A Bridge Through Time: Book 1 of The Thistle & Hive Series (29 page)

Cailin had quickly donned his plaid when Edna knocked and he stood watching with undisguised interest as she placed the food onto the table.

“Good morning, you two. I hope you slept well.”

“Aye, we did.” Cailin turned towards Ashley who was slowly sitting up in bed, yawning and rubbing her eyes sleepily. Edna watched as he went to her side, bringing the robe from the foot of the bed. He helped Ashley get up and into the robe, before he carefully led her to the table.

“Thank you, Edna. Everything looks wonderful.” Ashley sat at the table and looked up contentedly at Edna and Cailin.

“Please, sit Cailin,” Edna said.

He did as she requested and Edna served them both a little bit of everything. She desperately wanted to see the look on Cailin’s face when he tried the coffee for the first time, so she poured him a cup before she left.

“What do you think, Ashley? Do you think Cailin will like his coffee with cream and sugar, or would he prefer it black?”

“Cream and sugar. That’s how I like it, and I think he will too,” Ashley said firmly.

Cailin took a sip from the cup Edna handed him and a crooked grin spread across his handsome face. Edna was very pleased with his response to the drink.

“So, this is the coffee ye will miss when we return to Breaghacraig?”

“Mmmhmm,” Ashley responded around a mouthful of pancakes. “This is delicious, Edna. You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble.”

“It was no trouble at all. How do you feel this morning?” Edna questioned.

Ashley dipped a forkful of pancakes through the maple syrup. “Quite well, considering.”

“Would you like me to get you the pain medication?” Edna asked.

“No, but thank you. I’m not a medication kinda girl. I’ll save them for if I really need them, but for now the pain is tolerable.”

“I’m so happy you’re going to be okay,” Edna said and the relief she felt was tangible. Edna had been truly horrified by Ashley being injured in medieval Scotland, and regretted her part in it.

Ashley reached out and grabbed Edna’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “No worries, Edna, as I told you, if you hadn’t helped me get to Breaghacraig, I would never have met Cailin.”

“Well, I’ll leave you two alone to enjoy the rest of your breakfast. Do you think you could come downstairs after you eat? I’d like to explain some things to you.”

“Of course,” Ashley agreed with a smile. “We’ll be down in a little while.”

*****

Breakfast was a fun and delicious experience for Cailin. He gobbled down most of the food, and judging by the happy grin on her face, that was fine with Ashley.

“The food, ‘tis verra good, much better than the morning parritch at Breaghacraig. And this coffee is like nothing I’ve ever tasted before,” Cailin announced, holding up his second cup of the steaming brew. “Are ye sure ye will come back with me? We don’t have such wonders at Breaghacraig as ye have here in Glendaloch.” He reached across and brushed his fingers across her hand. Cailin couldn’t seem to stop touching her. He had an uneasy feeling that if he did, she might vanish into thin air right before his eyes and he couldn’t bear the thought.

“I’m sure I’m going to come back with you.” Ashley waved her good arm around the room. “This is just stuff. I can live without all this, but I can’t live without you.”

Cailin cupped her face in his hands and gently kissed her lips. “And I can’t live without ye.”

“I so want to throw my arms around you, but I can’t.” Ashley pouted and studied her injured arm in annoyance. “I can manage to throw one around you though.”

Cailin grinned and pushed his chair back from the small table. “Come here, love.”

Ashley rose from her chair and came to him, and Cailin pulled her carefully into his lap. “Settle yerself in so that I’m nae hurting ye.”

She did as he requested and he wrapped his arms around her, careful to avoid causing her any pain. He nuzzled her neck with his nose and heard her sigh contentedly. He released a sigh of his own, grateful to have her back in his arms.

THIRTY-SEVEN

When Ashley and Cailin entered the dining room, Ashley came to a sudden halt, as she noticed Teddy sitting in his corner. Cailin saw him too and his big body tensed like a cat ready to pounce on its prey as he glared at Teddy.

