by Jennae Vale
Having left in a hurry, nothing had been resolved with his father. Returning and sorting it all out was of the utmost importance. He had intended to speak with his father upon his return from patrolling MacRae lands. He had still been hopeful that they could come to a compromise, but when he’d found that Helene had been imprisoned and was missing, he’d only had time for some angry words before leaving to search for her. Now that he’d found her, his goal was to get Helene to return with him and then leave her at Breaghacraig while he would go on to Castle Treun to speak with his father. None of this was proving to be as easy as he anticipated it might be. Didn’t she understand how much he loved her? Perhaps fighting the man who hoped to be her new love was not the best idea, but damn it he was angry and frustrated and in his own time he would have worked it all out on the practice field, but things were different here.
Zeke came back into the room prepared for battle. Dougall read it in his eyes and a quick glance at Helene showed her anxiety that one or both of them would be hurt.
“We’ll nae fight to the death, only to first blood.” He glanced at Helene and saw relief on her face.
“I don’t usually fight to injure anyone,” Zeke stated.
“Well, today you shall.” Dougall narrowed his eyes and took a strong stance opposite Zeke. He gripped his sword and took a few practice swings through the air above his head to loosen his tense body. Zeke did the same. When they were done, he took a fighting stance.
“Ready?” Zeke asked, appearing not the least bit concerned.
“Aye.” Dougall answered.
They began the dance, circling each other and ready for any movement on the part of their adversary. Dougall moved first, lunging at Zeke, who blocked the thrust with his own sword. He moved in closer and Dougall mimicked his steps moving backwards. Out of the corner of his eye, Dougall could see that Helene was standing with Logan now, her hands over her face as if she were afraid to watch. Their swords met again in a great clang of metal on metal as they continued to parry with one another. Parrying turned into grappling and before long they both found themselves on the floor where Zeke came out on top. Dougall struggled to gain control, but Zeke had the upper hand and the momentum. Dougall rarely found himself in this position and he didn’t care for it. His preoccupation with Helene and his arrogance about his own abilities had put him at a disadvantage. His opponent was an unknown to him and Dougall had assumed that since Zeke was not a true Highland warrior, he couldn’t possibly be a threat. He had been wrong and now he was struggling to get back into the fight. He used all of his strength to push Zeke off of him and in the process the pommel of Zeke’s sword made contact with Dougall’s eye momentarily stunning him. The room was completely silent now, except for the sounds of the two men grunting and growling as they rolled across the floor, each trying to disarm the other. Getting to their feet, they continued to grapple with each other. Dougall narrowly missed Zeke with his blade and then evaded a blow from him. He could barely see out of the injured eye, but he was determined to draw first blood and end this battle. He took one last look at Helene, who appeared to be crying. Then much to his surprise and deep humiliation, Zeke’s sword struck him, glancing off Dougall’s cheek and ending the fight.
“I believe I’ve drawn first blood,” Zeke said. “I win.” He turned and walked away.
Dougall dropped his head, embarrassed to be seen this way. Blood dripped from his face and it was Sara who came to his aid with a wet cloth, which she used to dab at the blood.
“Here, you might want to hold that in place for a minute to see if it stops bleeding. I’m going to go get some ice for your eye.
Dougall did his best to glance around the room, but Helene wasn’t anywhere to be seen and neither was Zeke. Had she gone off with him. His head was throbbing and his eye must be nearly closed. Sara returned with the ice. “What am I to do with this?”
“Put it on your eye. It might help reduce the swelling, although it’s already a mess. How’s the cut?” She took the cloth from him and examined his face. “I think you might need stitches.”
“Nae. I must speak with Helene.”
“I’m not sure she wants to speak with you. She’s pretty upset about all of this.”
Logan put an arm around Dougall and guided him to a chair. “Sit. I’ll see if I can find her.”
