Chapter 15
The sky wore an angry gray pall as it had for the past week, a reflection of the mood at Dunaill.
Logan and Sara walked hand in hand around the courtyard, avoiding the topic that was at the forefront of both their minds.
Rory Mackall wasn’t getting better, he appeared, in fact, to be getting worse.
He was sleeping more and more and, despite the medication, things were no longer looking hopeful.
Rory was dying and there was nothing more they could do.
Plans had been made for Sara and Logan to return to Breaghacraig first thing in the morning.
Their days had been filled with the reality of giving each other up, but their nights were the exact opposite.
They clung to each other and loved each other as if nothing could come between them.
They blotted out all thought of Sara leaving and Logan marrying Aisla.
It quite simply didn’t matter when they were alone in their room.
It was a protective bubble where no mention of what was happening outside their locked door was ever uttered.
Sara recalled that Edna had warned her that her timing was off and she wouldn’t be able to help her, but Sara hadn’t listened and she was glad of it.
She’d been able to see Logan again. She’d been able to experience the love she’d never had in her life and as heart breaking as it was, she wouldn’t change a thing.
She had learned a lot about herself on this adventure and was grateful for every moment.
As they approached the doors of Dunaill, a servant came out to greet them. “Sir, Lady Katriona wishes to speak with ye.”
They followed him inside where Kat was waiting for them. “Rory is awake and he wishes to speak with ye, Logan.” She glanced at Sara. “Privately.”
***
The door to Rory’s chamber was ajar. Logan tapped lightly.
“Come in,” Nick said.
Logan entered to find Nick was seated at the side of Rory’s bed.
“Rory, Logan’s here.” Nick patted his brother’s hand.
Rory opened his eyes and a faint smile lit his lips. “I’ll leave ye now.” Nick squeezed Rory’s hand and left the room.
“Ye wished to see me,” Logan said as he drew closer to the bed.
Rory drew in a breath before weakly proceeding. “Take care of Aisla and the babe fer me. Please. Tell her I love her and I dinnae wish to leave her this way.”
“I will.” Logan sat on the edge of the bed. “Rory, if ye love her ye must fight to stay alive. Dinnae give up. Do ye hear me?”
“I’ve tried, but I’m tired,” he whispered.
“Ye must continue to try. Think of Aisla. Think of the babe. Think of yer life together. It will give ye hope and the will to continue the fight.”
Rory had drifted off to sleep again leaving Logan unsure of what was to come. He hoped Rory would continue to fight for his own benefit and for Logan’s, but things were not looking promising.
Leaving Rory’s room, he ran into Kat and told her what had occurred. “I don’t know what’s wrong. The antibiotics Sara gave him didn’t work, he’s lost all hope and he is willing to give up on Aisla and the babe. There must be something more to this than we know.”
“Mayhap what wounded him wasnae as we thought.” She seemed as perplexed by this as he was.
“I’d like to inspect the place where the accident occurred,” Logan said. “I can leave right away.”
“Let’s see what Nick thinks.” Kat led the way back down to the hall.
***
Sara appeared skeptical. “So, what … do you think it was something else. Something magical?”
“It could be,” Kat said. “But we have no way of knowing unless we go and see for ourselves.
“I’ll go with you, Logan.” Sara wasn’t about to let him go off without her. They had so little time left together she wanted every moment, every experience she could get with him.
“Sara, ’tis best if ye stay here. Hamish and I can handle this. We’ll be back in no time.”
Sara wasn’t having it. She stood with her hands on her hips and her chin in the air. “I’m going and you can’t stop me.” He definitely could if he wanted to, but she had to try. “Besides, Hamish is enjoying his time with his cousin. Let’s not pull him away.”
It was obvious she wasn’t going to budge. “We’ll leave as soon as possible. I’ll go see to the horses. Be ready when I come back.”
“Yes!” she shouted, throwing her fist in the air.
Logan cast a glance at Kat, who appeared to be trying to hide a smile. He shrugged and left.
Kat began laughing so hard there were tears in her eyes. “I love it,” she said. “Ye really told him.”
“Yeah, if I want something I don’t give up until I get it,” Sara said. “So, Kat, tell me why ye believe it could be magic that has caused Rory to be so ill.”
“I dinnae necessarily believe that ’tis magic, but I certainly know, better than most, that magic doesn’t have to have a logical explanation. I’m at a loss as to what else it could be. Mayhap when ye’ve seen the place fer yerself, ye’ll find something that will help.”
