“This is all a mistake.” She heaved, but his grip was immoveable.
He steered her under an arch and along a stepped passageway with crenelated stone walls. They came out of the dank walkway and crossed an inner courtyard holding a central well. Stone buildings rose all around, although barely visible in the growing dark. He urged her up a side staircase.
“Please, you’ve got to stop.”
“Once I deliver you to my brother. Alex,” he bellowed. “I have your betrothed.”
Betrothed? Holy moly, she wasn’t betrothed to anyone. Why would this man think she was? “No. You have me confused with someone else. I shouldn’t even be here, and I’m definitely not—”
“Anne, there you are.” A woman dashed down the passageway. She wore a gown of rich burgundy with lace edging her bodice. “We still need to hem one of my gowns for your handfast. Good grief, I cannae believe ’tis been a sennight and your trunks have still no’ arrived.”
“My trunks? What do you mean by a sennight?”
“’Twill be all right. One of my gowns will suffice.” Her accent was much thicker than Donald’s. She rubbed Anne’s woolen-coated arm. “Where did you get this garment? ’Tis of a bonnie weave, as is your skirt, but no’ attire I’ve given you.”
“I, ah…”
“Nay, never mind. The seamstress must have left it for you. The weaver woman has a new loom, and what a fine thread it weaves.” She looked at James and huffed. “Let the lass go. I never taught you to manhandle a woman so.”
“She lost her way. I was simply making certain she didnae again.” He tucked his hands behind his back.
“What was the MacLeod chief thinking, James? When a man sends his kin to another’s household, she should arrive with more than the clothes on her back.”
“I’d say naught since she also arrived without a guard. Where’s Alex? His bride tried to take flight.”
“Here.” Thick blond hair swept over Alex’s shoulders as he stormed around the corner. “And the MacLeod chief likely hoped I’d send her straight back to Dunvegan Castle.”
“That’s no’ possible,” James muttered. “No one denies our uncle what he wishes.”
“Aye, this handfast was brokered by him, and I’ll accept what will be in order to end this feud between us and the MacLeods.” He halted before the woman, grasped her hands. “Uncle didnae travel through the village, and I couldnae find any other trace of his passage.”
“You’ll widen your search?”
“At first light, Mother. We’ll find him.”
His mother appeared young, her long brown locks only holding a strand or two of gray. While Alex wore a great plaid secured over his chest with a silver pin and belted low at his waist with a leather girdle.
A missing chief. A castle no longer in ruins. And a betrothal. She pinched herself. Ouch. Yes, this was real. She’d traveled back through time. Nothing else made sense. Yet, how did they all know her? “Ah, Alex. I’m confused.”
“There’s nay need to be. Come. You shouldnae have been outside.” He opened the wooden door off the corridor. “You’re shivering and should warm yourself. Your chamber awaits.”
“Go stand afore the fire, my dear.” The woman patted her shoulder then eyed Alex. “When will the ceremony take place?”
“On the morrow. Noon. Anne, if you will. We should speak since there has no’ been time since your arrival.”
Right, because for some reason they believed she’d already been here a week. She glanced from him to the chamber. Her choices seemed fairly limited. She needed to find out what was going on and more about this Anne they’d called her.
“Dinnae dally. Inside. ’Tis your chamber.” James nudged her forward.
“I’m not a prisoner am I?” Best to check.
“Nay, no’ once your vows are spoken. You’ll be kin then.”
Kin. She had no kin, and hadn’t for three years. Still, she couldn’t find out more unless she and Alex spoke. She entered and her intended shut the door. A large bed covered in blankets, the topmost cover a pretty patchwork of red and blue wool, sat against one wall. Under the window, a side table held a basin and jug, and next to it, a trunk sat propped open. She edged toward it. The engraving along its sides appeared Celtic in design, although nothing was contained within. No clothes, as said.
“Has Mary shown you around while I’ve been gone?”
“Ah, Mary’s your mother.” She tried not to make it a question. If she’d traveled to the past as it appeared, it’d be best to watch her words.
“Last I was aware.” He smiled then quickly straightened his lips. “I apologize for the length of time I’ve been gone. We’ve no’ had the chance to get to know one another as we should’ve.”
“You mean before our vows are spoken?” Because those sounded imminent.