LOCH MORAR, SCOTLAND
The Past
Gasping for air, Paige scooted back away from Gavin, who was now standing halfway across the room with a horrified expression on his face.
“I …I…” he stammered, staring at his hands like they did not belong to him. “I did no mean ta hurt ye, lass,” he finally said.
She rubbed her sore throat, not sure what to even say. It was obvious he was shaken rather badly and regretted choking her, but she didn’t have much empathy for him at the moment.
“Lass, I…” He backed across the room, until he was at the door.
“Lock this.” Gavin ducked through the opening into the hall and shut the door behind him.
Unsteadily, Paige got to her feet. Her legs felt shaky but she managed to get to the door. Reaching up, she brought the bolt home.
♦
Like a Spector, Gavin roamed the halls of Greystone, running his fingers over the cool stone as he went. As he did this, bits and pieces of his memories invaded his thoughts.
Once he was in the great hall below, he stared at the table, with many chairs surrounding it, remembering his men filling each one while they dined.
More memories crept out of the recesses of his mind as he walked to the table, and then sat down in a chair. Although it felt odd, he was sure he had occupied this same chair many times before.
Resting his elbows on the table, he placed his head in his hands and closed his eyes. There was a terrible feeling of emptiness inside of him, gnawing at his belly as though it was trying to come out.
The longer he sat idle, other visions assailed him. Some were good and some were so terrible he had a hard time digesting them all. But in the end, he did, and as more of his memories came flooding back, there was also a deep sadness accompanying them.
Not able to sit any longer, he walked over to the front door and opened it up. The storm was still raging but he did not care. He stepped outside and as soon as he did, his eyes landed on the tree in the middle of the courtyard, and that is when the rest of his memories came back with force.
Staggered by them, he sat down on the stair under his feet for he knew if he did not, he would fall over.
While the rain and wind slashed against him, Gavin’s body shook as he mourned for the men he loved and lost.
♦
Paige did not leave the creature comforts of Gavin’s room until the following morning. She felt immeasurably better from the previous evening with the exception that her neck was still rather sore from being choked. She had tossed all of the reasons not to leave the room around in her mind for over an hour after I woke, but knew she would have to leave at some point.
Besides, she was hungry and if she didn’t eat soon, she would be sick again. And after last night, that was not something she wanted in the least.
Still, not wanting to take any chances, Paige used the key around her neck and opened Gavin’s trunk. His sword was too big to carry unnoticed, but she could certainly hide his dagger. Picking the knife up, she felt the heft in her hand and jabbed it a few times, testing it. When she was satisfied she could use it if necessary, she tucked it in the folds of her skirt.
Opening the door slowly, she looked out in the hall. It was a gloomy as ever and the torch on the wall was out but since it was morning, she could see well enough.
Moving out from the doorway, Paige walked slowly down the hall, making her way to the top of the stairs.
Taking a breath and clutching the dagger in her skirt, she descended the stairs. Once she hit the floor, she saw Gavin sitting at the table.
Lifting his head, he cast his blurry-eyed gaze on her.
“I remember,” he said, his voice catching on itself.
A wave of profound relief washed over her, and although she wanted to run to him, something in his expression gave her pause. “Do you remember that you don’t want to kill me?”
“Aye, lass, I remember that as well…however …”
All the relief Paige had been feeling quickly went to the wayside for I knew that anything that began with “I remember” combined with a “however” shoved on the back, something else was coming and she had a feeling that something as not going to be good.
“Come,” he said, pulling out a chair. “Have a seat.”
Paige walked slowly forward. When she reached the table, she took the seat he offered but made sure to keep her hand on his dagger under the table
“Are you all right?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I do remember but I do no think I will be all right for some time to come.”
“Oh.” That wasn’t exactly the answer she was looking for, but if he truly remembered everything, especially the death of his men, she certainly couldn’t blame him for that lacklustre response.
“As I was saying a moment ago,” he added, his accent becoming more prevalent, “I do remember ye, but I do no remember this great love that ye told me we shared with one another.”
