Page 39 of Her Scot of Yesteryear
–Aspen–
IT WAS HARD to describe how profound my day had become as I stared out over the moonlit night, from hating every minute I spent in this chamber to loving every moment I recalled of my past life because I had spent it with Broderick. I finally remembered all the precious moments we had found together and the deep love we felt.
The aspen tree swayed in the distance, its brilliant yellow leaves catching on the wind and dancing toward me before being torn away just like I had been. Kept apart until we decided to take matters into our own hands, no matter the consequences.
I eyed the dull metal on the old kitchen blade, marveling that it could transform so swiftly from the glorious Viking sword strapped to Broderick’s back to this, but then, it served a purpose, and, in this case, it had been to remind us of what we had forgotten. We might have broken all the rules, but our love had been real,which told me it was meant to last forever, just like we were, whether together or apart.
Call me mushy for having these kinds of thoughts, but they felt right, and for some reason, it gave me hope that I would return to him.
We hadn’t come this far, only to be separated again.
Confident Broderick was firmly and discreetly in my mind now, whether I had the blade in hand or not, I tucked it back in Chara’s satchel when a rap came at the door, letting me know Lilias had returned. Although Broderick warned me to proceed with caution around her because she had supposedly been responsible for my,our, father leaving this,his, clan years before, I had trouble disliking her.
So far, she had been warm and courteous, making sure I was provided a tub of warm water so I could bathe in an era that didn’t usually offer such luxuries. Granted, I bathed quickly because being nude in my chamber made me uneasy, making me realize this was where I had conceived my child. Not out of love or through any choice of my own, but because of the pact between the Sutherlands and MacLeods.
I was glad I didn’t recall the details of it and only remembered the love I bore my unborn child despite our lives being cut short by illness.
“Ye look lovely,” Lilias praised my dress, complete with Sutherland colors, when I opened the door, speaking dutifully once more. “’Twill please Dugal, I am sure.”
She said it so casually, and with such approval in her eyes you wouldn’t know she talked about her own husband. Then again, she had no more use for him than I.
Her gaze fell to Flame, who remained by my side, my steadfast companion, before she crouched down to pet him behind the ear. “Are ye so sure ye want to be around them again, my wee friend?” she asked him as the corner of her mouth curled up, and a whimsical light lit her eyes when a little girl with red curls poked her head around the corner, and her big, emerald green eyes widened. “Or mayhap ye would enjoy spending time with my wee bairn?”
I couldn’t help but smile because her daughter reminded me of my sister Hazel. It seemed Flame was just as charmed and convinced it would be okay to let me go on alone now Broderick was inside my mind because he pranced over to the little girl without looking back.
“He’ll be safe, right?” I asked, worried about Flame and marveling that I had a niece in this era because the longer I was here, the more certain I was that my father had been here before me. That he very muchwasthe man in the portrait in the hallway.
“Aye, yer pup will be just fine,” Lilias assured, leading me down yet another hallway until we reached a set of doors that led into a dining room about the size of the private eating area at MacLeod Castle. Even though a fire crackled on the hearth, it didn’t seem to cast much warmth into the cold, drafty room.
Fortunately, the longer I was in medieval Scotland, the warmer I was, no doubt because my dragon was slowly emerging. It was still hard to imagine shifting into a dragon or seeing one in person, but I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t one adventure I looked forward to. Broderick assured me there was no pain involved, just a period of transition.
Now I wondered if I stayed here, would that mean my dragon might never fully surface? Did I even want it to, given my location? Somehow, it didn’t sound as appealing.
A little chill went through me that had nothing to do with the draft when I took in the room’s dark décor. Décor that seemed tosuit Elspet, who sat across from her son at one end of the relatively small rectangular table. The only thing that seemed to lend any warmth to the space were four portraits that made my blood run cold because they were the trees my sisters and I had been named for.
An aspen, hazel, willow, and elm.
“I see ye recognize them,” Elspet said tightly, gesturing for me to sit opposite Lilias. They weren’t kidding about eating privately, considering it was just the four of us, which made me uneasy. Maybe I should have kept Flame with me, after all, because now I was starting to think it was too convenient how Lilias’s daughter came along when she did.
Lilias, whom I was warned not to trust.
“Of course, I recognize the pictures,” I replied, trying to get a read on what Elspet was all about because the spooky vibe I felt from her initially hadn’t waned. “They’re trees.”
“Trees ye and yer sisters were named after, aye?” Dugal perked an eyebrow at me. “Sisters from yer era? Sisters born of a dragon like yerself?”
Hell, these people knewwaytoo much, and it seriously creeped me out.
“That’s none of your business.” Wanting to be nowhere near them because I suddenly didn't trust the situation, I frowned and stood. “You know what? I think I’ll eat downstairs with—”
“Sit,” Elspet snapped,warned, narrowing her sinister near-black eyes at me, “or ye willnae see yer sisters again, nor the swine ye think is yer mate when ‘tis my son’s place, not Broderick MacLeod’s.”
Something about how she said it gave me the impression she wasn’t talking about hurting me but the people I loved. I wasn’tsure how I knew that, but it was enough to alarm my inner beast, so I slowly sank back into my chair.
“Ye have his look about ye,” Elspet muttered, eyeing me with disgust. “So dinnae deny ye have three sisters nor that ye were born of Malcolm Sutherland. ‘Tis clear as day if one knows what to look for.”
Make that four sisters, I nearly reminded, but refrained from correcting her because, for now, I wanted to keep Lilias out of this.
I frowned at Elspet. “And what is it you’re looking for?”
