by Jennae Vale
He could hear the voice as clearly as if the woman was right there with him. A need to get to the bottom of what was going on drove him to stand and do as he was told. “I’m here.”
“Zeke, ’tis I. Edna Campbell. I’m an old friend of Sir Richard and Angelina. Do ye remember them?”
“Yes.” What on earth was happening to him?
“Zeke. I need yer help with something. I’ve just sent a lovely young lass to San Francisco. She is lost and needs help.”
“What do you mean you sent her here? Is she at the airport?”
“She came with the fog.”
“The fog?” He remembered the fog. He’d watched his friends disappear into it and out of his life.
“Yes. She’s time traveled. She has a broken heart and is disillusioned with love. She needs your help. Are you up for the task?”
“I can help. Where is she?”
“She’s in the same place ye last saw Richard. Do ye remember where that was?”
“Do I? How could I forget?”
“Well, go there now. Quickly before she wanders off and then we’ll both have a problem.”
“I don’t know how this is my problem. I didn’t send her here. You did.”
“I don’t abide smarty pants men verra well, Zeke. I’m a witch, ye ken and unless ye’d like me to turn ye into a toad, ye’d best do as I’ve instructed. Ye won’t be sorry ye did. I can promise ye that.”
Zeke’s curiosity had gotten the better of him and while he didn’t appreciate this Edna Campbell telling him what to do, he’d do it. Not for her, but because he was curious.
“Go on then, go. Hurry, hurry.”
“I’m going.” Zeke said. He made sure he’d turned off the stove and put his dishes in the sink and then headed out the door and off to the Marina to search for this woman, whoever she was. He hadn’t thought to ask Edna how he’d recognize her, but he’d figure that out when he got there. How many women could be standing around looking lost anyway? Heck, he didn’t even know her name. This was starting to seem more and more like a fool’s errand. If it wasn’t for his experience with Richard, Nick and Angelina, he’d never have believed any of this, but he knew it was all too possible to time travel and this Edna woman seemed to be the one in charge of it all.
He took off at a run. He was just around the corner from the spot where he’d supposedly find her. No one paid him any mind. People were always running somewhere, so he didn’t seem too out of place. For all anyone knew he was out for a jog, although his clothing was not exactly suited to running. Rounding the corner, he made it to the crosswalk right in time to cross the street. As he reached the opposite sidewalk, he stopped and scanned the area. He shouldn’t have worried about not knowing who to look for. There she was. A bedraggled blonde dressed in medieval attire. She appeared to have been to hell and back from the looks of her. Her hair was all knots and tangles and her face was smudged with dirt. She seemed nervous, perhaps apprehensive. Of course she is, you idiot. She’s just travelled through time. She has no idea where she is. His heart ached for her, knowing what she must have been through and what she was going through now. He wasn’t quite close enough to speak to her, but as he neared she turned and began walking away from him.
“Wait,” he yelled.
She stopped, her posture grew rigid and he watched as she forced herself to turn his way. Sad, blue eyes gazed at him as he approached.
“I’m Zeke. I’m supposed to meet you here. Edna sent me.” When she heard the name Edna, she visibly relaxed, almost collapsing in front of him. He was at her side in two long strides, grasping her elbow with one hand and her waist with the other. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He bent down so he could look into her eyes. “I’m Zeke,” he repeated. “I’m here to help.”
“Zeke.” Her voice quivered as she repeated his name. “I be Helene.” She said his name again, sounding as if she were in a trance. “Zeke.”
“Yes. Come with me. I’ll take you back to my house. Well, it’s not really my house. I’m watching it for a friend.”
She didn’t respond. She was clutching his hand in hers now and he could feel a mix of emotions coming from her.
“Don’t be afraid. No one’s going to hurt you. Are you hungry?”
She nodded. “I’ll fix you something to eat then.” She was shaking and Zeke couldn’t help the urge he had to put an arm around her and pull her close. She didn’t resist, instead falling into him. Once he got her home he’d find out what was going on with her. Why she was here. He had a feeling this was going to be quite the story.
