Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
Brianna was up and out of bed earlier than usual, excited to embrace the day and looking forward to spending more time with the Montgomerys and Mr. Sinclair. With Kitty still sound asleep, she threw on her robe and washed up. Then she sat at her vanity, twisting her hair, and knotting it on top of her head with a silk ribbon. As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she imagined her hair in its natural state, unruly at best, which she’d always been told was a dominant O’Roarke trait. She’d been straightening it for so long, that she almost forgot how to manage it with curls, but her latest Keratin treatment would only last a few more weeks, a month at most.
Deciding she would cross that bridge when she came to it, Brianna carried on with her morning routine. She’d just taken off her robe and was about to get dressed when she heard a knock on her door. Figuring it was Lilly, here to help her get ready, Brianna waited for her to enter as she had every other morning. When she didn’t, Brianna assumed her hands were full, and hurried to help. She opened the door, only to see Mr. Sinclair in all his stalwart glory taking up the entire space. His eyes, a stormy shade of green this morning, enhanced by the tawny color of his hooded cloak, sent a shiver down her spine that surprised her. One he had to have noticed once he shifted his gaze to her face from the messy knot on top of her head. Suddenly, Brianna realized she was only wearing her chemise, without even a robe to shield her from his penetrating looks. To his credit, Mr. Sinclair regarded her squarely, his eyes never straying downward.
“Mr. Sinclair,” she said, glad that her voice came out steady. “May I help you?”
“You said family brought you here to Abersoch, yet you never explained,” he said, searching her face with an imploring look.
He was so candid with his question and seemed so genuinely curious about the answer that Brianna stepped back and waved him inside without thinking. After a brief hesitation, he nodded, and made the lonnnnng journey from just beyond her doorway, to just within. His cordial restraint wasn’t lost on her. If there was anything she’d learned this past week, it was that these people could be trusted, and that continued to be proven over and over. Even Mr. Sinclair who she’d sensed had been wary of her, at least at the start, was here, speaking to her without artifice, and again she found herself leaning as closely toward the truth as she could without broaching it. “I really did come to retrieve a family heirloom,” she said.
He seemed to be considering her words at length. “I see. Did you find it?”
She shook her head. “I did not.”
“Would you care for my aide in your quest?’
His words harkened brave knights and fair damsels in her mind and when she smiled, he did too. “I believe that our prized Wolf sword is out of reach now.”
She was surprised how easily those words came out, not that it wasn’t the truth, she had gone to Abersoch to retrieve the sword, and it was out of reach, hundreds of years out of reach—it was her delivery that shocked her. She’d never been the best flirt, in fact, awkward would be a more appropriate descriptor, but even to her ears, that had sounded a little flirty. She hadn’t even meant to try and wondered what had come over her, but she paused when she saw something shift in his eyes. He was still smiling, yet clearly calculating something, too. “I am sorry for your loss then. ’Tis a prize indeed… with or without the stone.”
At this, Brianna faltered. Stone? What stone? When she’d mentioned the sword, she forgot that he would know of it. It took her a second to realize what he meant, and she stepped closer, suddenly desperate to hear more, forgetting herself completely. “Wait. You’ve seen it? The jewel?” she whispered, holding her breath. She thought she remembered Lachlan or Celeste mentioning something about a jewel, maybe, but they’d said so much, she couldn’t recall. But hearing Mr. Sinclair speak of the stone, the stone, that went in the hollow beneath the family crest was something she wondered about her entire life.
He nodded. “Aye, a priceless beauty.”
“What color is it?” she asked, unable to contain her excitement. “My grandfather said sapphire, but we’ve never been sure.” So engrossed in knowing, she thought nothing of his renewed scrutiny.
“Truth be told, lass, I’d say O’Roarke blue. The very shade of your eyes.”
While he was doing nothing more than paying homage to lineage and calling her eyes blue, which they were, the way he said it made Brianna grin like an idiot. But her schoolgirlish reaction was fleeting—as she stared up at him, she began to wonder if…if he knew of Pembrooke. If he knew of the sword, if he was close with Callum—Dar, she remembered, had said they were brethren—he would know the area around Dunhill. “Do you know of Pembrooke, Mr. Sinclair?” she asked.
“I do.”
Brianna felt her eyes go wide. As much as she’d wanted to reclaim her family’s sword, Pembrooke had eluded her even longer, and to be in the company of someone who knew of it was nothing short of a miracle. She realized quickly that she might have come on a little strong, and at the expression of curious fascination on Mr. Sinclair’s face, she tried to calm herself down, all the while her brain was pinging out of control. It must have taken her a full moment to breathe and another to find her voice.
