Lost in the Highlands, Volume Two Read online

  This is a work of fiction.

  Lost in the Highlands, Volume 2 © 2017 Lorraine Beaumont

  Lost in the Highlands Series © 2017 Lorraine Beaumont

  Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are figments of the authors imagination or used fictitiously.

  Text Copyright © 2017 Lorraine Beaumont

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photo-copying, recording, or otherwise without the express written permission of the author.

  Smashwords Edition

  Praise for the Lost in the Highland Series

  ”Irresistible characters, fresh voice and a hero to die for…what’s there not to like!” Jamie Scott, Award Winning Author

  “One of THE BEST series I have ever read! You won't be disappointed I promise. I hope this series NEVER ENDS!!!” Cheri

  “Time Travel at its finest! This is by far one of the best books I have read in the past year and I read a lot of books.” Barbara McCarthy

  “Book itself is very entertaining but be warned it is also very funny. Paige wants to meet a real Highlander. You mix mead, Highland games, gypsy fortune teller, and you get an entertaining novellas. Well-developed characterization and well-written story line.” Amazon Reader

  “I enjoyed the suspense and intrigue. Can wait for the next one. Gavin and Paige are a cute couple.” Jana

  “Hard to put it down the wonderful feeling of being lost in another world. I'm absolutely satisfied with the author. First time reading Lorraine Beaumont can't Wait to read another one of her books. Good job my friend. Loved it. Thanks.” Dwanda Evans.

  “Great book!” Cheryl R Stubbs

  “I thoroughly enjoyed the book so much that I immediately downloaded next in the series. Can't wait to read more!” Brigg Lady

  “OMG yes! Loved every page turn... love and hate relationship... Twists and turns in this amazing story about believing in hope and love...A must read book!” Lilianna

  “This book is fast paced and well written. The characters are interesting and the drama is fantasy.” Christy Williams

  “Great book!” Dawn Rivell

  “I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in a day. I caught myself laughing out loud at some of the antics going on. I rarely rate a book 5 stars but this one was definitely a 5 star read!” Patty C

  “It's an awesome Read and I can't wait to read the next one!” Booknerd

  “Very good story line .enjoyed it. Will read this author again. Characters were believable. Love time travel stories.” Sharon Yoss

  “I purchased the Audible edition of this book to listen to while driving on vacation. I laughed so hard a few times that I almost had to pull over! I loved the story and the narrator did a wonderful job! I'm really looking forward to the next one!” Amazon Reader

  “If you enjoy time traveling novels this is the one to read. I cannot wait to read the others in this series. The characters and story line are well developed and one can relate to the characters. I would recommend this book.” Brenda L Langham

  Other titles by Lorraine Beaumont

  Ravenhurst Series

  #1 Bestselling Time Travel Romance

  Forgotten Time

  Shadows of Yesterday

  Time to Remember

  Dreams of Tomorrow

  Now and Forever

  A Victorian Christmas

  Lucian

  Merlin

  A Modern-Day Christmas

  ♦

  Ravenhurst Special Edition Trilogy

  Ravenhurst, Vol I

  Ravenhurst, Vol II

  Ravenhurst, Vol III

  ♦

  Lost in the Highland Series

  #1 Bestselling Scottish Time Travel Romance

  Lost in the Highlands, Book I

  Lost in the Highlands, Book II

  Lost in the Highlands, Book III

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  Briarcliff Series

  Young Adult Paranormal Dark Urban

  Fantasy Written for Adults

  Briarcliff - Elyograg

  Briarcliff - Gargoyle

  Briarcliff - Degare’

  Briarcliff Box Set

  ♦

  Edenbrooke Hollow Series

  Paranormal Time Travel Romance

  The Witches of Edenbrooke

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  New Series in the Works

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  READERS CHOICE EDITION

  FIRST PERSON VERSION

  THIRD PERSON VERSION

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY- NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY -THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY- FOUR

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  CHAPTER FORTY

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  OTHER BOOKS BY LORRAINE

  A Personal Note from Lorraine -

  ABOUT LORRAINE

  READERS CHOICE EDITION

  FIRST & THIRD PERSON VERSION

  THIRD PERSON VERSION

  For Paige Walsh

  Wherever you are

  PART TWO

  FIRST PERSON VERSION

  CHAPTER ONE

  LOCH MORAR, SCOTLAND

  Sometime during the reign of King James

  The smell of rotting flesh permeated the air. Gavin de Gray lifted his head, casting his gaze to the dead body hanging on the wall next to him, and choked back a mouthful of bile rising from his throat.

  Angus had been dead for over a week and the vile creatures scurrying about were making fast work of removing more pieces of skin from his body.

