By Donna and Abs
Lovelace parried the blow, but as he
stepped out of the way, he knew he would let the next jab find his heart.
He could no longer go on this way. It
was time to end it.
But as he spun around, he was amazed to
see that his opponent was gone! Not
only that, but the very room in which they had been dueling had disappeared into
nothingness, and he was in a fresh, new forest.
Lovelace reached up to pull at his hair,
which was stylishly pulled back into a ponytail.
"Where am I?" he shouted to the heavens, wondering why he had
not been permitted his honorable right to die.
"Yer in a grand place called Edan,"
a male voice with a thick Scottish accent said from the trees. The speaker
stepped out in the open, dressed in a kilt and carrying a huge claymore in his
hand. "Rob Roy MacGregor is me name. And ju' who wa' ye be?"
Lovelace straightened himself.
He hadn't been anywhere near Scotland a moment ago.
"My name is Robert Lovelace, Esquire," he said in a posh
accent. He bowed slightly. He
was dressed like the foppish English who had misused MacGregor and his home
village in the Highlands.
"I dinna like the looks of ye,"
Rob Roy said casually as he circled around Lovelace, the claymore raised just
slightly. "But who am I to judge? Come. We will gang together to Edan."
"Edan?" asked Lovelace lightly.
"And just where is this garden of reclamation?"
"Just yon," he said, thrusting
the end of his sword just past Lovelace's nose. "I had gang to the fort fer
some business, and now I'm returning there meself."
Lovelace straightened his clothing.
He was without a coat, as he had removed his for the fight.
But he straightened himself as best he could, and when he was satisfied
with his looks, he nodded at his Scottish guide and said, "I do hope there
is a place to freshen up?"
"There is an inn there, run by a
bonny lass by the name of Lupe," Rob Roy chuckled. He had only been in town
for a few days, but he was making an effort to get to know everyone. He had made
a new friend, Duncan MacLeod, and he had sent him and Cochrane out to the fort
to check things out. They had returned by way of the gypsy camp, but Warren had
been distracted by the dancing and had wanted to stay. But Roy Roy had a reason
to go back. Duncan had said he would try to arrange for him to meet some others
from his Scottish homeland.
"Lupe?
Isn't that Spanish?" Lovelace asked, looking down his nose.
But he was wondering if she was hot blooded.
Since he had been spared, he might as well make the best of it.
"I dinna know wa' she is," Rob
Roy chuckled. "But she is something else!" They were following a trail
that after a short time led them to a town that looked like none that Lovelace
had ever seen.
And he wished he had continued to
"not see" it. What kind
of hell was he in? How could he
even find a bath in such a backwater town?
He had been worried about ending up in Scotland, but this was worse!
This was even more primitive! Was
he in the Colonies?
But before he could start complaining, a
dark haired man dressed in opulent Spanish style came striding towards then.
"Tha' be Colonel Montoya," Rob Roy said in a sour sounding voice. He
had met him once, but hadn't cared too much for his pompous ways.
Lovelace looked him over.
The dress was odd enough, but at least he was genteel.
Anyone could see that.
Montoya was looking him from top to
bottom, an amused smile on his face. "Well,"
he said, "My, my. What have we got here?"
MacGregor did his duty and introduced
them, then excused himself. MacLeod was also walking down the street, a pretty
little lass on his arm. She was wearing a tartan shawl around her shoulders.
Lovelace's eyes wandered immediately, and
Montoya, taking his arm gently, said, "If it's the fairer sex you are
seeking, you will be quite content here, my friend.
Now, shall we settle you into the Hotel?"
As they passed by, Hope MacDonald cast an
appraising look at the newcomer herself. He was obviously a gentleman! Perhaps
she should ask for an introduction later. With the knights and Count Vronsky
once more back in Camelot, there really wasn't much other than the Colonel to be
had in Edan itself.
Lovelace saw the look. She was interested. Well,
why shouldn't she be? Keeping the
smile to himself as Montoya walked him toward the shabby Hotel, he thought that
maybe this Edan wasn't a total loss, after all.