Adventures of Alexis Davenport Series Read online

  “Is somethin’ the matter, Aine?” The woman asked, seeing Alex put her hand to her nose.

  Alex pulled her hand quickly from her face and shook her head. She tried to smile but she was afraid it only came out as a grimace.

  “Ailbe! How are you this fine mornin’?” A buxom woman wearing a dirty green dress waved to the pair. She carried a basket of eggs, resting it on one of her ample hips.

  Ailbe. Alex had been too afraid to ask what the woman’s name was. I wonder what Aine’s father’s name is?

  “Ach, Aine! You found a husband yet, girl? My Conor is of an age to marry and he has an eye for you. He should be returning from Dublin in a few days.” The woman gave Alex a wink. Alex was too stunned to do more than stammer and blush.

  This girl can’t be more than fourteen. Alex recalled that in the past, girls often married very soon after their first monthly cycle. She shuddered and hoped that she could find a way back home before she found herself married. She was very inexperienced when it came to boys and could not bear the thought of being married to one. The idea of having to perform wifely duties was enough to make her want to run screaming in the other direction.

  The woman mentioned Dublin. I must be in Ireland. She couldn’t think of a way of asking the year without sounding like a lunatic, so she held her tongue, and vowed to pay attention to what people said to see if she could puzzle it out.

  “I think my Aine has an eye for Conor as well. Does the boy need a kick in the arse before he asks for her hand?”

  The woman laughed. “Aye, he needs a kick in the arse alright. I will be giving it to him as soon as he returns.”

  Ailbe gave the woman a pat on the arm and a wink. “We better be sayin’ good day to you. I want to be getting back to the farm before Oran returns from the fields.”

  Oran. Alex now knew the name of Aine’s father.

  Ailbe and Alex made their way to the market where Ailbe sold the eggs in the basket and pocketed the copper pieces. The walk back was uncomfortable for Alex. Ailbe chatted of Conor’s manly build and his strength. “He is a grand man, Aine. He will give you many strong sons.”

  Alex did not want to speak of Conor’s manly form, nor did she want to talk about the prospect of babies. I have to get out of here. She wondered if she should try to find the pond again. Perhaps she would be able to return home. I have to try.

  The thunderheads that Alex had seen that morning were building overhead. The ominous rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.

  “We best hurry. Or we will be soaked to the skin. That rain doesn’t look soft.” Ailbe hiked up her skirts and began a slow jog. Alex followed suit, wondering if the woman meant to run all the way back to the family farm.

  Alex was surprised at her ease of maintaining the pace. She had never been athletic and had never run further than a few hundred yards, and yet she kept pace without breaking a sweat. She felt a small surge of pride at her strength and attributed it to the girl whose place she had taken. She probably runs a lot.

  The pair arrived at the farm just as huge raindrops began to fall. Alex went to the barn, driven by knowledge the other girl possessed, and found a pitchfork against one wall. She grabbed it and began pulling the horse dung from their rudimentary stalls and into the middle of the barn. When she had it all in a large pile, she pushed it out the door.

  When she finished, she stood in the doorway of the barn, her skin pebbling in the cool air. Her breath misted. She looked around her and found herself strangely at peace. The countryside was lush and green, and the low-lying clouds obscured the hills nearby. The mist that descended on the area made the tiny farm seem even more remote.

  Alex took a deep breath of the fresh, clean air. It reminded her of the air in the mountains back home. She had always enjoyed spending time there. It was easy for her to lose herself while picturing what life must have been like for the first person to set foot in the Rocky Mountains. Alex tried to visualize what the mountains must have looked like, how harsh and treacherous the conditions were without the use of modern-day conveniences like vehicles, hotels, and Starbucks. She found it ironic that here she was actually experiencing a piece of history, something any historian would love to do, and all she wanted was to return home.

  The man, Oran, was barely visible coming down off one of the large hills, heading for the barn. Alex heard him calling out to the horses, urging them to move quickly so they could get out of the rain.

