Timeless Mist (37 page)

She smiled at him, "I will
answer your questions honest
ly
,
laird, but nay, I willnae offer ye more than what ye ask."

Iain huffed out a breath and
looked at her a
not
her
minute.

"Will ye tell me where she
is then?"

"She
has
gone home."

Iain looked at the ceil
ing
, then at his mug, then
back at Morag again and nodded. "I figured as much." He started to rise
but thought of someth
ing
else, "is she safe then?"

"Safe? Aye, she is
safe."

Iain got the feel
ing
he
was
not
ask
ing
the right questions, or at least
not
ask
ing
the question
Morag wanted to hear.

"Is…" he stopped,
"is she happy?"

Morag stared off for several
moments before she ans
were
d
him. "She is…content."

"Content isnae happy."

"Nay."

Iain sighed and rose. He gave
Morag a small bow, thanked her for her time and left.

Morag watched him walk away and
shook her head. "Ah my fine laird, ye dinnae ask the right questions now
did ye?" She tsked and returned to her work. Mayhap soon he would return
and do so.

*          *          *

Kris strolled unhurried
ly
back to the castle from the
village, feel
ing
lazy
and distant today. It
had
been well over a month since she'd been
found
, unconscious near here. She'd
eventual
ly
told her
brothers the truth about where she'd been and of course, they
hadn't
believed her. They
chalked it up to the bump on her head, tell
ing
her she'd
had
some
kind of coma induced dream and sometimes they could seem
very
real.

At least Hailey and Aleksa
had
believed her. For the
most part anyway. She folded her hands over her stomach and could
n't
help the smile
that
came to her lips. The
doctor in town
had
confirmed what she'd begun to suspect. She
was
pregnant. It made her happy and sad at the same time. Happy
that
she'd
have
a little one to raise
and lavish the love on
that
she
hadn't
been able
to do with his or her father, but sad
that
the father could
n't
be
here to share in the joy and experience with her. She wished again, for maybe
the millionth time,
that
th
ing
s could
have
been different.

She shook her head. She could
n't
afford to let her
emotions get out of whack right now. She needed to concentrate on what she did
have
,
not
think about what she'd
lost. If she did
n't
,
she'd be a constant waterfall of tears. She'd already done enough of
that
dur
ing
the first week or so
that
she'd been back. She
had
a baby to think of now. She
had
to take care of
herself.

Enter
ing
the keep, she looked around the Greathall
and could
n't
help the
small shudder. She'd determined to build a new life for herself. One in which
she would take the reins and control her own fate. She would never forget a s
ing
le detail of Iain's face,
nor could she stop the thoughts of him from intrud
ing
into her day, no matter how busy she tried
to keep herself. But they
were
thoughts she could learn to live with and hopeful
ly
,
someday, they would lessen enough for her
not
to get teary-eyed at e
very
one.

Mr. MacGregor
had
invited her to stay
through the fall and she'd glad
ly
accepted his kind invitation. Her brothers
had
returned to the States, but Hailey and Aleksa
had
decided to extend their vacations and keep Kris company.

Kris walked up to her rooms,
different from the one she'd
had
before her unfortunate accident. She just
hadn't
been able to stay in
that
room. Too many memories assault
ing
her.

She turned and looked down the
hallway, realiz
ing
with a start
that
this
was
where she'd gotten
herself lost and found Iain's portrait the first day she'd been here. She went
to the end of the hallway and looked up.

Not
h
ing
. Just a blank, empty
wall.

She turned slow
ly
to see Mr. MacGregor
stand
ing
beside her.

"Oh." She jumped.

"I dinnae mean to startle
you, Kris." He smiled at her.

Kris waved away his concern. "What
happened to Iain?" She asked before she could stop herself.

"It needed to be
cleaned." He ans
were
d
with a negligent shrug. "Dinner will be in an hour, Kris." He eyed
her for a moment, "may I ask, how
was
your trip to town?"

