Free Wild Highland Rose (Time Travel Trilogy, Book 2) by Dee Davis Page A

of got the feeling you would have done more than that if you hadn ' t thought I was dead. "   It was a risky thing to say, but he had a feeling honesty was the right currency with this man.  Friend or foe.
    Fingal ' s lips curled into a faint smile.  " But since I thought ye were dead, the thought canna have occurred to me. "
    Nicely side-stepped.  " Well, why don ' t we suffice it to agree that I ' m alive and that I ' m not exactly the man I was. "
    " I can see that yer breathing, but as to the change, I ' ll no ' believe it until I ' ve proof. "
    " That I ' m different? "
    " That yer not using circumstances to try and play Marjory for a fool. "
    Cameron laughed.  " I doubt that anyone could play Marjory Macpherson. "
    Fingal crossed his arms over his massive chest.  " Mayhap, but that wouldna stop some from trying. "
    There was a warning there, and Cameron wasn ' t fool enough to ignore it.  " I ' ve no interest in hurting her, Fingal. "   There was truth in that.  Unless Allen ' s accusations proved true.
    The older man looked sharply at him.  " Maybe no ' now.  But when you remember. "
    The words hung between them, leaving Cameron uncomfortable.   It was tempting to tell the man he wasn ' t Ewen Cameron, that his memories if they returned would have nothing to do with Crannag Mhór or Marjory Macpherson, but he couldn ' t take the chance.  Not yet.  Maybe never.   This world was a harsh one, and they didn ' t suffer fools lightly.  A man claiming to be from the future would certainly not inspire confidence, let alone trust.
    " Maybe I won ' t remember. "
    " Nay. "   Fingal shook his head slowly. " Torcall Cameron will no ' allow it.  Ye ' ll remember.  Of that I ' m certain.  It ' s what ye choose to do with the memories that remain to be seen. "
    It seemed Grania had competition in the enigmatic department.  Wonderful.  Cameron leaned back against the stone wall, and they sat in silence for a while, each left to his own thoughts, until a commotion off to the left caught their attention.
    " Get out of here right now you wicked beasties.  Out I say.  Out. "
    The female voice carried from around the corner of the tower, the screech followed by a caterwauling that could only come from enraged bovines.
    Cameron turned to Fingal, eyebrows raised in question.
    "My sister, Aimil."
    Cameron inclined his head.  The commotion continued.
    "Angus Macpherson, come get these animals out of my garden before they destroy it completely."  The disembodied voice carried through the courtyard to the man by the ladder.  He yelled something up at Marjory and ran toward the voice.
    Fingal and Cameron both rose from the bench, swallowing back their mirth, momentarily joined together in camaraderie.
    "An-gus."  The single word came out as an indignant wail.
    " Sounds to me like Angus may need rescuing more than the animals. "
    With a terse nod, Fingal headed off in the direction of the ruckus.  Cameron was just thinking of following when he heard a cracking sound from the other direction.  Spinning around, he turned in time to see the ancient ladder split in two as Marjory tried to climb down.
    Adrenaline kicked in and Cameron raced to the building, ignoring the jarring pain in his head.  Marjory struggled for a handhold on the roof, managing finally to dig her hands into the sod, leaving her precariously swinging back and forth from the edge of the thatch.  Cameron was torn between genuine concern and amusement.  He choked back a laugh.
    Marjory glared angrily down at him.  "Dinna just stand there gawking.  Do something."
    "Is there another ladder?"
    "Nay."  The word broke off abruptly as her hand slipped from the roof, broken pieces of sod raining down on his head.
    Cameron reacted instinctively, reaching out with both arms to catch Marjory as she tumbled downward.  Given his current condition, even her slight weight was almost more than he could handle, but he held his ground and pulled her safely against