The Highlander's Bargain (4 page)

“A month? Great. Maybe we can work out together, and you can teach me some of your moves.”

“Mayhap we can arrange to meet again for that purpose. ’Tis up to Erin. She’s my—”

“Host. I’m hosting him while he’s visiting.” Erin nodded. “We’re distant cousins.”

Cousins? Vacation?
Robley arched a brow at her, eliciting a blush and a stern look on her part.

“Yeah? Cool.” Mark muttered and glanced around. “Did you see where Jerry went?”

“Is he the other knight, the first I disarmed?” Smirking, he slid his claymore back into its scabbard. “He’s on yon hill nursing his wounded pride with an ale. I’ve worked up a powerful thirst as well. Shall we find refreshment, my lady?” He glanced at her and offered his arm. “Would you care for a glass of wine?”

“Wow, you really do stay in character.” Mark laughed. “I’ll catch you later. Should I call you, Erin?” He shot her a hopeful look. “To get hold of Robley, I mean.”

“Sure. I’m in the club directory.”

“OK.” Mark nodded. “Later then.”

As his rival took his leave, Robley wondered what a club directory might be. The only clubs he knew of were those used in battle to bash in a man’s skull.

Erin steered him toward a booth with grapes, barley and hops painted on the front. “Don’t tell anyone else you’re a time traveler. They’ll think you’re certifiable.”

“Humph. I meant only to say I’m from the Scottish Highlands.” Did she think him so foolish as to blurt to all and sundry that he’d recently arrived from the distant past? He’d only told her so freely due to the circumstances, and because he wished to gain her trust. How else to explain his sudden appearance?

“Oh.” She shrugged as they queued up for refreshments. “Let me order, and give me a ten-dollar bill.”

“Are you always so managing a female?”

Her cheeks grew a darker shade of pink. “The word you’re looking for is
controlling
, and no. I’m not. I was only trying to help. You said you wanted a guide, someone to help you navigate.” She stepped away and gestured toward the counter. “Go for it. I can’t drink anything with alcohol anyway. I’m still on duty.”

He’d offended her, and the look of hurt he’d glimpsed in her eyes cleaved him in two. He’d have to take more care with her tender feelings in future. Robley studied the placard on the wall behind the serving wench. He told her what he wanted and peeled off the requisite bills from the currency True had given him.

The lass placed two flimsy cups on the counter and handed him a few coins, which he dropped into his sporran. Some of the ale sloshed over the sides when he made the mistake of gripping the cup too firmly. Taking a few gulps, he moved out of the way and walked over to where Erin waited under the shade of a large oak.

“’Tis good ale and so cold.” He drank deeply again and sighed. “Quite refreshing.” He handed her the other container. “I brought you a lemonade, lass. What is this called?” He tapped the container holding the amber liquid.

“Thank you.” She took the refreshment, a pleased expression lighting her face. “It’s called a plastic Solo cup. Don’t ask what it’s made of, because I can’t explain it to you.” She smiled and took a drink. “So what do you think of our Renaissance festival?”

“’Tis no’ so very different from our fairs in appearance, except for the way the villagers are dressed. We also have performers and merchants who sell their wares, but mostly it’s a time to gather the clans together to trade surplus crops for needed commodities. Our fairs are about commerce and coming together to celebrate the harvest. We dinna charge anyone to enter.” He gestured to the goings on about him. “This is naught but a thespian’s arena.”

“Trust me, Robley. It’s all about commerce here as well. I earn money playing the role of lady-in-waiting. We all earn money playing a role, as do the participants selling their art. It’s meant to be fun. Wait until you see a grocery store. We don’t really need to come together to sell surplus crops anymore, and maybe that’s not such a good thing.” She frowned. “There are local farmers’ markets though. Come on. There’s more to see.”

They passed the rest of the afternoon witnessing one wonder after another, and though he wouldn’t admit it to Erin, weariness had taken hold. He was ready to be free of the endless sea of humanity and the incessant noise. But oh, the tales he’d tell once he returned home. He’d ridden an elephant and a camel. Erin had captured the images on the strange device she kept in her pocket, and she’d promised to print the pictures for him. True had the same kind of device, which she referred to as a
smartphone
. He wanted a closer look.

