“This is nae an inn and ye dinnae pay fer yer food…”
“Oh, I see what you mean. I have a tab here. They send me a bill at the end of the month. It’s pretty convenient since I live right upstairs, so I have breakfast here every morning. I know the owners, so they trust me.”
Dougall wasn’t sure of the meaning of some of the words, but he got the gist of what she was saying. “There are many of thesecoffee shopsin this city?”
“All over the place. Not just in this city. People love their coffee.”
The lass returned with a tray carrying three mugs and three dishes. She placed one in front of each of them and after giving them all their coffee, smiled and walked away.
“What is this?” Logan said, examining the cinnamon roll.
“It’s a cinnamon roll. They don’t have those back home?” Sara asked.
“Nae.”
“It’s good. You’ll like it. I promise.”
Dougall exchanged looks with Logan and then broke off a piece of the unusual looking roll and placed it in his mouth. The flavors were not what he’d expected. This roll was very sweet and filled with cinnamon, something that was a rare treat back in his time. It was delicious. He took another bite and Logan joined him.
“’Tis amazing! Do ye eat this every day, Sara?” Logan asked.
“Of course not! I’d get tired of them and I don’t want that to happen. You’ll see. If you stay here again tonight, we’ll try something different tomorrow.”
The two men continued eating and enjoying the rolls and coffee. They were surrounded by others who sat outside at the tables and seemed to be very focused on the objects they held in their hands or that sat in front of them on the table. Dougall didn’t want to appear ignorant, so he refused to ask Sara what they were doing, but his curiosity was piqued.
“Almost everyone has a cell phone or a computer when they come here. I know you don’t know what those are, but they are extremely important in this time.” Sara must have noticed his interest.
“How so?” Logan asked.
“They can check their emails, or work remotely. Some people go on social media to see what’s going on with their friends.”
“Why dinnae they just ask them?”
Sara laughed and began explaining her meaning to Logan, but Dougall had heard enough. He held up his hand to stop her. “Dinnae continue on with this. We dinnae understand any of it and we willnae be here long enough to need any of it.”
“You know it’s very rude to interrupt someone when they’re speaking, don’t you?” She scrunched her brow and narrowed her eyes as she spoke.
Dougall wasn’t sure how to respond. He’d never met a woman quite as outspoken as Sara. Ashley and Jenna were also from this time, but they were different. While they spoke their mind, they did it in a way that didn’t offend anyone.
“Me apologies.” He sipped his coffee and finished the last of his roll. He then waited impatiently for Sara and Logan to stop their inane chattering and finish theirs. It didn’t appear that would be any time soon. He harrumphed to himself, but apparently they heard him because both of them glanced his way, Sara with irritability and Logan with question. “I apologize once again.” This was becoming redundant. He wasn’t used to apologizing for anything. At Breaghacraig he was in charge of his own teulu and no one ever expected him to apologize to them for anything. Around the MacKenzie family he was, of course, careful not to offend. And yet here he’d been put in his place twice in one sitting by this lass. “I merely wish to get on with the day. I must see Helene.”
“Do you really love her, or is she just a possession to you?” Sara asked.
Dougall was once again taken aback by Sara. “Of course I love her. If I didnae, I wouldnae be here enduring this, this…” He threw his arms in the air in exasperation.
“I get it,” Sara said. “When you love someone you’ll do anything for them.”
Logan glanced Dougall’s way as if afraid of his reaction and then turned to Sara. “Have ye ever been in love, Sara?”
“Once. It was a long time ago and it wasn’t mutual. I made a complete fool of myself at the time and I promised never to let that happen again.”
Dougall impatiently tapped his fingers on the table top. Every fiber of his being wished to be gone from this place, but he vowed he wouldnae leave without his love. He tuned out Sara and Logan and in his mind’s eye he saw Helene. She ran to him with open arms. He felt every inch of her pressed close to his body and he remembered a time not long ago when she’d wanted nothing more than to be with him. He was amazed at how quickly things could change and he hoped that they would change back just as quickly.
In Dougall’smind it had been hours since they sat to break their fast, but they were finally up and moving in the direction of Zeke’s castle. He planned to profess his love to Helene and she, of course, would then soften and decide to return with him. It was a solid plan and it would not fail. His confidence was high. The sooner they were on their way back to their own time, the sooner he would never have to listen to Logan and Sara going on and on about the most inane things. He gritted his teeth, straightened his shoulders and held his head high. He was a warrior and he intended to show this Zeke what he was made of. And when Helene saw how much he loved her and how well he could handle Zeke, she’d be falling into his arms and they’d be on their way.
Rounding the corner, Dougall could see the colorful castle Zeke lived in up ahead. He quickened his pace. Logan and Sara jogged to keep up with him.
“What’s your hurry?” Sara asked.
