Page 79 of Edge of Yesterday

“Ye will have nothing, Lawren. You are acting like a green lad. Go home and dinnae return until you have learned manners.”

Cailean pushed onto his knees and rubbed his jaw.

“Lady Julianna—” Sir Lawren began.

“Nae, sir. Brodie is right. Off with ye.”

His mouth thinned. He shot Cailean a venomous glare, then whirled and strode across the room. When the door closed behind him, Cailean rose.

“I’m sorry, Lady Julianna.”

“It wasnae your fault,” she said. “I ran into you.” She bent and began picking up apples.

He hurried to her side and grasped her arm, pulling her upright.

“I’ll gather the apples,” he said.

She realized everyone was staring and nodded. “Thank ye.” She faced Brodie. “And thank ye, Brodie.”

“Are ye all right, lass?”

“Aye, unless you count being angry.”

Brodie grinned. “A riled woman is a force to be reckoned with.”

Cailean held the sack and now bent to grab three apples. The women swarmed from the kitchen and helped him scoop apples off the floor. Julianna turned and headed for the stairs. When she reached her quarters, she closed the door and leaned against the door. Cailean wasn’t a simple warrior or a wanderer. He was a knight. A knight. Why hadn’t he said anything? This changed everything. Even if he held no lands—and he might—as a knight, he had some status. Lennox was right. Why hadn’t they heard of him? Who was his family? If he was connected to anyone of import that meant…

Her pulse quickened. “You will address her as Lady Julianna.” He had defended her honor. She shouldn’t be surprised. After all, he’d defended her life several times. She had been certain he found her attractive. Was it possible there was more?

~*~

Cailean wiped sweat from his brow with the back of a hand and leaned on the battleax he’d been sparring with a moment ago. He had yet to see Lady Ravenstone today. He’d hoped to talk her into some errand that would take him into Heatheredge. Instead, Lennox had found him and let him know he wasn’t pleased with the altercation between Cailean and Sir Lawren—though it was clear Lennox didn’t care for the man. Cailean wasn’t pleased with the conflict, either. The wrong encounter would get him dead or in the damn cellar of the Red Lion, waiting for the magistrate to hear his case. If he ended up there, it would be because of his involvement with Lady Julianna. She ran into him, literally, when he’d landed here in medieval Heatheredge, and she entangled him in her life more with each passing hour.

The problem was, he liked it.

Lennox stood ten feet away, watching Gregory and another man spar. Cailean knew Lennox had many more questions, and intended to get answers, soon. A man approached Lennox.

“The message has been dispatched to your father,” the warrior said.

“Good,” Lennox said.

The messenger turned and strode away.

A message sent to Sir Ravenstone? Cailean swung the ax so that it stuck into the ground, then went to Lennox. “You sent a message to your father?”

Lennox cast him a sideways glance then returned his attention to the men on the field. “What business is that of yours?”

“You didn’t send a message that Lady Julianna was kidnapped?”

Lennox faced him. “Why are ye asking?”

“Lady Julianna was brought home safely. There is no need for your father to come home early.”

Suspicion lit Lennox’s eyes. “I agree.”

“Then you didn’t send a message telling him to head home?”

“Nae.”