Both Logan and Sara left him. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this down trodden, except perhaps when he was a young lad, before he was mercifully sent to foster with the MacKenzie clan. Dougall was a mirror image of his mother. Her beauty was unsurpassed and Dougall’s father thought that because he wore his mother’s beauty on his own face that he would be less than a man. He was forced to spar with his father on an almost daily basis and often came away from it cut and bruised. It was a wonder he lived through it all and when the day came that he was finally blessed enough to be sent off to Breaghacraig, all of that stopped. At this moment he felt much as he had back then. Bruised and battered, but this time it was of his own doing. Zeke hadn’t wished to fight him, but Dougall had insisted and now he was paying the price. It was a rare day when Dougall met an opponent who could best him. He had a newly found respect for Zeke Barrett.
“There you are.” Sara came into Zeke’s office, where Helene sat, hands over her face and sniffling. Sara grabbed a tissue from the desk and then wrapped Helene in a hug.
“Aye.” Was all Helene could manage to say. Her eyes were filled with tears.
“Dougall wanted me to come find you,” Sara said, her voice a soft whisper.
“I cannae speak to him.” Helene pulled away from Sara, wiping her nose with the tissue.
“Helene, he came all the way here, to this time, which he obviously hates, just to find you. It’s clear to me he loves you. He’s hurt, both mentally and physically.”
“He must leave. He must go back home.” Helene said, sounding to herself as if she almost believed it.
“Why? Is there something you aren’t telling me?” Sara asked.
“Nae. ’Tis as I’ve said. I cannae trust him to stay with me.” He left me alone to fend fer meself at Castle Treun.
“I don’t think that was all his fault. His father had a lot to do with it.”
“I ken it. He must go home. He’s to be laird of his clan and I cannae be a part of that,” she bitterly said.
“Why not?” Sara obviously didn’t understand, if she did she’d understand Helene couldn’t possibly go back with Dougall.
“I’m only a lady’s maid. ’Tis nae acceptable for him to be with someone like me.” Helene hung her head in shame.
“Does he feel that way?”
“He willnae say it, but he knows ’tis the way of it. I would only be allowed to be his mistress. I cannae do that.” Despite her tears, the strength in her voice had returned. She may only be a lowly servant, but she would never lower herself to the point where she would do something so obviously wrong.
“Well, of course, you can’t. But are you sure that’s what’s going to happen?”
”Tis the wish of his family that he marry a lass from a rival clan. If he wishes to be laird someday, he must do as he’s told.” Helene sniffled and Sara handed her another tissue. “He wishes to be laird. I will only cause him troubles.”
“I’m so sorry, Helene.”
“I need yer help. I cannae let Dougall see that I still love him. He’ll nae return without me.” Helene gazed directly into Sara’s eyes. She had to convince her that she was doing the right thing.
“Okay. I don’t know what I can do, but I’ll help as much as I can.” Sara took Helene’s hands in hers as an obvious sadness came over her.
“Thank ye, Sara. Yer a good friend.”
Chapter 18
Zeke pulled into the urgent care clinic parking lot. Helene sat in the front seat next to him and much to Dougall’s dismay, she never once spoke to him or looked back at him.
“You can leave us here. We’ll get a cab home,” Sara said as she stepped from the car.
“You sure?” Zeke asked.
“Yeah. I’ll talk to you later.” She held the door open and Logan stepped out next.
Dougall leaned forward and touched Helene’s shoulder. She jumped, as if she were frightened of him. “Helene, I’m going back. I’m going to leave tomorrow morning. If ye wish to come with me, meet me at sunrise at the spot where ye arrived. I’ll wait for ye there.” She didn’t respond. “Helene, I love ye more than life itself. I thought ye loved me, but mayhap I was wrong. If ye do love me, if ye still love me, then I hope to see ye then. If ye don’t come, I’ll know ye dinnae and perhaps never did.”