  Alex ran for the house to help Ailbe get supper ready. Oran would be drenched and tired and no doubt wanting his dinner hot and ready when he came in out of the rain.

  “Did you get the barn cleaned then?” Ailbe asked Alex as she came rushing through the door.

  “Yes, Ma. Da is coming in.”

  “We better see to getting supper on the table then.” Ailbe bent over the hearth to stir the large cast iron kettle.

  Again, as if moving by some instinct, Alex walked over to the small brick oven, grabbed a piece of cloth, and gently removed a loaf of bread. She breathed deeply, her mouth watering. She was ravenous after the long day.

  Oran burst through the door, soaked to the skin. Ailbe fussed over him, urging him to get out of the wet clothes.

  Oran looked at Alex. “Did you muck the stalls?”

  Alex nodded. “Just now finished.”

  He grunted and looked almost displeased that she had finished her work. He ordered Ailbe to get him a plate ready and he went and sat at the table.

  Alex bit her lip, feeling extremely uncomfortable. She sat down at her place at the table, keeping her head down, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. She was surprised at how similar it felt to dinners when her father was still around. He was either angry and sullen, or drunk and boisterous, either of which made meal times an uncomfortable affair. She would eat as quickly as possible so that she could be excused.

  Ailbe brought two plates with roasted chicken and potatoes. After a brief prayer thanking God for the food before them, Oran tore into his food without a word to his wife. Alex forced herself to eat, even though her appetite seemed to have disappeared. She quietly took her plate and washed it in the small wooden basin that held water from the pond.

  She went to her room and closed the door, letting out a sigh of relief. She hated being in tense situations. She never seemed to know how to diffuse them or how to react. She hoped the new day would give her some free time to walk down to the pond. I want to go home.

  She changed into a scratchy shift and lay down in the tiny bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. The falling rain and the rolling thunder calmed her nerves.

  Alex filled her mind with thoughts of home as the gentle noise of the rain soothed her to sleep

  CHAPTER 6

  ALEX HURRIED THROUGH her morning chores and ran to the pond just to the north of the small farmhouse. She frowned as she surveyed the pond, trying to find the exact spot where she fainted.

  I’m pretty sure this is it. She got down on her hands and knees and held her breath as she leaned forward to peer into the water. Alex studied her reflection, amazed at how similar and yet how different she and Aine were. Their faces were the same shape, and their hair was the same length, though Aine’s was much darker than Alex’s. I wish I had eyes as blue as hers.

  Alex stared hard at her reflection, willing the image in the water to shift so that her own face stared back but the water stayed calm and still. She sighed and stood up, tears welling behind her eyes. What if I get trapped here forever?

  Her thoughts were interrupted by shouting coming from the house. Oran was bringing one of the horses from the barn, and tying his old, rusty sword to the saddle. He wore a boiled leather vest over his shirt. Ailbe wrung her hands. She saw Aine and beckoned to her.

  “The Vikings have landed in Dublin. The High King has called the men and boys to fight.”

  Alex knew she must be somewhere in the 10th century, or perhaps a little later. She was frightened at the possibility of the coming battle. Her desir
e to return home was stronger than ever, though she felt a little guilty at wanting the other girl to come back and perhaps lose her life or be taken prisoner.

  Oran mounted and rode off without looking back at his wife and daughter. For Alex, this reminded her of her own father leaving on the motorcycle. She hugged Ailbe and cried along with her as they watched him ride off over the rolling green hills.

  They sat by the hearth, neither one saying anything. Alex tried to picture herself living out the rest of her days in this time period and could not do so. She missed her iPod, TV, comfortable clothing, running water. She sighed and scratched her legs, which were covered in a layer of hair. I miss hot water and my razor most of all.

  As if reading her mind, Ailbe stood and suggested that they take advantage of the sunny day to bathe in the pond. Alex wrinkled her nose at the thought of bathing in the dirty water. Why couldn’t I have come back in time to a castle that has a bathhouse?

