Niall's Bride by Stella Knight

Author:Stella Knight
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Time Travel
Published: 2018-10-28T16:00:00+00:00

NIALL DIDN'T SEE Caitria until supper the next night; he suspected she was avoiding him. Though she gave him a polite nod when he sat down at her side, it was jerky and forced, and she barely looked at him throughout the meal, responding to any question he asked with a one-word reply.

At the end of the meal, when she tried to excuse herself, he got to his feet and gently took her arm.

"I'll escort ye back tae yer chamber, my lady," he said, holding her gaze, knowing that the socially well-trained Caitria wouldn't make a scene in the great hall. Her eyes flared, but she gave him a curt nod, allowing him to escort her from the hall.

But instead of escorting her to her chamber, he led her down the corridor toward the courtyard.

“Where are ye—” she began.

“I thought some air might be good for you,” he said, keeping his voice low, something he now did when he switched to his natural, modern accent around her. She flinched, and he didn’t know if it was at the prospect of spending time alone with him, or the sound of his modern accent—the reminder that he wasn’t Artair.

Yet she didn’t protest, allowing him to keep his hand on her arm as they made their way out to the courtyard, then to the grounds beyond.

“I’m having Latharn follow Ferghas,” he said, once they were alone. “He told me Ferghas hardly spends time at his own manor—most of the time he’s here at the castle. Latharn is friendly with some of the stable boys as well; they’ll help. Hopefully we’ll discover something by following him.”

A look of surprise and then relief flickered across her face, her guardedness seeming to melt away.

“Good. I’m going tae ask my maids if they’ve noticed anything as well.”

“That could be helpful,” he said.

She turned to head back inside, but he stopped her, gripping her arm.

“It’s a lovely night,” he said. “We should enjoy it.”

He waited, tense, fully expecting her to protest. Relief coursed through him when she gave him a hesitant nod, and they continued to walk.

“It’s something I appreciate about this time,” he continued, studying her to gauge her reaction to his words. It was important to him that she believe he was from the future. “How clear the air is. For all the benefits of the future, there are drawbacks as well. Pollution being one thing.”

She met his eyes, and there was no anger or disbelief there. Only curiosity.

“Pollution?”

“The technology I told you about—some of it has produced contaminants. In the larger cities, one has to drive deep into the countryside for fresh air. My father . . . he would sometimes take me to the countryside, away from Edinburgh, in between his conferences or speaking engagements.”

“Yer father . . . and the rest of yer family,” she said, after a long pause. “Back in Inverness, ye told me they’re all time travelers?”

Hope darted through him at her words. She didn't ask her question with skepticism, there was only genuine curiosity in her tone.

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