Alex could barely think straight. His mind whirled. He glanced over at Bree. He was doing that a lot, he realized. The dress she’d donned accentuated her luscious figure and fiery coloring. It was all he could do not to stare like an idiot.

She walked in silence by his side and for a moment, just for a moment, Alex lost himself in the fantasy that she was his. His woman. It was such a pleasant fantasy that a wave of joy washed through him but he smothered it mercilessly. He mustn’t let himself get carried away in such daydreams. Bree was not his, no matter how much he wanted her to be, and this was not his home. Not anymore. He was here on his cousin’s sufferance and when Laird Merith returned? Well, that was something he didn’t want to think about.

“Are you okay?” Bree asked.

He looked at her, startled. “What?”

“Are you okay? You seem a little...distracted.”

“Aye. Sorry, my thoughts were miles away.”

They were walking along the main corridor. It was busy and servants ducked out of their way as they passed, many staring wide-eyed at Alex. He tried not to scowl at them.

He cleared his throat. “So, what do ye think to Dun Carrick?”

“It’s almost what I imagined a castle of this era would look like, except it’s different somehow. More colorful,” she answered.

“More colorful?”

She nodded. “In my time the ruins of castles are like bones, all the life and color stripped away. But here? It’s so full of life. Nothing like Lord Donald’s castle, I’m pleased to say.”

“Well, I’m glad ye like it,” he said. He halted, turning to face her. “I could show ye around. Ye know, if ye like.”

She stared at him and he could see the emotions churning inside her. She was still wary, mistrustful. He would do anything to fix that.

“Okay,” she said at last. “I’d like that.”

She was only a hands-span away from him, so close he was sure he could feel the heat of her body. He leaned closer.

“Bree, listen. About what happened at Lord Donald’s keep—” he began.

“There ye are!”

Alex spun to see David striding towards them. “I was starting to think ye’d gotten lost, cousin.”

He strode up to them and gave Bree a flourishing bow. “I hope ye are beginning to settle in, my lady?”

“I...um...yes. Thanks.”

“Excellent. I’m afraid Isabelle has gone a little wild in the kitchen when she heard ye’d returned, Alex, so ye both better be hungry. This way.”

He led the way up a short flight of steps to his solar, a large round room in the eastern tower. Signs of David and his interests were everywhere: maps covering the walls and nautical equipment covering the shelves. David had served as a page with the Harris clan on the Isle of Skye and had come back with a love of ships and seafaring.

“Come, sit,” he said, moving a pile of scrolls from a chair and dumping them in a corner. “Ye should have sent word ye were coming, cousin,” he said with a wry smile. “I would have cleaned this place up.”

“Nay, ye wouldnae,” Alex replied, the corner of his mouth quirking into a smile. “Ye were always the messy one. I could never find anything in our room when we were lads.”

“Aye, although I’m sure I did it to annoy ye mostly. Come, sit.”

Alex indicated for Bree to precede him and she sank into one of the chairs that surrounded a small table.

Alex took a seat next to her and David one opposite. A jug sat in the middle of the table with several pottery goblets. David poured them each a drink and then held up his goblet.

“To the return of absent friends,” he said. Then, looking at Bree, he added. “And to meeting new ones.”

“To new friends,” Bree said with a smile. She sniffed the goblet before drinking. “What’s in this? Not whisky I hope?”

David laughed. “Ye dinna like whisky? That’s something we shall have to remedy while ye stay with us isnae it? But nay, it’s wine. A fine vintage brought by some French merchants a few weeks ago.”

Bree swirled the contents of her cup then took a sip. Her eyebrows rose. “That’s good.”

“Good?” Alex said, pulling a face after having taken a sip. “Give me ale any day of the week. This stuff tastes like vinegar.”

David grimaced in sympathy. “Aye. I’m told ye get used to it.”

Bree smiled and muttered, “uncouth” under her breath before taking another sip of wine.

Alex grinned, beginning to relax. This felt good. Bree and David seemed to like each other and David hadn’t lost his easy-going attitude whilst Alex had been away. They’d always been as close as brothers. He had never realized how much he’d missed him.