  Alex sucked in a breath as she plunged into the freezing water. Ailbe handed her the soft cake of soap and Alex hurriedly lathered her hands and began to scrub her hair. She shivered uncontrollably and was certain that her lips must be blue. After they finished, she and Ailbe hurried from the water, teeth chattering. The sun felt good on her bare skin, but Alex wished for a nice, fluffy Egyptian cotton towel.

  Alex followed Ailbe’s lead and put her clean clothing on over her damp skin. It was extremely uncomfortable to be dressing with their skin still wet. Alex sat on a rock and waited for Ailbe to finish pulling an antler comb through her salt and pepper hair.

  As Alex sat and yanked the comb through her tangled hair, a horse and rider came galloping over the hills, heading straight for the house.

  “Looks like Conor is stoppin’ by to see you.” Ailbe said with a smirk.

  Alex’s stomach filled with butterflies, and she hurriedly finished combing her hair as they walked back to the house. Even though she did not intend to marry this boy, she found herself trying to smooth her dark wavy hair and dust off her simple dress. You may not be marrying him, but Aine most certainly is.

  As they got closer to the house, Alex was shocked to see the horse’s sides lathered in sweat. Conor yelled for them in the house. He came running out the front door, looking frantically left and right.

  “Conor! What’s the problem, boy? I thought you would be on the road to Dublin to join the High King’s army,” Ailbe said.

  He spun around and Alex got her first look at the boy Aine was supposed to marry. He was tall, with light skin and dark hair and eyes such a dark blue they were almost black. Alex’s breath left in a rush. As soon as their eyes met, she felt as if she had known this boy her whole life, as if he already knew her deepest secrets and darkest fears. She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

  “The Vikings have attacked and I had to leave.” He took something out of his saddlebag. “I need you to take this and hide it. I will ride off and draw off those that are following me. Please do as I say. Do it quickly.” Conor handed the bundle to Alex. As their hands touched, Alex thought her heart would burst. She could tell by the look on Conor’s face that he had felt something too.

  Conor broke contact and walked over to his exhausted mount. He yelled and slapped the animal on the rump, sending it running. Conor gave Alex one last longing glance before he loped off toward the west, going the opposite direction as the horse.

  “What did he give you Aine?”

  Ailbe’s words brought Alex back to reality. She unwrapped the object and sucked in a breath.

  It was the Book of Kells.

  ***

  Alex slowly caressed the manuscript and could not believe she was holding the actual Book of Kells. She had done a report on the holy book in 7th grade. Alex opened the book and almost cried when she saw the elaborate folios depicting various scenes from the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. She ran her fingers lovingly across the pages, laughing in delight.

  “Why would he give us this?” Ailbe’s face was white with fear. “If we are caught with this holy book, the Vikings will kill us for sure.”

  Alex turned to Ailbe, her heart racing. “Do you have any books that are the same size?”

  Ailbe frowned. “We do have one that is maybe a little larger. Why?”

  “Show me.” Alex ran to the house, hoping she had enough time.

  Ailbe ran to the rickety shelf and took down a book with a thread-bare cloth cover. She handed it to Alex who promptly ripped the cover off.

  “Aine! What in the name of Jesus and his blessed mother are you doing?” Ailbe asked.

  Alex did not answer. Instead, she took the Book of Kells, and with a heavy heart, ripped the cover off. Ailbe put her hands to her mouth in horror as some of the folios came off with the cover.

  “Aine! What have you done? God will surely punish you for destroying the sacred book.”

  “I am saving the sacred book. We have to hide it.” Alex took the cover and folios from the Book of Kells and tossed them into the hearth where they quickly caught fire.

  “Someone is coming. Whatever you’re up to, do it fast, girl,” Ailbe said.

  Alex heard the sound of horses and whimpered in terror. She grabbed the old covers and placed them around the folios from the Book. Her hands shook as she placed it back on the shelf.

  Just then, the door burst open and a tall, muscular Viking warrior walked in, his face covered in a red beard. The man’s eyes roamed the large central room.

  “We are looking for a young man who rode this way. Where did he go?”

