Page 121 of Edge of Yesterday

The impulse surfaced to tell her father about seeing Crowe in the woods, but she quickly squelched the idea. One devil worshiper accusing another was suicide. Not to mention, he would not be pleased that Lennox kept that information from him.

“Cailean will work with Lennox training the men.”

Julianna threw herself into her father’s arms. “Thank you, father,” she said into his shirt.

~*~

“Cailean.”

At the sound of Lennox’s voice, Cailean turned from the men he watched on the training field. Lennox came up to him and stopped.

“Come along,” he said. “Ye are to accompany my father and I to Strone Hall. Brodie,” he called, “Cailean is leaving with me.”

Brodie nodded, then returned his attention to the man he was instructing.

Cailean and Lennox strode from the field, the clash of steel against steel, and the clatter of spear shafts, fading the farther they moved from the training ground. The morning sun still hung low and pale in the sky, and drifting mist almost obscured the nearby woods.

The outer courtyard gates came into view. As they passed through them, Lennox nodded at the guardsmen, and they entered the vast walled space where at least fifty men-at-arms sat ready on their horses. Not many other souls were about, though a few lads walked along the inner walls, extinguishing night torches that yet smoked and sputtered. On the far side of the courtyard, two of kitchen women filled pails at the well, and somewhere a dog barked, though Cailean didn’t see the beast. He did spot his new father-in-law. Lord Ravenstone stood near the gate speaking with a warrior. Cailean followed Lennox to two waiting horses.

The baron turned from the man and said, “Shall we ride?”

Lennox nodded and vaulted into a saddle and Cailean did the same with the remaining horse. Ravenstone mounted and started out of the gate with Lennox and Cailean at his side. The soft clip-clop of the men’s horses followed and Cailean was startled by the surge of pride he experienced. When he’d ridden down the High Street in Heatheredge, the pride he’d felt had been that of a man who had fulfilled a dream. He’d proven himself a world-class swordsman, and had won many tourneys to prove his worth. This feeling, however, was wholly different. This emotion went deeper. He, Lennox, and Ravenstone, were on their way to ensure the continued safety of Julianna…his wife.

A strange pang of emotion tightened his chest. His wife. How would he leave her? How could he hurt her? Could he leave her? He startled at the question. He had to leave her. He didn’t belong in this century. And what of Ginny? She had her own life just as he had his, but she loved him and he her. They were the only family they had left. Without him, she was alone.

Yet with him gone from Heatheredge, that left Julianna vulnerable. Nae. He wouldn’t go until Crowe was dead. Then he would leave and Julianna would find a man of her century, a man who would take care of her the way she should be cared for.

Who could protect her better than you? a small voice asked. He knew that voice was his own desire to stay disguised as good conscience. A twenty-first century, world-class swordsman was more commonplace in fourteenth century Scotland than one might suppose. After all, these men literally lived and died by the sword. He got that. Yet with him gone, Lady Julianna could marry someone used to her time’s mores and society.

But would this man love her?

Love? To even think the word was ridiculous. He’d made physical love to her last night and he was now mistaking lust for love. That was a teenage mistake. And one he wouldn’t make Julianna pay for.

“Have ye any family back home?” Ravenstone broke the silence.

Cailean thought of Ginny. “Nae.”

Lennox shot him a sidelong glance.

“What brought ye to Heatheredge?” the baron asked.

Lennox’s gaze remained straight ahead but Cailean knew he remembered him saying he’d come to Heatheredge to see relatives.

“I was looking for relatives.”

Ravenstone eyed him. “No family in Cumyrnald, but ye do have family here?”

Cailean shook his head. “I had hoped, but…” He shrugged.

This time, Lennox did glance his way.

Ah well, it didn’t matter if the man suspected him. He wouldn’t be around long enough to convince Lennox to trust him.

What of Julianna, that same voice asked? You already have her trust…and hear heart.

“We are your family now,” Lord Ravenstone said.

Cailean snapped his gaze onto the man. His chest tightened again in that same strange way it had earlier and he found he couldn’t reply. The baron stared. Cailean nodded, then the older man turned his attention forward again.