Page 70 of Edge of Yesterday

“If this is true, then I must see you fight, Cailean,” Lady Ravenstone said.

“I would be honored, my lady, but I believe Lady Julianna is biased. After all, I aided in her safe return.”

He smiled at her and she realized that he offered her a way out of her embarrassment. If not for the cold stare Sir Lawren turned on Cailean, she would have gone along with Cailean’s ploy. She knew full well that her praise of Cailean angered Lawren and that irked her.

She smiled sweetly. “I am well acquainted with swordplay, sir. I grew up watching Lennox learn to wield a sword, along with my father’s men on the practice field. You are the best I have seen.” She glanced at Lennox. “Well, perhaps one of the best.”

Cailean laughed. “I will admit that I’m glad I wasn’t fighting your brother.”

Her mother rose and the men pushed to their feet. “I believe I will retire. Lennox, you will see to the guards. Julianna, be sure that Malvina attends to Cailean.” Cailean shook his head and started to object but she cut him off. “You do not mean to argue with me, do you?”

A corner of his mouth twitched. “Nae, my lady, I would never disagree with you.”

She gave a slow nod. “I knew I liked you. Julianna, come to me tomorrow morning.”

Julianna angled her head and stood. “Aye, Mother.” She started toward the kitchen.

“Lady Julianna,” Sir Lawren called.

She stopped and turned

“I will wait for your return, then see you to your bedchambers.”

She gave him a cool smile. “That will no’ be necessary. I have some things to attend. I will make my way to my chambers on my own.”

He took a step toward her. “But, my lady.”

She turned and continued toward the kitchen.

“Lady Ravenstone,” he addressed her mother, “surely your daughter—”

Julianna reached the kitchen and hurried inside, quickening her steps as she made her way to Malvina’s herbarium.

~*~

Cailean glanced toward the stables as he crossed the courtyard, headed for the gate. At this point, he was on good terms with the Mackay clan. If he mounted a horse, no one would stop him if he rode through the open entry. Or would they? He might be on friendly terms with Lennox, but the man didn’t trust him—and with good reason.

Cailean didn’t belong in this Heatheredge.

Patience, he told himself. He’d helped save Lady Julianna. Lennox might not trust him, but Lady Ravenstone liked him. In a day or two, he would have no trouble securing a horse and riding into Heatheredge with her blessing. And, in truth, he was exhausted. A night’s rest would clear his head, which would allow a clearer perspective on his situation.

Cailean reached his cottage. He had to admit to a small measure of relief upon entering the cozy little place. He would find peace here, at least for tonight. He removed his sword and leaned it against the bench in front of the central cookfire. He sank to one knee and reached for the tinder box.

A while later, he sat on the bench in front of the fire and stared at the flames. Unless Fate made a drastic change in order to correct what he’d done, he had altered the future in ways he couldn’t begin to conceive. While fighting the guards at Strone, he’d wondered if he might create a paradox that would eliminate his own birth. Science hypothesized that such paradoxes could result in a person ceasing to exist in the past as a result of their birth not happening in the future. He’d half expected to disappear. But that hadn’t happened and, instead, he’d saved Lady Julianna and killed men who weren’t supposed to die today.

Or were they?

He didn’t know the twists and turns. The possibilities made his head ache.

Oddly, he couldn’t dredge up any guilt. What he did have was plenty of sadness. He’d been missing from twenty-first century Heatheredge for four days and Ginny would be beside herself with worry. She would grieve for him. Many would think him arrogant for believing a sister would grieve for a brother so much. But he shared a special connection with her—like Lennox and Julianna did, now that he thought of it. Those two knew each other, cared for each other as did he and Ginny.

If he’d died, she would have grieved, but she would have had closure, would understand and eventually accept that he wasn’t with her anymore—though not easily. Ginny was nothing if not tenacious. The not knowing would keep him alive in her mind. By now, Ginny would have harangued the constable into forming a search party for him.

He couldn’t help a laugh. She was a bulldog. Once she sank her teeth into something, she didn’t let go until she’d dissected every jot and tiddle. Val wouldn’t know what hit him. But it wouldn’t matter how much they searched—or suspected foul play—they would find no trace of him in twenty-first century Heatheredge.

He just wasn’t there. Poof! He’d vanished.

Cailean went cold. What had Val thought when the lightning cleared and his champion was gone? Cailean had followed the investigation into the disappearance of the Gathering attendee four years earlier. What was his name… Charles Dillon? His disappearance had created a sensation because authorities alleged that Val Ross was the last person to have seen him that night. Like many others, Cailean hadn’t put any credence in the possibility that Val was capable of wrongdoing. Someone else could have seen Charles—his killer, for example—or he simply could have skipped out on a life he found untenable. He’d been the owner of a heavily-in-debt construction company. The authorities hadn’t found a trace of foul play, but, as newspapers reported, that was true of the five previous disappearances.