Chapter 24 #3
Maeve grinned at Iain and took Izzy’s and Max’s hands. “Come with us. Jannet will find ye something to wear.” She looked Garrett up and down. “I’ll hand you over to Donal, he should have something that will fit ye.”
Abby knew full well Maeve was getting them all out so she and Iain could have some alone time.
She looked from sister to sister to brother.
They were adults and had their own lives to live, and those lives didn’t really include her.
Of course, if she went back, they would see one another every now and then, but they wouldn’t be living together.
They would all be forging ahead with their own futures, futures that probably included marriage and children one day.
But Abby knew in her heart she would never find a love like Iain again, and she couldn’t for the life of her imagine marrying anyone else.
“Have fun,” she called out after them. “And try to keep out of the limelight.”
“Limelight?” Iain asked.
“Yeah, I don’t want them becoming the center of attention. I don’t think you’d like to answer all the questions your people would have about them.”
As she spoke, Iain took her into his arms. Abby sighed.
It felt so right being there with him, feeling his strong arms encircled around her, holding her.
She hadn’t thought she was lonely in her time, but being with Iain, she realized how alone she had become, that she’d never felt at home in any of the places she’d lived.
Even her family home had become just another place to meet up with her siblings.
But at that moment, in Iain’s arms, she felt like she would never be alone again. She felt like she was at home.
Iain nuzzled her ear. “Are ye really staying?”
Tilting her head back, Abby grinned. “Aye, if ye still want me to stay.”
His whole face brightened, and he brushed his lips against hers. “Now and forever, my angel. Now and forever.”
***
Once her siblings were dressed, Donal and Callum took Garrett to the fighting pit outside. When Mauve learned Max was a skilled fighter, she wanted to show Max the arms’ room and great hall. Abby and Izzy roamed around with Jannet.
“I suppose it wouldn’t matter if your sister were to see,” Jannet said, more to herself than to Abby.
“See what?” Abby asked.
“The secret room. Now that yer staying with us, ye should know where it is and how to enter.”
Izzy clapped her hands together, and sang, “Oooh, a secret room.”
Abby laughed. What castle didn’t have secret passageways and rooms? As they walked the halls and down the stairs, Jannet told them the history of the castle and the Orpol MacLaren clan. Abby could almost hear Izzy’s mind turning over mysterious plots for her next book.
The smells of roasting meats and baking bread filling the kitchen as they passed through reminded Abby she hadn’t eaten since that morning. She paused at the end of a weathered wood table and gazed at the small freshly baked, sweet cakes. The cook hurried over and handed one to her.
“Mmm, they smell good,” Izzy said.
“Thank you,” Abby said to the cook. “Can I have one for my sister?”
“Aye,” the cook said and picking up another, handed it to Izzy.
Izzy grinned. “Thanks.”
As they ate the cakes and walked into a large pantry, Abby frowned. “I wouldn’t have chosen here for a secret room.”
“This is the best place,” Jannet said, stopping at a set of shelves. “No one comes in here except the cook and kitchen staff. They are the most loyal of all the staff.”
She pushed the shelving unit to the side and opened the thick wooden door with metal clasps, pushing it inside a room.
“Neat,” Izzy said, stroking the metal sides of the shelves. “I love it.”
Inside, Jannet lit the light sconces and sat down on a wooden chair while Abby and Izzy perused the contents of the room.
Abby didn’t know what she expected, but the room was sparse with minimal shelving, some hangers with men’s and woman’s clothes from different eras, and an old wooden table in the centre.
Izzy made a beeline to the clothes racks while Abby examined the table’s contents.
Somehow her parents had managed to bring small, twenty-first century keepsakes back in time with them.
She was surprised to see some books, but Abby noticed none were about history, only fantasy fiction and herbal remedy books.
Framed photographs of her parents with a barrel-chested, kilted man, and some of her and her siblings at different ages were spread over the table.
Abby picked up the one of her parents and looked closely at the Scot.
He must have been Iain’s father, yes, the same eyes stared out at her as if he were amused that she had found him.
“Come along,” Jannet said. “Abby, you and Iain can explore this room at your leisure at another time.”
“Oh, I was hoping I could try on some of these clothes,” Izzy said, feigning a pout.
Jannet chuckled and opened the door. “Perhaps the next time you visit.” She shooed them out.
Izzy grinned at Abby. “You’re so lucky. I’d love to live here.”
“It’s cold and drafty, and with the dogs in the great hall in the winter, smelly,” Jannet said.
“Way to make me want to stay,” Abby said.
Jannet linked her arm through Abby’s, and whispered. “It’s not that bad, but we don’t want your sister staying, she has her own life to live.”