Chapter 5
Asoft mist floated over the grassy field as Logan and Dougall led the men back home.
Their patrol had been fairly uneventful, with the exception of some feuding neighbors who needed help sorting out their differences.
Logan was proud of the fact that Dougall always allowed him to handle these situations.
He seemed to have a gift for calming frayed nerves and finding solutions to problems. By the time he was done the neighbors shook hands and sat down to a meal together.
Their argument had been one that to most people wouldn’t have mattered at all, but to them it was monumental.
Logan was quick to point out that both of them had valid points to be made and that if they would only listen to each other they may come to a compromise that would lead to an agreement and a rekindling of their friendship.
He was right of course and was thanked profusely as they rode away.
“Logan, ye never cease to amaze me,” Dougall observed. He was looking at Logan with the most curious smile.
“And why is that?” Logan asked.
“Ye have such a way with people.”
Logan shrugged. Uncomfortable with the praise. “I listen to them.”
“Yes. That’s part of it, but I think ye also feel what they’re feeling. Ye’ve a kind heart.” Dougall stretched up tall in his saddle.
Logan barked out a laugh, “Dinnae say that too loudly. The men will nae let me live it down. I prefer them to believe me to be a hard-hearted bastard.”
“I’m sorry to tell ye, but they already know ye arenae. It hasnae lessened their respect fer ye. In fact, it has done the opposite. There isnae a man here who wouldnae put his life on the line for ye.”
“I’d do the same for any of them.” It was true. They were like brothers. They teased each other, argued with each other and on occasion they even came to blows, but if any one of them ever needed help, the others in the group would be there in an instant no matter the reason.
“Yer a good man, Logan. Dinnae fight it.” Dougall clapped his old friend on the back before continuing. “I’ll be happy to be back home to me own bed and the warmth of me wife. Not much further to go now.”
“Nae need to saunter along at a walk then.” Logan kicked his horse into a canter and the others followed along. “I’ll race ye to the top of the hill.” Without waiting for a reply, Logan sent his horse into a full gallop.
“Always thinking, arenae ye,” Dougall shouted as he caught up with Logan.
“Aye.” They’d reached the top of the hill. “I won,” Logan called out as Dougall reached his side.
“And why are ye in such a hurry, might I ask.” Dougall brought his horse to a stop next to Logan while they waited for the others to catch up.
“Nae reason. I thought ye wished to be home with yer wife.”
“I do, but where do ye wish to be? I sense ye’ve been keeping something from me and I havenae heard ye mention Sara this whole time. Have ye finally met someone to take yer mind off the lass.”
Logan thought about how much to tell Dougall. Should he tell him the whole story, or leave it to a simple tale? He was the only one Logan had to share things with and his head and heart were aching with the weight of what he was about to do.
“I dinnae ken where to begin. I’ve nae met someone, as ye say, and I havenae stopped thinking about Sara, but she is somewhere far, far away and I cannae have her.
” It pained him to say it. He could still picture her in his mind.
He could clearly hear her voice, but how long would it be before he couldn’t remember what she looked like?
He took in a deep breath. “Ye ken, Aisla, aye?”
Dougall nodded. “Of course, I do. We all came to Breaghacraig at the same time. Ye were coming from her home the other day when I met ye.”
“She has found herself … ” Logan couldn’t quite put it into words.
“Go on. She has found herself,” Dougall encouraged.
“She’s with child.” Dougall was kind enough to remain silent and Logan appreciated it. He was having a hard time saying what he was about to say.
“’Tis nae my child, ye ken. And before ye ask, I ken it to be true.
I’ve nae had relations with her. She’s a good friend and I feel badly fer her and what she’ll have to go through without a husband.
” He choked back the words that he was about to say.
It wasnae what he wished, but he couldnae allow her to be humiliated by others in the clan.
“I told her I’d marry her. Her father is quite angry with me as he believes I’ve sullied his daughter’s reputation.
The marriage must take place quickly, ye ken?
” Logan felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest. Now that he’d said the words.
Now that he’d told Dougall, he knew there was no going back.
He couldn’t … no, he wouldn’t change his mind.
He was doing the right thing. Sara was gone, as if she’d never existed.
Aisla and her bairn would be his life now.
Dougall turned his horse and approached Logan face-to-face. “Logan, are ye sure ye wish to devote yer life to a woman ye dinnae love?” Dougall seemed dumbfounded by Logan’s confession.