  “We don’t know any…”Ailbe began, but the man calmly picked her up by the throat and slammed her against the wall, cutting off her words. He turned his flat gaze to Alex.

  “Where is the young man that passed this way?”

  Alex felt evil pouring off the man and backed away. When he squeezed Ailbe’s throat tighter, Alex pointed a shaking hand to the east, hoping that her actions would bring Conor no harm. But she couldn’t take a chance lying to the big man and having him kill Ailbe.

  The man dropped Ailbe and left without another word. Alex walked to the door and saw the man examine the ground and order his men to follow the tracks the horse had left behind. Alex sighed in relief, glad they had not been able to pick up Conor’s footprints.

  Ailbe rubbed her throat, which was now red and raw. “God bless your thinkin’ brain, girl. Now I suppose it will be up to us to keep it safe?”

  “Until it can be brought once again out into the open, it must be kept hidden. Come dark, we will need to dig a hole and bury it.” Alex was glad she was such a history fanatic. She remembered from her school report that the Book had been found buried in the ground with no covers.

  Alex felt that what she had done had been the right thing to do. She couldn’t explain the feeling, only that she knew, deep down, that the Book of Kells was safe.

  After a supper of cold chicken, Alex went to her room and changed into her shift. She wondered if she would see Conor again. I hope the Vikings don’t find out he tricked them.

  ***

  Late that night, by the light of the moon, Alex and her mother took the sacred Book, covered it in burlap, and crept to the barn. Alex padded quietly to the far wall, whispering soothing words to the livestock as they began moving about. Alex’s heart pounded in fear. If the Vikings returned, they would be caught with the Book, and killed.

  Alex grabbed the crude spade and ran back out of the barn. Her mother stood frozen in place, holding the Book tight against her chest. They ran to the outer edges of the family’s farm. Alex found a shallow ditch nearby and began to dig. She didn’t need to go very deep; just deep enough to bury the Book and hide it from prying eyes.

  Ailbe and Alex shared a glass of warm milk to sooth their shattered nerves. Both expected the Vikings to come riding up any moment with Conor as their prisoner, demanding to know the whereabouts of the Book of Kells.

  “We best be gettin’ to our beds.” Ailbe bid Alex a
good night.

  Alex didn’t bother to change out of her clothes. She lay in the bed, tense and terrified, listening for the sound of hoof beats or voices. She was certain she would not be able to sleep, but in a few short minutes, her eyes closed and she fell into a deep sleep.

  ***

  She awoke standing next to the pond. The full moon shone like a giant spotlight on the water. She knelt and leaned over, watching as her reflection shifted to that of her familiar face framed by blondish brown hair. She reached forward, gasping at the sharp pain as her hand touched the water’s surface.

  ***

  Alex sucked in a breath, determined to stay conscious. She coughed and her breath hitched in her chest. Spots danced before her eyes. Alex stumbled out of her room, sobbing in relief to see the somewhat familiar layout of the guesthouse. The house was shrouded in darkness. Alex wondered how long she had been gone.

  She frantically searched for her mother, and was devastated to find her gone. She must be in the main house.

  Alex ran to the intercom and dialed 0. She breathed a sigh of relief when C.C. answered.

  “C.C.! It’s Alex. Tell mom I’m okay.”

  “Miss Alex? Your mother has not returned from work yet. She and Miss Karen have to close the store tonight.” She paused. “Are you all right?”

  Alex mumbled something unintelligible into the phone and hung up. She ran to the computer and checked the date: September 29, 2010.

  Alex sat down hard, completely stunned. I’ve only been gone a few minutes! She found that almost impossible to believe. She wandered back to her room, trying to grasp all that had happened. Although it was still early, Alex got into her pajamas and got ready for bed. She lay there in bed, heart hammering in her chest, wondering if she was losing her mind.

  She debated watching TV while waiting for her mom to get home. She jumped at each noise, and was too scared to look out the window, fearing she would see the Viking standing there, battle ax raised, ready to chop her head off.