“Do…do you think I,” she stammered when she was finally able to speak, shaking out her hands in nervous anticipation, “...do you think that whoever escorts me to Dunhill might take me to see it? Pembrooke, I mean?”
Mr. Sinclair nodded. “Without question.”
The rush she felt was euphoric.
“Oh, Mr. Sinclair— Aidan !” In her excitement, she shrieked and threw her hands in the air, but thankfully stopped herself before she started drumming them against his chest. Mortified at her near faux pas, Brianna pulled a face, which embarrassed her even more. Fanning her cheeks, she started pacing to gather herself, realizing self-consciously how all of this must look. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so unguarded in front of another person, let alone a stoic, fifteenth-century Highland Laird. Once she’d calmed herself down, she turned back to him, relieved to see that he didn’t appear to be offended. He did have an odd look on his face, though definitely more of a smile than a scowl.
“My apologies, Mr. Sinclair,” she said, keeping her voice as calm as she could. “You have no idea what this means to me. Truly, this is one of the most remarkable moments in my life.” She laughed at her own words and covered her mouth, returning the warm look he gave her. If he only knew how ridiculous that statement was. Of course, it was remarkable to finally see Pembrooke again, but she’d had a string of extraordinarily remarkable days lately.
In need of an outlet for her delight and thinking it wise not to take it out on Mr. Sinclair, Brianna all but floated to her bed, and reached for Kitty, holding her close and then rocking her in a little dance. “We’re going to Pembrooke, Kitty,” she whispered in the cat’s ear, slowly swirling her around, and stopping in her tracks when she realized she was making a spectacle of herself. Again.
Thankfully when she glanced his way, Mr. Sinclair— Aidan —just looked amused by it all. “Ill-advised,” he cautioned, shaking his head and looking pointedly at Kitty.
Brianna couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “She’s free of fleas,” she said, with much more certainty now than when she’d said the same to William on her first day at Abersoch. “And the staff’s already quite fond of her.” He didn’t seem to be swayed and had another thought. “You’re not superstitious, are you?” She’d read conflicting historical accounts on the matter, especially when it came to cats.
“Hardly,” he scoffed, though she could tell he wasn’t offended. In fact, he seemed rather amused.
Brianna realized then that she liked talking with him. She hadn’t had the chance to do so before—not like this, at least, not one on one. Coming off of the wonderful dinner last night, this warm and friendly rapport that seemed to be growing between them, felt natural, effortless even. She was still sharing a playful look with him, with an ease that was already well out of character for her, when a boyish grin broke across his face, and she felt her cheeks warm at the sight of it. Good grief this man was handsome. Being around him sure beat the piles of books and dusty artifacts she normally surrounded herself with, any day—she’d never met anyone else who she would ever have said that about.
“The last time I saw a kitten, I was nearly felled by one, and—” he’d started his reply so playfully, but then Brianna noticed something shift, and Aidan strode forward toward Kitty, brows furrowed.
Brianna instinctively stepped backward and kept going until she hit the wall behind her. She couldn’t imagine what had him so intent on reaching the cat, but he was mere feet away now, and she finally put out her hand, flattening it against his chest when he reached her.
“Stop,” she cried, suddenly afraid for Kitty. “Don’t hurt her, please. Please.”
At this, a mixture of confusion, consternation, and frustration crossed Aidan’s face before he softened, obviously contrite at having frightened her. He heaved a small sigh, then shook his head.
“I mean her no harm, lass. I swear it on my life. I wish only to see her up close.”
She hesitated, still uncertain. What could he need to look at Kitty for?
“I swear to you, Brianna,” he said, and something about the pleading way he spoke her name softened something in her. “Please, lass. ”
She relented and removed the hand that was shielding Kitty. At once, something like recognition flared in his eyes.
“Where did you get this cat?” he asked.
“I found her. By the shore,” she whispered, confused and wondering what all of this was about.
He stared at Kitty a moment longer, then looked back at her again, gave a short nod, and abruptly left.
She was still standing there, staring at the door when he strode back half a minute later. No knock, no formality, and in fact, she would swear something about him had changed—he seemed altogether more relaxed, almost casual.
“We leave within the hour, lass,” he said, as if the previous two minutes had never happened. “Do you need help packing your things?”
Brianna decided not to mention the thing with Kitty, either. “Within the hour? So soon?” she asked. How sudden. How odd. “Today?”
“Have you reason to stay longer?”
“Well, no, but I…I just didn’t realize …” Her words trailed off.
He smiled. “Nor did I.”
