Page 15 of A Bridge Through Time
"Are you okay? Do you think you can stand?"
"Aye."
She assisted him to his feet and guided him towards the door. "Wait here for me." Ashley quickly gathered their belongings and ensured the fire was out. Turning back to the door, she took his elbow and guided him outside.
"I should have gotten the horses before I made you get up. I'm sorry." She searched the surrounding area frantically. The horses were nowhere in sight. "Speaking of which, where are they?"
“Cade!” Cailin called out and then whistled loudly. Ashley heard the sound of horses running towards them and the two horses quickly came into view.
She rapidly saddled both horses, while Cailin leaned against the lodge wall. When Ashley looked his way, she could have sworn he was enjoying the sight of her working so hard. He didn't look too bad this morning, but then again, she couldn’t imagine him ever looking bad. She couldn't expect him to help in his condition, so she did her best to prepare everything for their journey to Breaghacraig.
Ashley saw the desire in his eyes and it touched her very core, causing her to flush red with the heat, which suddenly coursedthrough her body. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she demanded.
"I'm sorry, lass. I'm nae used to seeing a woman as bonnie as ye are, dressed in such wee breeches. Do ye nae have a gown to cover yerself?"
She was baffled and irritated by the commentary over her clothing. "No. I wear these all the time back home. I didn't realize there was a dress code in Scotland."
A smile played at his lips as Cailin tipped his head to the side and let his eyes wander over Ashley, from head to toe.
"I think we're ready to go." She tucked the plaid back into Cailin's saddlebag. "Are you hungry?"
"Aye, I am."
Catching the roguish smile on his face and the way his eyes were glued to hers, Ashley blushed as she realized he wasn't referring to food.
"Here, have a granola bar." She opened the wrapper and handed it to him. Distraction was her friend.
Examining the bar, Cailin looked at her for a moment before he took a bite. A smile lit his face as he chewed. "‘Tis good," he announced, examining the wrapper.
Oh, God,she thought.He's never had a granola bar before.Something wasn't adding up here. Perhaps she’d stumbled on some Scottish religious sect, which lived a simple life without modern conveniences—like the Amish. Or maybe they were all living history re-enactors, like those she’d seen at the Plymouth Plantation. "Are you for real?" she questioned disbelievingly.
Cailin raised an eyebrow. "Real? I’m a living, breathing man, as ye can see, lass."
"That's not what I meant.” Ashley shook her head impatiently. “Never mind, we should go."
They mounted the horses, eyeing one another uncertainly. Travelling along in silence, each was lost in their own thoughts.
Ashley had the strangest feeling, which she kept pushing to the back of her mind. How could anyone living in the 21st century, be so clueless about so many things? Cailin didn't know where America was, he’d never heard of a bike or a hospital, and he’d examined the bottle of water and granola bar as if he’d never seen them before.
Maybe he wasn't from the 21st century. Maybe he was a time traveler.
She shook her head at the notion. It was completely ridiculous. No one could travel to another time, and she was definitely losing it. And what about Sir Richard and Thomas, where had they come from? They knew Cailin, but had wanted to kill him. All parties had commented on her clothing, or in their eyes, herlackof clothing. Ashley didn't like the conclusion she was reaching, so she decided to stash it away in her head and see what would reveal itself when she got Cailin to his home.
"Cailin?"
"Aye, lass."
She loved the way he called her ‘lass’. "Why did Sir Richard and that Thomas guy try to kill you?"
"They’re nae fond of me clan. Thomas has hard feelings towards me, for reasons that make nae sense and Sir Richard is a vengeful man. He’s sent raiding parties onto our lands, which slip in and out before we can stop them. I was tracking them to see what they were about. We must stop them, before they kill someone. When I get back to Breaghacraig, we'll ride out against them."
"Why don't you just call the police or Scotland Yard for help?"
He was looking at her again, with that ‘what on earth are you talking about’ expression, but instead of questioning her he just said, "We dinnae need help."
"I see."
THIRTEEN
