HIGHLAND GAMES, CENTRAL VIRGINIA
Fortune Tellers Tent – The Festival-Present Day
Tilde looked appraisingly over at the strapping Highlander seated across from her in the tent. When she had first gotten the call from Mildred, she didn’t believe her—but now, as she studied him, there was no doubt in her mind he was from another time. “What would you like me to do?”
“I need ta go back.”
“Aye, ye already said that, but I need ta know from whence you came?”
Gavin scrubbed his hands over his face and then dropped them back on the table. “It was sometime during the reign of King James. I do not know the exact day.”
“That doesn’t give me much ta go on.”
“Aye, I know,” he said wearily.
“I cannot be sure it will even work. We haven’t seen the likes of ye for some time now.”
“There have been others?” he asked, his tone mirroring the surprise in his expression.
“Aye, a few.” She waved her bejeweled hand. “I didn’t see them personally, but I’ve heard a tale or two.”
“What did they look like?” Gavin sat forward.
Tilde instinctively leaned back. “Och, I told ye, I didn’t see them meself.”
“Then how do ye know?”
“In my profession, word travels fast.” Her brows raised, accentuating her point.
“Ye witches with yer dark arts, I will never understand.” Gavin shook his head.
Her eyes settled on him. “I do not think ye are meant to. Do ye ken what I am saying?”
“I ken what yer are saying jes fine, but I still do not understand why.”
“Ye made the deal with the witch for yer freedom, I did not. It is ye that brought this about on yerself, not the other way around.”
Gavin exhaled. “I didn’t have much choice. It was either that or meet my maker from under the blade of the Headsman’s ax.”
She shrugged. “Makes no never mind ta me how ye came ta make the deal with the witch. Ye did and that is all that matters.”
“Ye do her bidding though, do ye not?”
“Och. I do my own bidding, but ye are the one that came ta me for help, not the other way around. Or have ye already forgotten?”
“Nay.” He sighed. “I have no forgotten.”
“What do ye want from me, then?”
“I want ye ta send me back.”
“Why?”
“Because my men are there and…”
“And…?”
“I owe the King a promise, and I intend on fulfilling that promise.”
“Ye Highlanders with yer noble intentions, will ye never learn?”
Gavin wasn’t sure what to make of what she was saying—it was as though she thought he had a choice in the matter, which he did not. Not if he wanted to keep his men alive—well, he amended, what was left of them. “Say what ye will…at least I have honor.”
“Is that no what got ye in this mess in the first place?”
Gavin, even though he didn’t want ta admit it, could find truth in the words she spoke. His honor did get him into this mess and a small misdeed or two, mayhap three. But those were of no consequence, at least not ta the matter at hand. “Aye. I suppose it was.”
“What of the lass? Will ye be wanting ta bring her back with ye?”
Gavin, taken aback by her comment, frowned. “She was no part of the deal,” he argued, wondering how she even knew of Paige.
“I hear things.” She tapped her ear as if giving credence to her claim.
“Aye, I can see that.”
Settling back in her chair, she crossed her arms across her ample bosom. “What deal are ye willing ta make with me for this small service ye are requesting?”
“I have a few coins…”
She shook her head back and forth. “Nay, that will no do.”
“Then what?”
“Come closer, Highlander, and I will tell ye what I want.”
Gavin reluctantly leaned forward.
An hour later, a somber Gavin stepped outside of the tent for some air. He scrubbed his hands over his face and then wearily dropped them back to his sides. “Why is everything so bloody difficult?”