My Highland Bride (4 page)

Eliza toddled forward and patted Lilia’s hand between her own. “And ye have the look of Nia about the eyes. Which lovely granddaughter are ye?”

“I’m Lilia.”

“She’s the evil twin,” Kenna interjected as she adjusted the window blinds at the front of the shop. The sunlight flashing on Eliza’s sparkling shoes was dangerously close to pushing her dull, throbbing headache into a full, roaring migraine. Or maybe it was the building stress of knowing her time with her sisters was running out. Either way, she needed a little less light on the situation.

“Hush now.” Eliza wagged a bejeweled finger in Kenna’s direction as she clucked her tongue with mock disapproval. “ ‘Spirited’ is the word we use. And in my book, there’s no’ a damn thing wrong with bein’ a wee bit spirited. ’Tis the feisty ones who change the world for the better.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Eliza. I’m Kenna.”
The one doomed to travel back to the thirteenth century in a couple of days.
Kenna forced a smile. No sense making everyone miserable about what couldn’t be changed.

Eliza gently patted Lilia’s hand one last time, then walked over to Kenna. Her brightly painted smile softened a bit as she eased Kenna’s hand between her own two and squeezed. “ ’Twill be all right, lass. I know this is no’ an easy task for any of ye. But I swear on all four of me husbands’ graves; I will take good care of yer sisters until it’s time for them to join ye. Yer grandmother is a fine woman, and an even better seer. She knows what’s best for the lot of ye. Try to trust in her ways.”

Eliza’s touch transmitted a deep sense of caring, and the longer Kenna looked into Eliza’s dancing blue eyes, the more relaxed she became. Long minutes passed as Kenna stared into the kindly woman’s face. Finally, the antique mantel clock behind the counter chimed out the time and broke the trance. Kenna blinked hard, then opened her eyes wider. She felt as refreshed as if she’d taken a power nap while standing in the middle of the store. Eliza smiled, released her hand with a soft pat, and returned to perusing the shelves.

“Are you related to us or something?” Kenna rubbed her eyes and rolled her shoulders. What a strange feeling…and all signs of her nagging headache were gone. Had Eliza somehow caused them to disappear? And did she say four husbands? Four
deceased
husbands? Kenna peered more closely at Eliza as the elderly woman picked and prodded a long shining nail through the herbs and oils neatly displayed on the mirrored shelves. “How exactly do you know Granny?”

Eliza plucked up a bottle of essential oils and carefully uncorked it. Her eyes closed and her face lit with pleasure as she wafted the bottle beneath her nose and took in another slow, deep breath. “Lovely. Just Lovely. I so adore the cleansing scent of peppermint.” She chuckled as she restoppered the bottle and placed it back on the shelf. “Quite good for nausea. Settles the humors when somethin’ wicked has given them an ugly stir.”

“I don’t think she heard you,” Lilia whispered.

Eliza immediately turned, her eyes so wide her false eyelashes nearly touched her forehead. “Oh dear. Forgive me, lass. I oft get o’erly caught up in things and forget those around me. Now what did ye ask me, dearie?”

Sisterly protectiveness raked a stirring claw across Kenna’s already raw nerves. How could this woman possibly be the adult supervision needed for her sisters? Mairi and Lilia were by no means wild, but from what Kenna had seen so far, Eliza MacTavish needed a keeper more than the two eighteen-year-olds did. “I asked how you knew Granny. The girls and I don’t recall her mentioning you before.”

Eliza’s smile faded a bit. The glitter-dipped tips of her long nails flashed as she primly folded her hands in front of her thick waist. “Yer grandmother and I were girls together. The verra best of friends. True sisters, in fact.” Eliza’s voice grew quieter as she slowly strolled across the shop. “Yer grandmother saved m’life, she did. I owe her everything.”

“You’re from the past?” Kenna studied Eliza more closely. Surely if she was from another family of time runners Granny would’ve told them. Other families of gifted women able to skate back and forth across time were rare, but they did exist. She’d encountered a few during her training jumps across the centuries. And why had Granny never told them about Eliza before now?

