The mission,he told himself.Focus on the mission.
He returned to the tiller and began to guide the boat further into the bay, making sure to keep his distance from Molly and trying not to look at her. It was easier said than done as she crossed to the railing and stood contemplating the shoreline, her reddish hair blowing in the breeze. After a few moments, she turned back to him.
“Where are we?”
He pointed at the far shore.
Molly squinted in that direction. “A village?”.
The settlement hugged the rocky hillside, with smoke trails rising from chimneys and boats rocking gently in the harbor. Even from this distance, Conall could hear laughter ringing out across the water and felt an unexpected warmth settle over his heart. This place had been a refuge to him when he needed it most and would always hold a special place in his heart.
He smiled at Molly. “Welcome to Lanwick, lass.”
Chapter 7
Molly had never heardof Lanwick, but that no longer came as a surprise. Whatdidcome as a surprise was the sudden shot of fear that went through her as she stared out at the village hugging the shore of the bay.
It could have been her own village of Hollincross, with its houses tumbling downhill and its harbor bobbing with boats. But it wasnother village and although she’d been desperate to find people only yesterday, now the thought of being amongst a crowd filled her with dread.
What if they saw straight through her? What if they somehow recognized her as a time-traveler? She was painfully aware how ill-equipped she was to fit into this time, with her modern clothes, modern speech, and absolutely zero idea of how people behaved in this time.
She’d gotten away with it with Conall so far by claiming to have lost her memory, but how long would that last in a village full of people?
Oh, heck.
“Are ye all right, lass?” Conall asked. “Ye’ve gone as pale as a moon crab.”
The wind was whipping his hair across his face and rustling the loose linen of his shirt. For one heart-stopping minute he looked so rugged and handsome it almost took her breath.
“I’m fine,” she lied.
How was it possible to go from elation to trepidation in the space of a dozen heartbeats? Only moments ago, as Conall had spun her around and they’d grinned like giddy teenagers after making it safely through that cleft, she’d felt on top of the world, full of a wild kind of joy, sparked by his smile and his touch. Now, she felt a sick kind of dread.
“What...” Her mouth went dry. She licked her lips and tried again. “What is this place? It’s an odd location for a fishing village with such a narrow entrance.”
“It isnae a fishing village,” Conall replied, his storm-gray eyes fixed on the approaching shore. “Lanwick is a...” He paused as if searching for the right word. “A trading settlement.”