Three servants came in carrying platters of food. The smell of roast beef suddenly filled the room, making Alex’s stomach growl. The servants set the platters on the table and then left, each of them shooting wide-eyed looks at Alex.

“Tuck in,” David said. “I told ye cook had gone a little overboard.”

There was enough roasted meat and vegetables here to feed a family. Alex piled some food on a trencher and passed it to Bree who took it with a nod of thanks. They all began eating.

Bree raised her eyebrows. “You must give my compliments to your cook,” she said to David. “The food is as good as the wine.”

“I’m glad ye think so. Isabelle will be mighty pleased. She takes her duty to our guests very seriously.”

The meal passed in companionable ease. David engaged Bree in conversation, teasing out the story of how she’d come to be in Scotland in the first place. Like all the close family, he was well aware of Gretchen’s origins and so it came as little surprise to him to hear that Irene MacAskill was involved.

He sat back in his chair, his goblet in one hand. “Hmm. There were rumors a while ago of a woman who matches Irene’s description having saved a mother and baby from a difficult delivery over by Kirk Higham. Neither should have lived by all accounts. Some called it a miracle sent by God. Others called it the work of the fae. I never thought much of it at the time—there are always rumors and gossip amongst the village folk.”

“Do you think it might be Irene?” Bree asked, leaning forward eagerly.

“Who knows?” David took her hand and leaned closer. “But I give ye my word I will find out.”

A sudden spike of jealousy went through Alex and he tensed, grinding his teeth. He didn’t like the way David was looking at Bree or the way he was holding her hand.

She’s my woman. The thought flashed suddenly through his head. Keep yer hands off.

“Thanks,” Bree said to David. “Gretchen said the same. You’ve all been so kind.”

David released her hand and smiled. “Think nothing of it. Ye are a guest of the Murray clan now. And besides, we owe ye for bringing my troublesome cousin back to us. Whilst ye are here I want ye to think of the castle as yer home. Ye are free to go about as ye please. In fact, maybe tomorrow—”

“I’m showing Bree around tomorrow,” Alex cut in.

David glanced at him, a mild annoyance flashing across his face before his easy smile returned. “Aye, a good chance to reacquaint yerself with the place as well. I could use yer help with garrison training afterwards.”

Bree pressed the back of her hand against her mouth, stifling a yawn. “Sorry. That’s rude,” she said.

“Ye are exhausted,” Alex replied. “I’ll escort ye back to yer room.”

“Nay need,” David said. “I’ll have one of the servants show her the way. Ye and I still have much to discuss, cousin.”

He went to the door and stuck his head out. A moment later he returned with one of the serving women. Bree rose. Her eyes strayed to Alex for a moment and he felt his breath quicken. How he longed to accompany her back to her room. To take her into his arms and...

“Good night to you both,” Bree said.

“Good night, lass,” Alex breathed. “Sleep well.”

Bree followed the servant out and Alex found himself staring at the closed door after she’d gone.

“She is a remarkable woman,” David said. “Nay wonder ye are smitten with her.”

“Smitten?” he said. “Dinna be daft. I’m just responsible for her is all. It’s my fault she’s here so it’s my responsibility to get her back to her home.”

“Aye. If ye say so.” David’s tone suggested he didn’t believe a word of it.

Alex frowned to himself. Was he so obvious?

David put his goblet down and leaned forward. His expression turned serious. “I meant what I said to Lady Breanne, Alex. I’m glad she brought ye back to us. I have often wondered where ye were, what ye were doing.” He frowned. “I often wondered whether ye were even still alive. Where have ye been all this time, cousin?”

“Ye know where I’ve been,” Alex replied gruffly. He didn’t like where this conversation was heading. It stirred memories that tore at him like jagged bits of glass. “Serving Lord Donald Sinclair. After...what happened... his father granted him lands in the north. I served in his garrison.”

David didn’t reply. He held Alex’s gaze for a long moment before saying, “Why? Why did ye leave?”

Alex’s eyebrows shot up. “Ye know why I left. I didnae have any choice.”

“There is always a choice.”

