Chapter 37
A t last, they were almost ready to leave. Packing up the camp had taken longer than expected, so night was already falling. They would have to leave soon - or, at least, Mary and Sandy would. The journey would only get harder as they way grew darker. Brigid stared up at the evening sky and wondered if the stars here were different from the ones she saw at home.
They had prepared the cart. An old tent covered Tam’s body, and various important supplies had been loaded up beside him - with a space left for Mary, of course. She seemed a little calmer now, although there was still something unsettlingly empty about her eyes.
Supplies had been collected from what remained of the camp. Sandy had pointed out that there was no point in wasting anything. His tenants could eat this food and spend this coin. A couple of Edmondson’s men had also volunteered to go with them, apparently short of employment now that Edmondson was gone. Sandy explained that he could only offer low wages, but that seemed good enough for them. Sandy and Mary had even found their confiscated weapons, hidden in the corner of Edmondson’s tent. They were ready to go.
But Brigid would not be going with them. Why would she? Thanks to Edmondson’s experiments, she now knew how to travel in time - and the Professor himself was not here to stop her. She could finally go home.
She hadn’t outright told Sandy that, but she could tell that he already knew. Over the past hour, he’d grown more and more distant. More tellingly, he’d not once mentioned her returning to Gillies Tower. It was as if he already removed her from his life, one step at a time.
Brigid could not quite feel excited about the thought of returning home. She’d wanted this ever since she first set foot in the eighteenth century, but now that she actually had the chance to go home, it felt strange. No doubt she was still numb from Tam’s death. Anyone would be. She would start to feel better once she got home.
She tried to remember if there was anything at Gillies Tower that she should take with her. No, best not to even think about it. This was the best place for her to go home, here where time bent around the old stone cross. A trip back to Gillies Tower would only be a waste of time. And it would probably just make things harder. She was not part of Sandy’s life any more. She must accept that and let go.
Straightening her shoulders, Brigid turned to Sandy, who was checking the contents of the cart.
“It’s time for me to go,” she told him.
His eyes widened. “Surely not yet?” he said, putting down the grain sack in his hands. “Are you even sure that time travel is safe yet? What if Edmondson was waiting for you? Perhaps you should recover a bit first, get your energy back. Things could go wrong if you tried to travel in time now. What if you got stuck?”
Brigid smiled sadly. Perhaps Sandy was not as ready to let go as she’d thought. “You don’t need to worry,” she said. “I’m absolutely certain that Edmondson didn’t go back to my time. And I know I can do this.”
Sandy’s frown didn’t lift. “I’m still not sure about this at all,” he said. “Can I speak to you alone for a moment?”
He gestured to the small shed, the one where they had all been held prisoner.
Brigid nodded, suddenly nervous. Why did Sandy need to see her away from everyone else? What could he possibly have to say? She followed him inside.
Sandy shut the shed door behind them and turned to face her in the darkness. Brigid was prepared to argue her case, to explain all the reasons why she should go home now, and why it would be safe.
But, to her surprise, Sandy did not speak. Instead, he swooped down and kissed her. Brigid kissed him back, melting against him. For a moment, she lost herself in the taste and sensation of him. Strong arms wrapped around her, soft lips covered hers. In the almost-total darkness, it was easy to believe that there was nothing except this beautiful sensation. Brigid felt as if she was floating.
She pulled back a little, straining to look up at Sandy’s face in the dim light. His eyes were bright.
“Brigid, I-” he started to say, then stopped. He froze, staring down at her. Neither of them moved. Brigid almost wanted him to finish the sentence, but she didn’t dare ask. If he said what she suspected he might, then how could she ever leave? Her heart ached to reach up and trace the almost-invisible lines of his face, but she had already hurt him enough.
“I have to go,” she said softly.
He brushed the hair back from her face, then nodded.
“I wish you didn’t have to leave,” he whispered. “But I understand. This is not your home. I will miss you, though.”
Brigid’s throat choked up. “I will miss you too,” she whispered in reply.
She couldn’t bear any more. She turned and rushed out of the shed.
But she emerged into a new kind of confusion. What was going on? Everyone was staring at the cross, which was beginning to waver and change. Was Edmondson coming back through after all?
Sandy came out of the shed behind her and gasped.
“Stay behind me, Brigid,” he said, grabbing her shoulder to pull her backwards. He drew his sword and lowered into a fighting stance as a collection of figures began to appear beside the cross. Brigid waited, her breath freezing in her throat.