Timeless Mist (16 page)

She strode from the fireplace to
the door and back again, twice. The second time, she put her hand on the knob. Just
as she opened the door a crack, Elsbeth
was
there again, her arms hold
ing
a heavy tray laden with enough food to fill up even Kris' brothers. And they
were
known for their
prodigious appetites.

"Thank ye, lass. Ye
had
perfect tim
ing
. I dinnae
have
any idea how I
was
go
ing
to manage open
ing
the door wi' this heavy
tray." She smiled at Kris, who glanced at the food in dismay.

"I hope you do
n't
expect me to eat all
that
food." She
laughed, "There's no way I'll be able to eat even a quarter of it."

"Nay, lass." Elsbeth's
face creased into a wide smile. "The laird said to inform ye
that
he will be join
ing
ye for the meal." She
shook her head, "why he dinnae just
ha'e
ye come to the hall I dinnae know, but there ye
have
it."

Kris
was
too surprise to do more than nod. She
watched in silence as Elsbeth moved the small table over near the fire, set up
the chairs and proceeded to lay out the food. There
was
bread and cheese, along with some kind of
pastries, fruit, and vegetables in what looked
like
a white sauce, fish, and lamb, as well as a large slab of ham. She also put two
bottles on the table, one looked
like
a red wine the other
was
probab
ly
ale.

Kris decided she needed someth
ing
stronger if she
was
to survive dinner with
Iain. "Elsbeth, do you think you could possib
ly
get me some whiskey?"

"I beg your pardon,
lass," Elsbeth's head shot up, a look of utter disbelief on her face. "I
dinnae think I heard ye aright."

"I think you did." Kris
searched her mind for the proper word. "I'd
like
some usquebaugh, please."

"Lass, 'tis dangerous stuff
ye ask for."

"Do you
have
any?"

Elsbeth nodded hesitant
ly
, "Aye, the laird
keeps some in his private room, but he ne'er drinks the stuff. 'Tis used main
ly
for a pain killer by our
healer."

"Would you get me some? Please?"
When Elsbeth continued to hesitate, she added, "I
have
a terrible headache. I just want to try to
get rid of it so I can eat and enjoy my food."

Elsbeth looked skeptical, but
final
ly
agreed to get
the whiskey for her. Kris sighed as she watched her scurry from the room. She
returned moments later with a dark bottle and handed it to Kris.

"If ye are certain ye want
this." She said,
not
tak
ing
her hand from
it.

Kris nodded enthusiastical
ly
. "Oh, trust me, I
do." When Elsbeth still did
n't
release the bottle, Kris said, "I promise I'll be careful. I just want to
get rid of this nagg
ing
headache. I've
had
it
for three days now and
not
even sleep is help
ing
it."

With a resigned shrug, Elsbeth
reluctant
ly
released
the bottle. Kris hurried over to the table and picked up a glass. She poured a
small amount into the cup, sniffed, and took a small sip. It burned all the way
down, br
inging
tears
to her eyes. She quick
ly
popped a piece of cheese into her mouth and sighed with pleasure as the fiery
liquid warmed her insides.

"Ahh,
that
's better." She
laughed at Elsbeth's startled expression. "Do
n't
worry, I'll go easy on it." She downed
the rest of the cup
like
an expert, then refilled her goblet.

Elsbeth stared at her in
astonishment, but Kris ignored her. "I'll just return it to the laird's solar
now, my lady." She grabbed the bottle out of Kris' hands before Kris
had
the foresight to stop
her.

Kris waved her away.
That
was
fine with her. She did
n't
need anymore. The wine
would suit her just fine now. As long as nobody
had
watered it down. She furrowed her brow, her thoughts becom
ing
a bit fuzzy, but there
was
a
nice
, relax
ed
feel
ing
happen
ing
in her head and body and
she just did
n't
care
anymore. She
was
sudden
ly
very
happy and carefree. So
she
was
stuck in the
seventeenth century. She could deal with
that
,
especial
ly
now. At
this moment, she could deal with just about anyth
ing
.

She heard Elsbeth tsk on her way
out the door, but ignored it. She
was
fine, e
very
th
ing
was
just fine. She did
n't
have
a care in the world anymore. She downed the second glass and tried to pour some
wine into her cup, but
had
to use both hands to keep the bottle steady. She spilled some on the table and
swore. What a
was
te,
she thought in dismay. She shrugged and pulled one of the chairs beneath her backside.
Her legs
were
a tad
wobb
ly
, so she might
as well sit.

She looked at the door, then at
the food
that
covered
the table. She grabbed a plate and filled it with a little of e
very
th
ing
. Iain might
not
care if he ate cold
food, but she did. Besides, she
was
sudden
ly
very
hungry. She probab
ly
should
have
eaten someth
ing
before tak
ing
that
first drink, but
that
did
n't
matter now either.

She put a slice of cheese on a
still warm piece of bread, added some of the glazed ham and
had
just taken a large bite
when the door to her room opened again. Kris whirled around to see who it
was
. As she did, the bread
let go of its tenuous hold of the ham, which slipped away from her sandwich to
hang down her chin. The glaze dripped down her jaw, leav
ing
small stains on her gown.