“I’m off duty now,” Erin said. “Are you sure you don’t want to try the bungee cord jump before we leave?”

He glanced at the people dangling and bouncing from the stretchy ropes attached to a tower. As a youth, he’d never been one to swing on a rope out over the loch with the other lads. Doing so made him ill. Just watching the spectacle sent a shudder through him. “I’m certain. If it pleases you, I’m ready to leave.”

“All right. We have to go back to the area where we met. I want to change into my street clothes. Then it’s off to Target for a few pairs of jeans, T-shirts, sweatshirts, shoes and grooming stuff. That should do for a few weeks. Didn’t you say your friend gave you her debit card?”

“Aye, and she said there is quite a bit of money in her account, all she earned working during the summer and her tuition funding for school.”

“Great. We’ll use it to pay for your stuff, but since it’s in a woman’s name, I’d better take care of checking out. It’ll look suspicious for a man to use a debit card with a woman’s name on the front.” She headed for the back of the fairgrounds where the club kept a trailer for changing and taking breaks.

“Do I no’ have enough currency to make the necessary purchases?”

Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t trust me?”

“Och, lass. I do, but I’m a man. I should pay. Tongues will wag if—”

“Seriously?”

Her expression cleared, and her smile precipitated a rush of desire so great he nearly stumbled over his own feet. He wanted to taste that lovely smile, to delve into the sweetness of her enticing mouth. He fought for control. If she had any idea how her nearness affected him, he feared she’d abandon him. He needed to gain her trust, and lusting after her was not the way to do so.

They stopped before a wagon of sorts, not unlike those used by the wandering Romany he’d oft spied on the roads in France. Only this was constructed out of some kind of flimsy metal. Erin disappeared, leaving him to settle his mind and senses. He leaned back against the wagon and closed his eyes. He’d been overwhelmed from the moment he’d stepped foot into the passage between the ages, and he saw no end in sight. ’Twould take some time to adjust.

Erin walked out of the wagon wearing blue trews like the ones he’d seen True wear when she hunted. The fabric fit Erin like hosiery, and she wore naught but a thin, sleeveless chemise on top. Every curve and contour of her form enticed him, and the revealing garments ignited his blood. His mouth went dry, and it was all he could do to refrain from drawing her into his arms and pressing her up against the wagon.

“Let’s go,” she said, seemingly unaware of the havoc she wreaked upon him.

He’d sprung to life below the belt. Shifting his sporran to hide the tenting plaid, he followed her to a gate set in a fence resembling loose chain mail. Desire scorched him from the inside out. Casting about for something else to capture his attention, he halted, placing his hand over the hilt of his dagger.

Beyond the gate, an endless expanse of wagons in varying shapes, colors and sizes spread out over the field before him, all arranged in neat rows. “Automobiles,” he murmured. “Cars, trucks, SUVs. True spoke of them, but I never imagined . . .” He turned to Erin, excitement tensing every muscle. “Do you have one, lass? Will we depart in such a contraption?”

“Yes. We will indeed
depart in such a contraption
.” She laughed. “Oh, this should be good.”

He gazed out over the spectacle laid out before him. “Aye, it should.”

She pulled a set of keys from a bag slung over her shoulder and led him to a small silver-colored car. The front end held numerous dents, and so did the back. Rust spots under each door caught his eye. Compared to the sleek, shiny automobiles on either side, he guessed hers to be quite a bit older and much abused. “Is it safe, lass?”

“Of course. My car got me here, didn’t it?” She opened a compartment at the back. “Take off your sword and stow it in here, the dagger too. You can’t wear them inside the store.”

“Must I?”

“You must. You’ll catch on soon enough. People don’t walk around carrying an arsenal unless they’re police officers.”

She waited while he unfastened his claymore. Wrapping the leather belt around the scabbard, he placed it inside the storage space. Next he removed his dagger from the sheath at his waist and tossed it in beside his sword. Naked. Without his weapons he was rendered vulnerable in this strange place. Never had he traveled without them within easy reach.

She closed the compartment and rounded the car to unlock a door. “Get in, and prepare for the ride of your life.”

Swinging the opened door wide, he studied the tight space, doubtful he’d be able to fold himself onto the wee seat. Still, he climbed in, and his knees pressed against the front.

