Chapter 3
Angus arrived at Breaghacraig in record time. He dismounted, handing the reins of his horse to a stableboy who’d run to meet him. He took a moment to look around at the familiar castle and the surrounding courtyard. It felt strange to be here and at the same time oddly comforting to be back.
He watched as his horse was walked to the stable before turning towards the large wooden doors that were the entrance to the castle.
He hoped he’d find Edna safely inside its walls and once he was certain she was safe, he planned on giving her a good talking to.
She’d frightened him. Something that wasn’t easy to do.
The doors were opened for him, by one of Robert’s men. “Sir.”
“Thank ye,” Angus said, not recognizing the man.
He entered the castle and as the door closed behind him the smell of lavender wafted to his nose. A moment later Lady Irene Mackenzie rushed past him and then stopped. Turning back to look at him, a huge smile spread across her face. “Angus Campbell. Is it really ye?”
“Aye. ’Tis.” A warm smile spread across his face. Irene had a way about her that made everyone she met feel at ease and he was no different. Despite the fact that he was worried about Edna, seeing Irene at this moment gave him a comfort that he truly needed.
“To what do we owe the honor of yer visit?” she asked, brushing her hair back over her shoulders. Glancing past him she turned her head in each direction as if she were looking for someone.
“I… I’m hoping to find Edna. Is she here?” he asked.
“Edna?” Irene asked. “Edna’s not here. We haven’t seen her in quite some time.”
“Are ye sure?” he asked. He had no reason to question Irene, but maybe Edna had arrived without her knowledge.
“Verra sure,” Irene replied. “Please, come in.” She led him into the great hall. A few of Robert’s men sat around a table by the hearth having a good laugh about something. When they saw Irene they all stood and bowed in her direction.
Angus didn’t know any of them, but there wasn’t any reason he should. More laughter filtered into the great hall from the passageway and a moment later Ashley and Jenna appeared.
“Angus!” they cried.
He opened his arms wide as they ran into them. They were like daughters to him. He hadn’t seen them in some time and he realized he missed them. He kissed each on the top of the head and stood back to look at them. “Yer as beautiful as ever, the both of ye.”
“What are you doing here?” Ashley asked. “Where’s Edna?”
His stomach clenched at this further confirmation that the people of Breaghacraig had no idea where Edna was. “I was hoping ye might ken.”
“Come,” Irene directed them. As they approached the hearth, Irene waved her hand at the men who were seated there and they all took their leave, nodding and bowing to the ladies of the castle.
“Sit, please.” She pointed to one of the now vacant chairs and sat in one opposite him. Ashley and Jenna stood behind her. “Tell me what’s happened,” she said. The seriousness of her expression and her obvious concern told Angus that no matter where Edna was, the Mackenzies were there for him.
“I woke this morning to find Edna gone from our bed. ’Tis not her usual way. I searched but could no’ find her. I assumed she’d crossed the bridge for some reason and the only good reason would be that someone here needed her.”
“We haven’t contacted her,” Ashley said, her features etched with concern.
Jenna bit her lip as she thought for a moment. “We’ve got that snow globe she gave Ashley, but none of us have used it.”
“She’s no’ here, Angus, and I can see that ye’ll need help to find her.” Irene wrung her hands as she stood. “I’ll get Robert and the others. They’ll help ye.”
“Thank ye, Irene. I knew I could count on the Mackenzies.”
“It goes without saying. She is dear to all of us.” Irene motioned to one of her servants. “Find me husband, please.”
With a nod of his head the man took his leave and once he was gone Irene turned back to Angus. “Are ye hungry?” she asked. “I’ll send someone to get ye some food.”
“Nae. Thank ye.” He couldn’t think of eating. The sick feeling in the pit of his belly had only grown since he’d arrived and now understood Edna wasn’t here.
“Doona worry, Angus. We’ll find her,” Irene assured him.
He felt some comfort in her words. He knew they would do their best to help him, no matter where it would lead.
“Is that Angus Campbell I see,” a smiling Helene entered the hall and walked towards them, in her arms was a wee babe.
Angus stood to greet her. “Good day to ye,” he said. “Who have we here?” He gently rubbed the babe’s cheek with his hand forgetting, if only for that moment, why he was at Breaghacraig.
“’Tis Roban.” Helene gazed down at her wee son with pride.
“A wee laddie,” Angus said, smiling. “Dougall must be a proud Da.”
“Aye. Verra,” Helene said. “He’s going to be strong like his Da.” The baby squirmed in her arms and began to fuss. “He’s getting some teeth, poor wee babe.”
Irene stood and took the little one from her arms. “I ken ye doona mind if I take him for a wee bit.”
“’Tis good to see ye,” Helene said, watching Irene and Roban. She reluctantly pulled her gaze from them and turned her attention to Angus. “Is Edna with ye?”
“Nae. ’Tis why I’m here. Edna is missing.” No matter how many times he said it, the words seemed foreign to him.
“Missing?” Helene’s hand flew to her chest as her eyes opened wide with shock. “How? Why?”
“Those are all good questions and I doona ken the answers.”
The sound of boots on stone caused Angus to look up as Robert, the laird of Breaghacraig entered the hall accompanied by Irene’s brothers, Cailin and Cormac. A large black dog, much like Chester, padded along beside Cormac.
“Angus!” Robert called. The men hurried across the room to greet him as he stood.
“Robert, Angus needs yer help. Edna is missing,” Irene explained as she rocked Roban in her arms.
“I thought she’d be here,” Angus said.
“How long has she been gone?” Cailin’s face was etched with concern.
“Since some time during the night. I woke and she was no’ there,” Angus explained. “I must find her. She would no’ leave on her own without telling me.”
