Timeless Mist (36 page)

The room looked familiar.
Very
familiar. She blinked
several times to clear her vision and continued to sit still on the side of the
bed. A
very
comfortable bed, she
not
ed.
Glanc
ing
around, she
took in e
very
detail
of where she found herself. A tapestry hung on the wall next to a door. No
chest found itself beneath the window, and no wardrobe stood anywhere in the
room.

Morag
had
done it, it seemed.

Kris started as the voices from
the hallway grew louder just before they halted altogether and a head poked
itself around the door.

Hailey looked at Kris, a wide
grin splitt
ing
her
face. She rushed to Kris' side and embraced her in a fierce hug.

"Oh, honey, we've been so
worried about you. How do you feel?"

Kris returned her friends hug
then began to weep. She
was
home.
That
meant
that
Iain
was
long dead.
That
thought brought forth
more tears.

Hailey hugged her, rock
ing
gent
ly
and mak
ing
sooth
ing
noises.

"Shh. It's all right. We
found you, you're safe now."

Kris shook her head, wonder
ing
if anyth
ing
would ever be all right
ever again. Final
ly
,
after what seemed an eternity, her tears ceased. She let Hailey help settle her
back into bed and tuck her in.

"I'll just go get you some
broth and a couple of aspirin. Will you be okay for a minute or two?"

Kris nodded, but said
not
h
ing
.

Hailey left after a
not
her long glance at her
friend. Mak
ing
her way
down to the Laird's solar, she let herself in.

"She's final
ly
awake," she
announced to those wait
ing
there.

Lucas jumped from his chair and
headed for the door, his sibl
ing
s
follow
ing
behind.
Hailey stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Give her a few minutes
before you go rush
ing
in there. She needs quiet and rest. I just wanted to let you all know
that
she's awake now. I'm go
ing
to get her some broth
and some aspirin.
That
goose-egg she's sport
ing
has
got to be caus
ing
her an enormous
headache."

Lucas agreed, "I can on
ly
imagine. But the doc said
she'd be fine. I'm just relieved she's final
ly
awake."

Hailey smiled at him, "me
too." She released her hold on him, "go see her if you
like
, but do
n't
cause a ruckus and try
to be quiet."

Lucas nodded and continued on his
way to see his sister. He
had
a lot
of questions for
Kris, but right now just wanted to see her, to make sure she
was
okay.

A light rap on her door made Kris
open her eyes. At least the pain in her head
was
a bit more bearable.

"Come in," she rasped. Then
gasped as Lucas, Aleksa, Keith and Tristan marched in. "What are you all
do
ing
here?"

Lucas rolled his eyes, "and
just where else do ya think we'd be with you gone miss
ing
for over three months?"

"What?" She started,
sitt
ing
up and putt
ing
her hand to her head
again. She looked at Lucas then the others who all nodded.

"Thr…three months? I've been
gone for three months?"

They all nodded again.

Lucas hugged her tight
ly
, "we've been beside
ourselves with worry about you, sis. Where in the hell
have
you been?"

"Lucas." Hailey came
into the room hold
ing
a tray, "there'll time enough later to grill her. Right now, she needs
some food and rest."

Kris shook her head. Three
months. "I'll explain e
very
th
ing
to you all later. I
promise. But I think right now, Hailey is right. I…I need some time."

"Fine," Lucas growled,
"but be assured, little sister, I will
have
my questions ans
were
d.
Make no mistake about
that
."

"I promise, Lucas. I will
tell you e
very
th
ing
."

Lucas nodded, gave her a
not
her hug and left. The
others did the same, all except Hailey and Aleksa.

"We've been so worried about
you, Krissy." Aleksa began to cry.

Kris held out her arms and Aleksa
immediate
ly
went into
them. Kris rocked her sister, try
ing
to calm her down.

"It's okay, Leks. I'm home
now, and I'm fine." She grimaced as a
not
her
pain shot through her head, "or at least I will be once I get rid of this headache."
She smiled at her sister, who wiped her eyes and attempted her own smile.

"I'm so glad you're
home."

