Chapter 4
Maggie and Angus approached Breaghacraig around midday.
They bid goodbye to Ewan soon after sun up and they’d all agreed once again that Ewan and the family would come to Breaghacraig once the danger had passed.
Maggie was happy Angus would finally get to meet his grandsons and reunite with his long absent daughter.
She only wished Edna could visit with them, as well.
“Uncle, will they know who we are?” Maggie asked as they reached the gates. Her fingers instinctively went in search of her hair, for a bout of anxious twirling, but much to her frustration ’twas out of reach, neatly tucked beneath her cap.
“Ye’ll need to call me sir, Maggie, and I’ll need to call ye Alec, if we’re to make this work.”
“Yes, sir,” Maggie snapped a salute in his direction and they both laughed.
“To answer yer question, even though this is my time, Robert & Irene willnae ken who I am as I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting them, even though I did know their fathers.
I’ve not met Cormac either. Jenna, Ashley and Cailin, however, have all met me at The Thistle and Hive, so they will no doubt recognize me. ”
They drew their horses up at the gates and Maggie admired the completely intact castle.
There were hundreds of castles dotted around Scotland, but not many looked as fresh and new as this one did.
She realized, of course, that ‘new’ was a relative term, because even in 1514, this castle was more than likely already a few hundred years old.
Still, it was a thrill to see it in daily use and occupied by the MacKenzie clan—instead of operating as a museum, open to the public and manned by employees who sold tickets and souvenirs.
“State yer business,” the guard called down from the barbican.
“Me name is Angus Campbell—an old friend of the laird’s father and this be me companion, Alec,” Angus called back.
The guard continued staring at them for a moment longer, before giving the signal to open the gates. Angus and Alec passed through and into the very busy courtyard, where they were met by boys from the stable who waited for them to dismount and then took their horses.
Maggie was fascinated by it all. She’d heard so much about this castle and she’d been excited about being able to see it firsthand.
It was pleasing to discover it was everything she had expected and more, and she was not disappointed in the slightest. Everything about it seemed larger than life and it met all her expectations.
Maggie couldn’t believe she was actually in medieval Scotland, and that in her time, these people were all long dead.
Or were they? She’d have to ask Edna about this question, wondering whether it could be possible that they were all living at the same time, just on different planes of existence?
She was going to give herself a headache if she kept thinking along those lines, but for some reason, it was easier to believe that, than to believe she’d actually travelled back in time five hundred years.
“Try not to seem as if this is all brand new to ye lad,” Angus cautioned quietly, as they headed towards the heavy wooden doors to the castle. “Not everyone here knows about the bridge.”
“Right.” The word ‘lad’ got Maggie’s attention and she knew that from this point forward she had a job to do and that meant she could not let her guard down—ever.
Angus was just about to reach for the doors, when they practically flew open, knocking them back a pace. His facial expression changed from serious to delight in a split second. “Jenna! Ashley!” he crowed.
“Angus?” Both women spoke at once and then ran into his waiting arms. He kissed the tops of their heads, first one and then the other, and held on to them tightly.
“What are you doing here?” Ashley asked.
“Did you bring Edna?” She peeked around him, searching for Edna and her gaze landed briefly on Maggie.
“Nae. I’m afraid not.” Angus reluctantly released the two women. “I’m sure ye both ken that my niece, Maggie, is here. I’ve come to escort her home. Edna has need of her at the inn.”
Maggie noted that at the mention of her name, the women exchanged a troubled look. She wondered what that was all about. What had Brielle been doing while she’d been at Breaghacraig? Maggie wasn’t certain she wanted to know, but she hoped Brielle hadn’t done anything to ruin Maggie’s good name.
“You can stay for a while though, can’t you?” Jenna asked.
“Aye. I’ve much to catch up on with ye both.” Angus twirled Ashley and whistled. “Look at ye lass. When is the babe due?”
Ashley giggled at this big teddy bear of a man. “April. Thank you so much for the baby gift you sent back with Jenna. You made it, didn’t you?”
“Aye, that I did. Whether the babe be a lad or a lassie, a wee wooden sword will come in handy. They can start to practice with it almost as soon as they can walk. I made it especially for a wee little hand. Of course, they’ll outgrow it quickly, but I can always fashion another when that happens.”
