Page 34 of Edge of Yesterday

“This Val is a friend?”

“A new friend.”

Julianna shook her head. “Perhaps ye should find others.”

He grunted. “Perhaps. Especially given the loons who did the real damage.” His gaze flicked to the gash on his left arm. “That wasn’t necessary. Val should have told them no’ to—”

“Wait.” Julianna tensed. “You knew our attackers?”

Gregory straightened, but didn’t move when Cailean shook his head, “Nae, but I bloody well plan to find them.”

She glanced at her cousin, then said to Cailean, “Does this Val know our attackers?”

The amusement returned to his eyes. “Of course, you don’t know him. So tell me…” he leaned forward, looking deep into her eyes, “what is your part in this adventure? Why were those men chasing you?”

Julianna resisted the urge to cross herself. How could she tell him that she’d seen something she wasn’t supposed to see? Something no one was supposed to see.

“Julianna.” Cailean stared, a brow lifted in question. Sweet Jesu, she’d involved him, a stranger who could have no idea that he’d stumbled into a demon’s lair.

“Well?” He looked at her. “You dinnae want to tell me why those men were chasing you?”

“They were robbers.”

“Robbers?” he repeated sharply. “Did they attack you on the road from Heatheredge?”

“Something like that,” she said, and hoped that her expression remained neutral.

“How convenient that I was able to save ye.”

She studied him. “Are you unwell?”

“Unwell?” He laughed, full, rich, and with genuine amusement. “That depends on your perspective.” He took another swig of cider.

The liquor had begun its work. She should drink a bit herself. A good measure would dull her senses and perhaps she wouldn’t worry about why Lennox hadn’t yet returned home. It wasn’t late. He did have two miles to walk. But her stomach knotted tighter with each passing moment. If Crowe or his men found him—but they wouldn’t. He would appear soon, if for no other reason than to chastise her for being foolish enough to enter the woods alone at night.

Cailean’s face came into focus and she noticed the sweat that dotted his brow. Dear God, if his skin burned… She touched his brow and was relieved to find him cool as an autumn breeze. He stared at her and she realized her fingers still pressed his flesh.

Julianna snatched her hand away and rose. “I must fetch a few things.”

She whirled, locked gazes with Gregory for an instant and read curiosity in his eyes. Embarrassment warmed her cheeks. She hurried to the shelf and began collecting her healing goods; her lidded basket of linen bandaging, earthen bowl of sphagnum moss, each healing clump gathered and cleaned by her own hands. Then she reached to the back of the cupboard for the most precious of all—a small, leather-wrapped flask. Julianna returned to Cailean’s side and placed the goods at his feet.

She dropped a linen rag in the basin of water, then went to lift the pot of boiling water from the fire.

“That’s quite a medical kit,” Cailean said.

Medical kit? “Your speech is strange, Cailean.” She took the pot to the table. “Where are you from?”

“Cumbernauld in the Central Belt.”

Julianna paused in fishing the fabric from the water with a spoon. Central Belt? “I have no’ heard of Cumbernauld.” The name sounded common enough. “Is it far?”

“Aye.”

She lifted the rag from the water and let it drain for a few seconds, then dropped it onto a plate. “Where is Cumbernauld? In the Highlands?”

“Nae. To the south, though no’ so far down as the Borders. Ye may know it as Cumyrnald.”

She shook her head. “When did ye arrive in Heatheredge?”