Page 98 of Edge of Yesterday

He blinked, then grinned. “Aye.” Cailean pulled three more books from their shelves and she hid a smile when he approached the table. She asked for two books, he brought three. No matter their age, men never stopped trying to impress women.

She sat on a bench and he set the books down, swung a leg over, sat and swung the other leg over. Julianna glimpsed his sculptured thigh before his kilt settled across his leg. Mother of God have mercy, the man truly was a god come to life. He opened one of the books and Julianna couldn’t tear her eyes from his broad tanned fingers as he reverently traced the letters, as he had earlier. What would he do if she grasped his hand and kissed his fingers?

“Scripture,” he murmured.

“What?” She yanked her gaze from his hands.

“Scripture,” he said. “Luke 4:1. Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Tempted by the devil,” Cailean repeated, and looked at her.

Her throat went dry.

“I wonder what those temptations were.”

“We are no’ told.” She pretended to study the text.

“Probably a good thing.” He flashed a heart-stopping smile. “We don’t need any more ideas on temptation.”

She shook her head. “Ye are a rogue, Cailean Ross.”

His smile softened. “And ye are quite beautiful.”

Julianna waited, not breathing, suddenly sure he would kiss her. But he closed the book and opened another. That book and the others they’d gathered were all scriptures. He stared at the last book, which contained a picture of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus.

“Amazing.” He traced the book’s heavy leather binding, letting his fingers hover just above the bright, illuminated words.

It was clear he could read quite well, yet he acted as if he’d never seen a book.

He closed it with great care. “I suppose I shouldnae be surprised it’s all Biblical.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “But I was hoping…”

“For what?” She watched him as he rose.

He glanced around the room. “I don’t know. We’re in a scriptorium in the Highlands and it’s after midnight.” He picked up the four books and returned them to their shelves.

Julianna stood and joined him. “Ye act as if you expect to see a ghost.”

He nodded slowly. “I wouldn’t be one bit surprised.”

“Reay Abbey has over a hundred books. The priests often record battles and stories. I am sure we can find something besides scripture.”

“Why not?” He smiled. “This is a chance of a lifetime.”

“Aye,” she agreed, and reached for a book on a shelf above her. “Father Symon is usually here, and he allows no one to touch the books. So we are fortunate he is absent tonight.”

“I was surprised to find a fire going and candles lit,” he said, as they began examining more books and rolled scrolls.

“Father Symon is insistent about making sure the scriptorium doesn’t grow too cold and damp. It is bad for the books.”

Cailean pulled a small scroll from a shelf. “He’s right.” He opened the coiled parchment. “Now we’re talking.” He set the book on the tall table to his left.

“What is it?” Julianna leaned in to see.

“The chronicle of a battle fifty years ago.” He read a bit of the text, a vivid account of a Sutherland laird who stole a bride and so drew the wrath of two clans upon himself--the bride’s own clan and the family of her left-at-the-altar groom. A fierce battle raged on for years—even after the ‘stolen bride’ and her captor fled across the sea to marry in Ireland.

He finished and Julianna smiled. “True love prevailed, it seems,” she said.

He nodded. “I wonder if someone chronicled what happened in Heatheredge?”

She touched his arm. “Father Phillip was in Heatheredge when the wedding party arrived.”