Page 52 of Katie's Highlander (Highland Protector 3)
Even worn with weariness, Flora looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “ ’Tis a fine place indeed, m’lady. M’brothers and I are more than grateful for the generosity. ‘Twill be remembered all the rest of our days and passed along to our children to remember as well, I grant ye that.”
“Good.” Katie stepped inside the croft, giving the inside of the small snug building a sweeping glance. Table and benches. Beds with fresh straw-filled ticking. Blankets stacked beside them. Even though the floor was dirt, the place had a welcoming coziness about it and Katie felt better with that discovery. Love lived here. The tiny tots were well fed and happy. Flora’s brothers had regular work with the smithy and one of the older ladies from the nearby village had agreed to help watch the little ones so Flora could keep her position as Katie’s handmaiden. That in itself lent greatly to the frail glimmer of hope returning to Flora’s eyes.
When faced with the possibility of losing her place as handmaid to the chieftain’s wife, Flora had sobbed nearly as uncontrollably as she had at her sister’s grave. Flora identified herself by her position at the keep. For Flora’s sake, they needed to keep her in it.
A gentle scratching at the door pulled Katie from her thoughts and made her turn. She nearly did a double take at the sight of the ancient woman standing in the open doorway.
Hair white as snow and cascading down her humped and twisted back, the old woman hitched her steps with two canes, one knobby stick clutched in each hand as she shuffled forward with what looked like one painful step at a time. Her face was weathered and lined like a crumpled bit of old linen. Her eyes were nothing more than dark glittering slits in her wrinkled face.
“Creada!” Flora rushed to the old woman and helped steady her as she crept her way deeper into the room. “Ye honor me greatly with this visit, Creada. I ken how hard it is for ye t’journey out of yer home.”
With a hand twisted and knotted with advanced arthritis, Creada stood still and slowly waved away Flora’s words as though their meaning had taken a bit longer to sink in. “Yer m’blood, child. Ye ken that or ye should? Think ye I’d no’ care how the clan was tendin’ to the needs of my great-great-granddaughter?”
Flora gave the old woman a shy smile and bowed her head. “I’m truly blessed, grandmother. We all are blessed t’have such a grand chieftain and fine lady t’watch over us.”
With labored moves, Creada thumped her canes with every slow step as she made her way across the room to Katie.
Katie had the wild irrational feeling that she should run like hell.
“I bring ye no harm, m’lady,” Creada said, as if reading Katie’s thoughts. She glanced back at Flora then slowly turned her attention to Katie. “M’great-great-granddaughter is no’ the only reason I’ve come away from m’croft.”
The tiny hairs on the back of Katie’s neck prickled and burned as though someone had zapped her with electricity. Relief washed across her as Ramsay entered, deposited the toddlers on one of the beds, and gave them a look to sit quietly and mind their manners.
“Ramsay,” Katie said, silently calling him to her side. “Look. Creada’s here.”Stupid thing to say? Yes. But he’s got to stay here. I’m out of my element.
As Ramsay reached Katie’s side, Creada slowly bowed her snow-white head, gently weaving from side to side as she struggled to remain standing between her canes. “Great Protector. ’Tis m’honor t’serve ye.”
“I beg ye sit and rest, wise Creada. Ye’ve journeyed far on foot.” Ramsay helped her to one of the benches beside the table.
Creada gave Ramsay a sweet toothless smile. “I had t’see ye for m’self, ye ken? ’Tis no’ every day that one chances a meeting with a blessed protector.”
Ramsay waved Katie forward and they both sat on the bench opposite Creada. The old woman fairly oozed wisdom. Katie could feel it swirling in the air around her. “Thank you for all the tonics you’ve sent.” This woman was the druidic version of thePhysicians’ Desk Referenceused by twenty-first-century doctors.
Creada turned her smile on Katie and accepted the thanks with a regal nod. “I’ve sent more to the keep with a slip of girl who came a callin’ this mornin’. When she said yer heart hurt as well as yer head, that too was another reason for me to come.” Creada stretched her twisted hand across the table and held it there. “Give me yer hand, child. Let me help ye.”
Um…help me how?Katie glanced at Ramsay who nodded at Creada’s outstretched hand as though he couldn’t believe that Katie hadn’t already taken it.
Pulling in a slow deep breath, Katie held it as she slid her right hand into Creada’s callused grasp.
With a strong hold that belied her years, Creada lowered her chin, bowing her head as though she’d nodded off for a long nap. Seconds ticked off into minutes. Katie did her best not to squirm in her seat, trying to think of a diplomatic way to escape this situation. Nothing came to mind.
Finally, Creada raised her head, her slanted eyes grew even narrower as she peered at Katie. “Ye will have the opportunity to return. Take heart, lass, but know this…the only trap ye face is the one ye set for yerself.”
The only trap I face is the one I set for myself? What the hell does that mean?Gently, Katie pulled her hand back, curling it into a fist at her chest. “What trap?”
Creada acted as though Katie hadn’t said a word. Instead, she turned to Ramsay. “There is one who can help ye with what ye seek, Protector. ’Tis a druid older than time itself. The man was fair ancient when I was but a child.”
“Ye ken what I seek, then? Truly?” Ramsay asked, staring at Creada as though sending his thoughts into her mind.
“Aye, Mighty One.” Creada folded her knobby hands atop the table and slowly nodded. “Ye seek to return to a time where ye can keep yer lady happy…and safe.” Her head barely tilted to one side as she pursed her lips and idly tapped a bent finger to the tip of her bony chin. “But like yer lady, ye’ve much t’learn.” Creada smiled and softly chuckled. “Hie yerself to Skara Brae afore the weather forbids such travel. Ye’ve a narrow window of time before the winter winds rise. Yer answers lie there. Among the stones of Skara Brae.”
Chapter 23
Katie gripped theairisaidhtighter under her chin, squinting against the cold briny bite of the wind chopping at the waves of the North Sea. She alternately huddled and bounced against the massive wood ribbing of the boat as the temperamental waters tossed the craft about like a child’s toy. She’d crossed this stretch of water before, but it had been a hell of a lot easier ride on a twenty-first-century ferry.
Grappling on to the side of the boat, Katie managed to stand and peer over the bow, mildly surprised to see that they were already more than three quarters of the way to Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney archipelago—the isle that was home to the village of Skara Brae.So, the researchers got it right.Scientists had theorized for years that the lands were once all connected before the sea had gradually separated the isles, then widened and claimed its own path through them. The path of the sea wasn’t nearly as wide now as it was in the twenty-first century.
“Are ye all right, lass?”
