A chair was brought forward and Kerry sat, waiting nervously to see what they had to say to her.
“Where is that boy of mine?” the laird snapped, getting to his feet and glancing past Kerry. “If I have to go fetch him-”
“I’m here.”
Kerry’s heart soared at the sound of Callum’s warm voice. She turned her head and felt butterflies spreading inside her as he marched across the room. He didn’t look at her once and she tried not to be disappointed.
It was a bit much to expect him to know how she felt. She had said nothing to him all week. She’d avoided being near him for precisely that reason. What could she say? “Hi, I’m from the future, I love you, let me have your babies.” That wouldn’t sound insane at all.
“My son and his bride to be,” the laird said as Callum came to sit next to her. “This is a most heart warming sight.”
Kerry looked up at him. Did he really not see she was an imposter?
“I willnae marry a MacKay,” Callum said. “I say you call this farce to an end and send her back to the bloodsoaked hands of her father.”
“Silence!” the laird snapped. “You will not say another word until I’ve said my piece and if you so much as breathe too loudly, I’ll have your balls cut off and fed to the pigs.”
“Alan,” his wife said. “Please remember there are ladies present.”
“Sorry, my dear.” He turned to Kerry. “I hear you had an injury on your way here. Are you quite recovered?”
“Getting there,” Kerry replied, her voice faint. Her throat felt dry as a bone left out in the desert sun. “Slowly.”
“Did you get a look at those who attacked you?”
“I saw nothing, I’m afraid.”
“Shame. No matter. We will catch the culprits soon enough.” He turned his face to Callum. “As for you two, you will spend the next week together. You will get to know each other while we begin the wedding preparations. In seven days time you will stand before me and you will both confirm your desire to wed or you will never sleep on MacCleod land again. Do you ken?”
Callum folded his arms across his chest and stared at his father but he said nothing.
“Good. My son, I want your solemn vow that you agree to marry this lass. Is it given?”
There was a pause that lasted an ice age before Callum spoke. “Yes, father.”
“Both of you can start now. Go for a walk together or something. Get to know each other.”
Callum stood up and was already gone before Kerry was halfway across the room. “That boy’s too stubborn for his own good,” the laird was saying behind her.
“Give him a chance,” the lady called out as Kerry looked back. “His bark’s worse than his bite.”
Kerry managed a smile before heading outside. She found him standing in the courtyard tapping his foot impatiently. “I will not marry a MacKay,” he said when she reached him. “After what your people did to my family, I can’t believe he wants us to wed.”
“I need to tell you something,” Kerry replied. “I’m not a MacKay,”
Callum had been about to continue his rant but he stopped dead, his eyes widening. “What?”
“I’m not Nessa MacKay.”
“What are you talking about? Of course you are.”
“My name’s Kerry Sutherland and until one week ago I’d never heard of Nessa McKay.”
“What? But you were on your way to the castle. Why were you coming here if you’re not her?”
“I wasn’t coming here.” She took a deep breath, looking him straight in the eye. “This is going to sound crazy but I’m from the future and this is going too far if they think I’m going to marry you but I’m not her. Something happened to me in my time and I woke up here. All I want to do is get home and I’m hoping you can help with that because if I stay here…” Her voice tapered away to nothing. She wanted to add, “I’ll never want to leave you,” but she was able to stop herself just in time. She looked up at him, awaiting the incredulous response.
To her surprise, Callum nodded. “So it’s true.”
