Chapter 16

After her bath, Jennifer had slipped into the silky nightgown and gotten into the small bed that she still didn"t think of as hers. Sure, this was the room she"d been assigned, but there were no special touches and nothing that made it her own. She missed her room, her things, and her life back in the twenty-first century.

Tears slipped down her cheeks as she mourned the life she used to know. She had never been one to cry easily—she"d always been what people called "tough" or "stoic"—but now, she"d been put through the emotional wringer, and she just couldn"t contain her emotions. She wiped her cheeks and leaned toward the bedside table to put out her candle, but just as she blew it out, there was a knock on the door.

Sniffling, she called, "Who is it?" Her voice sounded off, craggy.

"Lass, are you well?" Cam"s voice came through the door.

Jen got up and went to the door to open it. "I"m alright, I guess."

He looked at her and frowned. "Lass, have I done something to upset you?"

Surprised, Jen shook her head. "No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

He reached out a hand and stroked her cheek. "You"ve been a cryin"."

She nodded and opened the door wider, giving him a half smile that didn"t reach her eyes. "Yeah. Wanna come in?"

He looked up and down the hallway and then slipped into her room. She shut the door behind him, and he drew her into his arms. "Tell me what"s wrong?"

Jennifer pulled from his arms and moved back toward the bed. "Come sit with me?" She made room on the small bed for him to join her.

Cam did as she asked and snuggled into her, holding her on the bed. The only light in the room was from the blazing fire in the hearth, but it was enough to see the concern on his face.

Jen didn"t know where to start. She was feeling so many things but didn"t know how to put them into words. "I don"t know what to say."

"Lass, you"re worryin" me. I hope you know that your troubles are mine. I will do whatever I can to make things right for you if you just tell me what it is."

Jen nodded. "Thank you, but I don"t think this is something you can fix. I just miss home. I miss the life I had there, and to know that I can never go back, or achieve the dreams I had… it just hurts."

Cam"s face fell and he looked hurt by her words. "I am truly sorry, lass. I would fix it for you if I could."

She leaned into him, putting her hand on his cheek, and looking into his sorrow-filled eyes. "I know, and that is so sweet of you." She sighed. "There are just so many things, amenities that I was used to. I know you don"t understand, but I miss electricity. I miss having lights, and music, and a real bathroom. I miss my microwave. I miss my phone. And I know those are all just things, but they made life so easy, and now I'm here, and there"s none of that, and everything is hard. I didn"t ask for this," Jen blurted between sobs. She knew she probably was making no sense.

"I know you are a hurtin", lass, and I wish I could find a way to send you home if that is what you want. I would miss you somethin" fierce, but I donnae like seein" you so despondent." Cam hugged her close, his voice barely a whisper in her ear.

Jen sniffled and her sobs subsided. She looked up at him and murmured, "I would miss you too. You"ve become very important to me, Cam, and I would regret not meeting you if Dub Sith hadn"t sent me here. I will get used to doing things the way they are done in this time, but knowing there are things in the future that make life easier is just frustrating." She chuckled wryly. "I feel out of place here."

Cam sighed. "I"m sorry, lass. I should go." He started to pull away, but Jen held fast to him.

"Please don"t go. You are the best part of me being here," she said earnestly.

Cam paused and stared down at her. He tightened his hold on her and moved back to where he had been, leaning against the headboard with her in his arms. "All right, lass. I"ll stay. I wish I knew what to do for you."

Jen smiled and patted his chest. "Just be here for me. You can"t fix it, but you can listen when I need to vent. I don"t do it often, and I promise I won"t always be a blubbering mess."

He chuckled. "That I can do, lass. An" you are nae a mess. You are beautiful," he murmured as he leaned in and kissed her gently.

Jen felt more content at that moment. She sighed and leaned into him. They stayed quiet for a bit, just enjoying the peace of being with each other.

"Lass?"

"Mmhmm?"

"What"s a microwave?"

Jen burst into laughter. She explained what it was, and then he asked more questions, and Jen told him all about the things she"d mentioned. Cam was very interested in electricity and seemed fascinated by the things she spoke of. "I wish I knew how it all worked, but that wasn"t something I studied. It was something I just took for granted. It was just there." She shrugged.

"I can see why you might miss those things," Cam agreed. "'Tis hard to imagine walking into a room and touching something to make it light up as bright as the sun."

Jen laughed. "Well, not quite that bright, but pretty close. Definitely more than firelight and candlelight."

He smiled and then sighed and looked out the window. "I wonder how you would handle these bandits in your time."

"Honestly, we"d call the cops and have them come take care of them. But I suppose around here, you and your guards are the cops." Jen smiled and then feeling resolved, she said, "I want to help you deal with them. I want to go with you."

