A Time & Place for Every Laird by Angeline Fortin (ebook reader TXT) 📕

violent people. Their past was filled with wars and peoplewho painted their faces blue. He might be waiting to murder her inher sleep for all she knew.

But even knowing that, Claire couldn’t findit in herself to be afraid of him. For all that he was a warrior ofsorts, she couldn’t see him killing in cold blood. Besides, Hughhad already had opportunity aplenty to hurt her. If he had beenplanning on killing her, she thought logically, surely he wouldhave done it already.

Still, he was a stranger, and if there wasone thing life in the twenty-first century taught a woman it wasthat she should always be cautious around them. So she watched theScot, studying him as he rambled on and on of everything he hadseen, and his rough brogue became easier to understand with eachpassing hour. After a while it became clear that, while Hugh wasn’tlikely to hide in a closet to avoid conflict, he would ratherwallow in mundane conversation or simple silence than speak of hisown fears and worries. There was nothing Claire could say to swayhim from his more inane dialogue. When she tried his only responsewas to turn the probing back at her.

Still, she had seen his expression when herealized that his home was lost to him forever. That had to affecta man, any man. “I know this is the last thing you want to hearagain tonight …”

“Then I beg ye, dinnae say it.”

“… but I really think youshould talk about your family and what you’re feeling about all ofthis. They say it’s good sometimes to just …”

“Nae more!” Hugh stood abruptly, pulling offthe t-shirt in a sweeping motion, and Claire froze in uncertainty,not cowering away but tensing. He was incredibly large, and thatmassive chest was bulging with muscle and covered in recent scabsand scars. She had already acknowledged and dismissed the idea thathe could kill her without much effort but Claire realized only inthat moment that—without expending much energy at all—there wereother things a man could do to a woman that were just as bad.

And, in that moment, she was afraid of himas she hadn’t been before. Afraid of what he was capable of. Sheeyed his bared chest warily. “Wh-what are you doing?”

“I’ve had enough of this natter,” he saidbrusquely, balling the shirt in his meaty fists with a twist andClaire swallowed back the lump forming in her throat with anaudible gulp. “I am going tae make use of yer shower once again.Having hot water poured constantly over one’s head is far moresatisfying than buckets of cold … or this conversation.”

“Oh, okay.” Claire released the breath shehadn’t even known she was holding, but suddenly the thought ofbeing in the same space with a naked Hugh was more than she hadbargained for. “I think while you’re doing that I’ll just run outto the store and get some more groceries. You’ve emptied the fridgeentirely.”

She pulled on her cardigan, aware that Hughhad paused at the foot of the stairs. Picking up her purse, Clairefiddled nervously with her keys while Hugh studied her so gravelythat she had to wonder what he was thinking. “Is—is there anythingin particular you’d like?”

“A heel of bread and crowdie are more thanany simple traveler should expect from those who gi’ him shelter,”Hugh said, his brogue soft now as if he regretted his harsh words.“But perhaps some bannocks tae break our fast in the morn would bewelcome.”

Nodding stiffly, Claireexited into the garage and got into her car. Sitting there in thedark, she thought through her choices for what seemed to be thehundredth time, awash with doubts if not regrets. Doubts that shehad done the right thing, that she was doing the right thing. Yet shecouldn’t think of anything she would have done differently. Perhapsif she hadn’t seen him in his prison cell she might feeldifferently. But …

With a self-deprecating growl, she pushedHugh, her doubts, and her fears aside as she drove away. She wouldnot second-guess herself again. She might come to regret it one daywhen she was either brutally murdered or wallowing in a prisoncell, but she wouldn’t renege on her promise to help him. Groundrules were all they needed between them. Hugh needed her, not theother way around. Surely he wouldn’t risk her aid by doingsomething stupid.

No, Claire thought. We can leavestupid all to me because surely today I’ve completely lost mymarbles. She was helping a savage,time-traveling Scotsman escape the federal government …voluntarily. It just didn’t get any dumber than that. Though, intruth, she probably had more to fear from the Feds than fromHugh.

Chapter 9

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Claireinstead occupied herself by watching her rearview mirror as shedrove along, wondering if she were being followed or if her nerveswere making her more paranoid than she needed to be.

She went to a nearby Safeway and slowlybrowsed the personal care aisles first, adding the toiletries theywould need to her basket, including a toothbrush, toothpaste,deodorant, and a razor and shaving cream for Hugh and wondering ifhe would comprehend the function and importance of them. Clearly heenjoyed the shower, so cleanliness itself wasn’t an issue, but howmuch emphasis had been placed on other areas of hygiene in histime?

Recalling some mention in one of her historyclasses that perfume was often used to cover body odor, Clairebacked up the aisle and added a second stick of deodorant to thecart.

On the way to the groceryarea, she Googled crowdieand bannockson her smart phone and bought the closestinterpretation the grocery store had of both, adding some sausageto the cart as well to accompany the buckwheat pancakes she wouldmake as a substitution for the bannocks for breakfast. Unable tothink of anything else they would need, she checked out using herdebit card to pay and employed their maximum cash back option.After stowing the food in her trunk, she went back into the store,using some of the cash to buy a prepaid cellphone.

Whether she was being clever or not, Clairewasn’t certain. Whether it was necessary or not, she wasn’t anymore confident. Assumptions and spy thrillers aside, she simply hadno idea just