Chapter 25
TWENTY-FIVE
Sleep had not come easy to Jenna. She was physically and emotionally exhausted, but somehow no matter how hard she tried to nap, she couldn’t shut her mind off.
Thoughts of a life without Cormac and without Ashley were leaving her with numerous questions.
Could she stay here? Would she want to? What if Ashley needed her?
The questions kept coming and she didn’t seem to have any answers.
A quiet tap at the door let her know she had a visitor. “Come in,” she said.
The door opened and Cormac came in, closing the door behind him. Jenna’s heart began to race and her breathing became shallow at the sight of him. She hid her trembling hands beneath the furs covering her in her attempt to nap.
“Jenna, I have news,” Cormac started.
“Oh, I know. Ashley already told me.”
“Ashley. How could she know?” he asked.
Jenna gave him a have-you-lost-your-mind look. “She’s the one who’s pregnant. Of course she knows.”
Cormac looked confused, but said, “I know Ashley’s with child, that’s not what I’m speaking of.”
“Oh, well, what are you speaking of?” Jenna teased.
“Jonathan and Sophia are here at Breaghacraig. Cailin and I found them walking here while we were out riding.”
“What?” Jenna’s face paled at this information. “How did they get here? Why?” She had a million questions floating through her head. It seems that was all that was in there—questions with no answers.
“I hope to find out the answers soon. I didnae want ye to come downstairs and stumble upon them.”
“Cormac, I’m getting a bad feeling about all of this,” Jenna worried.
He came to her side, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Dinna fash, love. They are only two and we have many to protect ye.” Cormac stroked her cheek and did his best to calm her.
“They are staying here as our guests at the moment, but we willnae leave them alone at any time. Do ye wish to come downstairs and see for yerself?”
Jenna wasted no time in getting to her feet.
She slipped her feet into the soft shoes Irene had given her and straightened her dress.
The time to face her fears was now and she could ask for no better guardian than Cormac.
She held her hand out to him and he stood, taking it and walking her to the door. “Are ye ready for this?” he asked.
“Let’s go. There’s no time like the present, right?” She smiled up at him and all her fears vanished into thin air.
They made their way downstairs and into the Great Hall.
“Jenna, I’m so happy to see you. I was worried about you,” Jonathan obviously lied.
“I’ll bet you were,” Jenna sarcastically replied.
“I was, babe. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.” From the look on Jonathan’s face, there was no doubt that he wished the exact opposite. “Look at you, already fitting in. Great dress.”
Jenna ignored him and asked, “Sophia, how did you end up mixed up with him.”
“We met at the diner and he asked me if I wanted to go for a walk with him. I didn’t know it would involve time travelling.
” She was speaking to Jenna, but staring at Cormac.
Jenna thought Sophia might start drooling at any moment and the jealousy she had felt at the diner came crashing back into her.
“I’ll bet you didn’t. Who would? You and Jonathan make a cute couple,” Jenna said sarcastically. “I’m glad you found someone, Jonathan.” Jenna was keeping a close eye on both of them to see if they slipped up.
“You know me, I don’t like to be alone for long,” Jonathan responded.
“I know. Sometimes you actually double up, so there’s not a minute in the day when you’re alone.
” Jenna was referring to the woman Jonathan had been seeing both before and during their marriage.
She had no idea if she was still in the picture, but she knew Sophia was easy prey for a man like Jonathan.
“You aren’t thinking of staying here, are you?” Jonathan asked.
“No. I’m planning to return to San Francisco soon,” Jenna couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable stating that in from of Cormac. She knew he would be upset by it. She gave him a quick glance and sure enough his eyes were aimed straight at her.
“Okay. Good. So you know how to get out of here then. Sophia and I were worried we’d be stuck here.
” Jonathan looked to Sophia for back up and didn’t get any.
Sophia was obviously smitten with every man she saw.
She couldn’t take her eyes off of Cormac and then Cailin and now Robert, who had just entered the room.
“What have we here?” Robert asked. “I hear ye’ve come from the future. Is that true?”