“I hope you’ll come back and visit after the baby is born. Then you can give the little one the benefit of your knowledge and teach them how to use it.”
“It would be my pleasure, Ashley. I’m a lucky man to have so many wonderful women in me life. Ye ken yer both like daughters to me.”
“We’re the lucky ones,” Ashley said. She put her fingers to his lips to quiet his protest. “Cailin will be so excited to see you. Come on, let’s go find him.”
Maggie cleared her throat to remind them that there was someone else present.
“I’m sorry. We didnae mean to ignore ye lad,” Angus announced. “Ladies, let me introduce ye to Alec. He accompanied me from Glendaloch, he’s a local lad and Edna wanted to give him the experience of time travel. She thought I could use his help while I’m here.”
“Nice to meet you,” Jenna stuck out her hand and Maggie did her best to shake it with a suitably manly grip. “You look really familiar,” Jenna added, examining Alec’s face curiously.
“You’re right, Jenna. He does look familiar. Did we meet you in Glendaloch?” Ashley asked.
“I dinnae think so,” Maggie replied, averting her eyes and trying her best to sound more masculine.
“Oftentimes people mistake me for someone they know. I must have one of those faces, I guess.” This was harder than she had anticipated.
Remembering to speak and act like a lad was going to be a constant struggle for her. She only hoped she didn’t mess up.
Ashley shrugged and took hold of Angus’ hand. Jenna went to his other side and wrapped her arm through his.
Lagging behind, Maggie watched the easy way Angus had of speaking with these two women. They obviously both adored him and the feeling seemed genuinely mutual.
“Cailin,” Ashley called to two men, who were undoubtedly brothers, as they walked away from a larger group of men. She waved her arms frantically in the air and the two men exchanged glances and trotted towards their small group.
“Is that Angus I see?” Cailin asked. Not waiting for an answer, he pulled Angus into a bear hug that was returned in kind. Cailin then introduced Angus to the other man. “Angus, this is me brother, Cormac, husband to Jenna.” Cormac offered Angus a hearty handshake and slapped him on the back.
“I’ve heard so much about ye,” Cormac said. “I’m happy to finally meet ye, but where is yer wee wife?”
Angus explained that she hadn’t been able to come along and that he was visiting Breaghacraig to collect Maggie.
“This be my companion, Alec,” Angus explained. Both Cailin and Cormac nodded in greeting.
“’Tis good to meet ye,” Maggie responded, again deepening her voice as much as possible.
She was grateful that there was no backslapping where she was concerned.
She would surely have ended up on the ground in a heap if either one of these strapping men had attempted it.
She was also thankful that neither of them had met the real Maggie before now.
Ashley and Jenna moved to stand beside their respective spouses and Maggie suffered a twinge of jealousy when she saw how in love they appeared.
She could hardly wait to see Dylan, although she would be forced to continue the pretense of being Alec for the foreseeable future.
She would have to accept that fact, and that she might see some things here that she didnae want to see.
As the others talked, Maggie cast her gaze towards the group of men Cormac and Cailin had just left.
Her breath caught in her throat when she recognized Dylan standing amongst them.
He looked even more amazing than she remembered.
Of course, here he was shirtless and wearing a kilt, which only made him more attractive.
He seemed very comfortable with the other men as they all laughed and joked with one another.
She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of him.
“Is everything alright?” Ashley asked, seeming to notice Maggie’s keen interest in the men.
“Oh, aye, it is,” Maggie said, casting her gaze down towards the ground and scuffing at the dirt with her boots. She was going to have to be more careful. She tuned her ears back in to the conversation at hand.
“I hope ye two lads are taking good care of these precious gems.” Angus had donned his protective father face and raised a questioning eyebrow at Cailin and Cormac.
“Of course,” Cailin said, squeezing Ashley around the waist.
“Aye. We are,” Cormac agreed.
“Ladies? Any complaints?” Angus asked.
Ashley and Jenna acted as if they were giving it some serious thought and then burst into laughter. Cailin and Cormac both shook their heads at their wives antics.