The Highlander's Vow (Loch Moigh #4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

asked.
    “Salty. You’ll find the food in this time takes some getting used to. It’s either far too salty, far too sweet or too spicy.”
    Marjorie handed him a bowl of chili with grated cheddar cheese and sour cream on top, just the way he liked it. There wasn’t enough room at the table for all of them to sit, so Struan stayed where he was, using the counter as his table. Michael slid in next to Sky. His ma and Gene finished serving, and then they all settled into their meal of chili and cornbread.
    Poor lass. Sky tried so hard to mask her expression of distaste as she took that first spoonful of the spicy, salty chili. She covered her mouth and coughed. Struan went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. He unscrewed the top and placed it on the table in front of her.
    “Has this been boiled?” she rasped out, eyeing the bottle. “My mother is from this era, and she taught us about germs and such causing illness.”
    “It’s pure,” Struan assured her. He’d buy her a turkey leg and an ear of roasted corn from the fair before his next jousting match. “Your mother is from—”
    “Aye.” Sky took a long drink of water. “Och, ’tis good, like the water from a Scottish spring.”
    “She really likes to drop the bombs, doesn’t she?” Michael laughed.
    “Bombs?” Sky frowned. “I dinna ken your meaning, sir.”
    “Michael. Call me Michael.”
    Sky pushed the bowl of chili away. “I’m sorry. It’s no’ that I don’t appreciate the meal, but . . .”
    “Don’t you worry about it.” Marjorie split a piece of cornbread, buttered both sides and poured honey over the pieces. “Try this. Can’t have you starving to death your very first day here.”
    Sky took a taste and smiled, her eyes half closing with pleasure. “Mmm. ’Tis most pleasing.”
    Struan sucked in a long breath and concentrated on his meal. Sky Elizabeth was far too beautiful for his peace of mind.
    “If you wish, I’ll speak of what happened this day.” Her voice hitched. “And tell you how I came to be here.”
    “Please do,” Michael said. “We can’t wait to hear what you have to say.”
    “All right.” She began her tale, sharing with them her betrothed’s plan to murder her for her dowry, and ending with her ride through the woods in search of her father and brother. Struan’s family was enraptured. “I came to a clearing and saw the shimmering lights. My mare threw me, and I was powerless to escape the force gripping me. Then I landed in the dirt in the middle of your jousting field.”
    “Incredible.” Michael stared at her.
    “I assure you, sir, I speak naught but the truth.”
    Marjorie began gathering dirty dishes. “Oh, we believe you. Struan came to us the same way. We were working at a fair in Kentucky. That one is themed on the days of Robert the Bruce, which might be why Struan ended up there since it’s closer to his time. We were enjoying a nice campfire after the fair closed, when the air right next to us shimmered and wavered. Then Struan fell to the ground out of thin air.”
    Gene nodded. “The boy was filthy. He was also wounded and feverish. We cleaned him up, changed his clothes and used our older son’s insurance card to get him treated at a hospital. We told the doctor he’d accidentally been wounded during one of our performances, and that he didn’t tell us about his wound until an infection had set in.” He turned to glance fondly Struan’s way. “They patched him up, kept him overnight and gave us a prescription for antibiotics. We brought him home, and Struan told us his story. He’s been with us ever since. As far as we’re concerned, he’s our son.”
    Sky turned to him, her eyes filled with empathy. “From whence do you come, sir?”
    Struan’s chest tightened under her perusal. What was it about her that made him feel so exposed? “The year of our Lord 1333. My father and I were fighting the English at Halidon Hill,” he said, reverting to speech patterns