Slowly I came awake with the sun shining through the open window. I opened my eyes and realised that I didn't have a clue where I was. I sat up quickly and nearly fell out of the bed I was in.
I definitely wasn't in my room, or Simon's or any of my friend's room. I couldn't remember anything about what happened in the last day or so. The last thing I could remember was going to Craig Na Dun with Simon. Jesus I must have been guttered! I hoped I hadn't made a fool of myself.
I shifted the covers away from me and sat up on the bedside. I rubbed my eyes and tried to clear my head a bit, see if I could remember anything but it was all blank. There was a small wooden cup filled with water next to my bed. I downed it thirstily feeling slightly more myself.
Standing up I caught the sight of what I was wearing; a long muslin nightgown. Urgh, I thought. I certainly didn't own nothing like this. I was starting to get really worried now thinking that maybe if I went back to sleep I would wake up back in my own house. Mmm I didn't think so.
I opened the door and peered outside. Nobody was there so I went out and crept along the hall just in case somebody should come out and scare me or something.
There was definitely somebody in the house; there were small noises every so often. I found a staircase and made my way down it and as I did so looking at the unfamiliar setting. On the ground floor I came across some paintings. I looked at one; it was of two small boys and a particularly strange and large dog. I thought it sweet and well painted and smiled at the sight of the older boy putting his hand protectively on the younger lads shoulder. The younger boy looked slightly familiar but no name seemed to come to mind for him.
There were voices in the rooms ahead. I wasn't sure whether to barge in or what but decided I really needed to know where I was to decide about getting home.
I peered into what emerged to be the kitchen. There was a heavily pregnant small woman there, talking to another woman. I knocked on the door as not to scare them and they noticed me right away.
"Ah Jamie's lass has come back to the land of the living." The small woman said. I looked at her strangely wondering what she meant by this. Who was Jamie? "I'm Jamie's sister, Janet Murray, call me Jenny though and your name will be?" She asked.
"I'm Kayleigh MacAndrew. Em…who is Jamie?"
"Oh…em…he is the man who rescued you." She said eventually.
"Rescued?" I said, very confused. Perhaps this Jamie had caught me with Simon but Simon wouldn't hurt me, even though he had been very drunk.
"Well I don't know much of the story myself, to be honest lass. Why don't I get Jamie and he can tell ye it himself aye?" I nodded not really sure what else I could do. She plucked the shawl from herself and placed it round me. Worrying about my situation I hadn't noticed I was rather cold and felt glad of the soft warm wool. "Now then lass, ye sit yerself down there and Mrs () will give ye some food. Ye must be starved." And then she was off leaving me nothing to do but sit and wait for this Jamie character.
About half an hour later Jenny came back again and said that Jamie was waiting for me in the study. She motioned where it was and I thanked her and she was off again. I felt scared wondering who this Jamie was and why he had taken me from my home.
I nervously knocked on the door and waited. After a short moment a deep voice said, "Come in," and opened the door wondering what was going to happen next.
Looking round the room I saw the Scottish red headed man and his wife and everything came rushing back in a second. Oh god the noise, I remembered the horrible buzzing noise. The past, the thought came to my mind; the woman had said I had travelled over 200 years from my own time. Now I really wanted to go back to sleep and hopefully wake up in my own time.
I felt sick thinking about it and must have looked it for the woman took hold of my hand and pulled me towards a bench where she pulled out a chamber pot. I just had enough time to get down on my hands and knees.
Finally finished the woman, Claire I remembered, sat me on the bench giving me a cup of some sort of alcohol. I downed it in one shot and Claire gave me another to I rinsed out my mouth. The room was spinning and I felt faint again. I took a couple of deep breaths and closed my eyes. Opening them again the room had stopped spinning and I let out a deep sigh. I looked at the couple not really sure what to say.
"Are ye alright lass?" Jamie asked, presumably a play on James. If I hadn't been in such a state this morning about where I was I probably would have remembered sooner.
I was annoyed by this question but I didn't want to go shouting at him. If I was in the past, and it did look like that by the plain drab furnishings and the peoples clothes as well as the fact there appeared to be no plumbing or electricity, I had better be nice to these people for taking me in and not leaving me to some savage animal or what not.
I swallowed trying to get my speech back after the shock and said, "Aye I'm ok… just. Thanks." I paused not sure what else to say but thought directness would be better than going round the issue in hand. "Am I right in saying that I travelled through stones and into the past?"
"Yes I can assure you, you have. I, myself, travelled back in time from 1946 to this year. I know it sounds completely out of this world but I'm right. I don't really have anything to prove I'm from the future but as you can see, this isn't exactly a modern house."
"No, I had noticed. So I'm in the past…and is there anyway I can get back?"
"Well yes, we think you can get back the same way and we would have done so at the time, save you feinted on us and we did not think it appropriate that we send you back like so." She said finishing.
"I see. Well I thank ye's both for yer kindness but I really have to be heading home. My parents and friends will be worried."
"That is understandable lass but I cannot take you at the moment. There is far too much work to be done. I know ye will want to be home as quickly as possible but that is just not possible at the moment. No one else can take you save me nor my wife and I am not letting my wife go along and ye understand?"
Unfortunately I did understand and told him so. "So what can I do for you in payment for helping ye? I obviously have no money nor do I have anything to use as payment."
"That's ok. You can help out around the farm doing what ye can. My wife and my sister will help ye. But first here are yer things that we found with ye." He pulled out my bag and shoes and handed them to me.
"Thanks Mr Fraser. I appreciate it for taking these back to me." I said.
"No bother at all lass."
I was quite glad he had not been raking through the purse but on second thoughts, by the look on his face he had but was not going to share this with me. Drat. That was rather embarrassing. I could feel my own face going red. I had to get out of here as soon as possible. "Is there any way I could have a bath or a wash even?"
"Aye. If ye go back to yer room, one of the maids will be up directly to help ye and see about a gown."
Which reminded me about my own clothes. "Em are my clothes in the bedroom?" I asked. I really didn't relish the thought of going back in an 18th century gown.
"Aye," was all he said, obviously offended at the mini skirt and slinky top and nothing to cover it but a small coat.
"Em…thanks." I said and left the room looking extremely forward to getting a wash.