Kris accepted the aspirin from
Hailey with a grateful look. She popped them in her mouth and swallowed, then
closed her eyes and put her head back for a few minutes.

"Just give me five minutes
to let these pills do a little someth
ing
about the pain and then I'll explain th
ing
s
to you and Hailey as best I can."

*          *          *

Several hours later, Kris looked
at both the girls who sat wide-eyed, their mouths practical
ly
rest
ing
on their chests, in
stunned disbelief. She knew it, could see it written all over their faces. Well,
what
had
she expected?
She
was
sure she would
n't
have
believed such a wild tale either.

"But…" Aleksa started,
then shut her mouth with a snap.

"I do
n't
know what to say, Kris." Hailey final
ly
spoke up. "You know
your brothers are never go
ing
to believe this."

"I know. But I swear to both
of you, it's the truth."

"It's just all so
unbelievable." Aleksa said. "I mean, we've all read those romances
about time travel and such, but…"

"Uh huh," Kris agreed,
"I know, but we never, ever, in our wildest imaginations, believed anyth
ing
like
that
could
really
happen."

Aleksa nodded in agreement.

"I've never known you to
tell a falsehood, Kris." Hailey said. "I for one am will
ing
to take this for fact. If
you say it happened, then I believe you."

Kris reached for her friend's
hand, "thanks, Hailey." She looked at her sister. "What about
you, kiddo?"

"I
have
to agree with Hailey." She smiled, a
little wobb
ly
, but
still a smile, "I just ca
n't
believe you gave up on him though, Krissy. What
were
you think
ing
? Do
n't
you think there would
have
been any kind of chance
at all for you two?"

Kris shook her head, tears well
ing
in her eyes again. She
wiped the away in frustration.

"I do
n't
think so, Leks. If you could
have
been there, seen the
look on his face when he realized
that
not
on
ly
had
I lied to him, but I
was
a Campbell." She
shuddered as she remembered the look of hatred and near revulsion on Iain's face.
"It does
n't
mean
I'll stop lov
ing
him. Or
that
I'll ever forget
him. It's gonna take me awhile to get over this one."

She stopped and swallowed over
the lump in her throat, "but my leav
ing
had
to be. It never
would
have
worked
between us. With all the Campbell's
had
done to
that
clan, he
could
n't
have
gotten past it. It
was
ask
ing
too much of him. I know
that
. It will be hard, but
I'll learn to live with it and eventual
ly
,
I'll move on." She wished she felt as assured as she sounded.

Hailey and Aleksa looked at each
other, but said
not
h
ing
more.

"Now, the first th
ing
I want to do is get out
of this bed and find some jeans. You
have
no idea what it's
like
to walk around in a long dress day in and day out. Those th
ing
s can get annoy
ing
." She forced a smile
and light
not
e into
her voice.

This
was
go
ing
to be harder than she'd ever imagined.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Iain strode into the Greathall
with Raibert glad to be back. It
had
been a
very
long week
try
ing
to divert the
Campbell's interest. They
had
done an admirable job in the end, however and
had
thus given the clan time to see th
ing
s
packed up so they could move again.

They would make their way to the
island of Eilean nam Faoileag and make
that
their new home for a time. 'T
was
as good a plan as any he and Raibert could come up with. They'd taken a few
extra days to scout out the local and come to the conclusion
that
it would be a safe
have
n. The keep
was
a fortress, with high
walls surround
ing
it
as well as the waters of Loch Rannoch. It
was
high
ly
defensible as
one could on
ly
get
there by swimm
ing
or
boat.

"Are ye go
ing
to see your wife now,
laird?" Raibert asked a twinkle in his blue eyes.

Iain ran a hand through his hair.
He
had
started to tell
his friend the truth about Kris several times, but stopped before he could
utter a s
ing
le word.

"Aye." He final
ly
said and strode off in
the direction of his chambers. He
had
thought long and hard about what Kristianna
had
told him, but he still
was
unsure. Could he live with the knowledge
that
the lass
was
a Campbell?
And what would the rest of the clan say, or worse do, should they ever discover
that
fact? He shook
his head. He
was
no
closer to an answer now than he
had
been over a se'nnight ago.

