Chapter 3 #2
Hamish took a deep breath and did as his Ma had always told him. He did his best to think of something pleasant before speaking again. Once he felt himself back in control he was able to speak without anger. “Donal, ye must stay away from Elle.”
“Why? She’s nae yers,” he protested.
“I beg to differ. Edna Campbell says she’s all mine.”
“The witch? When did ye see her?” Donal asked.
“Never mind. Ye’d be wise to leave the lass alone. Ye ken ye’d only be interested until ye got what ye were after and then ye’d be off.”
“Ye dinnae think much of me if ye believe that.”
“Yer right. I dinnae think much of ye,” Hamish chuckled.
“So, she’s yers then?”
“Aye. Leave her be. And, Donal, dinnae ever allow the lass to direct ye to do something that ye ken I wouldnae agree with. She is in danger now because ye brought her forward and she spoke to Munro.”
“Hamish, I dinnae ken what is happening with Munro and Laird San Francisco, but I promise I’ll nae do it again. I wish nae harm to come to the lass.”
Hamish slapped him hard on the back, almost sending Donal, who was a shorter, stockier man, to the ground face first. They’d been friends for some time. Hamish didn’t care to reprimand him, but he had no choice. His position commanded that he do so.
“Now that she’s here she should be safe, but we’re to keep a close watch for Munro, lest he show his face here again.”
“Aye. I’ll tell the others,” Donal said as he departed.
Hamish was glad that was over with. He hated to be at odds with Donal.
They’d known each other since they were both lads.
He valued their friendship, knowing neither he nor Donal would risk their relationship over a lass.
He set his sights on the barracks, where a nice soft bed awaited him.
As he walked he thought of the lass, Elle, she was unlike any lass he’d ever known in his life.
Her hair, her clothing, her sweet disposition were all very different, unlike any of the Highland lasses he was used to spending his time with.
Her hair was not only short, but an unusual shade of yellow.
It was almost white, but dark at the roots.
Unusual, but appealing to him. She had large, soulful eyes and beautiful long lashes, that rained black tears when she cried.
Again, unusual, but there was an angelic quality that drew him to her.
She’d already captured his imagination and it seemed his every thought, could his heart be far behind?
***
“I see we have a visitor,” Robert MacKenzie said as he entered the hall. “I be the Laird of Breaghacraig, who may ye be?”
“I’m Elle Carerra. I’m pleased to meet you,” Elle said, feeling a bit star struck and not sure whether she should bow or curtsy, so she did an awkward version that combined both.
“I see the lassies have been welcoming ye to our home.” He smiled warmly at her, showing dimples and sparkling blue eyes. “Where’s Irene?” he asked Ashley.
“I haven’t seen her,” she answered.
“I’ll go have a look for her and when I find her, I’ll send her yer way. She’ll want to get yer chamber ready for ye, Elle.”
“Thank you,” she said, unsure of what to call him.
Robert nodded at her and left them.
“You’ll have a chance to meet everyone later,” Jenna said.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Sara said. “I love your voice. Maybe we can get you to sing something for us tonight.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Elle said, feeling a bit shy.
“I’m sorry. This is all so new to you. I forget it can be unsettling at first.”
“To say the least,” Elle laughed.
“Don’t worry. We’re here to help,” Ashley said.
“How long have you been here?” Elle asked.
“A couple of years,” Ashley said. Long enough to have two wee ones.”
“You have children?”
“I’ve got a little one as well,” Jenna said.
“Wow!”
“And I’m pregnant,” Sara said.
What could she say? This was all so unbelievable and yet it had some appeal.
These women were all part of a large, seemingly happy family.
Elle thought about her own family. She hadn’t seen them much lately.
She was always so busy with her music career.
Her sister had been texting her to get her to come home for their mother’s birthday.
Elle tried to explain to her that she couldn’t.
She had a tour planned and it was too difficult to change things.
Now she realized how selfish she was being.
She knew very well when her mother’s birthday was.
It would have been easy to tell her manager when they planned the tour to reserve that date, but she hadn’t.
She wondered if she’d ever see them again.
She wasn’t used to people being nice to her just because.
Most people in her own time were nice to her because of who she was and what she could possibly do for them.
These women genuinely liked each other, sharing a common bond of friendship.