She looked at Iain in dismay. Tears
formed in her eyes when she realized her dress would probab
ly
be forever ruined. She g
ing
er
ly
took the ham out of her mouth with two f
ing
ers and placed it on the
plate in front of her, careful
not
to let anymore drip on her dress. She swiped at the spots with a napkin, but
that
on
ly
served to spread the
mess.

With a frown, she determined she
would
not
cry over
spilt milk, or glaze, as it
were
.
And she would definite
ly
not
cry in front of
Iain anymore either. She squared her shoulders and took a
not
her swallow of the sweet
wine before she set her cup
very
deliberate
ly
back on
the table,
not
wish
ing
to miss the table and
have
the cup in her lap. Her
hands seemed to
have
a
mind of their own and did
n't
appear
very
steady.

A glance over her shoulder told
her Iain still stood there. Heat s
ing
ed
her cheeks, but she shrugged off any embarrassment and reached for her goblet
again.

"I
was
s hungry and did
n't
know when you get here, sho I shtarted
without you." Kris mumbled.

"What
was
that
, lass?" Iain tried
not
to chuckle. How much
had
she
had
to drink? He shrugged,
it
was
evident
ly
enough to make her more
than a bit drunk. If her reaction to
that
piece of ham hang
ing
from her mouth
hadn't
given him proof of
that
,
her attempt at speech confirmed it.

Kris waved to the food in front
of her, even as she continued to chew. "I
was
sss
hungry," she managed to slur around a mouthful of food.

Iain made his way to the table
and sat down opposite her. "So it would seem." He watched her reach
for her goblet again. "How much ha'e ye
had
to drink, Kristianna?"

"Krisssh," she slurred.

"Pardon?"

"You can call me
Krish." She waved her hand
almost
knock
ing
over her
goblet, then moistened her sudden
ly
dry mouth, pursed her lips and tried again, "I mean Krisss." She
crossed her eyes as if by do
ing
so she could see her mouth. "Whachever. You know what I say."

"Well then, Kris," Iain
nodded, though he could
n't
help a chuckle this time, "how much wine ha'e ye drunk?"

Kris shrugged. "Do
n't
think isss the wine. Might
be the whishkey I drunk. Drank?" She shook her head. "Drunk." She
nodded in the affirmative and reached for her cup.

"Dinnae ye think ye've
indulged enough?"

"
Not
. Even. Close," she insisted, careful
ly
enunciat
ing
each word before tak
ing
a
not
her swallow. She pushed her plate away from
her and settled back in her chair with her goblet held tight
ly
in both hands.

"Finished?"

She nodded. "Yes. It
was
delissh…" she
hiccupped, "too."

"I am pleased ye enjoyed
it." Iain helped himself to some of the lamb. "Tell me about
yourself, lass." He prodded as he enjoyed his meal.

Kris looked up, stunned. "What
would you
like
to
know?"

"Tell me someth
ing
of your life in this
future. What did ye do? How did ye spend your days? Do ye ha'e fami
ly
?"

She nodded.

"I dinnae wish to distress
ye." Iain said soft
ly
,
noting
the sadness
that
crossed her face at the
mention of her fami
ly
.

"S'okay." Kris waved
his concern away.

"If ye would rather
not
speak of it…" he
let the words hang in the air.

After a long moment, Kris shook
her head and raised her eyes to his.

The look she gave him made him
very
happy he
had
a chair beneath his
backside. How a lass could look so heart wrench
ing
and at the same time smile at him, he'd never understand. He found he
had
to fight to keep himself
seated for if he did
n't
he realized he would draw her into his arms and try to kiss away
that
sorrow in her eyes.

"S'alright. Maybe if I tell
you someth
ing
of my
life, of my world," she hiccupped again, but continued, "it will help
convince you I'm tell
ing
the truth."

"Aye," Iain agreed.

As Iain
had
hoped, the food
had
helped to clear her head an adequate amount
that
she could speak a
bit more clear
ly
, but
the wine
had
loosened
her tongue enough
that
she spoke free
ly
to
him, her inhibitions temporari
ly
suspended. He hoped somewhere in her rambl
ing
s,
she would divulge her true purpose here.

Kris told him of her home, of her
life in what she called Boston. He learned about her sibl
ing
s and her best friend. She
attended college to study art and the history of it, as well as worked in a
donut shop dur
ing
her
off hours. Then she
had
to explain to him what a donut
was
.

She told him of her deep sorrow
at losi
ng
her grand
mother
just the year prior
and how she'd always dreamed of visit
ing
Scotland. Dur
ing
all
the stories she told, some
that
made him laugh, others
that
made him wish to weep for her, she never mentioned her parents.

"Ye dinnae speak of your
parents, lass. Why is
that
?"

Kris shrugged. "There's
not
really
much to say." She sipped her wine. "They
gave birth to us kids, then got on with their own lives. They
were
never
really
parents. We kids main
ly
raised ourselves until my
grandparents stepped in." She drained her cup and reached to refill it.

"Tell me more of these
future inventions ye speak of."

Kris raised her eyes and gazed at
him with consideration, "why?" she asked, skeptical
ly
.

"I admit to hav
ing
some curiosity about
your tale and these th
ing
s
ye speak of which I ha'e ne'er heard of before." Iain shrugged and forced
himself to remain nonchalant. "Tell me about some of these th
ing
s of which ye spoke. Convince
me ye speak the truth."