Edna swiftly reached Cailin’s side before he could make a move towards Teddy. She placed herself between the two men and put a calming hand on Cailin’s arm. “Before you beat Teddy senseless, there’s something you should both know,” Edna said quietly. “Ashley, the day you went on your hike, as I said, I wanted you to cross the bridge. I wanted to get a message to my daughter.” Edna looked down at her hands, rubbing them together anxiously. “I deceived you and I’m sorry for that, but I knew Cailin would be on the other side that day and I hoped he’d be close enough to the bridge to ensure you would go back to his time. I enlisted Teddy’s help to be certain it all worked out the way I had planned. Teddy thought his job was to stop you from crossing the bridge if the fog was there, but I knew you were afraid of Teddy and that his interference would create the perfect reason for you to cross. I honestly had no idea it would turn into a scuffle between you. I owe you all a very sincere apology, including Teddy. Cailin, I hope you understand that Teddy wasn’t trying to hurt Ashley; he thought he was saving her. He was terribly distraught when he returned to the inn without Ashley.”

Cailin looked puzzled and scrubbed his fingers through his hair as he pondered her words. “How did ye know I’d be there?” he asked.

Edna chewed her lip thoughtfully, composing her words carefully. “I saw it in the fire, lad. You see, I have the sight,” Edna said quietly. When Cailin continued to look puzzled she explained further. “I can see things that will happen in the future. It’s one of my gifts.”

“So you
are
psychic,” Ashley gasped. “That day when I arrived and we were sitting by the fire - the man you saw was Cailin!”

Edna smiled happily. “Yes, my dear, and I’m so happy you found one another. You were destined to be together. By the time I foresaw all the trouble that was going to occur, it was far too late. You had already gone across the bridge, but at least I knew you would be returning and that we would be able to get you the help you needed.”

Edna watched Cailin as he turned his attention back to Teddy, who was busily trying to make himself disappear into the corner. Cailin nodded his head in acknowledgement of what had been said and turned back to Edna, his gray eyes serious as he watched her.

“I apologize, Teddy. I didn’t know what you were trying to do. Can you forgive me?” Ashley asked. “I had no idea you were only trying to help.”

Teddy offered them a shy smile and nodded. He stood up and cautiously walked across the room, holding out his hand to Ashley. In his upturned palm was her moonstone.

“I found this at the bridge,” he said quietly.

Ashley grinned and took the moonstone. “Thank you, Teddy. I’m so happy you found it for me.”

Teddy returned to his corner and sat down again.

“Well, now that I know you’re not going to kill Teddy,” Edna laughed, “I’ll tell you the rest of the story.”

They sat down by the fire and Edna prepared herself to be completely honest with them. She took a deep breath and dove right in.

“I should probably start from the beginning,” Edna admitted. “I’ve always had the ability to see things… to know things, even when I was a child. I have other abilities as well, but that’s a discussion for another time.” She paused, considering her words and stared into the fire for a moment. “It wasn’t until my teenage years when I realized my ability to see things meant more than just knowing who was going to be calling when the phone rang, or being able to find things that were lost, and knowing what my friends were doing, when I wasn’t with them. There had been rumors about time travel here in Glendaloch for many years, but most people thought it was a myth or tall tales.” Edna smiled faintly and glanced up at Ashley and Cailin. “I discovered the time travel was real when I was eighteen. I’d had a vision of a very handsome highlander standing at the bridge, the very same bridge you crossed over to return to the sixteenth century, Ashley. I found him very attractive and I desperately wanted to know who he was. Over the next few weeks, the visions became clearer. To the point that I was certain if I visited the bridge, I would find him there. And that’s exactly what I did.”

“Was it Angus?” Ashley asked, watching Edna with great interest and avidly listening to the story.

“Yes, it was Angus. As it turned out, he was trying to find his place in life, back in the sixteenth century. He had three older brothers and was well back in line to become laird of his clan, so he decided to leave and search out a better life for himself. He wandered through the highlands until he came to the bridge, where I was waiting for him. We’ve not been parted from one another since.”

“Angus is a time traveler? Does he know Cailin’s family?” Ashley asked excitedly.

“He knew Cailin’s parents, when they were young. Cailin, Angus and your father were fostered with your mother’s family.”

Cailin seemed surprised by this information and she watched as realization crossed his face, his gray eyes widening. “Aye. I recall my father spoke of him often. Angus Campbell was a great warrior. I’ve heard many tales of his bravery. My father was greatly saddened when he disappeared. He considered him a true friend.”

