Chapter 20
When the fog cleared, Dougall was relieved to see they were exactly where they were supposed to be. A man with a horse and cart was about to cross the bridge and seemed surprised to see them.
“Where’d ye come from?” he asked.
“We’ve travelled a great distance to be here.
Can ye tell us the year kind sir?” Dougall knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it.
The reality of all that had happened over the past weeks weighed heavily on him and he needed the acknowledgement that he had survived it all and arrived right back from where he’d left.
“Ye are correct, sir and thank ye,” Dougall said.
The man seemed suspicious of them and he hurried his horse to move on across the bridge. He was headed in the opposite direction of the way they would go and Logan laughed. “We’re here. I can hardly believe it.”
“’Tis nae hard to believe if ye believe we’ve just spent time in the future.
” The future – where Helene remained. He was sick at the thought of it.
How did all of this get so out of hand. If only he hadn’t left her alone with his father, perhaps none of this would have happened.
If only he hadn’t pushed her to make a choice – stay in San Francisco or come home with him.
If only he had listened to Sara, perhaps things would be different.
Perhaps she’d be at his side now instead of somewhere in a time and place far away from him.
“I wish Sara had come with us.” Logan said, obviously unaware of Dougall’s pain.
“Ye didnae ask her,” Dougall growled.
“I wish I had.”
“Too late now.” Dougall had little patience for Logan’s lament, he had enough of his own regrets.
“Maybe Edna will help me.” Logan sounded hopeful to Dougall’s ear.
“Ye’d have to ask her and I’m nae so sure she’d help ye.”
“Why not?” Logan’s puzzled expression was almost comical, but the last thing Dougall felt like doing was laughing. All the joy had been drained out of his life and he doubted it would ever return.
“She doesnae ken who ye be,” Dougall said.
“Does she ken ye?”
“Aye. She does.” Dougall left it at that.
He didn’t bother to tell Logan that he hadn’t officially met Edna, but had seen her when he was with the MacKenzies after Ashley’s arrival.
Dougall wasn’t sure why Edna had helped him.
In any case, it hadn’t worked. Here he was back in his own time and without Helene.
“We should ride to Castle Treun. I must speak with me Da.” Dougall spurred his horse forward and Logan followed.
“Why are ye in such a hurry?” Logan questioned.
“I wish to get this over with.”
“Edna!” Zeke called into the fireplace. “I feel like a fool talking to my hearth, especially since she’s not answering.”
“She may nae wish to help.” Helene was wringing her hands, pacing back and forth. It was sweet of Zeke to try to help her, but she knew from everything she’d heard that Edna had her own reasons for when and how she helped. “Mayhap she doesnae wish me to be with Dougall.”
“Why would you think that.” Zeke turned away from the fireplace to face Helene.
“Because she’s a matchmaker.”
“So you think the fact that Dougall left without you is because Edna planned it that way.”
“Aye.”
“I disagree. It was a timing issue. We were late.”
“I was late. ’Twas me. I couldnae make up me mind and now I’m stuck.”
Zeke went to her and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. “Don’t blame yourself. Let’s just say it was poor timing.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll keep trying. Sooner or later she’s going to answer me. If all else fails, we can fly to Scotland and see her in person.”
“Fly to Scotland! Do ye really think we could do it?” She had no idea that people of the future could fly.
“Sure.”
“I don’t think so, Zeke.” Sara came down the stairs to join them. “She needs a passport. Where are you going to get her one of those?”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” he said.
“Not only that, she has no identification to speak of and no way of getting any.” Sara poked a finger into her brother’s chest as she spoke.
“Is that a problem?” Helene asked.
“Only if you want to get a job, drive a car or travel anywhere. There are lots of reasons you might need an I.D.” Sara seemed angry with her brother. “You should have seen to it that she got there on time this morning.”
“Oh, my.” Helene was beginning to feel as though she had done nothing but worry from the moment she’d arrived.
Would it ever get any better, or would she always be afraid of living in this time.
There were so many things to know and while her confidence had been bolstered by this experience, she wondered if she would ever feel at home in this place.
“Don’t worry,” Zeke said. “We’ll find a way to make this work, but I’m not giving up on getting you back to your own time, no matter how long it takes.”
