“Me, too,” she said and her voice was raw and raspy from nonuse. She cleared it, gazing about the chamber but saw nothing to drink.
Sensing her need, he stepped to a table near the fire and poured a cup of water. He brought it to her. She took it, grateful for the cool liquid against her inflamed throat.
“Thank you,” she said.
She held the cup between her cold hands, watching as he kneeled, and set about rekindling the fire. She watched the way the muscles worked in his back underneath his tunic.
“Evie tells me you never left my side.”
She didn’t know why she said it. But she had to find out his true feelings for her. She was uncertain how to proceed with questions about Margaret MacDonald. The cold, frigid bitch, as he’d called her.
He stilled, his back going straight and rigid. Then he dropped a bit of peat on the fire and brushed the nonexistent dirt from his hands.
“Aye, I did.” His voice was low, sultry.
“I’m glad you did.”
He rose to his full height and turned toward her. She realized then he stood barefoot. His pants were dirty and his tunic was sweat-stained, as though he’d just completed a workout. He reached for his tartan to wrap around his waist.
“Ye gave us all a fright when we found ye in the bailey.”
Her hand tightened on the cup, her fingers cramping. “How long ago was that?”
“Four days.”
So, she had been in and out of consciousness for four days. She had no idea how she ended up there but she assumed the Triple Goddess dropped her there when the timeline was altered.
“Do ye recall what happened?”
He moved closer to the bed, perching on the edge an arm’s length away, as though he wanted to keep his distance, yet still be close. She wished she knew how their relationship had changed in light of the new events. Were they intimate as they were before?
She shook her head. “The last thing I remember was falling to the ground and then nothing. I must have fainted.”
It was as close to the truth as she was willing to get.
“I’m glad yer all right,” he said, his words sincere.
Her gaze met his and something deep inside her twinged. She realized she was desperately in love with him. But now was not the time to tell him that.
She thought of the ruins where everythinghappened. They weren’t far from Dundale. Only about an hour’s ride.
“Jamie, do you think we could go for a ride later?” she asked.
“A ride?” He lifted a tawny brow, the corner of his mouth tipping into a half smile.
“Yes, I need some fresh air.” And the best way to get that was to ride out from Dundale. Plus she had an ulterior motive—she wanted to see the castle ruins on the beach where everything went down.
“Of course, we can. I’ll have yer horse saddled.”
At least that was still a thing for her in this time. But his face creased with an expression that told her something was off. Worry lines appeared at the corners of his eyes. He plucked the cup from her and set it aside, then took her hands in his, shrouding her in his warmth. She relished the way his roughened hands gripped hers.
“There’s something ye should ken, though, lass.”
Hope bloomed in her chest. “Yes?”
“On the morrow, things will change for us.”
Her brows drew together. “What do you mean?”
