A Bridge Through Time: Book 1 of The Thistle & Hive Series (3 page)

Edna must have noticed her shiver and spoke. “Are you warm enough, dear?”

“Yes, yes… I’m fine. The fire is lovely.”

“I noticed on your registration card that you’re from California. It must be beautiful there, and probably a lot warmer too,” Edna smiled.

“I’m from San Francisco. I’ve lived there my whole life… until about a week ago.”

“Oh… not anymore?”

“It’s a long story, but I’m taking a break from city living and I’ve decided I need a little adventure in my life.”

“Wouldn’t it be exciting if you found one here?” Edna smiled. “And you’re travelling all alone.”

Ashley nodded, her mouth too full of stew to speak.

“Brave girl.”

If you only knew
, Ashley thought. Aloud, she responded to Edna. “I just needed to get away. To push myself out of my comfort zone.” Ashley was actually very proud of herself. This was the bravest thing she’d ever done.

“What does your family think of this? Aren’t they worried about you?”

“My parents are both deceased, so I’m on my own. I was their only child.”

“I’m so sorry, Ashley. I didn’t mean to pry.” Sympathy was evident in Edna’s eyes.

“No worries, Edna. I still miss them terribly, but it’s gotten easier with time.” Her eyes started to well up and she stared at her food until she got the tears under control.

“I hope I didn’t upset you, dear. Angus and I have had our share of losses as well. It’s just the two of us now. Our daughter, Arlena, would have been about your age, I think.” She shook her head sadly and Angus reached across the table and silently took his wife’s hand. They exchanged a loving look. “We’ve found family all around us and you will too; I just know it, Ashley.” Edna was staring into the fire now, almost in a trance. “Yes, you’ll meet a handsome young man and even though you’ll seem like you’re from two different worlds, you’ll fall in love and his family will become yours.”

What a strange thing to say
. Ashley thought Edna sounded like a fortuneteller or something. Edna looked back at Ashley and her whole demeanor changed, smiling and upbeat again. “Listen to me,” she laughed. “You’d think I could predict the future.”

Ashley was a bit disappointed; she had secretly hoped Edna could, because that was exactly what she had been dreaming of. A handsome man, falling in love, becoming part of his family… it was everything she wanted.

“Would you like to join us in the parlor for a little after dinner sherry?” Angus asked.

He speaks
. Ashley hadn’t heard Angus utter more than a handful of words throughout dinner.

“I’d love to, just for a little while though.”

As they left the room, Ashley glanced at the corner again. Teddy was gone.

*****

When she returned to her room for the night, Ashley noticed that the fire was still blazing.
Odd,
she thought.
This is a wood burning fireplace. It should surely have gone out by now.
She stood in front of it for a few moments, enjoying the warmth and the glow it cast about the room. Drinks with Edna and Angus had been pleasant. They were a warm and devoted couple. They had treated her as if she was one of their own, and Ashley truly appreciated it. She needed the feeling of belonging, more than she realized.

Ashley put on her pajamas and then curled up in the chair by the window. Staring out through the glass, she thought she saw a solitary figure staring up at her window from the shelter of the trees beyond the garden. She shivered and got up to make sure the door to her room was locked. When she checked again, whoever it was had vanished. Ashley shook her head at herself - the strange interaction with that Teddy guy in the dining room obviously had her on edge, but at least he was gone now.

The fireplace crackled as she climbed into bed, and after some initial tossing and turning, Ashley fell into a deep sleep. She dreamed of a very handsome man with soft grey eyes, which twinkled as he smiled at her. His glorious smile made her weak in the knees. When he held his hand out to her, Ashley took it, feeling an electric charge run up her arm and through her body. He pulled her into his arms and she rested her head on his very solid chest. She could hear his heart beating and feel his warm breath as he whispered in her ear. “I’m waiting for ye, Ashley love.” This was the first time he had spoken to her and his voice did not disappoint. He held her close and she felt safe and loved in a way she never had before. The comfort and warmth she felt in his arms was beyond anything she had ever hoped to experience.

“This is where I belong,” she sighed in her sleep.