"Oh, fine. I'm recover
ing
very
well accord
ing
to the doctor."

"
Very
good."

"Mr. MacGregor," she
gave him a half-smile, "Brian, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course, my dear. Feel
free to ask me anyth
ing
ye wish."

"Um well." Kris looked
around the hallway, search
ing
for the right words, "you believe me, do
n't
you? About my trip through time."

He looked at her so long, she
thought he might
not
answer. Final
ly
he
nodded, "of course I believe you. Scotland is a magical place, lass, and I
for one never discount anyth
ing
that
may happen here. Besides,
you'll recall I'm the one who told you the legend of Iain to begin with."

"Oh, yes, of course, you
were
." She thought a
moment, "Oh." Her eyes grew wide, "right." She looked down
at her feet, "did you know it
was
me then?"

The older man shook his head,
"nay, lass. I
had
no idea. The lass Iain loved
was
never named except
that
she
was
a
Campbell."

"I see." She started to
walk toward her room, "I guess we'll never know what became of him now,
will we?"

"One never knows what kind
of th
ing
s might happen
in Scotland, lass. We can on
ly
wait and see."

"Well, thank you for believ
ing
me at least."

He dropped a kiss on her forehead
in a grandfather
ly
fashion. "Get some rest before dinner, lass. The wee one will need
it."

Kris' hands flew to her abdomen. "How
did you know?"

He winked at her and gave her a
smile, "you are glow
ing
,
lass."

Kris kissed his grizzled cheek
and let herself into her room. He
was
right, she
was
tired
after her walk and a rest before dinner
was
just the th
ing
.

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Iain, ye ha'e been a grumb
ly
pain in the arse for near
to two months now. Will ye do us all a favor and go away until ye can be
have
in a more civilized
manner." Raibert bellowed to a stunned Iain before he stormed out of the
hall.

Iain looked around at the people
in the hall and sighed. He stomped after his captain, but lost his anger before
he caught up with him. Raibert
was
right. He'd been cross and angry for weeks now. It
wasn't
anyone in particular
that
he
was
angry with, except
himself of course.

His
màthair
had
chided him about it, Raibert
had
bellowed at him several times about it, even Elsie and cook
had
commented on it.
Not
h
ing
helped or stopped it.

He rubbed a hand over his face. He
knew what he needed to do. He would go
have
a
not
her talk with Morag.
And this time, he determined, he would ask the proper questions. He'd come to
the conclusion, several days ago if anyone cared to know,
that
he just could
not
live any longer without
Kristianna. It
was
as
if the sun
had
gone
from his world and refused to shine anymore. Somehow, someway, he would either
br
ing
her back to him
or find a way to go to her.

He set off with a determined
stride to Morag's cottage before he could change his mind again.

*          *          *

Morag looked up from her stewpot
as Iain stomped in.

"I've been expect
ing
ye for some time now,
laird. What kept ye?"

Iain looked at her, startled. "Ye
ha'e?"

"Aye. Are ye ready to ha'e
your true question ans
were
d
now?"

Iain took a deep breath and
nodded.

"Well ask away then."

"Ye said Kristianna went
home. I assume
that
meant back to her own time."

"Aye."

"And how is it ye know
this?"

"Because I am the one who
sent her there."

That
statement made Iain sit down. "Explain
that
,
if ye please."

Morag sat across from him, poured
him a large mug of ale and told Iain what she
had
told Kris several months before.

"I see." Iain said when
she
had
finished. "I
see." He repeated. He blew out a breath, prepared to ask her the most
important question now. "And," he took a
not
her fortify
ing
swallow of ale, "can ye br
ing
her back?"

"Nay, unfortunate
ly
, nay, my laird."

"I see." He said again.
"Then is there any way ye can send me to her?"

"Why?"

Iain looked up, stunned by the
question. "Pardon?"

"Why do ye wish to go to
her, laird?"