Robert stroked his chin as he thought. “Do ye believe someone’s taken her then?”
“I doona ken it, but I feel it.” His gut knew it to be fact, but he lacked proof.
“Gather the others and we’ll search for her,” Robert ordered.
Cailin and Cormac nodded and left the hall.
“Do ye think she’d go to the Campbells?” Irene asked.
“’Tis possible. Or to Lena and Ewan.” Lena was his daughter. He was sure if Edna went there for any reason she would’ve woken him so he could accompany her.
“We’ll go to the Campbell’s first then,” Robert said. “As we work our way back toward the bridge we’ll stop at Lena and Ewan’s.”
“Aye. ’Tis a good plan.” Angus didn’t want to think about what he’d do if she wasn’t there and so he wouldn’t. He would hang on to hope for now.
Irene had coaxed him to eat something while the men quickly prepared to leave. Soon, Angus, accompanied by Robert, Cailin, Cormac, Dougall and Logan rode out in search of Edna.
It was good to ride with these men. It gave Angus the sense that they would find Edna no matter where she was and no matter who had stolen her from him if that was the case. If need be, Edna’s friends among the faeries and elves would be of help as well.
Edna had many friends that loved her here in this time. He wasn’t alone. They would fight alongside him if it came to that. He felt a little better knowing he wasn’t alone in his desire to have Edna back safe and sound.
***
Edna paced back and forth across the floor of her bedroom prison.
The cat who had been watching her for what seemed like hours had disappeared and although Edna checked everywhere around the room, including under the bed, it was nowhere to be found.
Instead the crystal ball that was her view to the outside world was all she was left with.
It had settled atop the bedside table where the lamp cast a yellow glow on the swirling inner fog.
“Why am I here?” Edna wondered out loud.
She’d had nothing to do but think and was at a complete loss.
She thought about Evanore and was quite sure she didn’t know her.
Edna remembered everyone she met, no matter how much time had passed between meetings, but there was nothing familiar about Evanore.
Perhaps she had conjured some spell to disguise herself from Edna—she was a witch, after all.
She stopped pacing as she contemplated what she had done to cause Evanore to kidnap her and lock her up here?
There were no answers that made any sense to her.
Gazing at the swirling fog of the crystal ball, she noted that it was changing.
The ball lifted from the table and came to her, stopping at eye level about a foot away.
The fog began to clear. Edna’s eagle eye honed in on the swirling colors as they began to take shape.
She could see the men of the Mackenzie clan riding alongside her husband.
She recognized the ground they were covering as the road to the Campbell clan.
Angus was getting further and further away, which meant he wasn’t coming to help her any time soon.
Frustrated and angry, Edna slumped down on the bed with her head in her hands.
Her ordeal wasn’t going to end for some time yet.
The orb followed her and waited for her to focus on it once again. This time she saw and heard the women of Breaghacraig gathered together in deep discussion.
“We’ve got to do something,” Ashley said, looking from one woman to the next.
“Ashley’s right. Edna needs us,” Jenna added.
Edna couldn’t help but feel delight at what she was seeing. These women, all so happy together, were the reason she did what she did. Watching them holding their babies while the older children played nearby was a gift she would never tire of receiving.
“The men have gone off to the Campbell’s.” Jenna went to stand behind Ashley as she spoke. “They’ll be gone awhile. I think we should head back to the bridge and search there ourselves.”
“Irene, you and Helene should stay here and keep an eye on the kids. If you don’t mind, of course,” Ashley said.
Ashley’s pleading look touched Edna’s heart. She’d never once regretted her efforts to help these women find love and family.
“Aye. I agree.” Irene nodded and looked to Helene.
“We’ll only be gone a few days,” Jenna said.
“We’ll take good care of them. Doona ye worry yerselves,” Helene added.
“We should get going then. I’ll go arrange for our horses to be ready at first light,” Sara said, handing baby Lily to Irene. “Don’t worry little sweetie, Momma will be back in no time.”
They all went their separate ways to pack and prepare for the trip.
“No! Doona come!” Edna cried. As much as she was touched that they wanted to help she had a bad feeling that it was exactly what Evanore wanted.
Edna wasn’t one to feel sorry for herself. It was more in her nature to find solutions to problems and she was determined to do just that. She would find a way out of this place. How she would do it hadn’t come to her yet, but it would. She had no doubt.
Placing a few pillows behind her she sat back against the headboard of the bed to think.
The loud purring sound of the tabby came to her ears and she found him nestled up against her hip.
Her hand automatically went to stroking his soft fur as she allowed her mind to wander, knowing that often it was the best way to figure things out.
“Where have ye been hiding?” she asked him.
His large green eyes slid to the side as he gazed at her.
“Alright, doona tell me. It doesn’t really matter, does it?”
He closed his eyes and enjoyed the attention he was receiving.
Edna gazed at the fireplace. She focused all of her energy and attention on it, hoping to spark it to life. Long minutes passed and all she could muster was a tiny spark that went out almost as quickly as it appeared.
Eyes heavy and exhausted both physically and emotionally, Edna gave in to sleep.
Her dreams were filled with sweet visions of Angus.
He was close enough for her to touch. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her as he moved closer still.
All the love she had in her heart poured out of her as she placed her palm against his cheek.
His face was filled with warmth and love.
His eyes revealed all he was feeling as his lips met hers.
The kiss was soft and bittersweet. He was leaving her and there was no promise of a return.
She begged him not to go. He backed away from her with a somber expression that left her in despair.
“Please, please, Angus, doona leave me…” He strode away with purpose.
She couldn’t stop him. Edna tried to run, but her legs were heavy.
She could barely lift her feet and fell reaching out her hands to him, but he was unaware.
He continued walking, unable to hear her pleas.