He grinned and pulled me in close, pinching my bottom as he placed me on his lap.
“Aye, ye drive a hard bargain, lass, but naught could sound better to me.”
CHAPTER 42
Cagair Castle
Present Day
“Where are you going?” I reached to pull on Orick’s arm as he exited the stairwell and headed for the front of the castle. “We can just go in the back.”
He nodded. “Aye, we could, but I doona think Aiden or Anne are expecting us. I doona care to scare them.”
I actually thought it might be sort of fun to scare them, but I decided to follow his lead. I laced my fingers with his and walked up the castle’s main steps beside him. Aiden must have seen us arrive for the door swung open as soon as we reached the top of the landing.
“Gillian and…” he reached for Orick’s hand. “I’m sorry lad, I canna remember yer name.”
I stepped in between them and wrapped my arms around Aiden’s neck in greeting. “His name is Orick.”
“Aye. Orick. I dinna expect to see either of ye for a week more, at least. Is everything okay? They were no lying, were they, Gillian?”
We followed him inside. I could tell Orick planned to let me lead the conversation.
“Yes, everything is fine. And no, much to my surprise, they weren’t lying. Where’s Anne?”
“Ah, Anne.”
I didn’t miss how his face reddened in sheepish embarrassment.
“She’s only getting dressed. We took the day off, ye see.”
“Oh, okay. Don’t look so guilty.” I laughed at him and pointed up the stairs. “Go and get her. I need to talk to you two about something.”
While he ran upstairs to get Anne, Orick and I made our way into the sitting room. Orick sat down on the couch, but I wandered slowly about the room as we waited, peeking my head down the hallway, finding myself more impressed the more I looked.
“He’s gotten a lot done in the last week. It doesn’t look like there’s much left.”
“There’s not. He’s almost done.” I turned toward Anne’s voice as she ran toward me from the doorway, giving me a hug that nearly cracked my ribs. “I’m happy to see you, Gillian.”
I laughed and pulled loose from her, moving quickly to seek shelter at Orick’s side.
“I’m happy to see you too. I’m going to wait until Aiden gets seated to say anything though.”
“Oh, that kind of talk, is it?” Anne pulled her face into one of seriousness and plopped down into a chair across from us.
Aiden quickly joined her. “Tell us about it, Gillian. We received yer letter, and the lawyer arrived the next day. Ye need to call him now that ye are back, but he dinna mind that ye were gone.”
“Good.” I made a mental note to remember to do that as I thought on how best to approach the subject. “So, have you booked any other jobs for after you’re finished here?”
Aiden squeezed Anne’s knee, and I knew it was to comfort her. She had to worry about it all the time.
“No, but ’twill be alright. It may be time that I do something else with my life.”
“About that. What if the two of you stayed here and worked for me?”
Anne nearly came out of her chair. “What? Work for you how?”
“Orick and I are going to turn Cagair into an inn. We were wondering if Aiden would want to stay on in a sort of maintenance position, and you could work the front desk? The two of you could have the entire wing on the top floor of the right-hand side of the castle.”
Anne squealed, but Aiden seemed to latch onto another part of my speech.
“Ye said, ‘Orick and I.’ Things must be going well between the two of ye then?”
He looked at the two of us and for the first time since entering, Orick spoke.
“Aye, she married me.”
Aiden’s eyes all but fell from his head, and Anne squealed so loudly that Toby took to growling at her feet in an effort to get her to shut up.
I knew we would have to return to the conversation about the inn later. The rest of the afternoon would be spent telling them everything that had happened.
Chapter 43
Three Weeks Later
A Road Near Conall Castle
“So what if we get there and the house isn’t there?” I rode in the passenger seat next to Anne, Toby in my lap and a stack of invitations sitting in the back seat as we drove to where she swore Morna’s house would be.
“Seriously, after everything you’ve seen in the last month, how can you possibly be so skeptical? She’ll be here. I know she will. Trust me, ever since you sent that note forward about the lawyer, she’s been much more accessible. She brought it to the castle herself. Said she was just dying to see inside.”
As we continued down the long stretch of road, I finally spotted the house. “Yeah, I don’t know. It’s a problem. I shouldn’t have doubted you. Do you think Aiden will manage to keep Orick out of the stable house?”
The day after we traveled forward, I commissioned Aiden to get to work on fixing up the stable house, making sure that it was modernized enough for me but that it also still had a few of the ancient flares that Orick would appreciate—an awkwardly large tub in the middle of the room being one of those.
“Yes, I think so. I don’t think Orick has any real desire to see it before you’re ready for him to. I think he enjoys the element of surprise.”