“I’m sorry.” Erin cast him a sympathetic look. “I should’ve adjusted the seat before you got in. Reach underneath the front. There’s a lever. Pull it up and you can give yourself more leg room.”

Robley did as she directed, and the seat slid back. “Better. My thanks.”

“Buckle up.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I keep forgetting this is all new to you.” Erin leaned over him and pulled a strap across his chest.

He inhaled deeply, taking in the soft, sweet scent unique to her, letting it settle into his soul for all time. “I must be strapped in for this ride? For certes, my head is spinning with all I’ve seen and experienced this day.”

“You could probably use a break.” She fastened the strap and studied him. “After Target, I’ll take you to a motel near where I live. Once we get you settled into a room, we’ll head to Fat Lorenzo’s for pizza.”

“A motel?”
Pizza? Target?

“It’s like an inn. You pay to stay there in a private room.”

Suddenly overtaken with it all, he didn’t even try to grasp anything else she’d said, other than she planned to leave him. What if she never came back? “I canna stay with you, lass?”

Her lips compressed, and her cheeks turned a lovely shade of dusky rose again. “No, I don’t think that would be a good idea. You’ll be nearby. I’ll teach you how to use the phone, and when I’m done with school tomorrow, I’ll come by to pick you up. We’ll go see a movie. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“How would I ken whether or no’ I’d
like that
,” he groused, wanting nothing more than a meal, rest and quiet after this latest disappointment. He couldn’t really blame her. He knew naught of her situation at home. Mayhap her parents would object to bringing a stranger into their dwelling. After all, he was no longer in the Scottish Highlands where hospitality was freely offered to wayfarers. ’Twas not his time or place, and he had no right to expect anything of anyone.

For the first time in his life, he gained a fresh perspective upon the fortunate circumstances of his birth and a new appreciation for his family and clan. The sudden pang of homesickness took him by surprise. He’d been nothing but eager to leave them behind.

Erin started her vehicle, and the rumble had him gripping the front panel with both hands. She started it moving, and he relaxed. The pace was not unlike that of an oxcart, and the sways and bumps as they hit dips in the ground were familiar and not too disturbing. He blew out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and settled back. They followed a line of other vehicles exiting the fair, while people wearing brightly colored tunics directed them with small banners. She stopped the car at a red sign, and Robley gasped. Cars rushed by at impossible speeds on a roadway made of some kind of smooth stone. “Och, you’re no’ going to . . .”

She pulled out, turning onto the roadway and sped up. He prayed. Bracing his feet against the floor and his hands against the front, he fought the rising nausea. “Shite! May the saints preserve me. Men are no’ meant to travel at so great a speed.”

“I’m not even going the speed limit.” Erin glanced at him. “You’ll be OK.”

“I dinna think so.” He leaned his head back, which only made it worse.

“Maybe if I put on some tunes to distract you, it’ll help.” She pushed a button, and the inside of the car filled with blaring sound the likes of which he’d never heard before and never cared to again.

He pressed the same button she had, stopping the discordant cacophony, and shot her a panic-filled look. Fearing he’d disgrace himself by casting up what little he had in his stomach, he clenched his jaw shut.

“Oh crap. You’re going to throw up in my car.”

A sheen of sweat covered his brow, and his mouth salivated uncontrollably. He nodded.

She pulled off onto a smaller road, stopped the car and undid his seat belt. He fumbled with the door, wishing nothing more than to be free of the deathtrap. “God’s blood, how does this confounded thing work?”

“Hold on.” Erin hopped out and rushed around the car to his side. She yanked the door open and backed away.

He shot out, headed for the tall grass and heaved until his gut ached. Mortification scalded him. What must she think?

“I’m so sorry.” Erin ran her hand up and down his back. “I can’t even imagine how weird riding in a car must be for you.”

Warmth and comfort spread through him at her touch, and the roiling in his stomach disappeared. How could that be? Mayhap she simply had that effect upon him, and he found her presence calming. She continued to soothe him with her touch, and his mortification receded as well. “’Tis no’ your fault.” He straightened. “I dinna handle some kinds of motion well. I prefer to ride a horse rather than travel in a wagon or a cart.”