Paige swallowed hard. Did she say they had a great love? She didn’t think so. “Well, ah…that’s uh….”
Terrible, horrible, devastating, embarrassing humiliating…, those were all the words she wanted to say, but ended up simply asking, “Do you remember anything about… us?”
He lifted his eyes to hers and her heart beat a bit faster.
“I remember bits and pieces but nothing solid, if ye ken what I am saying.”
Oh, she kenned what he was saying all right, but she didn’t like it. Not one bit. “What might those bits be?”
“Ye do no cook well.”
Her mouth dropped open, and she gaped at him. Of all the things she expected him to say, that wasn’t even close.
“Lass, if ye do no close yer mouth, something is bound to fly into it.”
Her eyes flew to his, expecting him to say, “Gotcha” and that this memory loss concerning her was simply a ruse, but as she searched the depths of his blue-green gaze, Paige realized he was not kidding, he was merely stating fact. Digging her nails into her palm, she waited out her urge to flee. It passed, finally. “Anything else?” she deadpanned.
“Ye like ta steal my candies and eat them when ye think I am no looking.”
Can’t cook good? Steals candies? That was it! Paige wasn’t sure if she should laugh or cry at this point. “I don’t steal your candies,” she argued feeling suddenly mad, instead of upset. “You cheat. I was taking my fair share.”
“What is this cheating ye speak of?” he questioned looking oblivious.
“At cards. You cheat at cards.”
“Ah, I remember that. It’s a game, aye?”
“Yes, it’s a game. And you are terrible at it,” she lied. He was really good at cards but she was mad, and he didn’t remember squat about her, well, other than the bad stuff, so she was just getting a little payback.
His lips quirked up and he suddenly looked like the Gavin she knew and loved, but just as suddenly it faded and once again, he looked like a stranger.
“I do no think ye are telling the truth.”
“Too bad,” she snapped and jumped from the table, forgetting the dagger she had been holding.
Gavin saw the glint of steal and grasped her hand in a vice like grip until her hold loosened.
The dagger fell to the stone floor with a loud clank.
Shoving her back, he grabbed the dagger off the floor and brandished it in the air.
“Where did ye get this?”
“I took it from your trunk.”
“Were ye planning on using it against me?”
“If I was planning on doing that, don’t you think I would have used it while you were off in la la land?”
His brows pulled together.
“Sleep,” she added quickly. “I meant while you slept.”
“Ah…” He ran his finger over the edge of the blade, testing the sharpness. “I suppose ye might have.”
“Exactly.”
“Why do ye have my dagger?”
He gave her a questioning look.
“Because you have tried to do bodily harm to me twice, and I wanted to be able to defend myself, that’s why.”
Gavin seemed to digest that, and turned the knife over on itself. Then he set the blade on the table and pushed it forward. “Take it,” he said.
“Why?”
“In case I try ta harm ye again.”
Reaching out, Paige lifted the dagger off the table. “Thank you.”
He merely nodded.
Reluctantly, she took her seat again. This time instead of holding the dagger in her hand, she set it on the closest chair. “What do we do now?”
He shrugged. “I suppose we should try ta find something ta eat.”
“I have food…well,” she amended, “I have a bit of food left…” but then she remembered how sick she was and wondered if her food, well not the food, but the cookie she ate had something to do with me getting sick because it didn’t taste nearly as good as it should have.
His brow hitched up a notch. “Will I like this food?”
“You did before.”
“Can ye make me this food?” His eyes brightened considerably.
“Of course.” She went back to wondering if the cookie she ate was bad.
“Do ye want me ta help?” He blurted suddenly.
“Help with what?” Before he had a chance to answer, it finally dawned on Paige that he was waiting for her to go and make the food for him. “No,” she said finally. “I can manage.”
He gave her a blank stare as she stood from the table. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Reaching down, she grabbed the dagger and without looking, took off towards the kitchen.