I knew she was right. Any time I came close to accidentally dropping a hint about what was going inside, he would cover his ears and beg me to stop.
Aiden and his men made fantastic time on the castle itself, and renovations were complete within a week. Now, all that remained was the stable house where Orick and I would live, and Anne and I were off to Morna’s to send a stack of invitations off into the past for the opening of the inn. We wanted everyone from then to be our first guests. It seemed appropriate given the love so many of them had for Cagair, and it would be an excellent way to let them know they were free to use the portal any time they wished.
As we neared the house, I could see the old woman standing in front and knew right away it was Morna. She had a friendly look to her, but I also found her to be rather ethereal-looking. I didn’t doubt for a moment that she was the witch everyone said she was.
As soon as Anne saw her, she rolled down the window and stuck out her hand to wave dramatically.
Morna moved from her doorway and met us at the car as we pulled up.
“Anne, good to see ye, lass.” She stuck her hand through the window and reached across Anne to get to my hand. “Ye must be, Gillian. What a pretty thing ye are. Ye remind me of myself once. I had red hair much as yers, though I know ’tis hard to tell now. Why doona the two of ye get out and come inside for a moment?”
Before I could tell her that we really needed to be getting back, Anne was out of the car and walking inside, making the decision for me.
* * *
Six hours later, we emerged from Morna’s home, and I didn’t care in the slightest that we would be driving back to Cagair all night in the dark. The conversation with Morna and her husband Jerry was beyond worth it.
“Ye two be careful driving back. I could give ye something to help ye stay awake if ye’d like. Ye are more than welcome to stay the night if ye’d rather.”
“Oh no, it’s okay. It was so nice to meet you. I really hope you’ll come to Cagair with the rest of them.”
She shook her head and waved a dismissive hand. “No, I’m afraid Jerry and I will be traveling then, but thank ye for the invitation.”
Anne, who’d already said her goodbyes, carried the tray of baked goods she was sending with us back to the car and climbed in to wait for me.
“You’re so welcome. Thank you for the stories and the food. And thanks for letting Toby come in. He sure did enjoy playing with Franklin.”
I bent to pick up Toby and took a moment to scratch Morna’s puppy on the top of his head. The two dogs looked almost identical, th
e only true exception being that while Toby’s fur was fluffy and white, Franklin’s was fluffy and tan.
“Oh, the wee fellows enjoyed it. Their play willna end just now. Will ye do me a favor, lass, and take Franklin with ye? He’s a gift for Cooper when he comes. His mother will no be pleased, but she will allow it. I’ve been watching. He sure grew attached to Toby. He needs a dog of his own.”
I smiled and scooped up Franklin into my other arm.
“Are you sure?”
The old woman smiled and patted my back as she led me to the car.
“Aye, ’twas for Cooper that I got the pup, no myself. Have a safe journey back. Remember, I’m here if any of ye ever need me.”
CHAPTER 44
One Week Later
Cagair Castle
Everyone arrived as we’d hoped. Cagair Castle was alive with a sense of joy and laughter and fellowship that it hadn’t experienced in hundreds of years. Jane, along with Cooper’s stepmother, Kathleen, kept crying at random intervals at every little thing. The sight of seeing the castle fully restored was just more than either of them could take without blubbering over.
Orick delighted in having everyone that he loved gathered together, but I could tell by nightfall of the day they arrived that being around so many people was already starting to weigh on him. It was the perfect time to show him all of Aiden’s work. He’d finished it the day before and slipped me the key at breakfast this morning.
“Psst…” I stood in the shadows of the dining hall, trying my hardest to get Orick’s attention without drawing everyone else’s.
He didn’t hear me.
I looked down at the floor and took notice of a small pebble. Picking it up, I chunked it as hard as I could in his direction. I meant to hit his shoulder but instead I hit his face. I saw him flinch before he turned to look in the direction from which the stone had come.
When he saw me waving him toward me, he gave me a crooked smile and stood.
He whispered when he saw my finger across my mouth.
“Are ye trying to put my eye out?”
I stood up and kissed the small red whelp on his cheek. “No, sorry about that. I was just trying to get your attention. Come with me.”
I moved us quietly through the back hallways of the castle, exiting through the back door and running across the grass toward our new home with a firm grip on Orick’s hand. When I got to the doorway, I stopped and faced him.
“It’s ready. Do you want to see it?”
I could tell by the impatient twitch of his feet that he did.
“Aye, verra much. I doona think I would be able to sleep with so many around us in the castle.”
I nodded and extended the key to him. “I know. But before you open it, I need to tell you something.”
