Chapter 12 #2
“Aye. He was Helene’s Zeke at that time. He was verra good to her and he took good care of her. I believe he loved her, but he knew that she and I were meant to be together and so he sent her back to me.”
“Do ye think he still loves her?” She felt as if she’d been punched in the gut.
He shrugged his shoulders. “’Tis why I want to be the one to tell Helene. I dinnae wish her to be shocked to hear the news, ye ken?”
“I won’t say a thing,” Brenna assured him.
“Thank ye. She’ll be pleased to have ye stay here with us.”
“Ye dinnae believe she’ll be angry with me?
” Brenna felt incredibly guilty about the treatment Helene had received at the hands of her family.
The last time she’d seen her was the night she helped her escape the dungeon.
Brenna couldn’t help but fear that Helene might not want her here.
She couldn’t imagine what it would be like here if she received the same treatment she’d received from Greer and Gillian, but perhaps she deserved it
“Nae. Helene is the sweetest woman. She’ll welcome ye with open arms.”
“I’m sorry for everything that happened to her at Castle Treun. Truly I am.”
“Ye can tell her that if ye like.”
Dougall placed his arm around her shoulders and they continued down the road.
Brenna’s mind wandered to thoughts of Zeke.
He was from this other time. She’d had hopes that Zeke would take her home to his castle with him, but now that she’d found he was from a different time in the future, she could only wonder about this place he was from.
She wondered what it looked like there. Did he live in a castle? She had so many questions.
“It may take me a while to get used to this time traveling story ye’ve told me.”
“’Tis nay a story, Brenna. ’Tis the truth.”
“What is it like? The future,” she asked.
“’Tis full of wonderous things,” Dougall responded.
“Why did ye nae stay?”
“I dinnae believe I belonged there. This is me home. ’Tis where I am meant to be.”
Brenna wondered again about where Zeke lived.
If Dougall and Helene didnae wish to stay there, then mayhap Zeke would want to stay here as well.
As they approached Dougall’s home, Brenna was taken aback by it’s beauty.
It was a grand home. It wasnae a castle, but still it was more than she’d expected.
Her brother must be quite important here at Breaghacraig to have such a fine home.
As they reached the front door Dougall opened it, allowing Brenna to pass through.
“Ye can ask Helene about the future if ye have more questions. She spent more time there than I.”
Before he closed the door, Brenna took one last look at the land surrounding her brother’s home.
A low wall surrounded a beautiful garden filled with shrubs and greenery.
She could hear the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks nearby and smell the salty sea air as it wafted her way on the breeze.
She was proud and happy for Dougall. This was his home and it was to be her home as well.
No longer would she have to deal with her Da’s drinking, or the terrible Greer.
She would find peace here in this home. She could feel it.
“Yer home is beautiful, Dougall,” Brenna exclaimed.
“Dougall, is that ye that I hear,” called Helene from upstairs.
“Aye. Helene, I’ve a surprise fer ye.”
“I love surprises. I’ll be right there.”
Helene rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs and put her hands to her mouth.
“Good day to ye, Helene,” Brenna said.
“Brenna!” Helene was obviously shocked to see her.
“Aye. ’Tis me.”
“Have ye come to stay with us?”
“I have. I hope ye dinnae mind.”
Helene came to her and embraced her. “I dinnae mind at all. I’m so happy to see ye.”
Relief swept over Brenna as she realized she had nothing to fear from Helene. She accepted her. “Helene, I wanted to tell ye that I’m so sorry fer everything that happened to ye at Castle Treun. I hope ye can fergive me fer me part in it.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. As terrible as it was at the time, I learned a lot from it and I believe it made me stronger and it brought Dougall and I closer together.”
“Truly? Yer nae angry with me?”
“Och. Nae. Yer Dougall’s sister and that makes ye me sister, too. Ye ken I’ve never had one.” Helene said.
Brenna relaxed. She’d never had a sister either. Well, she’d had Fingall’s wife, Gillian, for the last few months and that had been a disaster. She was happy to know Helene was nothing like her.
“Dougall, show Brenna to her room. We’ll be eating at the castle this evening, so I’ll be on me way to help Irene. Ashley’s busy with the new bairn and Jenna’s not up to the task either.”
“Helene, I need to tell ye something before ye go,” Dougall said.
“I dinnae have the time right now, Dougall. Ye can tell me when we sit down to eat. Brenna, Dougall can show ye where I keep me gowns. Help yerself to whatever ye like.” She rushed out the door leaving Dougall and Brenna staring after her.