Helene sniffled and sat up straighter. He knew she was crying, but had no idea what to do about it. He was so confused by her behavior. All this time they’d been together they’d never spoken harshly to each other. When they were together, the world faded away and it was just the two of them. He didn’t know if he would ever understand what had changed her mind so swiftly. He waited a moment or two longer and then departed the car, closing the door and knowing that this was possibly the last time he’d see Helene. The car pulled away and Dougall stood there until it was out of sight.
“We should go get you taken care of,” Sara grabbed his arm and pulled him in the direction of the doors.
He was numb to the pain his body was feeling. It was the pain he felt inside that was killing him. How would he ever go on without her? He didn’t know if he could.
“Are you okay, Helene?” Zeke asked, concern evident in his tone.
“Aye,” she sniffled, but before long the sniffles turned into full blown sobs.
“I don’t think you are.” Zeke reached over and clasped her hand. “Do you want me to pull over?”
“Nae. I want to go home,” she cried.
Zeke wasn’t sure which home she meant, but thought she must surely mean her home at Breaghacraig. He knew she had to miss it terribly. He also knew she still loved Dougall and that any chance he thought he might have with her had never existed.
“Are you going to meet him tomorrow?” he asked.
“Nae. I cannae.” She wiped her eyes, but he could see the tears as they continued to fall.
“We’ll talk about it more when we get home.” He knew he had his work cut out for him, but he was going to try his best to convince her to go back. He saw how much she meant to Dougall. Whatever he had done to cause Helene to react this way, was obviously not done with malice. Zeke could tell from the little time he’d spent in Dougall’s company that he would never do anything to hurt Helene, at least not on purpose. Maybe he had been careless in leaving her alone with his father, but he probably never thought things would turn out the way they did.
He parked the car in front of the house and walked around to open Helene’s door. She took the hand he offered her and then fell into his arms. He wanted to protect her and care for her, but he knew she wasn’t his. He had to wrap his mind around the fact that he was giving up on her. He was sending her back where she belonged and to the man she truly loved. It was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t take advantage of her current vulnerable state. “Come on. Let’s go inside.” He gently held her and guided her up the stairs and through the front door. “Sit and let’s talk.”
“I cannae. I must go to me room.” She wouldn’t look at him.
“We’ll talk later then.”
“Aye. Later.” Helene headed upstairs, never looking up and with tears still streaming from her eyes.
“Well, Zeke, now what do we do?” he asked himself before heading to the kitchen to make himself something to eat and to wait for Helene to be ready to talk.
Hours later Helene descended the stairs to find Zeke on the sofa reading a book.
“Zeke?” Helene spoke softly so as not to startle him.
His head came up at the sound of her voice and he closed his book. “Are you okay?”
“I will be.” She joined him on the sofa.
“Are you ready to talk?”
“Aye. I’m so confused, Zeke.”
“I understand. I guess I am too.”
“You? Why?”
“Because as much as I want you to stay, I’m telling you to go. Go back to Dougall. He loves you and I believe that no matter what you say, you love him too.”
Helene didn’t speak right away. Zeke was right. She did still love Dougall. It was tearing her apart to pretend otherwise. “I’m so sorry, Zeke. I didnae wish to hurt ye. I truly believed I’d never see Dougall again and I still dinnae believe I should keep him from becoming laird.”
“Maybe that doesn’t matter to him as much as you think it does. Maybe you matter more.”
“I don’t see how. I’m nothing more than a servant. I’m nae a lady.”
“You’re wrong, Helene. You are a very special woman and even though you don’t hold the title of lady, you easily could. You are strong, intelligent, sweet, loving, kind. I could go on and on listing all of your good points.”
“But I have bad one’s too,” she interrupted.
“If you do, I’ve never seen them and I’d be willing to bet neither has Dougall. He loves you, Helene. Enough to make a journey that I don’t think I’d be brave enough to make. He ventured into the unknown to find you. I know it’s not in my best interest to say this, but don’t push him away because of some crazy idea you have that his life will be better without you. It couldn’t possibly be.”
