Isla went into the chamber when he left her alone. She closed the door behind her, released a deep breath and waked slowly to the large bed in the center of the extremely wide chamber.
“This is insane,” she muttered as she dropped on it and relaxed.
What would Penny, Ada and Katherine be doing? Did they search for me? Did they find the gypsy?
Isla felt a tear slide down her cheek. She never appreciated her life before. It would end one day anyway, so why did doing anything besides living in the moment matter?
Some months back, Isla never would have agreed to do anything besides what pleased and made her happy, but now she had to ride horses and pretend to be someone else so she could find her way back to a life she had never appreciated.
Isla fell asleep on the bed in a short time after she lay there. The next time she opened her eyes, the scent of lavender and roses had filled the entire chamber, and it was warmer than usual.
She sat up on the bed and quickly looked around her. There was flame in the fireplace now, and through the open windows, she could see it was dark outside.
Isla moved to get on her feet with the intent to walk to the window and stare outside, but her eyes caught onto a glittering object on the bed beside her, so she stopped midway and reached for it.
Her heart stopped in her chest as she stared at the green medallion in her hand. The green emerald staring back at her seemed like it had life. There was a reddish flame right in the center, and it twirled until it hypnotized her.
As fear and panic filled Isla’s heart, she suddenly heard the whispers of the gypsy’s words float around her.
Thig an t-uisge agus tillidh sibh gu am far a bheil so dhanachd gad thoirt gu agus bidh sibh beo na laithean an sin a stri ri bhith beo gus an ionnsiach sibh gradh agus maitheanas.
9
Isla knew she would lose her mind if this kept happening. Numerous questions ran through her mind as she stared at the medallion. In her mind, the gypsy was laughing at her, and at the same time spewing words in Gaelic that Isla couldn’t understand no matter how many times she remembered it.
Chills spread though her arms and the rest of her body. She dropped the medallion on the bed, closed her eyes and counted to three, hoping it would disappear just as it had come.
How did it get here?She couldn’t remember carrying it with her when she woke up in the middle of nowhere, so how was it possible that the medallion was here right now?
She was sure she had left it in that cave as she couldn’t remember having it on her while she fought off those brigands and rode here with Jack.
This is probably the key I need to go back just as I came here.
Almost paralyzed with fear, she collapsed on the bed again, and shut her eyes tight. The chamber door opened and a young girl walked into the room.
She closed the door behind her, curtsied, then raised her head and looked at Isla. “My Lady, I am Faye, here to serve yer every need.”
Isla stared at her in dumb shock. She didn’t know what to say to the girl at first, but Isla regained her mind and cleared her throat. “Thank you,” she said but didn’t get up from the bed. The sheets covered the medallion. Isla’s heart pounded in her chest as she waited for the girl to enter the chamber fully and talk to her. “I have prepared ye a bath and the kitchen will bring yer meal shortly.”
The mention of food had Isla’s stomach rolling and crying out in joy. She put a hand there and rubbed.I hope it’s not anything skinned this time.
As she looked at the girl, she didn’t think it was possible for her to skin anything herself.
“Thank you,” Isla said again, not knowing what else to say.
“I should help ye with yer bath, My Lady,” the girl said, and still waited for Isla to get on her feet so she could assist with taking off the dress and handing her a robe.
Minutes later, Isla’s skin smelled of roses and lavender. Both relaxing scents made her muscles feel more relieved than they had since the start of this entire ordeal.
While Faye left the chamber to bring Isla her meal, she took the medallion out from under her sheets and stared at it hard.
I wonder if there’s a cave here somewhere.
Isla intended to find it. Once it was time for the fair, she would go back to Birlet Shallows and find that gypsy woman who had brought her here. Once she went back to her time, she would also make sure she paid for her magical practices.
She kept mulling over all the ways she could get her pound of flesh on the gypsy. When Isla’s food arrived, and Faye set it on a table in front of her, she took her time to stare at the bowl of soup, and vegetables laid by the side of it.
“This is mutton, My Lady,” Faye said. “The chief cook has prepared this meal specially for ye and for the Laird as it is his favorite. Mutton stew with vegetables.”