  To block out the disturbing sight, he closed his eyes once more. There was no alternative, it was either that or watch more of his friend disappear.

  He owed his friend a great deal of thanks.

  Angus’s passing into the hereafter had turned out to be a boon for Gavin since it kept the rodents at bay for a wee bit longer.

  He jerked on his restraints. The metal shackles surrounding his wrists made a clattering sound against the stonewall.

  The rats scurried away, giving Gavin a short reprieve from the holy unnatural noise of flesh being torn from bone.

  “Psst, my laird,” a lo
w voice called from the corner of the dank room.

  “Bloody Hell, Callum! I told ye to quit calling me that,” Gavin snapped.

  “Tis who ye are. Why do ye not want me to call ye laird? It tis yer right, ye earned it, did ye not?”

  “I already told ye that if they hear I am laird they will surely have me dancing from the end of rope before sunrise. Is that what ye want?”

  “I was only trying to be respectful,” Callum grumbled.

  “Find another way ta be respectful.”

  “Och, how am I ta do that shackled against a wall such as this?”

  “By keeping yer bloody mouth shut. That’s how.” Gavin shuddered involuntarily when a rat ran over his leg.

  “I was jes trying to help.”

  “Och Callum, you heard the man. Just keep yer bloody trap shut,” Muir snapped.

  “Muir, who asked ye to put yer two cents in?”

  “No one. But I can no think with all the caterwauling ye are doing.” Muir wrinkled his nose in displeasure.

  “What do ye need to think about? We are stuck in this filthy pit and will die sooner rather than later,” Callum defended. “The way I see it, there is no time like the present ta have a bit o’ conversation to help keep our minds off our current situation.” Callum made a face at Muir but since his eyes were shut, it didn’t really have the effect Callum was hoping for.

  Gavin sighed.

  This bickering between the two of them was driving him to distraction—but then again, now that he thought about it—it was better than the alternative. “What would ye like to talk about, Callum?”

  Callum jerked his head up in surprise and then smirked over at Muir. Again, it did no good because Muir was keeping his eyes closed tight. “Do ye ken if they are going ta feed us tonight?”

  Gavin gaped at Callum. “How the bloody hell am I supposed ta know that?”

  Callum shifted uncomfortably. “Well, I can hope, can I not?”

  Muir snorted. “If they are going ta feed us it will probably mean it is our last meal. I will no be hoping for that and neither should ye,” he scolded Callum.

  Callum tensed. “How do ye know, Muir?”

  Muir sighed. “It’s how they do things around these parts. As long as they are starving us at least we know they won’t be killing us.”

  “Och Muir, now ye think ye are an expert on these kinds of things. Ye do not know any better than I do what will happen if they decide ta feed us.”

  Gavin exhaled through his mouth. He was trying not to use his nose because of the smell but he found out very quickly that breathing this way was worse since he could now taste the rot in the air. “Callum,” he said, trying to stay calm. “Muir is right. If they feed us it would most likely mean we are to be disposed of shortly thereafter.”

  Callum choked. “That’s no fair.”

  “Life is no fair, Callum,” Muir noted. “Ye better get used ta it.”

  “I don’t need ta hear yer dark thoughts, Muir.”

  “It’s hard not ta have dark thoughts when we are stuck in a filthy pit with no light, no water, or food.”

  “Ye can dwell on the dark all ye like. I choose ta think o’ better things,” Callum rebuked, always being the optimist.

  “What are ye thinking about?” Muir asked.

  “When I get out of here I am going ta find a woman and bed her.”

  “Och Callum, how are ye going to manage that with no coin?”

  “I will use my good looks,” he boasted. “All the women swoon when they see me. That’s how.”

  Muir snorted. “Keep dreaming, Callum. With that wee bit between yer legs I doubt any woman would even be able ta find it let alone do anything with it.”

  “How would ye know about my wee bit, Muir? Have ye been spying on me?”

  Muir snorted derisively. “Ye found out my big secret, Callum.”

  “Ah-Ha, so ye have been looking even though ye told me ye have not.”

  “Och, that’s right Callum. I live me days ta see yer wee bits,” Muir dripped.

  Gavin had enough. “Cease yer prattle, both of ye,” he bellowed.

  The room fell blessedly silent once more with the exception of the squeaking rodents moving in to feast on Angus.

  Taking Callum’s suggestion for his own, Gavin closed his eyes and tried to think of what he might do if he ever got out of this Hellhole alive.

  ♦

  A fortnight later, mayhap a bit more, he had lost count; Gavin de Gray took his first breath of fresh air.

  Early morning mist clung to the Earth like a shroud as he and his men were ushered from the filthy pit they had been held; out into the full morning light. Blinking against the bright rays, he stumbled up the steep steps, his legs leaden from lack of use, to the landing in front of the executioner’s block. A solitary black hooded man stood at the ready with an ax in his hand.