SIX

Ashley woke to the sounds of howling wind and rain pelting her windows. She couldn’t tell what time it was, but assumed it was morning, even though it was dark and gloomy outside. She snuggled deeper into the blankets with a contented smile on her face. As she laid there, eyes closed, the atmosphere in the room began to change.
He’s here
, she thought, and as she turned onto her side, she saw him taking shape. ‘Grey Eyes’, as she had started calling him, was standing right next to the bed.

“I’m waiting. Hurry,” he said, and then he was gone.

“Hurry?” she said aloud. “Where are you?” Seeing him three times in such a short period was unusual, in fact, it had never happened before. Now if she could just find this guy. She felt like she was getting closer, but didn’t know if it was possible to find someone who was only a figment of her imagination.
No, he’s real,
Ashley told herself. She had never been with a man who made her stomach flip flop and her body tremble at his touch, but Grey Eyes did it to her every time. What she wouldn’t give to experience such a reaction to a man in real life.

As she was throwing off the covers, there was a knock at her door.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s just me, dear - Edna.”

Ashley opened the door, to be greeted by her own personal ray of sunshine on this dark and rainy day.

“I thought you might like to have breakfast in your room this morning.” Edna bustled across to a small table near the fireplace. “It’s going to be a bit gloomy today. The rain should let up enough for you to explore our small town a little later, but in the meantime, you can relax and enjoy some down time.”

“Thank you, Edna. That’s so thoughtful of you. It looks wonderful.”

“There’s tea and scones, eggs, bacon, and some oatmeal with honey.”

“Wow. That’s a lot of food. You really shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble,” Ashley protested.

“Nonsense, dear. It’s been a long while since I’ve had a young lady to spoil.”

Ashley understood Edna was talking about her daughter, Arlena, and she was touched to have someone who wanted to mother her. She too, missed that mother-daughter connection and she had felt a bond with Edna immediately. She missed her own mother terribly. Her father had passed away when she was about ten years old, leaving a gaping hole in her life. Then, when her mother died in a car crash a few years ago, it had been more than she could bear. She’d lost the woman who dried her tears when she fell, hugged her when she was broken-hearted. The woman who was full of wisdom and had the solution to every problem. She missed her Mom more with each passing day and knew she always would. Ashley and Edna both had holes in their hearts, which needed to be filled. Ashley thought that perhaps they could do that for each other, even if it was only for a few days.

Ashley was surprised to see a fire burning brightly in the fireplace, where a few moments ago there had been nothing but ashes. Edna had only been in the room a few minutes and Ashley was having a hard time figuring out how she could get the flames blazing so quickly. She looked at Edna, who was beaming, and then turned her attention to the fire and then back to Edna. Something weird was going on here, but she didn’t know what it was.

Ashley finished her breakfast after Edna left the room. She couldn’t believe the amount of food she had managed to consume, thinking she definitely wouldn’t need lunch today.

Ashley took her time as she dressed and noticed the wind had stopped and the rain had reduced to a fine drizzle. She walked downstairs when she was ready, to find an empty front desk. No one seemed to be around, but she noticed an umbrella propped by the entry, with a sticky note attached. It said,
‘Ashley, take this umbrella with you. I thought you might need it - E’
.

Ashley smiled.
Edna’s one step ahead of the game.
She took the umbrella and headed out to see the sights of Glendaloch. There was a bookshop, which she happily explored. She particularly liked the section on local history and purchased a book about ‘Magical Glendaloch’. Next was the apothecary, where Ashley picked up some essentials to replenish her supply of toiletries. She hadn’t packed much, not wanting to weigh her suitcase down with huge bottles of shampoo and conditioner. She picked out a postcard for Jenna, from a rack near the cash register. Shopping bag in tow, she walked back out onto the street and noticed creepy Teddy was watching her again. He gave her a very uncomfortable feeling. Was he following her?
It’s a small town
, she told herself,
where else is he going to go? There are only so many corners to stand on and buildings to lean up against.
Even so, she would speak to Edna or Angus about him later.