“Let’s hope.”
***
Approaching Dunaill with Dr. Ferguson and Aisla, Edna was glad she’d decided to make the journey.
She’d been keeping an eye on things as best she could and knew of Rory’s illness.
While she wasn’t able to meddle in Sara and Logan’s romance, she could help Rory and she was going to do her best to save him.
She already had an idea of what the problem was and what would work to cure him, but she needed to see him for herself.
Dr. Ferguson was along to help in the interim.
Hopefully he could keep Rory alive while she worked her magic.
“This is so unbelievable, Edna,” Arthur said.
Edna’s confident smile was meant to put him at ease.
His first trip as a time traveler had come sooner than he’d expected.
Edna had always planned to send him back, but the plan had been for him to arrive shortly before Ashley gave birth and to stay until Jenna had.
“I dinnae ken the full nature of Rory’s illness, but if all goes well we’ll be done here in no time. ”
“I’m excited to stay here until after the babes are born. I’m not expecting there to be any problems, but if there are, they can rest assured I ken what to do.”
“The lasses are thrilled ye’ll be staying. ’Twill give ye plenty of time to explore life here in this century.”
“I’ll also be excited to see Lady Jefford. I hope it works out that I can.” He looked hopefully at Edna.
“I’m sure the MacKenzies will make it happen.” It did Edna’s heart good to know another match was in the making. One that she could manipulate to her heart’s content.
***
The horses were saddled and ready to go. Nick had given Logan directions to where the accident had happened and he was confident he could find it.
“Thank ye fer yer help, Logan. It means so much to our family.”
“’Tis the least I can do,” Logan said. Looking past Nick, Logan saw three people ride through the gates - a man and woman, whom he didn’t recognize and a second woman he did. He pointed them out to Nick who turned to see them.
“Good day to ye,” Nick called.
“Good day. Ye must be Nick Mackall. I’m Edna Campbell and this is Dr. Ferguson and Aisla MacGuirk. We’ve come to help with Rory.”
“Edna? The Edna?” Nick asked.
“Aye. The one and only.” Edna smiled brightly as she and Dr. Ferguson dismounted.
Logan closed his gaping mouth. “I’m pleased to meet ye, Edna. I be Logan. Ye sent me to San Francisco with Dougall.”
“I ken who ye are, Logan. How are things with ye and Sara?”
“Unsettled,” he admitted.
“Well, hopefully if we can get Rory back on his feet things will be different for ye.”
“I can only hope.”
“Shall we go inside?” Nick led them into Dunaill.
“Edna! Aisla! You’re here!” Sara cried as she ran to them.
“We are here to help.” Edna hugged Sara to her and whispered. “I cannae meddle with ye and Logan, but I can help Rory and that’s why we’re here.”
“Thank you,” Sara said, feeling that it was the most inadequate thing she could possibly say to this woman.
She turned to greet Aisla, who stood silently by Edna’s side.
“Aisla thank heavens you’re here. He really needs you now.
” Aisla’s slumped shoulders and drawn face, were an indication to Sara that she was worried.
Feeling a strong kinship with her, Sara wrapped her in a hug.
“All will be well, Aisla, now that you’re here. I can feel it.”
“So, we’d like to have a visit with Rory, if ’tis alright with ye.” Edna faced Nick and awaited his answer.
“Aye. I’ll show ye the way.”
They followed Nick to Rory’s chamber and stopped outside his door. “Aisla I believe ye should go in first. We’ll wait here until ye call us in.”
Aisla appeared to be both frightened and happy. She hesitated for a moment, in what appeared to be an effort to control her emotions before opening the door and walking in.
***
Aisla couldn’t believe her eyes. There was Rory, the man she’d been dreaming of for weeks.
He was still as handsome as ever, but she could see he’d been ill for some time.
She slowly crept to the bed, not wishing to disturb him if he slept.
She reached out a hand to touch his and that old, familiar sensation of being on fire when he touched her came immediately back to her.
Rubbing his hand and arm, she waited for a response.
His eyes didnae open, but a smile appeared on his lips.
“Rory? ’Tis I, Aisla.” She silently willed him to open his eyes, but nothing happened.
Perhaps if she told him about the babe it would rouse him.
“I came all the way from Breaghacraig to see ye. We’re to have a bairn, ye ken.
I want so much fer ye to be with me when he’s born.
” She’d taken to believing that the wee bairn she carried was to be a little boy.
A little boy who would look just like his Da.