Claimed by a Laird Read Online Free PDF Page B

quickly removing her phone from her bag and securing it within the
folds of her skirt.
    He grunted and shifted to allow her only about an extra inch
of space in which to move.
    Several moments passed before she was able to boost her
confidence enough to attempt her escape. Without looking at her phone, she
swiped the screen to unlock it, pressed the “call” button and dialed 9-9-9, the
equivalent of her own country’s 9-1-1. With her thumb hovering over the button
to change it to speaker phone as soon as someone picked up, she lifted the
phone slightly and peered down at it from the corner of her eye.
    Searching for service…
    Anna’s brows knitted together in confusion and she pressed
the “cancel” button. The screen did not change. She’d had no problems reaching
a cell tower all week. Now she couldn’t even get the phone to register the time
or date let alone make an emergency call.
    She took a deep, silent breath to calm her racing thoughts.
Just what the hell was going on here? No cell phone service and a rebuilt
castle? Impossible.
    After what seemed like an eternity, the man relaxed and
stepped away from her. She slipped her cell phone back into her bag, her
stomach twisting in knots.
    “It is safe now,” he whispered. “We will stay here until
nightfall and then make our escape.”
    Anna slid down the wall in defeat and sat upon the cold
stone floor, ignoring the pain in her shoulders. Her face fell into her hands
as she struggled to remain calm. What she had seen outside the door was nothing
short of real. If she were dreaming, then this man next to her wouldn’t be
drawing her in with his warmth, away from the sharp, cold stones at her back.
Her shoulders wouldn’t hurt and her cell phone would work. Dreams were
convoluted, full of symbolism and absurdity, and this seemed real. Too real.
    “You are trembling like a leaf. Are you all right, lass?”
the man asked in a low tone as he sat beside her.
    “No, I don’t think I am.” She shook her head, silently
attempting to reconcile the kindness and concern her captor showed with the
fact he had threatened to slit her throat just minutes ago. “I’m not supposed
to be here,” she insisted, more to herself than to him.
    He caressed her arm with the back of his hand, sending
pleasant tremors down her spine. “You did the right thing by assisting me. I
promise to keep the Graham from harming you.”
    “Who is this Graham?” she whispered in frustration, fighting
the tears stinging her eyes. “All I know is I was on a nice little tour of some
castle ruins and now I’m stuck in a smelly room above a dungeon with a man
threatening to kill me.”
    Hysteria bubbled up within her as the tour guide’s story
filtered back into her consciousness, eliciting a gasp from her mouth. Wait.
When did the tour guide say the castle fell into disrepair?
    When?
    No, there was simply no way. It was not a sane question and
there had to be some way to prove it. People simply did not travel through
time.
    She grabbed the man’s thigh, breathing deeply as she turned
toward him. He would know something about what had happened. If he lied, then
she’d know. After all, she had a lot of experience in detecting deception.
Hospital patients were often notorious liars.
    “Who are you?” she warily asked. “What’s your name?”
    “I am Galen, Laird of the MacAirths of Glenverlochy,” he
replied, laying his hand upon hers.
    Panicked at the lack of deception in his voice, she searched
his face. He stared back at her with open curiosity and she shuddered, unable
to find even the slightest thread of deceit.
    “I was taken prisoner unjustly by the Graham laird when—”
    “It was your brother, Geoffrey.” The logical part of her
brain threw alternative suggestions about what she had seen outside the door.
As soon as she stopped struggling for some other wild explanation, however, the
puzzle pieces fell into place. “You are here because of him. And I…”
    I am Anna