A Journey Out of Time (8 page)

"Oh, my goodness, he wasn't very old."

"Nay. He knows, of course, but he is my bairn now & my heir." Sonya looked at him curiously & smiled. "What, lass?"

"Huh?"

"Ye have a question, so ask it, lass."

Apparently, she was getting way to easy to read. She looked down & he took his hand lifting her chin. She looked at him, searching his eyes.

"I am waiting, lass."

"Well," Sonya said saucily, "If you know I have a question, perhaps you can tell me what it is?" She stood there & Duncan chuckled.

"I like it when you get that glint in your eye, lass. It is very becoming."

She blew out her breath & looked away. Darn it! He did it again. Her cheeks flushed & warmth spread from her head to her toes!

"A question about a wife?"

How does he do that? "Aye," Sonya said with a hint of annoyance.

He directed her face up to his again. "I have ne'er been wed, lass. I had ne'er found anyone else to ask nor had I found my true mate."

He had never found his mate. She felt giddy inside like the butterflies were now on a trampoline. He smiled & she smiled back. Then she frowned.

"You said
mate
."

"Aye. Anyone can marry, but my ma & da said there is that special someone that is your
true
mate. Someone that finishes you, makes you whole & you ne'er wish to be with anyone else through all time." They stood there just looking at each other. He never took his eyes from hers when he said, "Ye are wearing the stone I gave ye."

"Yes."

He reached out & picked up the pendant. She felt like her heart was beating a trillion times a second as that searing warmth from his touch, ran straight through her body. What made it
do
that?

"Aye," Duncan smiled. "I like what ye have done with it." He nodded in approval & looked back into her eyes.

"I am glad," she whispered. Her voice seemed caught somewhere. Her mother would be well pleased since she said she hadn't shut up since she was 9 months old!

Duncan's faced turned serious. "I have sent word back to the king."

"The king?" she whispered, raising her brows. Well of course, he
knew
the king.

"Aye. Several stories had reached him & I had to explained that there was an unusual accident & that most of the people have left our shores for their homes. However, there are those whom I have offered my home to & the King has requested an audience with me. Personally, I think he is just wanting some excitement."

"An audience? To be assured that we are quite human?" she smiled. "I don't think any of us have been before royalty before."

"Well, it isn't really all that difficult. After all, the King himself is a man, too."

"And a Highlander."

"Aye," Duncan replied. "A Highlander as well as us."

"Yes, I know quite a bit about the MacPherson Clan. At least I did. My mother's mother is a MacPherson." Duncan looked at her with astonishment.

"Why are ye just telling me this?" He sounded annoyed & she raised her eyebrows, surprised.

"Why would I? Did you think I would use the name McPherson for influence once I knew one was king?"

"Influence? Nay, but ye have allowed me to keep someone of the king's clan here without letting him know."

"Why are you angry?" Sonya raised her voice, getting a bit irritated herself. She felt tempted to do the head move & finger snapping thing. You have to love the influence of friends! Imagine how that would look to a Highlander!

"I would have presented ye to my king immediately because ye are of his clan. It is just something that should have been done."

"I
am
with my clan. I am a MacLeod!"

"MacLeod or nay, ye are of the king's clan as well &
that
is something ye should have told me," he said gruffly.

"Well I am sorry!" she hollered back. At this point several peopled were at the top of the hill looking down at them, but Sonya didn't care.

"Prepare to leave by morning. It will just be a bit sooner than I had planned." Duncan turned & started up the hill.

"I will not!" Sonya said in an even tone.

Duncan froze in his steps. He slowly turned around. She would not be ordered around like a servant.She stood at her full height, eyes blazing. Duncan walked back & stopped in front of her. He may be bigger than her, but she was 5'6 & was going to show every inch!

"Ye will," he stated in a steely tone, looking down at her, eyes flashing.

"So, now I am to be ordered about like your servant," she hissed.

"Ye are nay my servant."

"Damn right, I'm not." Duncan's brows rose, but she just stood there looking at him. Kerry had come down the hill at a trot & was standing next to her.

"Sonya, please. Let's go up to the house. I am sure we can work this out." Kerry looked at Duncan.

"It is out of respect for my king that I will present ye & be a representative of ye all. I never said ye had to stay there."

"Perhaps, I shall," she said icily. Kerry had a hold of her arm & was directing her toward the door.

"Aye, perhaps ye should!" he yelled after her.

She continued up the hill. Pulling her arm away from Kerry, she never looked back.

Och, the lass was gorgeous when she was fired up! She was strong & stubborn, too! Her eyes blazed & all he wanted to do was pull her body to his, feeling her against him. He wanted to feel her tongue with his & do so right there! When she stood right in front of him he swore he felt her fire flare from within. Duncan had to smile. He
liked
this lass!

Duncan followed Sonya & Kerry, watching her from the door. The wisps of her hair that had fallen from their ribbon & waved in the breeze as she hurriedly went up the stairs. Duncan started towards the stairs hearing the slam of her bedchamber door. That was no little door! He stopped, taking a deep breath & then carried on to his study. He entered thinking of the fiery, beautiful woman. She had questioned his demands & refused them. She was truly upset. As Duncan entered his study he raised his voice & said, "Am I not Laird here? Why on earth do I care if she is mad or nay?"