Helene had almost given up when she heard Zeke’s voice telling her to wait. She had turned to see a very handsome man walking towards her. He was tall, with short blonde hair and blue eyes. His face looked like it was carved from stone, but yet his eyes had a softness to them. He wore unusual blue pants and a creamy colored shirt made of an unusual fabric. It had buttons that came half way down, but it was open, revealing a sprinkling of hair on his chest and a pendant on a leather thong hanging round his neck. She was fascinated by him. As he got closer, she almost collapsed, but he came to her aid and held her up. He smelled good too, but she couldn’t identify the scent. It seemed to be an unusual blend of aromas that were familiar but yet unfamiliar. More importantly she felt she was finally safe. When she’d asked for help at the bridge, this wasn’t what she’d expected.
He was speaking to her again. “Do you need me to carry you?”
“Nae. Yer arm is enough to hold me up. I’m hungry and tired from me journey.” Her head barely reached his shoulder and when she gazed up at him, she saw concern etched across his brow. She smiled up at him, hoping it would put his mind at ease. She didnae wish to be a burden to this kind stranger. She had no idea why Edna had sent her here, but mayhap this would be her new home. It saddened her to think she may never see the MacKenzies again. She thought of Dougall and a sob escaped her lips. She got it under control almost as soon as it happened.
“Are you okay?”
She understood the word okay. She’d heard it enough times from Ashley, Jenna and Sophia. They were all from this time and this city. She had listened to all their stories about home and now she was here. At the time it had all sounded so magical, now it just seemed all too real.
“I be fine. Thank ye.”
They passed many ornate buildings. It was hard to tell if they were all separate, or if they were all part of the same castle. Zeke stopped in front of a particularly colorful edifice and then guided her up the stairs to a door, which he unlocked with a strange looking key. He held it open, allowing her to enter first.
Her hands flew to her face. “Oh, my! This is Jenna’s home, isnae it?”
“How do you know Jenna?”
“She lives at Breaghacraig with Cormac.” Helene couldn’t believe she was here in her friend’s home.
“It’s her family’s home. Her aunt Angelina’s friend Nick lived here before they went back to your time with Richard. She gave me the key and asked me to take care of it for her.”
“I’d recognize it anywhere. She’s told me all about it.” She walked into the first room she came to and placed her hands on the chair in front of her. The fabric was soft and luxurious. “I wonder does her family nae wonder where she is? Jenna I mean.” Helene had often thought how odd it was that Jenna wasnae closer with her family.
“They know she’s in Scotland and they seem okay with that. Every now and again I hear from someone in their foundation. They check in to see if everything’s okay and if I need anything. They’ve been very kind to me.”
“Jenna told me that if the need ever arises, Edna will help her communicate with her family…” Helene was feeling a little dizzy and began to sway on her feet.
“Here. Sit down. You look like you might faint.” Zeke took her hand and led her to the front of the chair, where he helped her sit.
“Thank ye, Zeke. I dinnae ken how ’tis I’ll repay ye.”
“Don’t worr
y about it. You can stay here as long as you like.”
She didn’t know what to say to that offer. Of course, she’d be happy to work, just as she did at Breaghacraig.
“Stay where you are. I’ll get you something to eat and drink, then I’ll call my sister, Sara. She’ll get you some clothes to wear so you fit in better.”
“Where is yer wife, Zeke?” She couldn’t imagine he lived in this big house all alone.
“Oh, I’m not married,” he called from the kitchen.
She could hear the sounds of things opening and closing as he rushed around. She wanted to see the kitchen so badly. She had a limited view from her seat, but she could see it later, for now she’d stay where she was. She focused her energy on relaxing and breathing.
“When was the last time you ate?”
“I dinnae remember. I’ve been wandering fer days.”