He admitted, at least to himself,
that
he understood her
reason
ing
, could even
accept the fact
that
she
had
lied to him. He
could forgive
that
,
could even forgive her for
not
tell
ing
him. But could
he live with the truth about her identity?

He stood before his chamber door
and took a deep, sustain
ing
breath before enter
ing
,
her name on his lips.

He stopped, still in the doorway
and looked around the room. Someth
ing
was
different.
Not
on
ly
was
Kris
not
here, all evidence of her
had
disappeared as well.
Had
she taken her th
ing
s
back to her old rooms?
Was
she even still in the keep? He did
not
like
the sense he
was
gett
ing
.

If she
was
out wander
ing
around the highlands,
that
could be a
very
dangerous th
ing
. Iain
bolted from the room and headed down the hall. He banged open the door to Kris'
original room.

Not
h
ing
.

He did
n't
take time to close the door, but hurried
down the stairs to the Greathall,
not
stopp
ing
when Raibert
called out his name.

"Ha'e ye seen Kristianna
today?" he asked the cook.

"Nay, laird. Come to think
on it, I ha'enae seen the lady in several days. 'Tis unusual
that
…"

Iain did
n't
even give her time to finish before he left
the kitchens at a dead run.

"Iain."

He did
n't
stop at Raibert's bellow but kept on go
ing
, back up the stairs to
his
màthair
's rooms. He
did
n't
bother to knock
there, either, but burst into the room.

His
màthair
was
sitt
ing
on her chaise
in front of the fire. She yelped in fright, her hand go
ing
to her heart when Iain stormed in.

"Where is Kristianna?" He
asked, without preamble.

"Iain, what on earth?"

"Where is my wife,
màthair
?"

"I
have
no idea. I
haven't
seen her in days. I
was
beginn
ing
to worry
when I could
n't
find
her in any of her usual places. I sent out some men to look for her, but they
found
not
h
ing
. I do
n't
think this is at all
good, Iain. Where could she
have
gone?"

Iain looked at her,
not
sure what to say.

"Iain, what happened?

"She is a Campbell,
màthair
," he said soft
ly
, sink
ing
dejected
ly
into a chair.

"Aye."

"Ye knew?" He
was
incredulous, "ye
knew she
was
a
Campbell and dinnae tell me?"

"Aye, I knew. But Kris made
me swear to keep her secret until she could find the right moment to tell ye. She
was
frightened, Iain,
unsure of how you would react." She peered at him, "you reacted
predictab
ly
I take
it."

"Aye, I'm afraid I did."
He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "More so because I discovered
the truth of it before she could tell me." He then proceeded to fill his
màthair
in on exact
ly
what
had
happened the morn
ing
he left.

"I do
n't
know what to tell you, Iain." Sorcha
said, her eyes brimm
ing
with tears, "I'm afraid you may never find her now."

"Why? Where would she ha'e
gone? She knows no one. Although I as much as accused her of be
ing
a Campbell spy, I know
that
isnae true."

"Iain, how could you? You
saw all her future items, you know she
was
tell
ing
the truth. She
had
no cause to spy
for the Campbells. Whether she
was
a Campbell or
not
did
not
have
to make a difference. She
was
from the future, from a
time where clan wars do
n't
happen anymore in Scotland. In the future, Campbell's and MacGregor's do
n't
fight and are
not
enemies. They
have
even married each
other."

Iain sighed and ran a frustrated
hand through his hair. "I realize
that
now,
màthair
, but now
is too late, isnae it?"

Sorcha rose from her seat and
embraced her son. "I am sorry for this, Iain. Ye loved her, did
n't
you?"

Iain nodded feel
ing
worse than he'd ever
felt in his entire life. He'd thrown away a chance at love, at happiness with
the on
ly
woman who
had
asked
not
h
ing
of him except his affection. And for what? For
pride, he decided.

And on
ly
now
that
he'd lost her, did he realize how much he needed her, how much he tru
ly
loved her and how
undeserv
ing
of her
love he
was
. She'd
given
that
love to him
free
ly
, ask
ing
not
h
ing
in return. He'd known it, sensed it, seen it in all the small th
ing
s she'd said and done.