“Why haven’t you ever crossed the bridge to see Arlena?” Ashley questioned.

Edna smiled sadly. “I am the Bridge Keeper, Ashley. I must always be here, to help those who travel back and forth through time. I’m afraid if I went across the bridge, I wouldn’t be able to return to Glendaloch.”

“Isn’t there someone who could take over as Bridge Keeper for you?” Cailin questioned.

“Someday there will be, but for now… no, there’s no one.”

“I’m so sorry, Edna. I know Arlena would love to see you and Angus again.”

“It’s my life’s work, keeping the door open between these two time periods. You see, others have passed that way before you, and there is always the chance that they’ll need to come back. I’ll know about it, if they do, and I’ll be there to meet them.” Edna leaned forward, patting Ashley’s leg. “Ashley, thank you for getting my letter to Arlena. You must feel a bit like a pawn in a chess match after what I’ve put you through.”

“A little bit,” Ashley admitted, “but I would never have met Cailin without you. I don’t think my life would have ever been complete without him.”

Cailin reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently. “Aye, Edna, ‘tis forever grateful I’ll be for yer bringing us together as ye have.”

“You’re most welcome. Cailin, I saw that you were lacking a special woman in your life and I sent visions of you out into the universe, with the intentions that the right lass be found for you. Ashley was obviously wishing for someone special to come into her life, so the visions found her and set her on the path towards you.”

Ashley chewed her lip and Edna waited patiently for her to speak. “Edna, I think you should know that when Arlena crossed the bridge, she met Ewan right away. She has tried to come back, several times, but the fog has never been there.”

“I know all about it, Ashley. Arlena was meant to be with Ewan and she was meant to have those two little imps, Rowan and Ranald.” Edna laughed through her tears, delighted for her daughter as much as she was saddened by her absence. “Someday I will meet them, of that I’m certain.” Edna wiped her eyes and smiled sadly at them both, anxious at what she had to do next. “Now, I have some news you won’t want to hear.”

Cailin narrowed his eyes. “What is it, Edna?”

“Cailin, you will need to leave here this afternoon and cross the bridge, and Ashley, my dear - you must stay here with us for now.”

“What do you mean? I can’t stay. I’m going back with Cailin,” Ashley shrieked and alarm crossed her pretty features.

“I willnae leave her,” Cailin announced firmly.

“I knew that would be your reaction, but let me explain. The police are coming tonight to arrest you, Cailin. I have seen it in my visions. They are convinced you’re the one who assaulted Ashley.”

“But, Cailin would never hurt me!” Ashley protested.

“I know, dear, but we cannot allow the police to take him. There is far too much at stake. The bridge is a closely guarded secret in Glendaloch. Not many know the truth about it and we must keep the time travel from becoming public knowledge. If anyone discovered that Cailin was a time traveler, he’d never be allowed to return to Breaghacraig.” Edna leaned forward, grabbing their hands and squeezing firmly. “Please - believe me - if I thought this would all work out with no one being the wiser about the Glendaloch bridge, I’d let you stay, Cailin. But I know from my visions it won’t work out that way, and, Ashley, you must stay in the twenty first century until you’re injuries are completely healed.”

Ashley and Cailin sat in stony silence, obviously struggling to contemplate the thought of being away from each other and Edna waited quietly, allowing them to process what she’d told them.

Finally, Ashley spoke and the pain in her voice nearly broke Edna’s heart. “She’s right, Cailin. I don’t want to be apart from you, but at least this way we’ll both be able to go back to Breaghacraig. We’ll only be apart for a short while, if it works out as Edna says.”

“I promise, I’ll get you two back together as soon as I possibly can. Cailin, you will need to be back at the bridge in precisely six weeks’ time. You must wait there for Ashley. She will come to you when the fog appears, I give you my word.”

Cailin didn’t take his eyes away from Ashley, speaking only to her. “I will be waiting, love. Dinnae doubt it.”

Ashley inhaled heavily, clearly resigned to what Edna said they had to do. “I know you’ll be there, I trust you completely.” She shook her head. “I just don’t know if I can do this. I don’t want to be without you for such a long time,” she glanced across at Edna, “but I understand why we must.”