Hew laughed, it seemed his sister had changed little over the years. “Aye, lad, that sounds verra much like she would have it. I dread the fuss she shall make over me arrival, but I feel I must make me presence here known to her. Where can I find her?”
Arran fidgeted uncomfortably. For a moment Hew worried that perhaps his sister was unwell, but the lad recovered quickly. “Well, it seems that she herself has gone on a bit of a journey, but doona worry about the weather, we know that she is quite safe and out of the storm. I shall let her explain to ye where it is that she has gone once she returns.”
Hew didn’t understand what the lad meant, but he wasn’t disappointed to learn that he would be able to rest before reuniting with his sister. “Ah, well, I’m certain she will be pleased to tell me all about it. She used to talk a great deal. I doona imagine that has changed.”
Arran laughed and motioned at him to lead his horse into one of the empty stalls. “Nay, sir, she hasna changed. She’s talked a lot for all the time that I’ve known her. Now, let us get yer horse settled, and ye shall follow me inside so that ye can have a room of yer own.”
Hew stiffened and stopped moving forward. He would not be comfortable staying inside the castle. It was not where he belonged. He’d rather stay in the stables, with only the horses for company. “Nay, lad, I shall stay here with the horses. It would no be proper for me to accompany ye inside.”
Arran insisted. “Nay proper me arse. I willna be letting ye stay out here in this weather. If Mary learned I’d done so, she’d kill me herself, I’m certain.”
Hew didn’t wish to be impolite to his host, but it was something he knew he had to insist on. He wouldn’t sleep a wink in the presence of so many people. “I doona wish to offend ye, lad, but I simply canna stay in the castle. If ye willna allow me to remain out here, I’m afraid that Greggory and I will have to be on our way and take our chance with the snow.”
Guilt filled Hew at the look of shock on Arran’s face. If only the thought of company didn’t paralyze him so.
“Nay, lad, please doona leave in this storm. Mary would rather me allow ye to sleep in the stables, I’m certain. But perhaps, I can provide ye with something a little more comfortable than stable floors.”
“Truly, lad, ’tis no trouble for me to stay here. I’ve slept in worse many times before.”
Arran shook his head as he draped Hew’s horse with coverings. “Just listen to me before ye say nay to it. We have a cottage no far from here. ’Tis empty, no one stays there, and ye are welcome to stay there if ye wish. Ye can build ye a fire, and there is a proper bed. Please, sir, at least stay there.”
Hew couldn’t deny how pleasurable a warm fire and a soft bed sounded to him. As long as it was truly separate from the castle as the lad said, he thought he could find rest for the night there. “Aye, lad. I shall gladly stay in yer cottage. I’m sorry to be a bother to ye. I appreciate yer kindness.”
Arran clasped him tightly on the shoulder. “Nay, sir, ’tis no trouble. I apologize for saying so, but ye’re rather a strange fellow, are ye no?”
Hew laughed at the truthfulness in Arran’s words as the young Conall showed him the way to the tiny cottage. “Aye, lad, that I am, verra strange indeed.”
Chapter 6
Getting back to the seventeenth century was mildly tricky, but we managed. Because we brought with us two boxes of belongings and the precious vial I hoped would provide Bri with much relief once she went into labor, we were forced to sit on the floor of the spell room while we balanced the boxes in our laps. We chanted the words aloud together and reached over our boxes to link hands right before the spell began to work.
When we arrived back, we nursed our aching heads for a few short moments and then made our way up to the kitchen where we could hear Bri and her lookalike sister-in-law, Blaire, working together.
“We’re back! What are you two girlies up to?” I sat the box I carried down just past the doorway and went to give both of the girls a quick hug, lingering an extra second so that I could press my hands against Bri’s stomach to see if my grandbaby would give me a quick kick. For the moment, it seemed the infant slept soundly.
“Trying to cook, but it isn’t going so well. Eoin and Arran will be thrilled that you’re home, Mary. They’re convinced that if they have to go another day with us as cooks, they shall starve to death.” Bri winked at Mary and then bobbed her head in the direction of the box. “What did you get?”
I grabbed her hand and anxiously dragged her over so that I could reveal all of the precious goodies we’d returned with. “Morna knew what I wanted. She gathered up our ornament box. Isn’t it wonderful?”