“I was banished, man! What choice was there? Yer mother, our laird, banished me from Dun Carrick and all Murray lands, on pain of death.”

“Ye could have argued, fought harder for yer place in the family.”

“Could I?” Alex grated, self-loathing making his voice harsh. “Banishment was the least of what I deserved. I should have hung, would have hung if not for the intervention of Donald Sinclair. His father is a powerful man and interceded on our behalf. So, aye, I took my banishment and counted myself lucky to still have my skin. Besides, I’d given my oath to Donald, remember? I wouldnae add oath-breaking to my list of crimes.”

“Ye owed him nothing,” David hissed.

“I owed him everything! I would be dead without him!”

“Ye wouldnae have been in that situation in the first place if it wasn’t for him!” David was shouting now, anger flashing in his eyes. “I was there, remember, when he recruited ye! I heard the things he told ye, the promises he made! What young warrior wouldnae choose to follow him when promised such glory?”

“Ye didnae,” Alex pointed out.

“Aye, more luck than judgment, that. My mother sent me to England if ye remember, to meet with the border barons. Otherwise maybe I would have believed Donald Sinclair’s lies and joined his banner too.”

Alex winced. “Nay,” he said. “Ye wouldnae have. Ye have always been the best of the Murray clan, David. Why do ye think I was so keen for the glory that Lord Donald offered? Because I couldnae find that here. Here I was always in yer shadow.” He was surprised at the bitterness in his voice as the words came tumbling out. How long had they lain inside him, festering?

David’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are ye serious? It was the other way around! I was always in yer shadow! Ye were the wild child, the one who broke the rules and yet always seemed to come out on top. The best warrior, the best tracker, and the one all the ladies would line up to watch in the annual contests. I was always the dutiful son, the heir to the lairdship, the one never allowed to step out of line in case it reflected badly on my mother.”

Alex stared at him. David stared back. Alex had never heard his cousin say these things before. He’d never even considered that David might have been jealous of him, the same way he’d been jealous of his cousin. Lord, what a mess he’d made of things.

He blew out a breath. “I’m sorry,” he said. “For everything. If I could go back in time I’d find my younger self and pummel some sense into him. I’d make sure he didn’t listen to Lord Donald Sinclair. I’d make sure he stayed here, where he belonged and did his duty to his clan.”

“But ye might never have met Lady Breanne if ye did.”

“Aye, true enough.”

“Some might say that what happened was meant to happen. That it’s yer destiny.”

Alex frowned at his cousin. “Now ye sound like Irene bloody MacAskill.”

David laughed and the tension between them suddenly dissipated. “Well, ye are here now. That’s what matters.”

“Aye,” Alex said. “And I wish to put things right—if I can. Starting with this.” He reached into his sporran and took out the medallion. He held it out to David. It sparkled in the candlelight.

David reached out and took it, running it through his hands reverently. “Where did ye get it? My mother did all she could to track this down after ye stole it. The last we heard was that it had been sold to some Flemish merchant.”

“Aye, that’s who I sold it to in order to finance my journey to England with Lord Donald. Somehow it ended up in Loch Shiel and that’s where it was found, five hundred years from now. That’s why I went to the future in the first place, David. To retrieve this. To bring it back to my family where it belongs.”

David whistled under his breath. “Quite an undertaking. And quite a risk. Why? Why do such a thing?”

“That medallion is a symbol of Clan Murray,” Alex replied. “A symbol of unity, strength. When I stole it I thought only of the riches it would bring to Lord Donald’s cause. I did a great wrong to this family when I did that. I hope to put it right.”

David nodded. “My mother will be pleased to have it back.”

Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and asked a question he’d been dreading. “How do ye think she will react to me being here?” He hated the desperate hope that echoed in his voice.

“I canna say,” David sighed. “Her views havenae softened through the years. She sees ye as a traitor, Alex, and ye know how uncompromising she is with those. But now ye’ve returned the medallion? Who knows? I will speak for ye, cousin, rest assured of that.”

Alex reached across the table and took David’s hand, forearm to forearm in the warrior’s grip. “My thanks, cousin. It is good to be home. For however short a time that might turn out to be.”