He pushed himself to his feet and stretched, then rolled the sore stiffness from his shoulders.That chair had barely offered enough comfort for a wee nod, much less a few hours’ sleep.Jessa never stirred, and from the continued slow, even rhythm of her breathing, he doubted if she was awake and trying to appear as though she still slept.The wily minx had attempted that once.He would not put it past her to try it again.
With the greatest of care, he set the chair aside and eased out into the hallway, quietly closing the bedroom door with a soft click.When he turned, he nearly stepped on Sawny, who sat on the floor beside the door.
“What the devil are ye doing there?”he asked the boy in a loud whisper.
The lad yawned and clumsily stumbled to his feet.“Mrs.Robeson put me here.Said if ye needed something, ye would need it with haste, and there’d be no call for ye to have to ring the bell and wait for someone to answer if’n I was right here.”
Grant knew that wasn’t the only reason the nosy old housekeeper had planted one of her most trusted informants in the hallway.“’Tis a sorry thing to spy on yer laird.A crime worthy of banishment from the clan.”
The youngling’s eyes went round as basins.“Oh no, m’laird.I would never spy on ye.She told me to stay here in case ye needed something fetched.I swear it.”
“Then fetch Henry.I have a task I want done before the sun rises much higher.Send him here and tell Mrs.Robeson I’ll be breaking my fast in my solar with my guest.”
“Aye, m’laird.”The lad took off as if old Scratch himself chased after him.
Grant propped against the wall beside the door and closed his eyes.He’d not go back inside the room until he’d had a word with Henry out in the hallway.While he might not yet know his lovely wee fox all that well, he had a fair idea that she wouldn’t appreciate waking to yet another strange man in the room with her.
After a while, the heavy thud of boots coming from the direction of the stairwell prompted him to open his eyes and meet Henry partway down the hall.The man had a booming voice and couldn’t be quiet if his life depended on it.
“Aye?”Henry asked, looking as if he had just tumbled from his bed.
Grant nodded.“Fetch the witch.Fast as ye can get her here.”
The man’s ruddy brows shot up to his hairline.“Ye dinna fetch Mairwen.She comes and goes as she pleases.”
“As a Defender, she will answer yer call.Ye made the mistake of telling me that once, remember?”
Henry winced, his regret at doing so clear.“Aye.But the call is not to be abused, or there’ll be hell to pay.”
“Hell can add it to my account.Fetch the witch.”
His friend shuffled in place, raking his hands through his hair until it stood on end even more.“Grant?—”
“She dumped a woman from the future into my bed last night, and that lass does not wish to be here.Fetch Mairwen.Now.”
Henry’s mouth sagged open.“From the future?”he whispered while sidling to one side to squint down the hallway at the bedroom door.“How far into the future?”
“2025.”
“God’s teeth.”
“Exactly.”
“Does she ken what year this is?”
Grant fisted his hands, fighting to keep his voice low.“Aye, she does, but doubts it.Haul yer arse to Seven Cairns, and get the old witch back here to make this right.”
Henry nodded and backed away a few steps before spinning about and setting off at a faster stride.
Dragging a weary hand across his eyes, Grant returned to the bedroom door and eased back inside, holding his breath until his vision adjusted to the dimly lit room.Jessa hadn’t moved.He released the breath he’d held.Of course, with him guarding the door and them being on the third floor, there was little chance of her escaping, but he wouldn’t put it past the wily lass to use the bedclothes as ropes to climb out the window.
He stirred the fire, added a log to battle the dampness in the air, then sagged down into the nearest chair.It might be June, but the rain and the early morning hour lent a chill to the place.He didn’t mind, but the lass would surely find it uncomfortable.The soft rustling of the bedclothes warned him she might be waking.
“Well, shit,” came loud and clear from the bed.A dismal groan followed.
He scooted the chair, angling it away from the hearth, and faced it toward her.“Good morn to ye.”
She pulled the covers over her head and ignored him.