“Yes, sir,” Jonathan answered showing uncharacteristic respect for someone other than himself.
“I be Robert MacKenzie, the laird of the MacKenzie Clan. Yer welcome in our home. Irene wishes ye to join her in the kitchen where she has some food for ye and then she will lead ye to yer sleeping arrangements.”
“Thank you, sir,” Jonathan replied.
“Cailin, would ye show them to the kitchen, please?” Robert asked.
Cailin led them out of the room and Robert waited until they were gone before explaining to Cormac and Jenna that Jonathan and Sophia would be under constant surveillance.
“We have arranged beds for them in the barracks and the women’s solar.
There will be someone keeping an eye on them at all times.
” He looked to Jenna. “Ye needn’t fash, lass.
We will see to it that ye are well protected. ”
“Thank you, Robert, I appreciate your help.” And she really did.
“Now, if you’ll both excuse me. I have duties to attend to.” With that Robert left them.
“What am I going to do, Cormac? When I leave, do I have to take them with me?”
“I dinna ken if Edna knows of this. Mayhap she will have an answer for ye. At any rate, I dinna like the idea of Jonathan being in the same century with ye, whether it be here or back in yer own time.”
“Me either. I really think he’s up to something. I don’t know what it is, but it can’t be anything good. Did you see the way he tried to pretend that he was worried about me? And Sophia, what’s her deal? I can’t believe she has any idea what kind of guy he is.”
“I dinna believe Sophia is aware of his plan. Not completely. Mayhap she believes he is interested in her.”
“I don’t know how anyone could believe that.
Besides, her eyes are about to pop out of her head every time she sees you, your brother or Robert.
She’s not that interested in him. I’d love to know what he told her, to get her to leave the diner with him.
Maybe I can speak with her alone and find out. ”
“Be careful around either of them, Jenna,” Cormac warned.
“Don’t worry, I don’t have any intention of letting Jonathan get the better of me … again,” Jenna assured him.
***
The evening meal brought everyone together once again.
Jenna sat next to Cormac, who was attentive as always.
Ashley and Cailin were deep in conversation and Jenna thought Ashley was more beautiful than ever with her pregnancy glow.
Robert and Irene were speaking with some of their guests as they made their way to the table.
All seemed normal, at least until Jonathan and Sophia entered the room.
The room went silent as all eyes turned their way.
Someone had gotten them appropriate clothing and as was normally the case, Sophia looked like she just might pop out of hers.
Jonathan caught sight of Ashley and practically ran to greet her, like she was an old friend.
Ashley for her part gave Jonathan an I-can’t-imagine-you-think-I-believe-this look, turning to Cailin and ignoring Jonathan’s attempts at friendliness.
Sophia’s expression was of one who was lost, confused and definitely out of their element.
One of the nearby men came to her rescue where Jonathan had left her and asked her to come sit with him for the meal.
He offered her his arm and she looked relieved as she accepted it.
Sophia glanced Jonathan’s way and then shrugged her shoulders and sat with the group of Highlanders who all seemed pleased to meet her.
“Who’s that,” Jenna asked Cormac.
“’Tis Latharn. He’s one of Cailin’s men,” Cormac responded. “Dinna fash, love, he’s a good man.”
“Good. I guess we’ll just have to hope Sophia won’t lead him astray,” she responded, sounding a bit more snarky than she meant to.
Cormac tipped his head and gave her a quizzical look and Jenna shook her head and laughed.
Cormac joined her and before they knew it, everyone at the table was looking at them with a question in their eyes.
“’Tis nothing,” Cormac said to those turned their way.
Jenna watched as Jonathan found that Sophia was already seated at a full table and he was now without a dining partner.
No one seemed in a hurry to help him out, but he eventually found a spot at a table filled with couples.
Jenna watched as he turned on the charm and made himself at home while the food was served.
“Jenna, are you okay?” Ashley asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just don’t trust him. You never know what he might be up to.”
“I’m amazed he’d actually think I believed his false show of friendship. He hates me,” Ashley quipped.
“How could anyone hate ye, my love,” Cailin asked. “He must be a fool.”