Eliza’s face grew serious as she sauntered about the room. “Aye. I am from the past—from the time when yer grandmother and I were nothin’ more than a pair of flat-chested lasses who looked more like laddies. But before ye ask, I am no time runner.” Eliza took a deep breath, stopped her wandering, and locked eyes with Kenna. “Yer grandmother cast me forward to this century when her sister, Tia, convinced our village to set fire to my croft while my family and I were still in it. Tia told the elders if they burned us whilst we slept in our beds ’twould save them wasting all the precious wood a bonfire and stake would require.”

A sickening sense of shame settled in the pit of Kenna’s stomach. Granny had regaled them all with horrifying stories of witch hunts. She’d also told them of her wicked twin sister, Tia, and how the woman had exploited her gifts to manipulate others. Granny used those stories to remind them of the need to keep their abilities hidden and to respect their gifts. Even now, their very survival still depended on it.

“She convinced everyone you were a witch?” Why would Tia do such a thing? Especially when the Sinclair females weren’t exactly average. Kenna rubbed a hand up and down the gooseflesh tingling across her forearms.

Eliza nodded with a nonchalant shrug. “Aye. To keep the clan from accusing her of the wickedness she’d wrought, she shifted the blame t’me for the evil doings.” Eliza’s carefully powdered chin quivered as her voice grew softer. “The worst of it, though, was that I lost touch wi’ m’dear friend Nia. After yer grandmother cast me forward to this time, I had to be hidden and all ties to anything I had e’er known had to be erased to ensure that the wicked Tia would ne’er find me to take her revenge for our makin’ her look the fool.” Eliza shuddered with a heavy sigh. “Wicked, prideful creature, that Tia, damned wicked and prideful.”

Kenna studied Eliza more closely, bewildered by the eccentric woman and the aura of peacefulness and joy emanating from her like the gentle warming of sunshine. “But you don’t seem angry. How can you be so free of resentment?” Kenna suddenly felt very guilty about her misgivings regarding Eliza MacTavish and her ability to properly chaperone Mairi and Lilia.

Eliza’s brightly painted smile returned, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Ye must never allow hatred or anger toward another to remain verra long in yer heart. When ye let such feelings grow and fester, ye give yer power over to the verra one ye hate.” Eliza stepped closer and pointed a glittering nail at the center of Kenna’s chest. “Never let another take yer power, dearie. Not ever.”

“But she lied about you to save herself.” Kenna forced herself not to squirm beneath Eliza’s scrutiny. How could Eliza not resent them—the closest living relatives of the very woman who had tried to have her killed?

“Oh, I never said she lied.” Eliza’s focus shifted to the large sparkling ring on the finger she currently held pointed at Kenna. She immediately balanced it atop the shelf of her ample bosom, grabbed up a fold of her shirt, and feverishly set to rubbing the top of the oversized stone. She huffed a breath across the ring, then polished it one last time. As she held up her hand and wiggled the finger to catch the light, she glanced back at Kenna and winked. “Ye see, lass. Tia had the right of it. I am a witch.”

Chapter 4

“D’ye remember what yer grandmother said about keeping yer eyes closed?” Eliza slid the strap of the nylon duffel bag across Kenna’s body. “Two large bags and a backpack? Are ye certain ’tis wise to jump the web with so much baggage? Will it no’ risk throwin’ ye off yer course?”

You have no idea how much baggage I’ve got.
Kenna hefted the bulging backpack higher on her shoulders. “Yes, I remember what Granny said about Trulie being blinded for a while when she jumped through the web with her eyes open. But don’t worry—I always have to close my eyes to keep from puking in the portal. And no—three bags are not too much. I have a lot of essentials. I can’t start a new life without my essentials.” Kenna swallowed hard against the battalion of butterflies already suiting up in her stomach.
Sheesh.
You’d think a woman who slept in all her jewelry and makeup would understand about essentials
.

“I see.” Eliza’s finely penciled brows rose a notch higher as she cast another dubious look at the fanny pack strapped about Kenna’s waist. “And what’s in that wee bag? More essentials, I suppose?”

“Yes.” Kenna checked the strength of the clip attached to her belt loop. She didn’t want to leave a trail of tampons and toothpaste across the cosmos. There were just some things she wasn’t ready to give up. “I need this stuff, Eliza. Trust me.”