He sighed heavi
ly
, a weight on his heart.

"There is one th
ing
you might try." His
màthair
interrupted
his thoughts.

"And what is
that
?"

"First, answer me a
question. Do ye tru
ly
love Kristianna and can ye live with who she is?"

Iain nodded and ans
were
d without hesitation,
"aye. I love her more than I can tell ye,
màthair
.
And I would gi'e anyth
ing
to ha'e her back and prove
that
too her."

"Then go see Morag."

"The witch?"

"Pah. She is no witch and
you know it, Iain. Just go and speak with her," she urged.

Iain started to speak but Sorcha
stopped him, "just do as I suggest and see where it goes.
That
's all I can tell
you."

*          *          *

Iain thought over all his
màthair
had
told him as he sat brood
ing
in his darkened solar. It
had
been
almost
a month and a half
since he'd discussed Kristianna's disappearance with her and still he
had
not
gone to see Morag.

Sorcha
had
asked him the day before what he
was
wait
ing
for and he
hadn't
been able to answer
that
question. He
had
no idea why he
was
wait
ing
. Perhaps it
was
because he
was
afraid Morag would tell
him to give up; there
was
not
h
ing
he could do about it. In
essence, he'd sent Kristianna away and now he must live with the consequences
of
that
foolish
choice.

He rose from his chair and headed
for the lists. It seemed to be the on
ly
place he did
not
see
Kris at e
very
turn. The
lass haunted his wak
ing
and sleep
ing
moments.

He reached the lists and watched
for a few moments in silence as Raibert put Devyn through his lessons. The lad
had
come far in the short
time he'd been with them. He
was
a hard worker and
had
been a great help in the move to the island.

Word
had
come
that
the Campbell's
had
given up search
ing
for
the clan for the moment, but Iain
was
certain
that
would
n't
last
very
long. It
was
on
ly
a matter of time before
they picked up the search again. Until
that
time, he supposed they
were
safe enough.

His
màthair
and Elsbeth bare
ly
spoke to him unless necessary. Although his
màthair
was
soften
ing
a bit since she realized
he
was
do
ing
enough, what
had
she called it? Ah yes,
that
was
it, beat
ing
himself up,
that
was
it. Aye, he
was
most assured
ly
do
ing
that
.
And more.

He watched the men train
ing
for maybe a quarter of
an hour more before he grew restless and began to walk. Before he knew where
his feet intended to take him, he stood outside Morag's cottage. She
had
moved along with the
rest of the clan and to the new keep and
was
quite
comfortable in
the cottage Iain
had
seen erected for her.

"Ahh Laird Iain. Is there
aught I can do for ye this fine morn?"

Iain shook started to shake his
head, then thought better of it. "I
was
wonder
ing
if I may
speak wi' ye for a wee while, Morag."

"Of course, my laird. 'Tis
always a pleasure to ha'e yer company. Would ye care for some ale then,
laddie?"

"Aye,
that
would be most welcome,
mistress."

"Come in wi' ye then and
ha'e a seat."

Iain sat at the long table set
into the wall of the small kitchen while Morag poured a goblet of ale.

"Now, my braw laddie, what
is it this old woman can help ye wi'?"

"I wished to ask ye…"
he began.

"Go on." Morag
prompted.

"I wished to ask ye about
Kristianna." He final
ly
pushed the statement out.

"And what about
that
lass are ye wishin' to
know?"

"Do ye mayhaps know where
she is?"

When Morag did
n't
answer, Iain grew edgy. "
That
was
stupid of me. Of course ye wouldnae know
where the lass is. How could ye?" He started to rise. "Thank ye for
the ale, Morag. I should get back to my train
ing
."

"But I do know where she is,
laird." Morag ans
were
d
forthright
ly
.

"Ye do?" Iain looked at
her,
not
really
sure what to ask
next. He
was
not
sure if he
was
surprised or
not
, final
ly
decid
ing
he
wasn't
.

"Ye dinnae seem will
ing
to divulge anyth
ing
voluntari
ly
, Morag."