All was quiet at Castle Treun as Dougall and Logan rode through the gates.
It would be hours before those in the castle awoke to begin their day.
They dismounted and walked their horses to the stable entrance where they were greeted by a young lad who took their horses from them.
Dougall strode across the courtyard, followed by Logan.
When they arrived at the castle entry, Logan left him and went off to the kitchen in search of food.
Dougall chuckled to himself. Logan was always interested in filling his belly and constantly worried about where his next meal would be coming from.
A fire blazed in the hearth of the great room and Dougall made himself comfortable in a chair he placed before it.
He rested his elbows on his knees, mesmerized by the flickering flames, which reminded him of the many nights he’d held Helene in his arms as they enjoyed the warmth emitted by such a fire.
How he would get her out of his thoughts wasn’t something he hoped to accomplish.
At least not right away and perhaps not ever.
She was so much a part of him that he was amazed he was able to walk and talk without that piece of him that was now missing.
It would take time to mend his heart and to heal his soul.
A loud hacking sound came from behind him and he turned to find Laird MacRae stumbling into the hall.
“Da, are ye well?” he asked.
“Dougall! Yer back!”
“Aye. I’ve come to speak with ye.”
Paddraig dropped himself into a chair opposite Dougall and took a long swig of ale. “What ye didnae say enough the day that ye left?”
“Nae. I’ve come to tell ye that if ye wish me to marry Greer, I shall.
” As he spoke the words, his stomach revolted on him and it was all he could do not to retch on the stone floor.
He steadied himself. “Helene…” Her name caught in his throat.
“Helene is gone.” He didn’t say more. His Da had no need to know the particulars of his situation.
“Aye. Well, ’tis good to hear. I didnae wish the lass any harm. Me only wish was that she leave ye be.”
The anger Dougall had been containing came roaring back to life. He fisted his hands to keep for pummeling the old man. His voice came out in a low growl, “Da, ye tried to kill her. Ye left her to die. How can ye possibly say that ye meant her nae harm?”
“I told yer sister to tell her that because I wished to frighten her into leaving and never coming back. I sent one of me men to follow her. Ye must believe me, I didnae wish her to come to any harm. He made sure she didnae, at least until they came to a bridge where he lost her in the fog. He couldn’t find her, so he returned to me.
Ye ken me better than that lad. I was strict with ye when ye were a lad, but I am nae a murderer.
” He looked in his cup and seeing it was empty, lurched from the chair and across to the sideboard where the ale sat in a pitcher.
He poured himself more. “Do ye wish some ale, lad?”
Dougall shook his head. He didn’t think he could stomach it at that moment.
“As for Greer, I took yer suggestion and I married her meself.” He chuckled as he made his way back to the chair. “She’s a feisty one, she is and may end up being the death of me yet.”
Dougall was both shocked and relieved to hear this news.
“I’ll find ye another lass to marry. Dinnae fear. There are many who’d give all they have to be married to the future laird of the MacRae’s.”
“I’m nae ready to marry, Da. I need some time.”
“This lass has broken yer heart,” he said.
“Aye. She has.”
“And yet ye still love her?” Paddraig seemed puzzled by that.
“I do.” Dougall was baffled by his father. He wasn’t his normal irascible self. He actually seemed as though he cared about Dougall’s heart. “Da, ye seem so different to me. Has something happened to change ye.”
“Aye. Yer sister Brenna showed me that I’ve nae been the best father to ye.
She’s wise beyond her years, that one is.
She spoke to me about yer absence from Castle Treun.
She told me ‘twas me own fault and that if I ever wished to have yer respect that I would have to show ye the same in return. It took some time for me to see things her way, but she wouldnae let it rest. She has taught me that I should be kind to those I love and I do love ye, son.”
What could Dougall say to that? In all his years, he’d never heard his father say he loved him.
Paddraig scratched his head and sighed. “I must thank ye fer not wishing to marry Greer. I believe that has helped me disposition as well. I’ve been a lonely old soul since yer Ma passed and I was angry with ye when ye wouldnae stay here with me after she was gone.”
Dougall was surprised to hear that. His father had never led him to believe that he needed or wanted him here.
“Do ye wish to be laird when I’m gone, lad?” Paddraig asked