Only a month had passed since our wedding. I couldn’t believe how my heart had changed in that time. I could no longer imagine hiding my love for him, and the thought of telling him didn’t frighten me. Rather, it felt that if I didn’t say the words, they would bubble out of me and I’d be forced to scream them.
“I love you. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to tell you, but I’ve loved you for much longer than today. As we start our life together here in this home, I don’t want you to ever doubt that for a moment.”
“Gillian.”
He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the ground, pulling me into a kiss that left me ready to rip the key from his hand and open the door myself just so we could get inside and enjoy some privacy.
“I know ye love me, lass. I have no ever doubted it.”
He unlocked the door and pushed his way inside, his arm still wrapped around me as he lowered me to my feet. The first thing he noticed was the tub.
“’Tis larger than the old one. I doona think ye should use it when I’m no around for ye are certain to drown in it.”
I laughed and walked over to it. “It has a built-in seat, so I think I’ll be okay. And the best part is, you don’t have to heat the water up over a fire.”
“Aye, ’tis wonderful.”
Toby was inside the castle with Cooper so when Franklin ran up and jumped up on Orick’s leg, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Then, he looked down to see the furry dog pawing at him to be picked up. He bent and obliged the creature right away.
“Did ye no think one was enough? Ye thought I needed one as well? A bairn or two and we will have to sleep on the floor for our bed will be filled.”
Laughing, I scratched the pup behind the ears. “I wouldn’t mind another dog but, no, this one isn’t yours. Franklin belongs to Cooper. I was just keeping him here so he would remain a surprise until they were leaving. And so I would have time to tell his mother.”
Orick nodded and released Franklin back onto the ground.
“I see.”
I could tell by his short response that the rest of the room had finally grabbed his attention, and I stood back and allowed him time to explore. The wood and stone throughout looked much the same, only with the best modern things scattered throughout.
“Do you like it?”
“The only thing I like more is ye, lass. Must we go back right away, or can we spend some time here alone together. I’ve no ever had ye on a bed so big.”
I laughed and moved to lock the front door, kicking off my shoes as I walked.
“We can stay here as long as you like. The party will go on without us.”
* * *
It was morning before we wandered back into the castle. This time when we did, I made sure to bring Franklin along. I pulled Grace aside the moment I walked inside.
She knew right away what I meant to ask and agreed even before I spoke. Morna had warned her ahead of time when she sent our invitations through. With permission granted, I presented young Franklin to Cooper. I knew from the way the pup leapt from my arms and into his that the two of them were made for one another.
I stood back watching them wrestle on the floor with a smile in my heart as Orick came up and wrapped his arms around me.
Standing in my husband’s arms with friends and family around me, I felt nothing but joy.
For the first time in a long time, I could see past tomorrow. I couldn’t wait to see what was yet to come.
EPILOGUE
Callum wished all of them well, but three nights was enough of a gathering for him.
“Are ye sure ye doona wish to stay only one more night? The rest plan to leave come morning.”
Callum appreciated Orick’s gesture, but he was ready to return to the Cagair of his own time, return to the quiet halls of his castle.
“Thank ye, but no. I’ll see the others when they pass through tomorrow. I’m pleased for ye, that ye’ve found all that ye have. I’ll see ye often, I’m sure.”
He embraced Orick and made his way down the stairwell, disappearing from sight with ease.
It took a moment for him to register his surroundings on the other side—the travels had a way of shaking one up.
Smoke reached his nostrils even before he started up the stairwell. Panic surged through him as he worked to climb his way out. Callum burst through the door at the top, gagging and spitting as he ran out onto the grounds of the castle and turned his head up in horror.
Cagair Castle was in flames.
Morna’s Legacy Series will continue with:
Love Beyond Belief
(Book 7 of Morna’s Legacy Series)
Available Fall 2015
Read all the books in Morna’s Legacy Series:
Love Beyond Time (Book 1)
Love Beyond Reason (Book 2)
A Conall Christmas (Book 2.5)
Love Beyond Hope (Book 3)
Morna’s Legacy Box Set
(Box Set contains Books 1, 2, 2.5 & 3)
Love Beyond Measure (Book 4)
In Due Time – A Novella (Book 4.5)
Love Beyond Compare (Book 5)
Love Beyond Dreams (Book 6)
Love Beyond Belief (Book 7)
>
Available Fall 2015
Thank you for reading!
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I hope you enjoyed Love Beyond Dreams (Book 6 of Morna’s Legacy Series). If you haven’t already, be sure to read the previous books in the series, as well.
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Love Beyond Dreams (A Scottish Time Travel Romance): Book 6 (Morna's Legacy Series) Page 17