Entwined (27 page)

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CHAPTER 27

Heading North West through Scotland - 21st December, Modern Day

“You alright, Corran?”

“I’m a bit cold, Rose,” Corran whispered, pulling the duvet higher.

“The temperature has dropped a bit,” Rose said, lifting her hand to Corran’s forehead.

“Here, Rose, put this over her,” Grace said, removing her coat.

“No, Grace. She’s burning up,” Rose replied, turning a worried face to her Grace.

“When did she last have painkillers?” Grace asked.

“Three hours ago, she can’t have any more yet,” Rose replied, frowning at her watch.

“Is there any way to get hold of Graham?” Grace suggested.

“I don’t know where Eilidh’s mobile is,” Rose said, lifting Corran’s hand to check her pulse. “Check her backpack, Grace. It might be in there.”

“It’s here,” Jenny said, reaching across to Eilidh’s neat stack of papers.

“Nice one, Jen,” Rose said, releasing her hold on Corran’s wrist. “Chuck it over,” she said, clapping her hands.

“Did Duncan take his phone?” Grace asked.

Rose wrinkled her nose and frowned. “I have no idea, but I damn well hope not,” she said catching the phone.

“Rose, I think I’m going to be sick.”

Corran wretched and let out a strangled scream.

Grace sprang to her side. “Where does it hurt, Corran?”

“It’s the wound,” she moaned.

“Call Duncan’s mobile now and let’s hope to God, Graham picks it up,” Grace said, laying her hand gently on Corran’s back.

The lorry fell silent as Rose dialed Duncan’s number. The phone rang.

“And?” Grace asked.

“No one answered. It went straight to answer phone.”

“Try it again,” Grace screeched.

Corran’s body shook violently as the fever took hold. Too weak to sit she slumped back on the pillows and closed her eyes. A thick dew of sweat covered her face and her teeth chattered uncontrollably.

“Jenny, get me some wipes from that box over there,” Grace said, nodding in the direction of a blue plastic box.

As Rose returned the phone to her ear, the lorry once again fell into silence.

“Hey, who’s that?”

There was a slight pause as the person on the other end of the phone spoke. Grace held her breath and prayed the voice belonged to Graham.

“Oh, OK. Robert, can you pass the phone to Graham?” Rose went silent.

“Graham?”

Again she paused.

“It’s Corran. She’s ill,” Rose said, massaging her forehead and then hanging up.

“What did he say?” Grace asked.

“He’s coming.”

“Hang on in there,” Grace said, gently wiping Corran’s face with the damp cold wipes.

“How is she, Mum?” asked Jenny with concern.

“Not very well darling,” Grace replied, putting her arm around her daughter.

The lorry pulled to an abrupt stop and seconds later the doors flew open.

“What’s wrong with my wife?” Simon said, moving swiftly to her bedside.

“Can you all move back, please?” Graham instructed, as he tried to reach his patient through the sea of bodies that had come to crowd around her.

“Simon, you too,” Graham said, reaching up to touch the man gently on the shoulder.

“What’s wrong with her, Doctor?” Simon asked, pale-faced and drawn.

“I don’t know. Let me take a closer look at her.”

The space around the mattress cleared and Graham dropped to his knees beside Corran.

“Can someone move the crib, please?”

“Thank you, Robert,” Graham said, as he stepped forward and lifted the drawer from the floor to clear maximum space around the patient’s bedside.

“Corran, can you hear me?” Graham said firmly.

Her eyes flickered but didn’t open.

“Corran,” he repeated, raising his voice.

She didn’t respond.

“How long has she been like this?” he asked, turning to Rose.

“About fifteen minutes.”

“I’m going to give her another shot of penicillin,” Graham said, removing a syringe and vial from his bag. “Rose, I need another line setting up.”

“I’m on it. Where can I find it all?”

Graham nodded in the direction of some white boxes. “Everything we need is in those boxes.”

“Excellent.”

“How much further is this village?”

“A long way, Graham,” replied Simon.

“Then I suggest you get back in the cab and leave me here to look after Corran. The sooner we reach this damn village the better,” Graham replied, filling the syringe and injecting its contents into Corran’s arm.

“I don’t want to leave her,” Simon whispered.

“Look, mate, I’ll be honest with you. She’s not in a good way. But there really is nothing you can do sitting here fretting about her. What she needs is a hospital, failing that it would really help if she were somewhere clean, warm, and dry. So, go and drive this lorry, Simon, and bring this bloody journey to an end.”

Simon nodded slowly, lowering his eyes to his wife’s pale, sunken cheeks. “Don’t leave me, Corran,” he breathed softly, before kneeling to kiss her gently on the forehead. “Look after her, Doctor,” he said, standing to tower over Graham. “Robert, you’re with me,” he snarled, turning to leave the lorry.

“Simon?” Grace called with an urgent tone to her voice.

He stopped and turned to face her.

“Where is Duncan?” she asked softly, almost as if she were afraid to ask.

“He’s gone, Grace.”

“Gone?” she said wide eyed. “I thought he’d taken Amber to sit in the front cab with you.”