Brianna ignored the oddness of his answer, still confused at the quick change in plans, not that they’d actually discussed when she’d be leaving. She’d thought to broach the subject with Gavin today, but if she had to leave now, at least it appeared that Aidan was the one who would be escorting her. “Do I need anything in particular for our travels? ”
“Anything of importance to you—save the cat.”
Then he was gone. Again.
It didn’t take her long to pack. She started with her medallion, tucking it into a pocket she’d found, cleverly hidden inside her satchel. She was surprised how quickly the satchel filled up—with her new garments, and some personal items, like the combs and ribbons, and soaps that Isabelle insisted she keep, she now needed another bag to fit it all. Isabelle brought her a lovely leather tote. It was an exquisite piece that she insisted she have despite Brianna’s protests.
For the first time, saying goodbye was difficult. She’d only just met the Montgomerys, but felt so comfortable with them and welcomed, that she could have easily stayed longer. She was even going to miss William, who’d warmed considerably since her arrival, and Duncan as well, who wouldn’t have a soft spot for the guard who acted more like a guardian than a gatekeeper. But when it came to saying goodbye to Lilly, she was hit with a wave of emotion that she frankly hadn’t expected. They hadn’t shared any deeply personal secrets or anything, but Lilly was the first person she’d bonded with here, a companion of sorts, and Brianna had become so fond of her.
“You are a gem, Lilly. Sweet, smart, and an asset, to this family, and yours.” She tried to keep her voice low but knew the others overheard. While they waited for her to gather herself, she stood in the entrance, wondering if she’d ever see Castle Abersoch again. And if she did, whether it would be in this century or hers .
“Time to go, lass.”
Brianna whirled around at the sound of Aidan’s voice. He’d been readying everything for the journey, and now it seemed like he wanted to get them on their way. Brianna gave the castle one last sweep with her eyes, trying to commit it all to memory, everything in it, as well as her experience here.
“Ready,” she said with a sigh, feeling melancholy, but for once, not bothering to hide it. Brianna 2.0 was a bit messier, it turned out. Aidan gave her a much-appreciated sympathetic look, and even Kitty mewed, stirring against her. His eyes shot to the cat snuggled up against her chest.
“You disobeyed me?”
Steeling herself for a confrontation—since she’d purposely misunderstood him about bringing Kitty along, and he’d clearly noticed—Brianna feigned ignorance with a, “Whatever do you mean? I followed your orders.”
He pointed to Kitty, who was safely tucked into the sling-like contraption that Lena had fashioned, sort of like a baby carrier so Kitty would be snug and safe while Brianna had both hands on the reins. “I said, ‘ Save the cat,’ Brianna.”
Tilting her head to the side, she fixed him with a blank stare. “And I have.”
He gave an exasperated sigh, and if she were in a better mood, Brianna would have almost found the reaction funny on such an otherwise stoic man. “ Save the cat, Brianna. I said, save – save . ”
She knew what he meant, obviously, but remained silent. She was not giving up Kitty, ever.
Aidan stared at her for a long moment, and Brianna thought she saw a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. He just gave her a nod, however, and turned away.
The matter settled, Brianna shifted her thoughts to the journey ahead. As she walked to the stables, she imagined it would be nice to ride and see the land— rustic maybe, but still nice. She couldn’t imagine how long their whole trip would take, but remembering that it had taken well over ten hours in her car, she knew it would be several days, at least, on horseback. Curious about their route, she asked Aidan which towns they would pass through, remembering how much she’d loved her stop in Carlisle, just a week ago (give or take a few centuries), which was the strangest thing to realize.
“Brianna.” He said her name so softly it barely interrupted her thoughts.
When his voice registered, she turned, taking in the sight of him standing in the courtyard, holding the reins of two horses, and realized she liked the way he’d said her name and his casual yet all-business demeanor. She also liked the way he looked in the bright sunlight as he stared back at her, his hair ruffling in the breeze and his linen shirt open at the neck. She liked his well-fitting trousers and polished leather boots, too, and that hooded cloak draped behind his back. She just liked him, she guessed, shrugging absentmindedly as she mused. Not that she liked -liked him, she’d never liked -liked any man enough to go on anything more than a first date, but with Aidan…maybe she did. The thought was startling, along with the realization that he was watching her, too, his head tilted to the side, curiously. She’d forgotten how transparent Brianna 2.0 was and quickly looked away. When her eyes landed on the horses themselves, it dawned on her that there weren’t any supplies tacked to the saddles. Confused, she saw Aidan’s man, Henry, waiting near the path that led to the shore, and she suddenly felt ill, all traces of her Aidan-induced glow fading in an instant. It hadn’t occurred to her that their journey would be by ship. She looked out at the bay, where the ship they’d arrived on was still moored. She was familiar with this kind of ship, having previously seen one reconstructed after its remains had been found off the East Coast. It was one thing to admire a grand mid-fifteenth-century ship on exhibit, quite another to be expected to board one and sail upon it. Images of the Excalibur flashed through her mind, and sounds she’d worked so hard to forget rang in her ears. She couldn’t get on that ship. She shook her head, backing up.