Iain started to give her a trite
answer then looked into her eyes. She would accept
not
h
ing
less than the truth. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"I love her, Morag. I love
her enough to gi'e up my life here, to gi'e up be
ing
laird and all
that
I
know, to find her. I cannae li'e without her anymore. She means more to me than
I e'er thought a woman would." He bowed his head, "please, Morag. If
there is anyway ye can help me…" He looked at her then, silent
ly
plead
ing
, "can ye help me? Can
ye send me to her?"

Morag chuckled. "Now
that
is the question I ha'e
been wait
ing
these
many weeks to hear from ye, laddie. And the answer is aye, I can do
that
."

Iain near
ly
fell out of his chair at the sense of relief
that
was
hed over him. He jumped
up and began to pace.

"Then do so. Immediate
ly
."

"Wait." Morag
cautioned.

"Wait? Nay, there is nay
time to wait. I must get to her."

Morag rose from her chair and put
a restrain
ing
hand on
him. "Ye must make some preparations first, laird. I ha'e a few th
ing
s to tell ye before ye
head off to parts unknown."

"
Like
what? I need know
not
h
ing
more than 'tis possible to accomplish it."

"I think ye must needs know
a few th
ing
s more than
that
." She
grabbed a satchel from the corner, "come, we must go speak wi' your
màthair
."

"My
màthair
? Why?"

"Because she can tell ye th
ing
s ye will need to
know."

"Oh. Verra well, then, let's
be off. I doonae wish to
was
te
a
not
her moment."

Morag chuckled warm
ly
and led the way back to
the keep.

*          *          *

Kris strolled contented
ly
through the field behind
the keep. It
was
a
beautiful, sunny day and the exercise would do her good. She
had
no destination in mind,
she simp
ly
wandered,
stopp
ing
now and then
to pick a wildflower or two.

She glanced behind her, surprised
by how far from the keep she'd walked. She glanced in the other direction and
was
startled to see a forest
in front of her. She
hadn't
realized she'd walked
that
far. Of course she'd seen the woods from the keep, but they'd seemed a fair
distance away. She should be head
ing
back soon, otherwise Hailey, Aleksa and Brian would be send
ing
out a posse to look for
her.

She smiled to herself. She'd
had
to get away from them
for some peace and quiet. Some alone time. They
were
well mean
ing
, but ever
since they'd found out she
was
pregnant, they'd been more than insistent
that
she
not
do anyth
ing
to strenuous. If she
heard one more time
not
to over-do it, she
was
go
ing
to scream.

The sound of a horse behind her
made her turn to look. She assumed somebody else
was
tak
ing
advantage of
the unseasonab
ly
warm
fall day. She opened her mouth to call out a greet
ing
when she looked at the rider on the huge
black horse.

Her head spun, she swore she saw
stars and sudden
ly
,
the ground came up to meet her.

She put her hand to her head,
certain she
was
imagin
ing
th
ing
s. She tried to sit up,
and
was
helped in
that
feat by a pair of hands.
She looked up. "Iain," she whispered.

"Aye lass, in the
flesh." He said, flash
ing
her a grin.

Kris closed her eyes. "I'm
dream
ing
are
n't
I?" She looked at
him again, "I'm hallucinat
ing
,
I know it. You can
not
really
be here. This is
impossible."

"Nay, lass, this is
Scotland. And here anyth
ing
is possible."

Kris closed her eyes and willed
the lightheadedness to pass. She would
not
faint.
Not
now.

"It's
really
you." She
whispered.

Iain nodded.

Kris reached out a hand to touch
his face, afraid
that
it would disappear when she tried. When it did
n't
,
she threw her arms around him and just held him. "It's
really
you," she
repeated, cl
inging
to
him. "You're
really
here."

"Aye, lass, 'tis
really
I. We must get ye to
the keep." He said, concern color
ing
his voice. "Ye look verra pale." He pulled away and looked and looked
at her, his brow furrowed.