Cam frowned. "No, lass, that would be too dangerous. I cannae lose you to them. 'Twould be one thing to send you back to your time and know you were alive and well there, but to lose you to these men, nae, I cannae live in a world without you in it."

Jen sat up and turned to look him full in the face. She took his hands in hers. "You know I have the skills to help you. I"ve trained your men to fight! I want to do my share, Cam. I can do this. Fighting is what I know; it"s what I do. I"m not fragile. I know you want to protect me, but I want to protect you and the clan, too. This is my home now."

"But lass, these highwaymen are hardened thieves and murderers, hardly the type of opponent you"re used to fighting—" he argued as he stood up and paced the floor.

Jen gritted her teeth and stared at him. "Look, you and your pride aren"t going to stop me. I care about you and this clan, and sure, I think you"re hot, and I might be falling for you, but I"m not going to sit back and play the submissive little woman left behind to stare out the window and worry whether you"re going to come back to me. I won"t be doing that. I will be fighting by your side," she said firmly.

"You donnae understand," he said in frustration, running his hands through his thick hair. "I"m gonna go. I"ll see you in the morn, lass." With that, he was out the door before she could say another word.

Jen stared after him and felt like she"d somehow screwed everything up. She wanted to cry but decided she"d had enough tears to last her a lifetime, and she was stronger than that. She would suck it up and deal with it in her way. It was still hours before she fell asleep.

The next morning, Jen headed toward the stables. She got to work grooming Mist and then put a saddle on her, preparing to go for a ride.

"Lass, you are nae plannin" to go out on your own, are you?" Hamish asked, eyeing her skeptically.

"Yes, I am. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself," she grumbled.

"Aye, I know you know how to fight, lass, but these bandits be wielding swords and the like. You"ve nae sword, an" you donnae know how to fight while upon a horse. You would be putting Mist here in a vulnerable position," Hamish said, his voice steady and reasonable.

Jen paused. He was right. "Then teach me how to use a sword. I am a quick study, as you know from teaching me to ride."

"I donnae know about that, lass. The chief might nae be too happy if I did."

"I don"t care what Cam thinks. He doesn"t control me or tell me what I can or can"t learn. It"s my decision." Jen put her hands on her hips and stared at him. "So, how do we start?"

Hamish sighed. "I"ll get you a practice sword."

"Do we do this on horseback or off? I want to learn to fight on the horse, but do we start there or on the ground?"

"Ground first," Hamish answered before crossing the courtyard toward what Jen knew was the armory.

She unsaddled Mist while she waited. "Sorry, girl. We"ll go for a ride later. This is more important right now."

Mist whinnied in reply, and Jen patted her neck.

When Hamish returned, he was carrying two wooden short swords. He handed her one and showed her how to hold it, and then proceeded to show her how to stand, swing her arm, and strike with the weapon. To Jen, it felt a little bit like wielding a tennis racket. Some of the movements felt the same, except she wasn"t aiming for a tennis ball, but a body, or blocking another sword.

She picked it up quickly, and Hamish was surprised. "I told you I was a quick learner. I don"t know why you doubted me." She smiled.

"Aye, lass. Just like riding, you are a natural."

From there, they moved to fighting on horseback. It took the whole afternoon for her to learn to keep her balance and not fall off while trying to fight, but she learned it. She knew that fighting with a real short sword would be different because a real sword was heavier, but she"d manage fine.

As Jen executed move after move, wielding her training sword with precision, a crowd gathered. The men watched, surprise and then respect etched on their faces as they watched her and Hamish practice.

Emboldened by their presence, Jennifer pushed herself and Mist even further, determined to prove her capabilities. With each strike and maneuver, she commanded Mist to move with her and showcase her newfound skills.

As she countered each move Hamish threw at her, a cheer erupted from the guards who gathered around the corral where she and Hamish were training. A moment later, Errol called out, "Lass, are you training to fight the bandits that plague us?"

Jen and Hamish paused their training and Jen looked over at him standing with a wooden practice sword in his hand. "Yes," she said hesitantly.

"You will have more than one attacker; would you mind if I joined your practice?"

Jen waved him forward as a few others in the crowd picked up wooden swords and came to the edge of the corral. She supposed they wanted to see what she was made of. It almost felt like a sparring competition she"d been in back home.

Jennifer accepted their challenges with a nod and a smile, grateful for the opportunity to put her training to the test. The makeshift training session turned into a spirited sparring match, filled with laughter and camaraderie. She surprised the men with her agility and determination, realizing that she had not only taught them, but she had also become a formidable fighter.

Amid the training, Jennifer"s initial doubts about her riding and fighting skills began to fade. The encouragement and support from the guardsmen fueled her determination and boosted her confidence. She felt a sense of belonging, knowing she had earned their respect and trust. She just hoped Cam would respect and trust her too once he realized she wouldn"t be a hindrance in a sword fight, and that she could hold her own.