"Because ye like her My Laird," said a voice from behind him.

Without turning around Duncan said, "Aye, I do at that, but that matters nay. What are you doing here, Adair?" Duncan turned, handing the other man a mug with whiskey in it.

"The king sent me home, My Laird. He feels I need to remind ye who ye are & that he requests yer presence on occasion."

"I very well know who I am." Duncan faced him & smiled. "I send ye away because ye are young & need some adventure, Adair. I can very well handle my own household." Adair raised his eyebrows. "Doona look at me like that! After all I am the Laird of Ronin!"

"So we established My Laird," Adair smiled a big grin.

"Och, stop that!" Duncan laughed as he fell into a chair next to the hearth.

"She reminds me of someone."

Duncan studied him for a moment. "Mayhap. We have had this conversation before."

"Aye, My Laird." Adair turned thoughtful. "But have ye yet reconciled yourself?"

"She is dead, what more can I reconcile?"

"Yer brother would not have married her, if you had told him."

"She chose him. She was in love with him, not me. You can'na go about doing everything because someone may get hurt feelings."

"Aye, & who are we talking about now?" There was a brief silence & Adair continued, "Ye have hardly looked at another woman since."

Duncan couldn't help but smile. "Ye are a devilish man, Adair. Ye
know
that is why I keep ye around, aye?"

"Keep me? Ye send me off like ye are that young woman. What is the lass' name?"

"I am no' sendin' the lass away. Her name is Sonya & ye know very well that I am just presenting her to her kin. She is a MacPherson."

"Aye & a MacLeod from what I hear."

"If you knew her name…" Duncan narrowed his eyes & then sighed. "I was planning to bring her to see Angus anyway. Now he can offer her to stay there with the MacPherson clan if he wishes."

"And what of offering her of the Clan MacLeod?"

"She is welcome here. I have already told the lass that."

"If she gets over this."

"Well, she is from a different world than ours. A world where they travel on great metal things that we just make jewelry from."

Adair raised his brows. "A different
world
?"

"A different world. Whatever you want to call it she is nay from here. Besides," Duncan grinned, "she is too stubborn to be told what to do anyhow."

"Hmm."

"Hmm, what?" Duncan sat watching the brown liquid in his cup as he awaited Adair's response.

"Well, my laird, it was a long trip, so I will retire."

"Aye. Goodnight Adair. It is good to have ye home, lad."

"Thank ye, My Laird."

Duncan sat there thinking. The stone he had given Sonya, she wore around her neck in the center of a symbol of his world. Her world & his world…together. Just touching her face tonight made him forget everything around them. He felt the surge when he lifted the necklace up, saw the quickening of her breathing, knowing his own breathing came more rapid at the touch of her cool skin on his hand. The surges that continued to go through him. Could this be why he never found his true mate? Why he didn't tell his brother he was going to ask Aaralyn to marry him? Could it be that this woman that did crazy things to his mind, heart, & body was his mate & he hadn't found her before because she hadn't come to his world yet? He prayed it was. And he prayed she wouldn't be mad for long, or he would have to take matters into his hands by taking
her
into his hands.

*

Sonya wasn't sure why she had gotten so annoyed. It wasn't that important & yet it was. She had paced half the night. Maybe it was hormonal. Goodness knows she had been having so many emotions & feelings that she had no clue what to do with! Then when he stood in front of her, looking down, she saw how his beautiful blue eyes glittered. Was that a smile playing at the corner of his mouth? The nerve! "Maybe it was that he was directing me about like a sheep! I am no sheep!" she muttered.

A knock at the door stopped her from gathering her things. "Come."

"Good morrow, Miss."

"Good morning, Sarah."

"Are ye ready, Miss?"

"Yes." Sonya took her back pack & swung it over her shoulder along with a messenger bag. Sarah followed her from the room & down the stairs.

"Have a safe trip, Miss."

She looked at the girl & smiled. "Thank you, Sarah."

"Come back soon, Miss." Sonya nodded at her, but said nothing.

Outside Duncan was waiting. He sat upon a beautiful, big chestnut colored horse. The horse looked as noble as his rider. Beautiful. There he sat in his white shirt & plaid wrapped around, ready for the journey. Next to Duncan sat, Rhys, his man in charge of the guard. She had seen Duncan talking with him several times. Several of his men were riding with them.

Duncan smiled at her & said, "Good morrow, lass."

"Good morrow," she replied with a nod of her head, but darn it he called her lass & a shiver ran down her spine! Walking over to a horse she assumed was for her, she hiked up her skirts, put her foot in the stirrup & swung herself onto the horse. Thank goodness she had ridden before. She had loved it. It hadn't been since she was a girl, but at least she had. She also knew she would have quite a time walking after this trip, but she was smart enough to wear pants underneath & a bit of padding as well! She adjusted the skirts as best she could. Duncan gave the surprised stable man a grin as she took the reins.