The rest of her day exploring Glendaloch was uneventful, and Ashley fell in love with the place. It was almost like taking a step back in time. A time before cell phones, e-mails, and all the other technological advances meant to keep us all connected, but actually had the opposite effect. Here in Glendaloch, she felt more at ease and more in touch. She was very much in the present, not distracted by text messages and social networking. She was better able to appreciate the smiles of people passing by. Better yet, she smiled back. Best of all, the anxiety that was usually her constant companion, seemed to be taking a hiatus. There was a certain peace about this place. She didn’t have to look for it; it was just there. It felt very much the way home should feel.

Edna cheerfully greeted Ashley at the door of The Thistle and Hive when she returned late in the afternoon.

“How was your day, dear? Did you enjoy our sleepy little clachan?”

“I’m sorry what did you say? I’m afraid I didn’t understand you,” Ashley apologized.

“Clachan. It’s an old-fashioned Gaelic term for a small village.”

Ashley nodded in understanding and repeated, “Clachan.”

“I see you’ve done some shopping. Come tell me all about it. I’ve got our afternoon tea ready.”

Ashley was amazed and couldn’t help but smile at Edna’s rapid fire chatting, which left little room for reply. She stifled a giggle as Edna led her into the dining room, to sit in her spot by the fire.

“Edna, I had a wonderful day. I love Glendaloch,” Ashley gushed as she placed her bags down next to the chair and warmed her hands by the fire. “I really wasn’t prepared for this weather though. I should have brought some gloves, my hands are freezing.”

“I have a spare pair I’ll let you have,” Edna offered. Noticing Ashley’s bags she said, “I see you found the bookshop and apothecary.”

Ashley reached into the bag from the bookstore and pulled out her copy of ‘Magical Glendaloch’ to show to Edna. “A little bedtime reading.”

“Oh, yes, that’s a good one. You’ll enjoy it.”

Something caught Ashley’s eye, a movement at the window. She looked more closely and was shocked to see Teddy was staring through the glass at her.

“Edna… I’m concerned.”

“What’s wrong, Ashley? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Not a ghost. Teddy. He seems to be following me everywhere. Last night he was standing in the trees, watching my window. Today he was hanging around outside the apothecary when I came out and just now, he was watching me through the window. He’s creeping me out.”

“Teddy is harmless. He’s just very protective of all of us here in Glendaloch. Don’t worry. I’ll have a word with him. I’m sure he’s just decided you need someone to watch over you.”

“But why? This seems like the last place I’d need to worry about my personal safety.”

“It is. It’s just his nature to want to keep watch. Don’t give it another thought. We’ll take good care of you while you’re here.”

*****

Up in her room, Ashley sorted through her purchases. She put the book on the bed and placed her toiletries in the bathroom. Her clothes were still a bit damp, so she laid them in front of the fire to dry. Someone was keeping the fire going, but she hadn’t once seen anyone tending to it. They were like hotel ninjas, she laughed to herself, imagining them stealthily sneaking into the room and out again unnoticed.

Ashley took a quick shower before dinner and then wrote a brief note to Jenna on the postcard she’d purchased. The photo on the front was of the picturesque little town and some of the surrounding countryside.
‘Jenna, I know it sounds cliché, but I’m having a wonderful time and I really do wish you were here to enjoy it with me. Love, Ashley’
.

Heading down for dinner, Ashley grabbed the postcard. She’d need a stamp, and thought that perhaps she could buy one from Edna.

The dining room was filled tonight and so was the bar. Ashley looked around and again found Teddy at his corner post, staring at her. She would take Edna’s word for it, and accept that he was harmless. Maybe she should try being a bit friendlier. She smiled and waved to him, and he immediately looked away, as if he could disappear by doing so.

“There you are!” Edna Campbell bustled towards Ashley, taking her hand and guiding her to what was fast becoming her place by the fire. “Would you like some wine tonight, Ashley, dear?”

“I’d love some.”

“Red or white?”

“Red, please.”

Edna hurried off to the bar on the far side of the room and returned with a bottle of cabernet and two glasses. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you. Angus won’t be down tonight, he’s caught a bit of a bug and wanted to get to bed early.” She noticed the postcard Ashley had placed on the table. “Would you like me to post that for you dear?”