‘Oh.’ I stumbled backwards until I could lean against the stone walls of the castle again. ‘That’s nice,’ I murmured.
‘You cannotbelievehow tactful my questions have had to be,’ Lachlan said. ‘Can you imagine having to ask other people about the state of your own relationship? I’ve had to point Mal at random people and set him on them. The guys have been great, though. I’m thinking of doing some kind of archaeology programme next, get them on screen.’
‘And I’m really…?’ The stone felt warm at my back. Reassuringly solid. I thought that I was taking this all a lot harder than I had when I’d fallen backwards through time.
‘Oh yes. You’ve got a really nice car too.’ Lachlan’s grin was back. ‘I’m jealous. I’ve only got a Land Rover.’
‘And the castle?’ I looked up now at the walls, which reared full height to the roof. There were a few more windows now, I noticed, and they had glass in them.
‘Oh, aye, it’s had a bit of work done over the years. I think you’re hoping to set your new series here and you’re trying to persuade Lachlan to hold off on the tourist-trap construction until you get finished. Of course, you basing books here will have them flocking in their droves, so he’s fine about it.’
‘And I’m here to do research.’
‘And move in with me.’ He sounded a bit uncertain now. ‘Is that…? I mean, I know we don’t know each other that well yet, not inourreality, even though we’ve been seeing one another for a year in this one. We can take it steady though, no need for us to rush anything, there’s hotels and the like.’
‘But your cottage is in the middle of nowhere?’
‘Perfect for the writing,’ he said robustly. ‘And I’ve a spare room and a little bothy that will make a great office and you can stay out there if you… if we… if this… er…’
I took a really deep breath. ‘I think the three weeks or so that we spent living in a cellar in the eighteenth century are probably equivalent to six years dating in this world,’ I said. ‘We’ve already seen one another at our worst, and we’ve gone through a lot more than date nights and dinner at the Ivy.’
‘So we’re moving fast, even though to everyone here we’re moving really slowly?’ He sounded hopeful.
‘Let’s try not to think about it, all right?’ I patted his arm. ‘And I’m a well-known novelist? Seriously?’
‘Oh yes. You write some quite steamy scenes too. I read them all,’ Lachlan added proudly. ‘I can only hope they’re modelled on me. Or will be modelled on me. Or have been. Oh, this tenses lark is difficult.’
‘Pax!’ This was Lenny yelling in a very Lenny-fashion from the other side of the wall. ‘Come on! They’re here!’
‘Who are?’ I whispered to Lachlan, but he shrugged.
‘No idea. If I were you I’d read through your texts and then your emails. That’s what I did, to get up to speed. That, and the tactful questions. And the very untactful Mal.’
‘Pax! Come on, Lachlan, put her down, we’ve got stuff on!’
‘Better go and see.’ Lachlan fumbled around for a moment. ‘Shall I hold your hand? Is that all right? It might be expected, as we’re… whatever we are, here. And there might be photographers.’
‘Photographers?’ I asked weakly. ‘Isn’t that a bit… over the top?’
He shrugged. ‘We’re minor celebrities, and the gossip mags aren’t any better in this timeline.’
‘Oh, bugger.’
Lachlan took my hand and shook it lightly. ‘Come on. We’ve got this. It will be easier with two – we can cover for each other.’
We walked out around the side of the castle and now I could see the full extent of the site. The archaeological dig was bigger than I’d thought: a whole team of diggers were clearing another trench and there were some tents pitched in the cover of the wall. The kirk still stood but one end wall had been replaced with a full-height wood and glass window through which I could see sofas arranged around a fireplace, so it had obviously been converted into living accommodation. There were vehicles parked around the site and I wondered which one was my ‘nice car’. I had my hopes pinned on the Volkswagen ID.5 that was plugged in and charging outside the kirk.
‘There you are!’ Lenny came loping over. To my astonishment he had his arm around Kaylinn, who was looking happily relaxed wearing a cute outfit of a linen smock-type dressand boots and was snuggled up to Lenny as though they’d been together forever.
‘Hi, Pax!’ Kaylinn trilled, giving me the widest smile I’d ever seen.
Lenny looked at her, and then at me. ‘I didn’t know you two had met?’
She gained an instant expression of backtracking panic and I rode to the rescue with a smoothness that surprised even me. ‘Oh, this happens all the time. People who’ve read my… books often feel they’ve met me before. Perfectly normal. Nice to meet you… err…’
‘Kaylinn,’ said Kaylinn, Lachlan and Lenny simultaneously.
‘Yes,’ Kaylinn came in on a backwash of terror. ‘You’re so right! I feel like we’ve been friends forever. Because I’ve read your books.’