She nodded dumb
ly
, still
not
believ
ing
her eyes and ears.

"Are ye all right? Can ye
stand?"

"I…I think so." She
shook her head, still unsure whether to believe it or
not
. "You're
really
here are
n't
you?"

Iain smiled at her, a smile full
of warmth and love, "aye, love, I'm
really
here."

"Tell me how."

"We should get ye inside
first."

Kris shook her head. "I
refuse to move from this spot until you tell me how you got here."

"Stubborn bit of
baggage." Iain laughed, but final
ly
agreed. He sat on the grass and told her about his visit with Morag. He
explained how he'd felt when she'd disappeared and how he'd realized his life
meant
not
h
ing
if he could
n't
share it with her.

He told her how he'd gone to his
màthair
and put the entire
tale to her. "She bid me wish ye a happy hello and gi'e ye a kiss from
her. I ha'e a gift or two from her and Elsbeth in my saddlebags."

"Kiss me." Kris said.

Iain looked at her, startled.

"Prove to me
that
you're real and you're
really
here, kiss me."

He smiled, "with pleasure,
lass." Crush
ing
her to him, he pressed his mouth against hers. His kiss devoured her lips and
she welcomed it, thrilled to it. Blood pounded in her brain, leapt from her
heart and made her tremble with desire.

Iain undressed her slow
ly
, and they made love in
the sweet smell
ing
grass.

*          *          *

Much later, as they walked hand
in hand back to the keep, Iain explained to her
that
he'd left Raibert in charge until Devyn
was
old enough and
had
enough train
ing
to
take over. His
màthair
had
given him her
bless
ing
and well
wishes. Of course she
had
cried, but she
hadn't
begrudged him his happiness nor Kris hers.

Kris stopped him with a gentle
tug on his hand. "I
have
some news for you," she paused, "dad."

She waited in silence, bare
ly
able to contain herself. She
saw the import of her words sink in and stick. With a whoop Iain lifted her
high in the air, twirl
ing
her around. Then he caught himself and set her gent
ly
back on her feet.

"I shouldnae be toss
ing
ye about
like
that
. What if I hurt the babe?"

"You wo
n't
. If what we just did in
that
field did
n't
hurt him,
not
h
ing
will."

"Ah, lass, I cannae tell ye
how happy ye ha'e made me."

"You make me happy too,
Iain. I thought my life would be empty. Oh, I'd
have
the baby to fill up my days, but it's
not
the same as hav
ing
his
father with me, to help me raise him or her." She looked at him, a hand on
his cheek, "I love you Iain."

"I love ye too, Kristianna
Campbell-MacGregor." And he kissed her again.

How long the kiss lasted, Kris
wasn't
sure, but a sudden
thought made her break the kiss.

Iain looked at her, a question
furrow
ing
his brow.

"Iain, how are we go
ing
to live? I mean you know
how to do
a lot
, but
it's
not
like
it used to be you know.
You ca
n't
earn your
bread by your sword or by steal
ing
cattle and stuff
like
that
."

Iain stopped her babbl
ing
with a kiss. "'Tis
all seen too, lass, ye ha'e
not
h
ing
to worry about. I
had
a verra long chat wi' my
màthair
before I made
this venture. Her instructions to me for ye
were
as follows," he straightened and looked at her
very
serious
ly
,
"ye and I are too live happi
ly
e'er after. She says to live out your own Cinderella story and make it all come
true."

Kris felt tears burn her eyes. She
kissed Iain with e
very
th
ing
she
had
in her.

When she final
ly
came up for air, she
wrapped her arms around his neck, "I love you Iain MacGregor."

"And I love ye more, Mrs.
MacGregor." He kissed her nose. "Shall we go start our happi
ly
e'er after."

Kris nodded, took his hand and
grinned. "Indeed we shall, my love, indeed we shall."

THE END