home, we’re always fending off one enemy or another. If rival clans or brigands aren’t harrying our borders, they’re harassing the borders of our neighbors and allies, and my clan is called to offer aid. When my foster brother inherited his title, his clan had been under attack for a decade from a neighboring clan, the MacKenzies, whose laird was determined to destroy the MacConnells for the sole purpose of stealing their holdings.”
“Aye.” Struan patted her hand. “You’ve no idea how long it took me to trust my surroundings. I too searched the shadows for enemies. You’ll get used to the peace.”
Would she? Not likely. She wouldn’t be here long enough to get used to anything.
“Here we are.” Struan opened the front door to the Gordons’ home and ushered her inside. Unfamiliar delicious smells filled the hall. “Oh yeah. Italian.” Struan put his hands on Sky’s shoulders and guided her toward the sound of voices and the wonderful smells. “You’re going to enjoy this.”
“There you two are,” Marjorie cried. She hurried toward them and took Sky’s wrist to tug her forward. “Lindsay, Ethan, Carol, this is Sky Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of the earl of Fife, come to us from 1443. Sky, this is the rest of the family.” Marjorie left Sky to lift the rosy-cheeked, chubby bairn perched upon Carol’s hip. “And this is our first grandson. His name is Gene, after his granddad, of course.” She bounced the bairn in her arms, eliciting a grin from the wee lad.
Sky’s face heated from all the attention turned her way. “I’m pleased to meet all of you.” Ethan was tall and lanky like his da. He had thick brown hair, brown eyes and an angular face. His wife, Carol, a fair-haired lass with wide gray eyes, was tall and lanky like her husband. Lindsay more closely resembled Marjorie, who was rounded and diminutive. “It smells wonderful in here,” Sky said, sniffing the air.
They were in a large room that served as the kitchen on one half, with an adjacent dining hall. A cozy hearth took up the end of the great room, though no fire burned at present. A large, rough-hewn table with benches on either side had already been set for the meal.
“I hope you’re hungry, Sky,” Lindsay said. “I made lasagna Bolognese, a Caesar salad with homemade dressing, and of course, my famous roasted garlic and rosemary bread.”
“I understood naught but the words rosemary , bread and garlic ,” Sky said. “I am starving, and Struan tells me you are a chef, which I take to mean a most excellent cook. ’Tis certain this will be a meal to be remembered.”
A flurry of activity, accompanied by good-hearted banter and teasing, went on around her as the Gordons put food on the table and took their places. Michael patted the bench beside him, and Sky suffered a pang of longing for her brothers. They oft gestured to her in the very same manner. She took her place beside him, and Lindsay sat on her other side.
“Your hair is so thick and gorgeous.” Lindsay filled Sky’s bowl with the greens she called a Caesar salad. “Without a hair dryer, it must’ve taken forever to dry after you washed it.”
“Aye, though in the winter, sitting near the hearth helps.”
“Ever thought about cutting it?” Carol asked. “I’m a beautician. I have a shop in the back of our house, and lots of the locals come to me for haircuts and colors.”
“Colors?” Sky shook her head. “I’m no’ familiar with the word beautician .” A basket came her way, and the wonderful fragrance of garlic and rosemary wafted up to her. Neatly sliced bread filled the basket. She took a piece and found it was filled with bits of roasted garlic and herbs. Her mouth watered.
“Sure. I can turn your hair any color you want it to be.” Carol grinned. “Even blue.”
“ Blue ?” Sky blinked. “Why would anyone do such a thing?”
Carol laughed. “You’d be surprised.”
“Here.” Lindsay placed a dollop of butter on
“Aye.” Struan patted her hand. “You’ve no idea how long it took me to trust my surroundings. I too searched the shadows for enemies. You’ll get used to the peace.”
Would she? Not likely. She wouldn’t be here long enough to get used to anything.
“Here we are.” Struan opened the front door to the Gordons’ home and ushered her inside. Unfamiliar delicious smells filled the hall. “Oh yeah. Italian.” Struan put his hands on Sky’s shoulders and guided her toward the sound of voices and the wonderful smells. “You’re going to enjoy this.”
“There you two are,” Marjorie cried. She hurried toward them and took Sky’s wrist to tug her forward. “Lindsay, Ethan, Carol, this is Sky Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of the earl of Fife, come to us from 1443. Sky, this is the rest of the family.” Marjorie left Sky to lift the rosy-cheeked, chubby bairn perched upon Carol’s hip. “And this is our first grandson. His name is Gene, after his granddad, of course.” She bounced the bairn in her arms, eliciting a grin from the wee lad.
Sky’s face heated from all the attention turned her way. “I’m pleased to meet all of you.” Ethan was tall and lanky like his da. He had thick brown hair, brown eyes and an angular face. His wife, Carol, a fair-haired lass with wide gray eyes, was tall and lanky like her husband. Lindsay more closely resembled Marjorie, who was rounded and diminutive. “It smells wonderful in here,” Sky said, sniffing the air.
They were in a large room that served as the kitchen on one half, with an adjacent dining hall. A cozy hearth took up the end of the great room, though no fire burned at present. A large, rough-hewn table with benches on either side had already been set for the meal.
“I hope you’re hungry, Sky,” Lindsay said. “I made lasagna Bolognese, a Caesar salad with homemade dressing, and of course, my famous roasted garlic and rosemary bread.”
“I understood naught but the words rosemary , bread and garlic ,” Sky said. “I am starving, and Struan tells me you are a chef, which I take to mean a most excellent cook. ’Tis certain this will be a meal to be remembered.”
A flurry of activity, accompanied by good-hearted banter and teasing, went on around her as the Gordons put food on the table and took their places. Michael patted the bench beside him, and Sky suffered a pang of longing for her brothers. They oft gestured to her in the very same manner. She took her place beside him, and Lindsay sat on her other side.
“Your hair is so thick and gorgeous.” Lindsay filled Sky’s bowl with the greens she called a Caesar salad. “Without a hair dryer, it must’ve taken forever to dry after you washed it.”
“Aye, though in the winter, sitting near the hearth helps.”
“Ever thought about cutting it?” Carol asked. “I’m a beautician. I have a shop in the back of our house, and lots of the locals come to me for haircuts and colors.”
“Colors?” Sky shook her head. “I’m no’ familiar with the word beautician .” A basket came her way, and the wonderful fragrance of garlic and rosemary wafted up to her. Neatly sliced bread filled the basket. She took a piece and found it was filled with bits of roasted garlic and herbs. Her mouth watered.
“Sure. I can turn your hair any color you want it to be.” Carol grinned. “Even blue.”
“ Blue ?” Sky blinked. “Why would anyone do such a thing?”
Carol laughed. “You’d be surprised.”
“Here.” Lindsay placed a dollop of butter on
Similar Books