Helene wasn’t sure how to respond to this. She took Zeke’s hand in hers. “Yer a good man, Zeke Barrett. I appreciate all ye’ve done fer me. I’ve had the best time here with ye. Ye’ve taught me much and I’ll never ferget ye.”
“Does that mean you’re going back?”
“Aye. It does.”
“Well, then I think we should both get a good night’s sleep. Dawn comes awfully early.”
Zeke escorted Helene to her room and kissed her forehead, taking a moment to breath in the scent of her. He was going to miss her. Why was doing the right thing so damn hard? He’d never been one to worry over much about other people’s feelings. It wasn’t until he met Nick Mackall that it all changed for him. Nick taught him what it meant to be a man of honor. It was a lesson he took to heart and he lived his life every day with that in mind. Helene belonged with Dougall, not with him. As hard as that was to accept, he would. He’d let her go without the fight he’d once thought he’d put up for her. He’d find the woman he was meant to spend the rest of his life with, but not today and probably not tomorrow. It would happen when it was right and he’d know it. Until then, he had his studio and his students to keep him occupied. He’d go back to his life the way it had been before Helene had entered it. What else could he do?
A light drizzle hit the streets as the cab pulled up to Sara’s apartment.
“Thanks,” Sara said as she paid the driver.
She gazed sympathetically at Dougall, who was heartbroken about Helene. The injuries he’d sustained battling with Zeke were nothing compared to the emotional pain he was in.
“You must be hungry,” Sara said to Logan.
“Aye. I’m always hungry.” He grinned and those adorable dimples appeared.
“Let’s go upstairs and I’ll order something for delivery. Are you sure you’re okay, Dougall?”
“I’ll live.”
“I have no doubt you will.” Sara smiled to herself and shook her head. He was a tough guy, but underneath it all she caught glimpses of the man Helene loved. He wasn’t always the big bad highlander he allowed people to see. There was more to him hiding under that gruff exterior. She was sure that was the side Helene saw. Sara hoped her friend would make the right choice tomorrow morning. Zeke would be heartbroken, but he’d get over it. He’d only known her a brief time, Dougall and Helene had a history not easily forgotten by either of them.
She unlocked the door to the apartment and her two misplaced men followed her in. Dougall immediately went to the sofa where he stretched out, covering his face with a pillow.
Logan
appeared at a loss as to how to handle his friend’s sadness. Sara felt the need to distract him.
“Tonight’s your last night here. What would you like to eat?”
“Something I’ve never had before.” Logan always perked up at the mention of food.
“Okay. I’ll order Chinese.” Sara took out her phone and began punching in the number to her favorite take out place.
Logan furrowed his brow in confusion.
“Don’t worry. You’ll like it.” She held the phone to her ear waiting for someone to answer. “Yes, I’d like to place an order. Delivery please.” She gave them her address and hoped she’d ordered enough food to feed these two.
“When will it come?” Logan asked.
“You’re that hungry, huh?” She went to the kitchen and retrieved a beer for him and one for Dougall. “Here. Maybe this will help.”
He examined the can and she realized he probably wasn’t going to be able to figure out how to open it. She went to take it from him and much to her surprise he pulled the tab and began drinking.
“Wow! I’m impressed. You figured it out.”
“I’m nae an idjit.” Logan seemed hurt by her comment.
“Sorry. It’s just that you don’t have cans like that and I guess I thought you might need some help.”
“’Tis fine, lass. Ye should remember just because I’m from another time doesnae mean I’m nae as smart as ye.” He winked at her to let her know it was alright.
Sara beamed a happy smile back at him. She’d be sorry to see him go. She really liked him. It figures, the one time she meets someone she could fall for, he’s from another time.
Dougall was still reclining on the sofa, pillow over his eyes, but now with a beer in his hands. Very twenty first century of him. Logan made himself comfortable on the loveseat, while Sara headed back into the kitchen to get herself a soda. All she could think was that she wanted to have fun with Logan and Dougall tonight. She wouldn’t be seeing them again after tomorrow morning, but she’d sure have some memories to look back on.