She closed her eyes and flopped on the bed. I've lost my mind.
The people here still acted apprehensive around her, keeping a wide distance when they walked by. With the suspicions Jamie MacLeod spouted, and the murmured talk about her appearance, she'd decided to keep the stone with her at all times. If it truly provided protection and magical powers, she definitely wanted it close. Kara reached into her bra and pulled out the smooth piece. Part of her wanted to hurl it out the window, but the sensible part knew she had to see this through if she wanted to get home. Assuming she could get home.
Kara crawled up the bed to rest her head on the pillow and cried. The tears came hard. Everything caught up with her in a mad rush. If she couldn't gain the trust of these people, her life was in serious danger.
CHAPTER FIVE
A loud knock stirred Kara from her nap. The crying jag had zapped her energy and she'd fallen asleep. Her visitor pounded again. "Coming," she said scrambling up.
Heaving open the door, which felt ten times heavier today, she found Alaxandar waiting, his sexy mouth in a tight line. Exotic blue eyes studied her face. It took all her concentration to suck air into her lungs and push it out again.
He touched her, stroked her hair, caressed her cheek. "Are ye hurt?" He traced the track of tears down her face.
"It's nothing." Kara moved into the room away from his touch. "I'll be fine."
"What were ye thinking to attack an armed Scotsman with a stick?"
His tone baited her temper. She frowned. "I thought to help keep those people from being murdered."
"With a stick?"
She limped toward Alaxandar. "Yeah, a stick. It's all I had."
He grabbed her arms and shook her. "He would have sliced ye in half had we not gotten word and come to stop them."
"Maybe, but we'll never know since you got there in time. Let me go."
He released her. She raised her chin, daring him to say something. When he didn't, she stalked away. She went to the wash basin to wet a rag and clean her face. Her nerves were on edge. In the makeshift mirror, she noticed her eyes were swollen and red.
"It be time for the meal. Are ye hungry?"
"I guess I am, a little." Kara ran her fingers through her tousled hair.
He approached quietly then adjusted her blouse on her shoulders. Running his hand down her back, his fingertips traced the outline of her undergarment.
She stilled. "What are you doing?"
His gaze met hers in the small looking glass. "I have never seen a thing such as this. What is it?"
The warmth of his touch seeped through the thin shirt. His smoldering eyes held her captive. Without thinking she said, "It's a bra. Women of my time wear them every day."
"Your time?" He stepped back, removing his hands, almost as though he was afraid to touch her.
Her eyes widened. Although she hadn't seen or heard Alaxandar partake in the conversations about how she came to be here, and her sudden appearance, that didn't mean he hadn't. If he didn't believe her to be a witch before, he would now. She'd opened her mouth without thinking and put her foot in it. "I'm starving. Did you say dinner was ready?" Kara headed straight out the door without glancing back.
Alaxandar strolled after her. "Ye may have changed the subject, Kara, but I dunna give up easily."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Ye will," he promised and scooped her into his arms to jog down the stairs.
He set Kara in the empty chair next to his then seated himself. While he loaded her plate, Kara took in the table arrangements at tonight's meal. Everyone dined in the great hall. Ilysse sat between Cuilén and her father, quietly watching Cuilén's every movement. Kara smiled. Poor girl, she's infatuated.Kara wondered what it took to catch the eye of a MacLeod or did Ilysse need worry about such things? Perhaps all was arranged when Ilysse was but a wee babe.
The plate Alaxandar set before her overflowed with food.
"Ye said ye were…" Alaxandar paused with a whimsical look,
The people here still acted apprehensive around her, keeping a wide distance when they walked by. With the suspicions Jamie MacLeod spouted, and the murmured talk about her appearance, she'd decided to keep the stone with her at all times. If it truly provided protection and magical powers, she definitely wanted it close. Kara reached into her bra and pulled out the smooth piece. Part of her wanted to hurl it out the window, but the sensible part knew she had to see this through if she wanted to get home. Assuming she could get home.
Kara crawled up the bed to rest her head on the pillow and cried. The tears came hard. Everything caught up with her in a mad rush. If she couldn't gain the trust of these people, her life was in serious danger.
CHAPTER FIVE
A loud knock stirred Kara from her nap. The crying jag had zapped her energy and she'd fallen asleep. Her visitor pounded again. "Coming," she said scrambling up.
Heaving open the door, which felt ten times heavier today, she found Alaxandar waiting, his sexy mouth in a tight line. Exotic blue eyes studied her face. It took all her concentration to suck air into her lungs and push it out again.
He touched her, stroked her hair, caressed her cheek. "Are ye hurt?" He traced the track of tears down her face.
"It's nothing." Kara moved into the room away from his touch. "I'll be fine."
"What were ye thinking to attack an armed Scotsman with a stick?"
His tone baited her temper. She frowned. "I thought to help keep those people from being murdered."
"With a stick?"
She limped toward Alaxandar. "Yeah, a stick. It's all I had."
He grabbed her arms and shook her. "He would have sliced ye in half had we not gotten word and come to stop them."
"Maybe, but we'll never know since you got there in time. Let me go."
He released her. She raised her chin, daring him to say something. When he didn't, she stalked away. She went to the wash basin to wet a rag and clean her face. Her nerves were on edge. In the makeshift mirror, she noticed her eyes were swollen and red.
"It be time for the meal. Are ye hungry?"
"I guess I am, a little." Kara ran her fingers through her tousled hair.
He approached quietly then adjusted her blouse on her shoulders. Running his hand down her back, his fingertips traced the outline of her undergarment.
She stilled. "What are you doing?"
His gaze met hers in the small looking glass. "I have never seen a thing such as this. What is it?"
The warmth of his touch seeped through the thin shirt. His smoldering eyes held her captive. Without thinking she said, "It's a bra. Women of my time wear them every day."
"Your time?" He stepped back, removing his hands, almost as though he was afraid to touch her.
Her eyes widened. Although she hadn't seen or heard Alaxandar partake in the conversations about how she came to be here, and her sudden appearance, that didn't mean he hadn't. If he didn't believe her to be a witch before, he would now. She'd opened her mouth without thinking and put her foot in it. "I'm starving. Did you say dinner was ready?" Kara headed straight out the door without glancing back.
Alaxandar strolled after her. "Ye may have changed the subject, Kara, but I dunna give up easily."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Ye will," he promised and scooped her into his arms to jog down the stairs.
He set Kara in the empty chair next to his then seated himself. While he loaded her plate, Kara took in the table arrangements at tonight's meal. Everyone dined in the great hall. Ilysse sat between Cuilén and her father, quietly watching Cuilén's every movement. Kara smiled. Poor girl, she's infatuated.Kara wondered what it took to catch the eye of a MacLeod or did Ilysse need worry about such things? Perhaps all was arranged when Ilysse was but a wee babe.
The plate Alaxandar set before her overflowed with food.
"Ye said ye were…" Alaxandar paused with a whimsical look,
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