“No, he’s gone to find Eilidh,” Simon said, turning sharply and leaving.

As the doors slammed closed behind Simon, Grace turned to Graham.

“Please tell me what happened?”

“I will, Grace, just as soon as I’ve seen to Corran.”

******

CHAPTER 28

Scottish Borders, Ellem Farm - 21st December, Modern Day

An owl hooted to his left as the outline of an old building emerged before him. His eyes traveled slowly to the sound. He sucked in a short, shocked gasp as his look focused on the silhouette of a towering oak tree. He knew immediately where he was.

Duncan leaned back against an old stone wall, hiding in the shadows of the moonlight. Amber crouched beside him, her eyes sharp and alert.

“The bloody gate’s locked,” he growled, taking a few steps back before launching himself at the wall. With both hands he grabbed the top and anchored his feet in a crevice between some stones.

“Come on, girl,” he whispered to the dog. “You can clear this,” he said, using his arms to swing himself over the wall.

Landing on his haunches he quickly straightened and ducked back into the shadows. Seconds later the dog flew silently over his head.

Through what had once been the kitchen window he caught a glimpse of a figure. It turned to face the window and he leaned quickly back against the wall. His eyes went over the shape, studying its outline, squinting against the darkness until recognition dawned. His whole body trembled, his fists clenched, and his teeth gritted as he fought the urge to slay the woman there and then.

“First, we are going to find Eilidh and then we will get rid of this pitiful excuse for a human being,” he whispered to Amber.

Eilidh lay alone and sleepless, curled up against the cold night on the hard floor of the ancient cottage. Staring at the crack in the door, she guessed it was a full moon and wished she could see its silver glow just one more time. With a groan she straightened and pushed herself up from the floor. Her tongue flicked desperately over her lips, tasting the salty tears from her eyes. The sound of the river grew in her ears and she swallowed hard, hoping to clear the dryness in her mouth. Her chin quivered as she wrapped her arms around herself. She craved water and she needed warmth. She knew she would get neither. The truth hurt. More than she wished it did, but there was nothing she could do to change what was coming, although she silently prayed that there was.

“Find her for me, Amber,” Duncan whispered, as they rounded the old house and headed up towards the workers’ cottages.

The dog obligingly lowered her head and dropped her nose to the ground. They walked on in silence, hiding in the shadows of the night until Amber came to a frenzied, tail-wagging stop outside the door of a ruined cottage. Duncan remembered the home and its inhabitants well. For a moment he paused, his mind filling with long forgotten memories. Amber’s nose nuzzled his calf and she gave a low whimper.

Duncan raised his hand to his lips. “Shh,” he whispered, leaning back against the cover of a wall.

He moved his hand slowly over the door, feeling for the catch. It was latched but not locked. Slowly and silently he freed the latch before cautiously edging the door open an inch at a time. Eilidh gasped as the room filled with moonlight. Amber pounced, knocking her to the floor. She squinted her eyes as they fought to adjust to the light and gave a faint cry as a shadowy figure moved slowly towards her.

“Eilidh, it’s me.”

“Duncan! What are you doing here?” she whispered.

“Well that’s a fine welcome.”

“Seriously, you shouldn’t have come.”

“Why?”

“Because you can’t help me.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he said, snapping his arms from his coat. “Here, put this on.”

They stood still, without speaking for a few moments, then Duncan threw his arms open and pulled Eilidh tightly against him.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“Then go back,” she said, choking back a sob.

“No.”

“You can’t help me, Duncan.”

“We can use the crystal and rejoin the lorry.”

She shook her head sadly. “I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because Shannon will follow me.”

Duncan’s head snapped to the door as Amber gave a deep throated growl.

“Shh,” he breathed, taking two silent steps to the open doorway.

Amber crouched, her teeth bared and her ears pricked.

A rat scurried across the floor in front of them and Eilidh crouched to grab Amber’s collar before she could give chase.

“No girl, leave it,” she said, as the dog tugged against her restraint.

“We’ve got to get away from here,” Duncan whispered.

“There’s nowhere for me to run to. I told you, she will find me, no matter where I go.”

“Only ‘til midnight,” Duncan hissed.

“After that it won’t matter either way.”

“But it will, Eilidh.”

“No, it won’t. When the Stag dies the magic of the Highlands dies with it. At least until your little brother is old enough to use the power he has been born with.”

“Yes, I know and if we aren’t in the village, protected by the collection of pendants and the heather we are going to be thrown back to our own times.”

Eilidh nodded slowly. “And the crystals won’t work, Duncan. I know what you are thinking, but it’s not possible. I told you, when the Stag dies, so does the magic. We will be stuck in the 18th Century.”

“But don’t you see, Eilidh? We will be back in our own time, here on the farm, together.”

“With Shannon.”

“Not if I get rid of her.”

“Duncan, you don’t understand. There is no point killing Shannon. It’s bigger than her, bigger than all of us. We will spend the rest of our lives hiding from the Dark Circle.”