“Well, hopefully this will help.” He handed her a dish made of paper, which she thought very odd. On it was something she’d never seen before.
Her confusion must have been obvious to Zeke, because he said, “It’s a sandwich. Grilled cheese.”
She was starving and needed the food he had given her more than he could possibly have known. He placed a cloth on her lap and placed a tall glass of water on the table next to her. Zeke then proceeded to stare at her, making her self-conscious. Helene picked up the sandwich and took a bite.
“I hope it’s okay. I’m all out of cold cuts. All I have left is cheese.”
“’Tis verra good,” she said, placing her hand in front of her mouth as she chewed. Truly, she’d had bread before and she’d had cheese before, but never quite like this.
Zeke smiled warmly in her direction. He really was quite handsome and there was something about him she felt herself drawn to. She smiled back and she could see that he was relieved. Perhaps he thought she’d be a burden. That wasn’t her intent.
“I dinnae wish to be a burden to ye, Zeke. I can care fer meself. Ye’ll see. While I’m here with ye, I’ll take care of yer household. The cooking and cleaning. ’Tis what I do back home,” she explained.
“That would be great. I’m not very good at either of those things as you can probably tell from the sandwich.”
“Sandwich.” An unusual word. What she’d eaten didnae contain sand, but had it been created by witchcraft? Nae. She’d seen him go to the kitchen to make it and from all the sounds she’d heard coming forth from that room, he wasnae a witch, but she thought she should check. “Yer nae a witch, are ye?”
“A witch? No way.”
“I’m sorry I didnae wish to offend.”
“You didn’t. Why would you think I was a witch?” He looked at her and it was as if he suddenly understood. “The sandwich, right?”
“Aye. Is it nae that kind of witch?”
“Nope.” He chuckled. “I can see it’s going to be fun helping you get acclimated to your new surroundings.”
Yes, she thought, this is certainly going to be fun and I’m going to enjoy me stay here - no matter how long it be.
“I’m going to call Sara now. Maybe she can come right over.”
Helene watched as he pulled an object from his pocket and poked at it with his finger. He held it up to his ear for a moment before speaking. “Hey, Sara. It’s me, Zeke.”
He paused again. She could faintly hear the sound of a woman’s voice coming from the object he held to his head.
“Yeah. I’ve got a favor to ask. Can you come by and bring some of your clothes with you?” He waited again. “I know that sounds weird, but you’ll understand why I need them when you get here. Come on, please. You owe me anyway, remember?” Zeke chuckled at whatever the woman had said. “Okay. See you in a bit then.”
He put the object back in his pocket. “That’s my cell phone,” he said, removing it again and holding the object up for her to see. “Sara’s my sister. She’s about your size. She’s bringing clothes for you.”
“’Tis kind of her.”
“She’s going to freak when she finds out you’re from the past. I’ve told her all about Nick and Richard, but she never believes me.”
“I can understand why. I can hardly believe it meself.”
“I love your accent. Nick had an accent like yours, but it wasn’t as cute coming out of him.”
“Cute?”
“Yeah, you know, like adorable or endearing.”
She understood what he meant now. “Cute,” she said, smiling warmly at this handsome stranger.
Helene finished her sandwich and Zeke took the plate from her. “Can I get you anything else? Some cookies, maybe?”
“Nae. ’Twas verra good. Thank ye.” She drank some of the water and placed the glass back on the table.
He seemed to be staring at her again. She must look terrible. She tried to fix her hair and found it was all knotted and a mess.
“Would you like to get cleaned up?” he asked.
“Aye. I would. I dinnae ken what I must look like, but I can tell by the way yer gaping at me that it mustnae be good.”
“Oh, no. You look fine. I can show you where the bathroom is, so you can wash up. Sara will be here soon and she can help you with anything else you might need.”
She was making him nervous, she could tell. She stood and followed him into a small room.
“This is the bathroom. This is the sink. You turn the water on here. Hot water here and cold water here. You can use both to make it whatever temperature you like.”
