AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“A MacGregor is royal,” Ian answers.
“Right enough,” Duncan says. “We’re the rightful leaders of Scotland. It’s in our blood, aye? And you do nae wield power like that willy nilly. So always remember what I’m teachin’ ya.”
“I will,” Ian says, nodding solemnly.
The other two boys with him nod as well.
“Good, now off with ya,” Duncan says, rising to his feet.
The boys run off to their play and Duncan offers me his arm again.
“You're really good with them,” I say.
“It’s nothing,” he says. “Only passing on the wisdom my own pa taught to me.”
A hollow ache throbs low in my belly and my arms feel strangely empty. I’ve never seen a guy interact with children so well before. I don’t want to make more of it than there is, but I am impressed. Duncan is objectively sexy as hell, but add to that being good with kids? Swoon worthy for sure.
As we pass by the houses and into the village, the women are in front of their homes. Some work spinning wheels, turning wool into yarn while others pluck chickens, churn butter, or mend clothes. They stop what they’re doing to stare as we pass. The hairs on the back of my neck are on end and the heat in my cheeks doesn’t fade.
Duncan doesn’t seem to notice or if he does, he doesn’t care. I wish I could not care, but I feel like the new girl walking into class for the first time. That moment when everyone is looking and silently judging you. The worst part is, guessing by their looks, all of them are finding me lacking. Lacking what, I have no idea, but it’s clear in their scowls. I try smiling at the first two women we pass but that only serves to deepen their frowns. After that response, I stare straight ahead and let Duncan lead the way.
It’s not a long walk, though it feels like it with all the staring and blatant suspicion. The common area at the center of the village bustles with activity. A group of men stand close to the middle. There is no grass in this area, only bare dirt where the grass has been beaten away by time and many feet. As we step past the last house and into the common area, the men turn to look. Chief Johnne steps free of the group.
“Duncan,” he says. “All fixed up, lad?”
“Aye,” Duncan says. “I figured you’d be wanting to welcome Quinn, formally like.”
“Quinn,” Johnne says, looking me up and down. “Are ya a god-fearing woman?”
My thoughts flash like a strobe light in a rave. I’ve never given much thought to religion of any kind. I went to Sunday school as a kid, but my parents never enforced it and after we lost Mom, Dad stopped going. I guess I don’t not believe in God. I always figured there must be something more past death, but am I a god-fearing woman?
What does that even mean? God is supposed to be kind and loving, so why would I fear that? From one breath to the next, my thoughts leap while Johnne waits for my answer. The tension in the crowd increases with each passing second so I inhale deeply and nod.
“Yes, sir,” I say, unsure what, if any, honorific to use in addressing him.
“Good,” he says. “I’ll not have anyone to bring bad luck to us. And your surname? You’re nae a Colquhoun or Campbell, are ya?”
“No, sir, I’m neither of those. I’m a Chapman. Quinn Chapman.”
“Chapman?” He frowns and shakes his head. “English, eh?”
I don’t want to flat out lie but I also can’t say where I’m really from either, so I smile which he seems to accept as an answer.
“All right, Quinn Chapman, you’re welcome to our hospitality. You’ll have to pull your own weight. Life in the Highlands isn’t easy, unlike you’re used to in England. Scotsmen aren’t lazy. We work for our livings.”
“Of course,” I say, nodding.
“She’ll need a place to stay,” Duncan says. “She said she was with others but got separated. I’d like to help her find them.”
That gives me a double take, jerking my attention to him. I did tell him I was with others, but after talking to Alesoun, there isn’t any way we’ll ever find them. I hope not, anyway. What if they are lost in time too? What if they were captured by the Colquhoun’s? Something makes me certain that’s not the case. What, I don’t know, but I feel it deep inside that this only happened to me.
“Aye,” Johnne says. “Your friends were lost too?”
“Yes,” I say.
How do I stop them from looking for people they’ll probably never find? I chew my lip, but I have no idea how to stop a search. I’ll have to deal with that when I must. For the moment, all I can do is survive and fumble my way through this the best I can.
“We’ll find them, lass,” Johnne says with confidence. “If they’re in the Highlands, the MacGregors will know it.”
