Page 4 of See A Highlander (A Highlander Across Time #10)
CHAPTER 4
T om MacLeod had recently returned to Dunscaith Castle and rejoined the clan family. He’d been off studying to be a healer so he could come back and help the clan. Cameron, his cousin was the Laird, and they’d always had a good rapport. He’d heard of the women who kept appearing through the small door below stairs, brought here by Scathach’s magic, but until now, he hadn’t believed it.
He'd been gone ten years, having left at eighteen to go and study at the Abbey so he could learn everything he needed to know, but in doing so, apparently, he’d missed a lot. His formal education gave him a distinctive position above any wise women or herbalist in the nearby village. However those same wise women and herbalists had helped him greatly to learn the local herbs and wildlife. Tom had studied the plant life that grew in Glasgow regions at the Abbey, but now that he’d returned to Skye, he had to learn about the local plant and wildlife. Since he wasn’t one to be smug or pompous, he enjoyed asking for help and knowledge from the local herbalists.
Though he did long for a challenge as of late. Since his return he had spent most of time in the barracks, patching up the men after battles and skirmishes.
So walking in to see two ladies from another time, was very intriguing to him.
The pretty blonde stepped forward and held out her hand. “Hello, Tom. I’m Annie Mills.”
“I’m Bella Grantham,” the other woman said, standing up and stepping in front of Annie.
Annie rolled her eyes and it amused Tom to see it, but he kept his expression neutral.
“Now let's see what we have here. The guard tells me you are both injured. What happened?” he said moving to the table where he placed his medical bag down. He opened it up and pulled out some fresh cloth and tinctures.
“My stupid cousin shoved me. So I shoved her back. Then she hit me, so I hit her back. Before I knew it, we were in an all-out brawl and all of it was caught on the livestream. Do you know how embarrassing that is, Annie? You should have behaved better,” Bella said.
Tom arched a brow listening to her speak. Several of her words didn’t make much sense to him.
“You lie. You’re the one who started it. But I don't expect the truth from you,” Annie replied, her arms folded over her chest as she stared at the other woman defiantly.
“So, if I’m understanding correctly, it was a scuffle then? All right let me have a look,” Tom said, moving to Annie first.
He examined her arms and then cupped his hand on her chin. He turned it left and then right, looking close to see if there were any severe wounds that needed tending. Then he looked at the top of her head, but didn’t see any blood.
“Are you hurting anywhere else? Your legs? Your back?” he asked her.
She shook her head no.
“Good. Doesn't look too bad. A few scratches on your cheek, but I can apply an herb that will help.” He smiled at her and then turned to the other woman. “Now, let's take a look at you,” he said moving toward Bella.
He examined her in the same way. This woman batted her lashes at him and smiled in a way he’d seen many tavern wenches smile when they were trying to entice the lads to spend time with them. He wasn’t impressed, and he did his best to ignore it.
After looking her over, he said, “You on the other hand are much worse. This long scrape on your arm could become infected. I will have to wrap a bandage on it,” he said looking at Bella's arm.
“It does sting,” she said, her voice sounding like that of a child.
For some reason Bella’s behavior toward Tom had Annie seeing red. It took everything in her not to smack her and tell her to back off. Taking a deep breath she worked at calling her fury as Tom told Bella she could get an infection. Annie felt smug that Bella had gotten the worst of it. Though it was likely that the scrape came from the door as they rolled through it and not from Annie.
Thinking about the brawl brought Annie back to her senses. She needed answers and since this man was the only one around, he would have to be the one to provide them.
“Tom, what’s going on here? Those two men that found us were very strange. You’re dressed like you belong to another time. Is this some kind of reenactment scenario? And are we being held prisoner in this room? No one has told us anything,” Annie said.
“Aye, I’m sure you must feel very put out by the situation. You must remain calm as I tell you this. No point in getting worked up and making yourself sick.” He hesitated, looking slightly uncomfortable. “I can only tell you what I know. I myself have only recently arrived back at Dunscaith Castle. I’ve been gone for ten years for my studies, you understand. But I have heard the stories about your kind. And I have spoken to the ones who’ve come before you. They all seem of sound mind and although it is a strange occurrence, it does seem to hold undeniable truth to it,” he said.
“Our kind? What does that mean precisely?” Annie asked.
“I’ll tell you what I have been told of how it happens. There is a doorway down below. A small wood and iron door in the wall. It tis in the gathering room, but it is enchanted. Used by the witch, Scathach, who built this castle. Women such as yourself have come through it. They all seem to come from a time that is far in the future. When they go through the door, they come here to a time they say is nearly five hundred years in the past to them.”
“Are you talking about time travel? No. That isn’t possible,” Annie said.
“Time travel?” Bella whined. “Have you lost your mind? There is no way we’ve traveled through time. I’ve had enough of this. Open the door and let me out. I'm going back to the car,” Bella said. She stomped her foot like a child.
Annie noticed that Tom didn’t give Bella the attention she was seeking. His eyes were still firmly on Annie. She liked that about him. He seemed to have Bella’s number right from the start. Annie smiled at him and enjoyed the way his lips curved as he smiled back.
“Hello? Are you going to open this door or not?” Bella huffed, stomping her foot again.
Tom gave Annie a look of resignation, before turning to Bella. “Let me wrap your arm first, lass,” Tom said. He moved his bag and grabbed a cream and a bandage cloth. He sat Bella down even though she was fuming and tended to her arm.
Annie stared in disbelief. She was processing trying to figure out exactly what was happening. Either this was some big joke, and this man was an actor sent in to give her these lines, or he was telling the truth. But her mind wouldn’t accept that. Time travel was impossible. Wasn’t it? There was simply no way that they ended up in a different time. Right? But then again, a lot of people didn’t believe in ghosts, and she’d seen them with her own eyes, so maybe there was some truth in what he was saying after all.
“Who are these other women that have come through? How did they come through? Was it through the same door? Did they go back? How do we go back?” Annie started to ramble questions, more to herself than to Tom, but he was listening.
“I wasn’t here when it occurred, and have only heard these stories as they’ve told them. I'm sorry I don't have all the answers to your questions. But the others will. Soon you will be called to speak to my cousin, Laird Cameron MacLeod, and he can explain everything. I am only here to make sure you aren’t injured too badly,” he said.
“Oh, well, that is just convenient for you, isn't it?” Bella pouted.
Tom turned away from Bella and toward Annie, looking as though he was trying not to laugh at her. Annie was impressed by the fact that he was paying less attention toward Bella's dramatics and not letting it get to him or take all of his attention away from his task.
There was something about this man that drew her, but she couldn’t spend any time thinking about that. She could only think about what he’d told her, that they had traveled through time to the past.