back, and my eyes are on the fireplace. Do as I say, and wrap yourself in a dry blanket when you are done, and then I will turn and tend to you,” he said in a stern voice that was so commanding it made Annie a small bit frightened of him. If she didn’t obey he would possibly rip the clothes off of her. She did ache to get the wet clothes away from her skin.

“Fine. Stay with your back to me, or else,” she tried to threaten, but it came out weak and soft.

“I said I would, did I not?” he said as he piled logs into the fireplace.

Annie moved around to the other side of the bed far away from him. She pulled the blankets up from the bed and piled them high. Then she turned her back to him and started to struggle with the dress. It wasn’t an easy thing to do while she was cold and shivering. A part of her thought about swallowing her modesty and letting him take the wet clothes off of her just to be quicker about it. But she wouldn’t do that.

Finally she was down to the wet white shift that clung to her skin. She peeked over her shoulder to see that Tom had the fire lit and was poking at it making the flame grow. Quickly she pulled the wet shift over her head and let it pile on top of the rest of the wet clothing that was making a puddle on the ground. Instead of using the blanket to dry off, she grabbed the wool tartan she used when she bathed and dried herself as best she could.

“Stay there,” she murmured, her eyes wide as she rubbed the tartan over her skin and hair, trying to get as much of the water out of it as possible.

“I swear to you, I will not turn until you tell me, lass,” he replied.

Annie gulped and realized she couldn’t get to her wardrobe without passing next to him. So she did as he suggested and pulled the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around herself, pulling it tightly around her.

“Okay I’m decent, or as decent as I can be, considering,” she said.

He stood up from the fireplace and turned to her. He looked her up and down and her nipples grew instantly hard. She was very aware that she was naked underneath the blanket with this man she craved in her room.

He moved to the table and poured a cup of whisky and handed it to her. “Drink this. Come sit in front of the fire, as close as you can.”

She walked toward him and took the cup while trying her best to keep the blanket closed. He put a chair in front of the fireplace. She stood in front of him, drank it, and then handed him the empty cup. But he didn’t take it from her. He just stared at her letting his eyes linger as his gaze traveled from her head to her toes and back up again. Why wouldn't he kissed her? She wanted him too badly in that moment.

He took a step toward her.

Then just as suddenly as he stepped toward her, he stepped back. He turned his face away from hers and move toward the door.

“Sit in front of the fire. I’ll have hot stew and hot tea brought to you and I expect you to eat it. I’ll also have Dorine bring a bucket of hot water up for you to stick your feet in until you are warm. And make sure you dry yourself off properly once I’m gone.” He walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

It startled her, and she wondered if he was angry at her. She frowned. It wasn’t her fault it had rained like that. She sank into the chair in a huff, her thoughts a tangled mess.

Bella stood in the hall outside of Annie’s door. She’d seen Tom leading her cousin into her room, both of them soaked to the bones and she knew they’d been caught in the storm, but she didn’t know why. What were they doing? she wondered. Which was why she was listening at the door to hear what was said between them.

She’d only just managed to move down the hall and out of sight as Tom had pulled the door open and slammed it shut. The thought that maybe they’d had a fight was satisfying to her. Annie didn’t deserve to be happy when Bella was so unhappy.

Bella had been having a rough time of it. She was falling apart in this new time. She had no makeup, which made her have to look at herself in the mirror and see the real her. Everything she didn’t like about herself was on display here. She couldn't wear her short skirts and flirty dresses to get male attention like she did in modern times. Although the guards responded to her flirtations, it wasn’t enough for her. She’d been caught by more than one of the guards’ wives. They all hated Bella flirting with their husbands and turned a bunch of the servant women against her. Her time here had been awful.

To make matters worse her hair had been growing back in, showing its natural brown color at the roots. It only made her more frustrated. As all of these things piled up, she finally started to realize that she wasn’t returning to her own time. There was no way home and it was all Annie's fault that they were here in the first place. If she hadn't invited her to go to Scotland, then she wouldn't be there at all, stuck in the stupid castle for the rest of her life. She decided that since Annie had ruined her life, she was going to ruin hers.

Since Tom had been paying so much attention to Annie, and she could tell that Annie liked him, Bella knew exactly what to do in order to get her revenge.