Lilia pushed back into the picture and waved. “Love you, Granny! Love you, Trulie!”
“Love you more!” Trulie waved back, her heart aching. She missed those pestering little rascals.
Mairi wavered into view, her eyes barely open. “Is something wrong?”
“No, gal.” Granny motioned to Trulie. “We just wanted to check in. It’s been a few days.”
Mairi yawned and listed slightly to one side. Kenna grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her back upright. “She’s toast. She stayed up till just about an hour ago reading some book on medicinal herbs.”
“We love you, Mairi. Go back to bed.” Trulie nudged Granny’s shoulder and pointed to the portal. “Look. She didn’t even make it past the couch.”
Granny chuckled and gently blew another fistful of ashes into the hearth. “Take care, my babies. We’ll check back in a few days.”
Kenna’s image wavered as she smiled and waved. “Love you both bunches!”
“Love you more!” Trulie waved back, a pang of homesickness settling like a weight across her as the fire portal closed.
A soft rap on the door preceded Coira’s singsong chirp. “Time for breakfast. I have a fine feast, sure to warm yer bones.”
“Let me dry your feet, gal.” Granny held a cloth ready as she nodded across the room at Coira. “She’ll sit over at yon table, Coira.”
Coira’s cheerful humming filled the room as she eased a linen-covered platter and a pitcher down on the table. She fixed Trulie with a mischievous look as she uncovered the food and tucked the linen into the waistband of her skirt. “Ye know, mistress, I canna remember the day when our chieftain has ever been so happy. Cook said she heard him actually singing as he passed through the kitchens.”
Trulie glared at Coira as she settled in the chair at the table, willing her to hush it. “I’m glad Chieftain MacKenna’s spirits are lifted. From what I’ve gathered, he has had more than his share of unhappiness.”
Coira snorted and bobbed with a polite curtsy. “Oh, aye. That he has. But I do believe he has finally found the cure for his unhappiness.”
“I may be old but I am not stupid.” Granny took a bannock, split it in two, and smeared a healthy dollop of honey over it. “Eat this first and then I want you to try and get down some of that parritch.” She pushed the pewter dish with the bannock in front of Trulie. “And I am well aware of what happened last night.” Granny squared her shoulders with a proud wiggle. “I told you so.”
“You just couldn’t wait to say that, could you?” Trulie tore off a hunk of the bannock and popped it in her mouth. The warm, chewy bread covered with honey softened Granny’sI told you sodance just a bit.
Granny drizzled more of the honey over the steaming bowl of oats, a smug look brightening her face. “There is no shame in taking credit where credit is due.” She pushed the bowl in front of Trulie. “Now eat up. Tamhas said Gray has agreed to teach you to ride.”
Trulie nearly choked on the sip of water. Last night’s riding lesson had been stellar, but she was pretty sure Granny was referring to riding a horse. She coughed and pushed the bowl of oats to the side. “You know I don’t eat oatmeal.”
Granny plopped the bowl back in front of her. “Eat it. You are going to need your strength.” She added another healthy dollop of honey and stirred it in with a wooden spoon. “Once you’re able to ride a horse, we’re going to the gravesite to pay our respects.”
The gravesite. Trulie took the spoon from Granny and plopped it upright in the gummy oats. “Do you think we can find it?” It had been over fifteen years since her parents died. Highland weather could erase a lot in fifteen years.
“We will find it.” Granny gave her a soft pat on the shoulder, then leaned in close and laughed as she whispered, “Now eat your oats like a good Scottish lass. Ye have a braw bonnie man to keep happy.”
Trulie shoved a spoonful of the gummy oats in her mouth and tried not to gag. What a price to pay for an unforgettable night with a Highland lover.
CHAPTER12
“Ye never rode a horse before ye rode with me?” Gray stared at her. Disbelief tilted his head to the side. “How do ye travel in Kentucky? By wagon only? Or are ye able to walk everywhere since the land is filled with so many”—What had she called them? Metro ... metro ... politans? That was it—“since Kentucky is covered with metro ... politans?”
Trulie took a step back from the docile, brown mare patiently standing in front of her. She crossed her arms over her chest and ran her gaze from the back end of the horse to its head. As she reached out and hesitantly touched the horse’s neck, she glanced back at him. “You remember that monster with the glowing eyes? The one that tried to run you down?”
How the hell could he forget? He thought Tamhas had surely sent him straight to some hellish world when that roaring apparition had charged him.
“Aye.” He nodded. “What of it?”
“That was a truck.” She skittered closer to the patient mare as another horse moved in the stall behind her. Casting a nervous glance back, Trulie slid well out of reach of the long black nose now stretching toward her.
“Aye. Ye best watch that one there.” Gray chuckled as he gently pulled Trulie over until he stood between her and the inquisitive black horse. “Cythraul likes to pull hair.”
Her hand flew to the thick braid coiled at the base of her neck and patted it. She leaned sideways, peeping around Gray and eying the horse much like a timid mouse watches a sleeping cat.