“I love Aisla, as a friend at least. I’m hopeful that the feeling will grow over time and we’ll eventually come to love each other the same way that ye and Helene are in love.
” He nudged his horse forward and Dougall turned and followed along beside him.
The others had caught up with them and brought up the rear.
“Ye’ll nae say a word to anyone. I dinnae wish to cause Aisla any harm.
” She needed him and he wouldn’t let her down.
Once they were married everything would be fine. It had to be.
“I understand. My lips are sealed,” Dougall assured him.
“Dinnae even speak with Helene about it.”
“Logan, husbands and wives tell each other everything, or at least they should. Ye’ll ken that soon enough.”
“The fewer who know of this, the better.”
“She willnae say a word. I promise ye.”
Breaghacraig was visible off in the distance. It had a dreamlike quality when being viewed through the mist, which had become thicker the closer they got to home.
Logan knew what he was doing was the right thing, but he had always hoped that somehow, some way he’d see Sara again. He knew it was a fool’s dream, but he couldn’t help himself.
***
“Dougall and Logan will be back today.” Helene happily kneaded the dough she’d let rise and then bake later in the day. “Ye must be excited to see Logan.”
“My stomach is in knots. I hope he’ll be happy to see me.”
“Of course, he will. I told ye, he speaks of ye often and fondly.”
Sara smiled happily as she helped Helene.
She was in charge of the sweet rolls, which Helene told her Logan loved.
She was making them for him. Only a few more hours and her reason for traveling back in time would be standing right in front of her.
If she wasn’t standing here in sixteenth century Scotland, she’d never believe it could be true.
She’d come to accept that there were all kinds of magic in the world.
Magic that couldn’t necessarily be seen by the eye and that most people ignored.
***
A short while later Dougall walked through the door.
His large frame filled the entryway and Helene was in his arms in an instant.
The way they looked at each other was filled with love.
Sara could feel it all the way across the room and felt like an intruder in this coming home ritual they shared.
She watched silently as Dougall lifted Helene’s chin and held it in place while he gently kissed her and caressed her face.
“Welcome home, love,” Helene said, her voice husky with longing.
“Aye.” Dougall hadn’t stopped gazing into her eyes for even a moment.
“Dougall, we’ve a surprise guest staying with us.”
“I love surprises. Who is it?” For the first time, he looked up and away from Helene. His mouth dropped open and he quickly closed it as he spied Sara waving at him.
“Hi Dougall! Surprise!”
“Sara, what are ye doing here?”
The scowl on his face wasn’t quite the reception she was hoping for, but she had caught him off guard. “I’m here to see Logan. Is he back?”
Her eagerness to see him was apparent to both Dougall and Helene. “Aye. He is. He had some matters to attend to, so we willnae see him until later today.”
“Oh, no. I’ve been waiting for days. Is there any way I could find him? I want to surprise him.”
“He’ll nae doubt be surprised, lass.” Dougall’s face went through a number of expressions as he spoke with Sara.
“You don’t seem too happy to see me,” Sara noted.
“Of course, I am. ’Tis just a shock to see ye here. Ye’ll have to tell me how it all came about.” He strode across the room and taking her hand brought it to his lips. “Excuse my rudeness, Sara. ’Tis verra good to see ye.”
“Is everything well?” Helene asked. She appeared quite confused by Dougall’s behavior.
“Aye. The MacKenzie lands are safe and secure.”
“Good.” The three of them stood in awkward silence for a moment.
“Sara, do ye mind if I speak with me wife alone for a moment. We’ll return shortly.” Dougall took the hand of a very confused looking Helene and practically dragged her from the room.
What was going on? Sara and Dougall hadn’t started off on the right foot in San Francisco, but by the time he left she felt like they had become friends.
Now, he seemed put off by her appearance.
Perhaps it was just a shock, as he said, seeing her in a place where she shouldn’t ordinarily be.
She hoped that was the case. She certainly didn’t want to be a bother to him and Helene.
***
“Dougall, what’s wrong?” Helene could see that Dougall was most uncomfortable with Sara’s presence. “I thought ye’d be happy to see Sara.”
“I am, Helene, but there’s a problem with Logan. A problem ye cannae share with Sara.”
“Is he ill?” Helene couldn’t imagine what it could be that would have Dougall so out of sorts.