“I can’t,” she said, feeling herself go numb.
“Can’t what?”
“Travel by sea. Board that ship.”
Aidan looked at her curiously. “I assure you she’s sturdy, with a capable crew. ”
“It doesn’t matter how sturdy she is,” Brianna said, struggling to keep her voice even, “or how capable the captain and crew are. The sea is unforgiving, Aidan. I lived to tell that story once, and I’m not sure I could give it another turn.”
At this, he laid the reins over the horse’s mane and walked toward her. When he was merely a pace away, he stopped and stared deeply into her eyes.
“Brianna. Do you mean you were in a boating mishap?”
She wasn’t sure he even blinked, so intent was his gaze. Honestly, given all she knew about fifteenth-century customs and culture, she was surprised he was even trying to understand.
“I was. As a child. I haven’t been aboard a ship since.” She realized this contradicted her story about being “ferried” to Abersoch, but after their earlier conversation, she had a feeling he already knew.
Aidan nodded slowly, then turned away for a moment before he spoke. “To be clear, at least between you and I, you did not arrive by ferry , then?”
She shook her head. “I did not.”
There was that look again, one she was coming to associate with him. Free of artifice, yet shrewdly intuitive at the same time. And what she was reading there now wasn’t so much suspicion, which he’d obviously had before, but more like she was a puzzle he was intent on solving (though, obviously, Brianna was holding some key missing pieces back). When he spoke, he betrayed none of that, however, and his tone was straightforward and even. “We have two choices, Brianna. One, you remain here at Abersoch while I attend to an urgent matter. I’ll return for you within a fortnight, mayhap sooner, then take you home by land.”
As she did the math in her head, she began to wonder if she’d ever see Dunhill or Pembrooke, or for that matter Aidan again. Who’s to say what could happen in the interim? It was true no matter what century.
“And two?” she asked, although she was almost certain she already knew.
“We get on that ship. And you trust that I’ll keep you safe.”
She looked out at the ship he was asking her to sail upon and honestly wondered if she even could. It might be greater in size than her family’s boat, but there were no lifejackets or fire extinguishers, no radio to call for help, and no helicopter to rescue them from God only knew what. Just the open sea, cold and unforgiving. When she looked back up, he was waiting patiently, like he had all the time in the world. He didn’t even prompt an answer from her. She was surprised to find that she was actually torn between staying behind and watching him go or facing her fear and boarding a ship for the first time in over twenty years. As she looked between the ship and Aidan, wondering what she should do, he stepped closer and filled the space between them. Then he reached for her hands and looked deeply into her eyes.
“I’ll come back for you, Brianna,” he said, as if to save her from the torture of trying to decide. She was touched by his concern, which she was coming to realize was just how he operated—by her observation, he’d been nothing but considerate it seemed, to everyone around him.
He stood there, watching her for a long moment, she could feel his hesitation in leaving her. It struck her, and not for the first time that she and Aidan might actually have a connection. It was a new feeling for her, and one she found she liked. Eventually, she felt him start to pull away, and she grasped his hands.
“I’ll come,” she said, without thinking. He seemed so surprised (and, frankly, so was she), that she said it again, more firmly this time. “I’ll come. I want to go with you.”
“I’ll protect you with my life, Brianna. I swear it.”
Strangely, she found she believed him, this veritable stranger who up until a few moments ago, she’d merely considered an honorable man kindly seeing her home. An appreciated gesture, but nothing more than that. But now she wondered. What was it Lachlan had said? Fate will take you where you’re meant to go. She’d been so skeptical of it all, typical Brianna 1.0, looking at it from a purely intellectual standpoint. But now she had no other recourse but to give over to it, whatever it was. Maybe the magic wasn’t about time travel or even experiencing history firsthand, maybe it was about something more, something she was just beginning to discover. She’d been so lost in thought as Aidan helped her on the horse, she didn’t notice he’d turned the other away until he came up behind her. She closed her eyes as he took the reins and his strong arms surrounded her, finding comfort, too, in the soft sound he made to nudge the horse forward. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she heard him whisper something that sounded like, “From this day forward, Brianna.”