Chapter Six
Brianna gaped across the great hall at her younger sister.
The last time she had seen her was when she and Chloe graduated high school and that was years ago.
But this was not the youthful girl she remembered.
Her braided fiery red hair hung over one shoulder, the end tied with a scrap of tartan.
This was a full-grown woman who had come into her own, who looked regal and older than her years.
As Evie rushed to her, she noticed her round belly and realized with some shock that she must be Callum’s “lady wife” and she was pregnant.
Evie embraced her in a fierce hug. “I knew you’d come.”
“Knew?” Brianna echoed.
Evie pulled back, holding her at arm’s length and grinning at her with a bright smile. Tears of joy glittered in her eyes. “There is so much to tell you. You won’t believe it.”
Brianna glanced at Jamie, who still stood to her side grinning as though proud of himself for bringing her here.
“This is the someone who can answer my questions?” she asked.
“Aye, lass.” He looked well-pleased with himself. A smug grin creased his face.
Evie took her by the hand. “Come on. We have to find Chloe. She’ll be surprised to see you, too.”
A wave of apprehension shifted through her as Evie dragged her away through the great hall.
The last words she’d had with Chloe were less than favorable.
She wasn’t sure how the other twin would handle her arrival.
As Brianna was led away, she stole a glance over her shoulder at Jamie, who never took his gaze off her.
Once they were out of earshot of the others, Brianna pulled her sister to a halt.
“Wait. What is going on here, Evie?”
Evie spun to face her. “What did Jamie tell you?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” she repeated, surprised.
“That’s right. Nothing. What the hell is going on? Where are we?”
“Well, that’s a bit difficult to explain.” She reached for her hand, the one that had the strange imprint of the lines from the stone. Holding it in one hand, she traced the lines with her fingertip. “The keystone brought you here.”
“The keystone?” Brianna repeated. She fished in the pocket of her jeans and pulled out the small stone. “You mean this?”
When Evie’s gaze landed on it, her eyes widened.
Releasing her hand, she reached into the pocket of her gown and brought out a similar piece of stone.
She pressed it against Brianna’s. One side fit perfectly.
The lines of Evie’s stone matched up with Brianna’s but there was clearly a missing third piece.
“Yes, I mean that.”
Frustration edged through her. She huffed out a breath as she pocketed the stone once again. Evie did the same. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on or what?”
“I am. Let’s go see Chloe.”
A piece of her wanted to refuse. There was friction between her and Chloe, long-standing friction she wasn’t ready to face yet.
Evie, though, was easy, more laid back. Though they’d had their differences, she always made a point to get along with her no matter what, even when their parents died and there was so much stress and strife between all of them.
When Evie was headed to Edinburgh to join Chloe for her museum gala, she’d called her and begged her to come.
What did she do? She’d refused.
Finally, Brianna said, “I’m not sure Chloe wants to see me.”
“She does,” Evie said. “She’ll be glad you’re here.”
“Are you sure about that? We’ve never gotten along.”
“I’m sure. And we have a lot to share with you. Come on.” Evie took her by the hand again. “For me?”
She could never deny those big brown eyes of hers. Reluctantly, Brianna nodded agreement. They started off again, heading for a curved stone staircase that led up to the next level. It was so narrow they had to go single file.
At the top of the stairs, Evie turned left and headed down a long, drafty hallway lined with the same arched, stained-glass windows as the great hall. Was she in a real medieval castle? She had never actually stepped foot in one, but she’d read enough history to know what one looked like.
At a door, Evie paused and lifted her hand to knock. Before she did, she turned back to Brianna. “Maybe let me do the talking first.”
She wanted to ask why but kept it to herself as Evie knocked on the door.
Moments later it opened. A man stood on the other side.
He was tall, like the other two, with dark hair and sea-green eyes.
His gaze landed first on Evie, then Brianna where he stared at her, openly, for a long silent moment.
So long that it made Brianna shift from one foot to the other.
“Hi, Malcolm,” Evie said with a bright voice.
“Ye’ll be wanting Chloe, then,” he said, his voice gruff. “She’s in the garden with Roslyn.”
“Oh,” Evie said on a breath. “We’ll go find her there, then.”
She turned away from the door, but Malcolm remained there, his gaze still fixed on Brianna.
“Is this…?” His words trailed away.
