The Castle of Eight Lairds—1651

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There was hay everywhere. It stuck out the top of my shirt, poked me in the bum, and I suspected it would take me hours to get all of it out of my hair. I was disoriented and I hurt all over. I blinked slowly as I strained to try and focus my vision. Large, beautiful brown eyes stared down at me. As I tried to push myself up and out of the giant mound of hay, the horse to my right neighed happily. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve said he looked rather amused. I was sure it wasn’t every day that strange women fell from the sky and into his hay.

“Marcus?”

He grunted in response. Reaching for the stable door, I pulled myself up and looked over at the other side where Marcus lay balled up on the floor.

“Are you okay?”

He lifted his head to look at me.

“I’m alive.”

“Well, get up and get in here with me. If someone comes in, at least we can hide in here. We need to figure out what to do.”

Marcus was angry. I could tell from the way the muscles in his jaw were bulging as he ground his teeth.

“My head is splitting, Laurel. What did that damned witch do to us?”

My head hurt, as well, but I had too much on my mind to pay the pain any mind.

“She did exactly what she told us she was going to do. She sent us back in time.”

Lifting the latch on the stall, Marcus opened the door and stepped inside with me and the horse.

“We’re stuck here, Laurel. I heard what Jerry said to her. He said there was no way for us to get back.”

I couldn’t allow myself to believe that was true. I knew Morna through the story she’d shared with me. She wasn’t evil. She wouldn’t upend someone’s life so completely without a reason. I would say nothing to Marcus about the book and his portrait inside, but I suspected the reason we were here had everything to do with him. If I had to guess, I assumed I was here for moral support and maybe—as she’d said—to regain some inspiration for my writing.

“I don’t believe that. And you can’t allow yourself to wallow in that hole, either. She said that we were meant to be here. Maybe there is something we are supposed to do, some role we are meant to play, and when we’ve completed it, we will be able to return home.”

Marcus didn’t appear to be convinced.

“And what role is that? We know no one here. We will both stand out like sore thumbs. We have nowhere to stay, no way to earn money. Heck, I don’t even know how money works in this time. We will be lucky if we survive a week here.”

“I don’t know.”

As if she’d heard his worries from centuries ahead, there was a loud, sudden thump on the other side of the stall wall where I’d found Marcus. I leaned over to find a pile of folded clothes with a letter on top.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Marcus retrieved the items and ripped open the letter as he leaned against the side of the stall. I reached out to stroke our new equine friend as he read the letter aloud.

Laurel and Marcus,

I am truly sorry for the scare I’ve given you. While I’ve been known to surprise others with the travel, never before have I sent someone through when they believed me capable of ill intent. I promise that I mean you no harm. I know you must have many questions. Firstly, put on these clothes straight away. Unless ye wish to be burned for witchcraft, doona let anyone see you dressed as you are now.

Laurel, you are in the stables of the castle you wish to visit. Had you traveled back tomorrow, I would’ve placed you on their front steps, but since you made me send you in the middle of the night, I thought it best you hide out until morning. Some of The Eight travel down to the village every third day to check on their tenants and to see to the needs of their people. Tomorrow is just such a day. Best be out of their stables by sunlight lest you wish to be accused of trying to steal their horses.

When you approach the castle, tell whomever greets you that you are here to see Laird Allen. He’s familiar with me. He’ll know what to do with you.

Marcus, I’ve never been one to mince words, so I’ll not dance around something I’m sure you already know. Things may not be easy for you here. The color of your skin may subject you to unfair prejudice, and I am sorry for it. What I can promise you is that the men within this castle are different. While you are among them, they will protect you and treat you as the equal that you are. When Laurel gains entry to the castle, insist that you would never allow Laurel to enter without an escort. They will expect to know what you are to her, and a friend simply won’t do. Say you are adoptive siblings. They should allow you to stay at the castle, as well.

Once there, try to relax and enjoy. Get to know the men. Get to know the castle. It won’t take long for the reason I’ve sent you here to be clear.

I’ll be watching. If you ever truly need me, I’ll be there.

Much love,

Morna

P.S. If it makes you feel any better, Jerry is very cross with me. He wanted you to know that. He tried to talk me out of all this many, many times.

When Marcus finished reading the letter, he crumpled it up and threw it as hard as he could across the stables.

“This is madness, Laurel. What are we supposed to do until tomorrow?”

I patted my new friend as the horse leaned his large head into my hands. I could see that Marcus was angry, worried, and grappling with how any of this could be real. I was worried for him, too.

“Hey.” I walked across the stall and reached for his hands. “Are you okay? I believe what Morna says. I don’t think she would allow anything to happen to you. If she says that these men are different, I’m certain they are. And as for what we do, I guess we hang out with this big fellow.” I patted the horse as if Marcus didn’t already know who I meant. “At least we are safe in here, and it will be far warmer than camping outside.”

Marcus’ angry expression softened as he pulled one of his hands away from mine to gently cup the side of my face.

“Laurel, as angry as I am with the witch, I’m glad she didn’t bullshit me. Of course, things will be trickier for me here. Although, I imagine things will be more difficult for you here, as well. I’ll be fine. Anything that is said to me, I doubt it will be anything I haven’t heard before. And I agree, if there is any real danger posed to me, surely if Morna has the power to send us here, she has the power to help me out of a bind. I want you to promise me something, Laurel.”

“What?”

“When ignorance rears its ugly head—which it’s bound to—please keep your mouth shut. I know you mean well, but sometimes you tend to make things worse. I can handle myself, okay?”

I knew he was right. Marcus might as well have been my brother for as protective as I was of him.

“I’ll do my best.”

He smiled and threw me the dress he’d draped over the side of the stall and closed his eyes tight.

“That’s all I ask. Now, let’s get changed. The next time I see Morna, I’m going to kill her.”

Laughing, I began to undress. Marcus was the gentlest man I knew. “Says the man who called me when a mouse got into his apartment.”

“All right. Maybe I won’t kill her, but I’m definitely going to give her a piece of my mind.”

“I’m sure you will. Now, help me tie this up, and can you please just try and enjoy this a little bit? We’ve stepped into a world most people have never seen.”

It took a few hours of visiting and me making every possible effort to make him laugh, but as the night wore on, Marcus relaxed.

By the time we stopped talking and decided to try and get some sleep, he was as curious about what the next day would bring as I was.

Our excitement was replaced with fear as we were both startled awake at dawn.