"He said he loves me," she whispered to herself in the mirror. Happy tears moistened her eyes. Her cheeks were rosier than ever as she smiled, thrills and tingles chasing through her. Her grandest wish was coming true.
But would he want to marry her? She prayed 'twould be so.
Moments later, she descended the steps to the candlelit great hall, noticing Dani was only a few paces ahead of her. The men stood up as the ladies approached. Torr's appreciative gaze ran over Cat, causing her to feel flushed and overheated.
'Twas clear he had cleaned himself up and brushed his hair. He wore his own plaid, a fresh shirt, and doublet. She wished she could've helped him apply balm to his wounds and hoped they were not paining him.
Since the great hall only had one long table, they took seats around it on the benches. Finnian retired to his chamber to eat and rest.
Torr and Gavin were already deep in conversation. She looked forward to talking to Torr in private later tonight. When she envisioned him again expressing his newfound feelings for her, she smiled.
Maude and Aggie carried bread and ale up from the kitchen. Cat thanked them and offered to pour the ale into the four tankards. They returned for the stew.
"Where do you hail from, Dani?" Cat reclaimed her seat on the bench, then took a slice of bread from the basket being passed around.
"America."
'Twas the last thing Cat had expected to hear. "In truth? I've never met anyone else from the colonies. Were you born there?"
"Yep."
Cat assumed that meantaye.
Gavin grinned. "You must also ask herwhenshe is from."
Confused, Cat frowned, searching their enigmatic yet amused expressions. "What do you mean?"
"I'm from the twenty-first century." Dani shrugged. "No big deal."
"What?" Cat scrutinized the pair. Were they teasing? "Nay. You jest."
Dani sobered. "Seriously. I traveled through time."
"How? Magic? You must tell me everything."
"Okay. But I warn you, it's a long story." Dani grinned.
"I have time." She glanced at Torr, hoping the story didn't take all night, for she wanted to spend time with him.
After supper, Cat and Dani retired to the sitting room with spiced wine and blackcurrant tarts, leaving the men to further catch up and share drams of whisky. The fireplace warmed the room, and many candles brightened it. Cat didn't know how much time passed as she listened, enthralled, to Dani's fantastical tale of how she came to be Gavin's wife. By the end of it, Cat was certain she had a new friend.
She and Dani had something grand in common—they were curse breakers.
"Will you and Gavin travel with us to Farspag to help destroy the curse which imprisons my brother?" Cat asked.
"I'd love to, and Gavin said he would be glad to help."
"The hardest part will be finding a woman Brodie can trust. And fighting off the witch."
***
AFTER A COUPLE OF DRAMSof whisky, Torr and Gavin proceeded outside into the torch-lit courtyard. They had mostly avoided the subject of Alpin thus far, for neither of them had been fond of him. Besides, they'd wanted to keep conversation light around the ladies.
"My condolences on your cousin. I'm sure you want to confirm 'tis him," Torr said, still feeling troubled that he'd watched the man die.
"I would never doubt your word," Gavin assured him.
Torr took a torch from the wall sconce, the flame bright and hot. Holding it aloft, he led the way down the stone steps toward the cellar. Gavin's two bodyguards followed them.