“Brianna,” Evie said, sounding so happy and proud. “Our older sister.” She practically beamed.
Malcolm looked her over with interest as he took a step out of the bedchamber. “She has the look of Lady Sinclair.”
“Who’s Lady Sinclair?” Brianna asked.
Evie took her hand again. “I’ll explain that later. Thanks, Malcolm.”
She tugged her away from the door and headed once again for the staircase. Brianna had many questions. One of them was to ask who Malcolm was, but Evie was in a hurry.
Back down they went to the great hall where they crossed it. When they entered, there was Jamie again. The moment they stepped foot into the great hall, their eyes locked. A curious swooping went through her gut, which had never happened before.
It went beyond mutual attraction. It was as though there was a sensuous light that passed between them.
As though they were meant to find each other.
But Brianna shoved that thought away because she didn’t believe in that sort of thing.
She’d had many suitors over her single years, but never one that made her feel as though she were the most beautiful woman in the world and the center of his universe.
She pulled her gaze away and followed Evie as they crossed the great hall, through another corridor, and ended up in the kitchen.
It was abuzz with activity. Pots boiled on one end over an open fire.
A maid chopped vegetables. Another cubed meat.
They all looked up as she and Evie passed through, giving her a curious sidelong glance.
Evie paid them no mind as she made her way to the open door on the other end.
Cool air spilled into the kitchen which made Brianna glad, once again, for the coat she wore.
Evie seemed unconcerned by it as she stepped into the late morning into the back garden.
Here, plants grew wild and fragrant. On the other end of the garden, a woman kneeled on the ground while Chloe stood next to her with a basket in her hand laughing at something the woman said.
As they neared, Brianna’s heart clawed its way to her throat. Why was she so nervous? It was ridiculous.
They were almost to the two of them when Chloe glanced their way.
Her smile faded from her face and was replaced with shock as she saw Evie leading Brianna toward her.
The basket slipped from her hand and landed on the ground with a muffled thud.
The woman kneeling on the ground glanced up and followed her gaze to Evie and Brianna.
She rose to her feet, wiping dirt from her hands on her apron and granted her a welcoming smile, as though she already knew who she was.
She and Evie halted in front of Chloe and the other woman, who must be Roslyn.
“I dinnae believe my eyes,” the woman said.
She stepped forward and embraced her with a tight hug, surprising Brianna.
She had no choice but to hug her back. It was the warmest hug she’d had in quite some time and, strangely, reminded her of her mother.
When the woman stepped back, holding her at arm’s length, she smiled with tears pooling in her eyes.
“Ye’ve arrived at last.”
Brianna cut a questioning glance at her younger sister, whose face gave away nothing.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“Roslyn, will you excuse us please?” Evie asked.
“Forgive me, my lady. ’Tis a fine thing to see the lass here, though. I’ll leave ye to explain.” She picked up the basket Chloe had discarded and headed back to the castle kitchen. When she entered, she closed the door behind her.
“My lady?”
Brianna lifted a brow as she assessed the young woman standing before her wearing her medieval garb. Who was addressed as my lady and the wife to the laird of Dundale Castle.
Chloe also looked older and wiser. Deep emerald eyes assessed her with aloof skepticism.
The anger and fury emanated off her in thick waves.
While Evie seemed happy to see her, Chloe’s pinched expression said otherwise.
Her auburn hair was not braided like her twin’s.
Instead, it was wild and free around her face, her face that had aged with lines of fatigue smudging under her eyes.
She was dressed like her sister, too, in a heavy woolen dress.
They stood in silence. Brianna shifted from one foot to the other as her nerves jittered through her.
“She’s here,” Evie announced, a smile in her voice, as though this was a news flash.
“I see that,” Chloe replied tersely. “I can say with absolute surety I’m surprised.”
“Chloe—”
“Why do you say that?” Brianna interrupted.
“Because you’ve disappointed us before. Why not this time, too?” Chloe brushed by them heading down the footpath to the castle.
That explained the anger she harbored. Chloe was always the one to hold grudges while Evie was the peacekeeper.
“Chloe, don’t be like that,” Evie said, her tone pleading.
“Honestly, I don’t know why she came,” Chloe snapped and turned to face them again, folding her arms over her chest. “I mean, she’s never once supported us in anything. Why start now?”