She must have appeared puzzled, because he showed her all over again. “I’m sorry. I know this is all foreign to you, but you’ll get the hang of it. I promise.” He showed her all of the other things in the bathroom and how they worked and then he closed the door and left her alone.
Helene glanced into the clearest mirror she’d ever seen. She could hardly believe what a sight she was. No wonder Zeke had stared at her so. She turned on the hot water and watched as it poured from the spout. It began to steam and she thought it might be too hot, so she did as Zeke had instructed her and turned on the cold as well. A triumphant smile lit her face as she realized she’d made the water the perfect temperature. She washed her face and hands and dried them on the cloth he’d given her. Now she needed to fix her hair.
She picked up a brush she found near the sink. At least she thought it was a brush. It was most unusual looking, but she tried it and it was helping to get the knots from her hair along with the occasional twig or leaf. She couldn’t stop looking in the mirror. What a wondrous thing. She could see that she looked much better now. Smiling to herself, she went to find Zeke.
“Wow! You clean up nice.” He seemed pleased with her transformation.
“Thank ye.”
“So, Edna said you’d been through a rough time.”
He was staring at her. Helene self-consciously touched her hair. “Aye. I have.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“Nae. ’Tis fine. It may help to share it with ye.” Helene told Zeke about it all. About Dougall, his proposal, the ordeal at Castle Treun and her escape, which ultimately brought her to San Francisco.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that. You’re a strong woman, Helene.”
She was strong when she needed to be, and having Zeke bring it to her attention reminded her that it was true. Yes, she was strong. She could handle anything that came her way. She’d survived this whole ordeal and although she was still sad about what had happened with Dougall, she knew she could make a new life for herself. A confident smile crossed her face as she gazed up at Zeke. “Yer right. I am strong.”
Chapter 11
The sight of Castle Treun was exactly what Dougall was hoping to see when they left camp early that morning. It wasn’t the same feeling he got when he returned to Breaghacraig, but it was the place he’d given much thought to over the last several days. He was returning home, but not to stay. He’d made up his m
ind that after reporting in to his father on the findings of their many days’ journey, which he now realized was completely unnecessary, he would get Helene and their things and head back to his real home, Breaghacraig. He didn’t want to be here. His father didn’t need him here for anything other than marrying Greer Matheson and Dougall already told him he wouldn’t be doing that.
A gray overcast sky threatened rain and caused the buildings of the castle to appear dull and drab, suiting Dougall’s feelings about the place. He could never live here. Servants and others from the clan scurried about the outer courtyard heading to and from their various duties with hardly a sound. It was eerily quiet. Only the occasional sounds of the blacksmith’s hammer broke the silence. Dougall’s mind turned back to Helene. Had Brenna seen to it that she was well? He took a deep breath, quelling the anxiety that had begun to manifest in his gut. His father would stop at nothing to see that he married Greer. Dougall could only hope that it wouldn’t involve harming his love.
As they approached the gates of the inner courtyard, Dougall’s heart sang at the thought of seeing Helene again. He pushed his fear aside and urged his horse to move more quickly. His love waited for him inside the walls of this castle. She hadn’t been out of his thoughts for even a moment while he’d been away. His love for her was greater than anything he’d ever felt before and he didn’t intend to waste one more moment away from her.
“What’s yer plan?” Logan asked, interrupting his thoughts.
“I’m leaving.” Dougall answered. He’d gained a sense of trust again with Logan. They’d spoken much while on patrol and he now understood that Logan, as well as the others, had all acted out of fear of Laird MacRae. None of them wished to be the focus of his wrath and he could forgive them for that.
“Yer Da will be angry.”
“Aye. He will. No matter, I’ll nae stay. I intend to marry Helene.” Dougall dismounted and gazed up at Logan, who wore a worried expression.
“Ye’ll be banished.” Logan hopped down from his horse to stand beside Dougall.