“They won’t have magic either. Come on, Eilidh! Fight with me, God dammit woman. We aren’t beat yet.”

“Go back, Duncan, while you still can.”

“No. I won’t, not without you.”

“Please -” she whispered.

“No.”

“Why? You have a chance at a life if you go now. I’ve fought so hard to give you that chance, don’t waste it on me.”

“I don’t consider it a wasted chance.”

“It is,” she said simply.

“Eilidh, look at me,” he said, turning her face gently towards him. “I can’t and won’t leave you. I almost lost you once; I’m not doing it again. Either we leave together, or not at all.”

“You don’t even know what time we are in,” she argued.

“Don’t I?” he replied with an arch of his brow.

“Well do you?” Eilidh asked quietly.

“I have a suspicion. I can tell you for sure that it’s not the same year as we left. The old oak tree in the paddock has a fair few hundred years’ growth and this cottage isn’t exactly newly built. It can’t have been more than fifteen years old when I last saw it. If I had to guess, I’d say we haven’t moved in time.”

“You are right, Duncan. We haven’t changed time, yet. But if you stay here you will,” Eilidh said.

“Does Shannon know what will happen at midnight?” Duncan asked.

Eilidh shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Good. We just have to lie low until midnight and then we can leave here without trace.”

“But we have nowhere to go, Duncan.”

“Actually, we do.”

Eilidh shivered and pulled the coat tighter around her.

“Are you warm enough?” she asked casting her eyes over Duncan’s thin sweatshirt.

“I’m fine.”

“Do you think we could get to the river without being seen?” Eilidh said.

“I should think so. Why?”

“I’m thirsty,” she said softly.

“Why didn’t you say?”

She shrugged. “It seemed more important to get you back to the lorry but seeing as how you are refusing to go, I would quite like to have something to drink.”

His teeth shone white in the moonlight as his face broke into a gentle smile.

“Well at least we seem to have reached an understanding on that point.”

“No. I still think you should go back, but I’m tired and thirsty and if you won’t go, I can’t make you.”

He slid his bag off his shoulder and caught it in his hand.

“Here, drink this,” he said, handing her a plastic bottle of water.

She drained the bottle without pause.

“You weren’t kidding. How long is it since you last had a drink?”

“Before we left York.”

“You silly girl,” he said, taking the empty bottle off her and throwing it back in his bag. “Why didn’t you have a drink in the van?”

She smiled shyly. “Because I was worried about needing the toilet.”

“Well I shouldn’t think that will be a problem out here,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

“I’m scared, Duncan,” she said, quietly voicing what she almost dare not to think.

“I know, Eilidh, so am I,” he replied, tightening his grip on her.

For so long she had prepared herself for this night, so long she had been sure she could and would give her life for her friends, but now, now that Duncan was here with her things were different. She had the added responsibility of his life in her hands and she feared losing him. She wasn’t sure she could give her life so freely any longer. He had changed everything by coming here because she loved him and wanted to be with him.

“Have you any thoughts on what we should do now?” she asked.

He sighed and released her gently.

“We need to get out of this cottage. When midnight strikes it won’t be a deserted ruined cottage anymore,” he gave a stifled laugh. “Can you imagine Jean’s reaction if she woke up and found us standing here?”

Eilidh smiled. “She’d probably take a broom handle to our backsides and tell us to get back to our beds.”

Duncan laughed softly, his eyes moving slowly over the ruined remains of his friends’ home.

“Don’t you think it’s sad?”

“What’s that?” Eilidh replied.

“This place,” he said, raising his eyebrows and swinging his head. “It’s sad to see what time has made of it,” he paused, tapping his finger impatiently on the side of his thigh. He didn’t feel comfortable being there, in the cottage. It struck him as disrespectful, a violation of the privacy of those who had lived and loved here. What made this feeling worse was the fact that those people had been his friends. Although just an empty space now, he could still feel the warmth of the wood fire with its black iron cooking pot suspended above. In his mind’s eye he could see Jean’s well-worn knitting basket, and Alex’s pewter ale mug hanging on a hook above a large oak chest in the corner of the room and, their most valuable possession, the Bible with its worn leather binding and discolored pages, carefully placed on a small table beside Alex’s chair.

Duncan shook his head, as if to clear the image.

“What do you make of time travel?”

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”

“Would you choose to travel just to discover what had become of a place?”

Eilidh shook her head slowly and skewed her lips. “No, Duncan, I most certainly would not.”

His eyes traveled once more over the dusty cottage. “No, nor would I.”

They were silent for a moment, both lost in memories of the past and concern for the future.

“We need to find somewhere to hide for the next few hours,” Duncan said, pausing thoughtfully as his eyes followed Amber. She had picked up the scent of yet another rodent and was frantically sniffing the ground in pursuit of it. Eilidh followed his eyes and moved to crouch beside Amber, slipping her fingers through the dog’s collar and running her hand affectionately over her back.

“I know it’s hard, Pudding, but I can’t let you give chase, not now.”

“Tell me how the crystal works,” Duncan asked eventually.

“What do you mean?”