“No, Da,” Rory said, keeping to English so Jennifer wouldn’t be uncomfortable. “This was probably a mistake. I’m going to take her to the motel. Maura will love the company.”
“Too late. Euann, Cora, and Raibeart already told them you’re coming, and they saw your car pull up. Ya might as well come and get it over with.” Murdoch smiled at Jennifer. “I promise it’s not as painful as it sounds.”
Jennifer smiled politely. “I’m sure everyone is very nice. I’m not worried.”
“Then it’s settled.” Murdoch gestured for Jennifer to join them in the house. “Jennifer, do ya like wine?”
“Not as much as I like cheese,” she answered.
“Perfect.” Murdoch led the way into the house. “We have an assortment from all over the world.”
“Ya don’t have to,” Rory said. “Everyone will understand if you’re too tired after your double shift.”
“I don’t want to be rude to your family,” Jennifer said.
“I don’t want them to overwhelm ya,” he answered. What had he been thinking to bring Jennifer here? Did he think his family would just let him waltz her up to a guest room?
Well, in truth, he hadn’t been thinking about that. He’d been too busy trying to make sure she came with him someplace away from the public to talk to him. He couldn’t exactly tell her what she needed to know while she was working. “Oh, hey, by the way, I’m a warlock, magick is real, you’re possessed, and table five needs beer when ya get a chance. Try not to freak out.”
“We haven’t had a chance to talk about the forest,” he said.
“Yes, we did. You said you found me on the ground. Did you lie? Was there more?” she asked.
Lie was such a harsh word, and yet…
“I’m not sure we completely understand what is happening,” he said. “I think we should compare notes.
There. That wasn’t a lie. It was an avoidance, but not a lie.
“Compare notes?” Jennifer chuckled. This time she walked up the front steps with Rory to go inside. “What is this? Math class?”
“I’m sorry for whatever is about to happen,” Rory whispered.
“Why? What’s about to happen? Wine and cheese and a chance to see inside the infamous MacGregor mansion?” Jennifer softly laughed. “This will give me something to talk about to entertain customers for the next couple of weeks, at the very least.”
“I…” Rory wanted to tell her everything. “I know how overwhelming my family can be.”
“You are worried about me being here, aren’t you?” Jennifer touched his arm briefly before pulling her hand away and balling it into a fist. “Perhaps you’re right to be. I don’t exactly trust myself when I’m next to you. We can say hello to be polite, and then you can take me to the motel.”
Chapter Eleven
“This recipe is from right here in Wisconsin. It’s an enchanting blend.” Cait MacGregor held out a silver tray containing a cheese ball with a shaved almond crust surrounded by crackers. It looked like something served at a football party, not at an international cheese and wine tasting. If they brought out a box of wine next, Jennifer would know she was on a prank show.
“Looks great, Ma.” Rory reached to take a cracker, but Cait slapped his hand. “Ladies first.”
“Think of me as the royal taster,” Rory answered.
“I raised ya with better manners than that,” Cait warned.
Jennifer wasn’t sure if Cait was serious or not, but Rory looked properly scolded and withdrew his attempt.
Jennifer glanced at the tray they offered to her. Besides Rory’s parents, his aunt Margareta and uncle Angus were also in the dining room. She heard activity in other parts of the house, but no one else came to join them. Aside from those footsteps and the subtle brushes of movement in the dining room when her hosts adjusted their stances, the place was quiet.
Too quiet.
Jennifer felt their eyes on her, studying her. She slowly reached for a cracker.
Cait and Margareta both nodded that she should try it.
Since Cait still held the tray, when Jennifer tried to scrape the firm cheese with the cracker, it snapped in half.
Murdoch cleared his throat. “I thought ya said we would be having cheeses from around the world.”
“Wisconsin is part of the world last time I checked,” Cait said.
“What about that nice Brie Fergus brought back from France? Or the Airedale from New Zealand?” Murdock suggested.
“Shh,” Cait admonished, only to whisper loudly, “This is the first stop on the world tour.”
“You’re doing things out of order,” Margareta added.
“My apologies,” Murdoch muttered. “Though that doesn’t explain the lack of wine.”
“Then why don’t ya fetch a bottle?” Cait urged, her pleasant smile tightening slightly.
Murdoch made a soft noise and walked out of the room.
The quiet house and the seriousness of the cheese conversation reminded Jennifer of all those quiescently boring sitcom scenes of people sitting in bed-and-breakfasts listening to a monotone voice talk about bird watching.
“I wanted to come in and meet all of you and thank you personally for the invitation, but I really should be going,” Jennifer said.
“Knife,” Cait stated.
“Excuse me?” Jennifer glanced at Rory for help.
“For the cheese, dear,” Margareta said before Rory could speak.
Cait set the tray on the dining table and disappeared into another room. She came back with a butter knife. “Here we go.”
Jennifer slowly took the knife the woman offered. They all watched her like she was to kick off the start of the festivities.
“Hey, I heard we’re breaking open the New Zealand Airedale.” Raibeart appeared in the doorway with a grin. “I’ll take a wedge of that.”
“Ya aren’t invited,” Margareta said, shooing him from the room.
It didn’t work. Raibeart dodged her hands when he saw Jennifer. “I see ya met my future bride. How’s it going, love?”
“Wrong woman,” Rory stated. “Your fiancée was out front. She didn’t appear very happy with ya. I think she said she was taking to the woods.”
Raibeart’s eyes strangely caught the light as he glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the front door. “Excuse me.” He rushed to go outside. The door slammed shut behind him.
“That was mean,” Cait chastised Rory with a small laugh.
“My love?” The windowpane muffled Raibeart’s yell.
Jennifer turned to peer out the window. “Oh!”
Raibeart streaked past as his kilt fluttered behind him to land on the lawn. He ran across the yard toward the forest.
“Not again.” Margareta sighed. “I’ll send Angus after him.”
“We can do this later,” Jennifer said. “If you need to—”
“He’ll be fine. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last.” Cait gestured at the tray. “Try the cheese ball.”