  Gavin averted his eyes.

  He tasted bile on his tongue, burning hot and bitter. That unholy sight was the last thing he needed to see on a day such as this.

  “Have ye any last words?” bellowed the stout powdered-wigged Magistrate from his lofty perch on the dais, which was lifted only slightly higher than the scaffolding where Gavin stood.

  “Aye.” Gavin looked at his men. They were skin and bones. Some did not even have the strength to stand fully. A deep sadness closed in on him as he gazed at each one. Morgan, Muir, Callum, Alec, Graham and the apparent empty spot at their side where Angus would have stood had he not died so painfully before this day. There were other men; ones he did not know well. They too were on their way to meet their maker. Like Callum and Muir, some had barely become men.

  “What say ye?” the Magistrate bellowed once more pulling Gavin back from his dark thoughts.

  Gavin tried to stand fully, but the lack of food and the cramped space they had been held had taken its toll on his person. His body bent in half and his head listed to the side as darkness closed in, surrounding him on all sides until there was nothing left but a miniscule ray of light shining down on him from above. He lifted his face to it, trying to garner what little warmth he could before the end came.

  “I beg ye,” he rasped, his voice barely audible. “Have mercy on my men. Tis not their fault,” he said. “I was acting alone. Punish me for the crime, but please,” he begged. “Have mercy on them.”

  The Magistrate rolled his eyes and pulled a snuffbox out from under his robe. Taking two fingers, he dipped them inside and pinched out small amount of the powdery substance. Holding one finger on the side of his nose, he snorted the powder. Then he repeated the action on the other side. With watery eyes, he put the box back inside of his robe and then he placed his meaty hands on the table and tapped his fingers in an uneven cadence on the rough surface.

  “That is not for me to decide.”

  Gavin forced himself to his full height. “Then who?” he asked.

  “She is the one ye need ta convince.” The Magistrate pointed a stubby finger at a woman huddled in the corner.

  Gavin frowned. Why would he need ta convince her? She was just some old crone—at least that is what he thought at first glance until she turned her rheumy blue-green gaze on him. What he saw made his blood run cold—she wasn’t just some old crone…she was a witch.

  CHAPTER TWO

  BLOWING ROCK, NORTH CAROLINA

  The Cottage – Present Day

  “Did you have another bad dream?” I pushed my hair away from my face and sat up.

  “Aye,” Gavin choked, shivering.

  “Do you want to tell me about it?” I rubbed my hand across the bunched muscles between his shoulder blades.

  He shook his head. “Nay.”

  Reaching over to the bedside table, I lifted the carafe and filled a glass with water. “Drink this. It will make you feel better.”

  Gavin took the glass and gulped down the contents like someone dying of thirst. It was the same feeling he had when he was trapped in that foul pit. His hand shook as he passe
d the glass back to her.

  I took the glass from his shaking hand and set it on the bedside table. This wasn’t the first time he had such a dream. Since I brought him with me to the future, it had been a nightly occurrence. He never told me what they were about. But I gathered from his responses that it was more than one nightmare that plagued him while he slept. I just didn’t know to what extent—or who they were about.

  Gavin rolled from the bed and slipped on a pair of loose sweatpants. The waistband rode low on his hips revealing the enticing cut of muscles on either side of his taut belly. Raking his hands through his damp hair, he walked over to the window and opened it up. Cool air slid over his sweat-dampened skin, making gooseflesh rise as he stared bleakly outside into another moonless night. It reminded him of his home at Loch Morar.

  Inhaling deeply through his nose, he mentally tried to vanquish the remaining dregs of his disturbing dream.

  Pulling a pillow onto my lap, I hugged it against my body for comfort as I watched him silently battle against the remaining vestiges of his nightmare. It made me sad to watch him in such obvious discomfort, but I didn’t know what else to do. No matter how hard I tried, he wouldn’t confide in me what bothered him.

  We had only been back about a month. To me, someone from this time, it seemed like a month too long. Even with all the luxuries that I loved in the future such as grocery stores stocked with food along with the modern conveniences of running water, electricity, and indoor plumbing, I too found, on more than one occasion, that I missed the simpler time I had briefly visited in the past.

  I missed more things from the past as well. Not only the lack of beautiful women throwing themselves at Gavin each time we went out in public together, but also Gavin’s men—especially Callum and Muir. I couldn’t help but wonder how they were fairing. Were they doing well or did some malady waylay them. It hurt my heart to think on it overmuch and by the actions or lack thereof by Gavin, I knew he wondered the same. Not about the women, mind you, but the well-being of his men.