They reached out to her and had provided comfort and kindness without asking for so much as an autograph.
The people she spent her time with were all in the business to make money and she was the bank.
She had no real friends. It had been a long time since she’d spent time with real people, like her family and the true friends she’d grown up with.
A sense of guilt washed over her and she vowed that would change when she got back home.
“I hear we have a visitor?” a beautiful woman, with flowing black hair entered the room.
“Irene, this is Elle,” Ashley said, introducing her. “Elle, this is Irene. She’s the lady of the castle.”
“I’m happy to meet you,” Elle said, again feeling awkward.
“So ye’ll be staying for a while, I gather.”
“I don’t really know.”
“Well, whether ’tis for a day or a sennight, ye’ll need a place to sleep. I’ve sent Helene to make up yer room. If ye’ll come with me, I’ll show ye the way.”
“Alright,” Elle said, hesitating and glancing at the other women.
“Go ahead. Don’t worry, we’ll check in on you,” Jenna said.
Elle gave them a little wave goodbye and followed Irene.
“Edna’s been a busy witch of late,” Irene said, walking ahead of Elle and up the stairs.
Elle hurried to keep up. “I don’t know Edna. Is she nice?”
“Oh, aye. She’s a lovely lady.”
“This is all a mistake. I’m not really supposed to be here, you know.”
“’Tis nae a mistake. Edna knows what she’s about. She brought ye here for a reason. One ye’ll nae doubt discover soon.”
“Do I need to be worried?” Whether she needed to be or not … she was.
“I dinnae believe so. Where Edna is concerned, love is usually nae far behind.”
“Love?”
“Aye. Love.”
“So, you think there’s someone here I’m supposed to meet and fall in love with?
” The idea was incredible. She’d put all thoughts of love on the back burner while she was pursuing her singing.
She hardly had time for herself, so dating was next to impossible.
Her manager had set her up a couple of times, but those weren’t really dates, it was more about having your photo taken and being seen with the right people.
Not to mention the fact that being a celebrity meant she always wondered if guys were interested in her for the right reasons or because of who she was.
It had been ages since she’d felt anything for a guy and that was fine. She’d have time for that later.
“’Tis possible.” Irene stopped in front of a heavy wooden door, “Here we are.”
The door was slightly ajar, and Elle could see someone inside the room running her hands over the bed.
“Helene, meet Elle.”
Helene smiled sweetly in Elle’s direction.
“Are you a time traveler?” Elle asked.
“I’ve time traveled, aye.” This was becoming harder and harder to believe. Elle’s head was spinning. “I thought you were from this time.”
“We are,” Irene said.
“So you’ve been to the future,” Elle said. “To my time?”
“Aye. Helene has even been to San Francisco,” Irene assured her.
“Really?”
“Aye,” Helene answered. “I lived there for a while, but I realized I wanted to come back to my Dougall and so Edna helped me.”
“So that’s where the love came in,” Elle said.
Helene tipped her head, obviously confused by her statement.
“Irene said Edna’s all about love.”
“She is. She kens things that we dinnae.” Helene finished straightening the bed and checked on the fire glowing in the hearth. She glanced at Irene who nodded her head.
“We’ll leave ye now, Elle. Please join us for the evening meal and if ye wish to explore the castle, ye can go where ever ye like.”
“Thank you so much for your hospitality.” She really meant it.
The door closed behind the two women and she was alone.
She took in her surroundings for the first time.
She felt as if she’d stepped foot inside of a museum and she’d gone past the red velvet ropes that usually kept visitors out.
She walked to the bed and ran her hands over the carved wood bedposts and then the soft fabric drapes hanging in each corner.
The stone walls which should have seemed cold, imparted a warmth to the room.
Alone with her own thoughts for the first time in what seemed like forever and surrounded by silence, Elle could hear her own breathing in her ears.
Of course, she was concerned about her tour and she knew that the people who depended on her would be worried about her, but this was really nice.
Without all that external pressure and noise, she found that music was bubbling up from deep inside, floating through her head.
Not the music written by other people that she’d been forced into singing when she’d signed her record contract, but the music she wanted to write, the music she loved.
Elle made up her mind to use this time to reflect on her life and her career and what she really wanted in her future.
She’d always known there would be sacrifices that came along with the fame, but maybe she’d let things go to far.