Eliza smiled and gave Kenna a sympathetic pat on the arm. “I trust ye, gal, and I know in m’heart ye’ll be just fine.”

“Did you stick the motion sickness patch behind your ear this morning? Doc said if you didn’t wear it for a few hours before you traveled it wouldn’t be as effective.” Mairi fastened a silver chain about Kenna’s neck and squeezed her shoulder. “Of course, I’m not sure it’ll work for the kind of motion you’re about to go through, but it’s worth a shot—and just in case it doesn’t, here’s some peppermint oil and chewing gum for after you puke.” Mairi shoved the items into Kenna’s jacket pocket and snapped the flap securely shut.

“It’s gonna work. I’m thinking positive. As long as I believe it, it will be so—right?” Kenna fingered the silver locket Mairi had placed about her neck. “And thank you for the necklace—I know it’s your favorite. I promise I’ll give it back to you the next time I see you.”

Mairi smiled and gave Kenna a quick peck on the cheek. “Take good care of it. And take good care of you.”

“I will,” Kenna whispered past the lump in her throat.
Damnation.
Had Trulie felt this bad about leaving when she and Granny had jumped back to the past?

“Let us know about Trulie and the baby as soon as you have news.” Lilia unzipped the side of Kenna’s backpack and shoved a floppy-armed teddy bear inside. “And tell Mr. or Miss Little MacKenna the bear is from her wonderful Auntie Lilia.”

Kenna hooked her thumbs in her backpack and nodded. “I promise I’ll tell the little one all about the two fabulous aunties waiting to meet him or her.”

“It’s time, lass.” Eliza waved Kenna closer to the bonfire blazing around the pond. “Ye mustn’t tarry. Nia’s set the markers to ready on the other side, but as inexperienced as ye are with leadin’ a jump, ye best make use of all three of the web’s conduits t’send ye on yer way. The moon is aligned with the water and the flames are high enough to receive yer energy. Say the words to open the web.”

Kenna glanced back at Mairi and Lilia and blew them both a kiss. They’d all made a pact there would be no long, drawn-out, tearful good-byes when it was time to go. Emotions had to be as controlled as possible right before a jump. “Thank you, Eliza…for everything.”

Eliza squeezed Kenna’s shoulders and gave her an affectionate shake. “I feel as if yer m’verra own. Take care, m’dear sweet lass, and give m’love to yer grandmother.”

Kenna sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “I will.”

“On wi’ ye then.” Eliza faced Kenna toward the fire and stepped away.

The ring of brush piled around the edge of the old pond crackled and popped with the hunger of the flames. Orange sparks exploded free, racing up into the night. Kenna swallowed hard and double-checked the nausea patch stuck behind her ear.
Yep. Still there.
She breathed in deep through her nose and exhaled out her mouth. It was time to say the words to start this damn roller coaster ride.

“Web of time

Veil of space

Carry me to

My chosen place

Borne of water

Trialed by fire

My Sinclair blood is

My rightful power

For the good of all

With harm to none

So as it is spoken

So let it be done.”

The ring of fire roared higher with the surge of Kenna’s energy. The rippling surface of the pond immediately smoothed, hardening into an ebony mirror. A deep crackling, like the sound of thick ice breaking apart, echoed through the night. Every dancing tongue of orange-white flame solidified. The glistening blaze sprouted up around the mirrored surface of the water in an eerie circle of sculpted flames.

Kenna glanced back one last time and waved. Tears finally escaped and streamed down her cheeks as she closed her eyes and jumped through the flames. As her feet shattered the glass of the pond, she screamed out the command, “So mote it be!”

Chapter 5

“I can’t leave Trulie. The baby will be here before the sun touches the sea.” Granny wiped perspiration from her face with a wadded rag as she motioned toward the outer door. “Go to the clearing. You know the one. Tamhas helped me reset the marker on the hillside just like the day Trulie and I arrived. Wait there. Kenna will arrive soon.”

“Aye.” Colum nodded and backed toward the outer doorway. Thank the gods ’twas time for him to take his leave. The last time he and Gray had waited in this room had been a sorry day indeed. Colum remembered it all too clearly. There was no good way to console a friend o’er the death of a firstborn son. Colum paused at the threshold and looked back to his chief. “MacKenna.”