The Duke She Wished For

by Ellie St. Clair

  They rode all day, stopping only once to eat some food and drink some raw milk Alec had brought along. Even when they stopped Alec seemed somber but not as distant as he had been all these weeks. Jaime watched him as he packed the horses back up and helped her up onto hers. He tapped her leg sweetly before walking back over and heading on towards the town. They would stay at the hotel in Crieff and get up early to look for the portal.

  By the time the sun had set they could see Crieff and made their way into town, stopping at the same inn they had stayed in before. They were both exhausted from the trip so after they washed up a bit and started a fire, they snuggled into the bed and fell asleep quickly. The crackling from the fireplace woke Jaime several times, and she moved her head to lay on top of Alec’s chest like she used to do. He reached his arm over and rubbed her back as she fell back to sleep.

  When Jaime woke in the morning she found a note from Alec telling her he went down to get something from town and to meet him out front when she was ready. She dressed and pulled her bag out, looking at the different things tucked away for safekeeping. It was shocking to her how being without the comforts of the future were not all that hard to get used to. In fact, it was really nice not having a ringing cell phone and blaring iPod. Jaime shook her head and shoved her belongings back in the bag before making her way down. The sun was shining brightly, as it had been the day she had arrived and Jaime stopped for a moment, closed her eyes, and let the warmth of the sun seep through her.

  “I’d know that dress anywhere,” a nasally voice stated from in front of Jaime.

  “Miss Fiona,” Jaime said smiling excitedly. “What a nice surprise. I have so much to ask you. Please tell me, how did this happen? Why did I come here, to this time? You must know something.”

  “Sometimes, child, you need to figure out the whys of things for yerself,” Fiona responded, her eyes looking much wiser beyond her age. “All I can do is help you find yerself in the right place, at the right time.”

  “What are you, a fairy godmother or something?”

  “Call me what ye’d like child,” Fiona replied. “Do ye ever feel someone is watching out for ye? Everyone feels that from time to time. But not everyone has me. I’m a bit more… hands on than most. Where ye headin’?” she asked, squinting through her glasses.

  “Back home,” Jaime sighed. “But what —”

  “Did ye take in the history?” she asked.

  “More than you know,” Jaime stated, looking down at her bag.

  “Sometimes when yer heart is searching for something time is of no consequence,” Fiona said softly.

  “Yes but —”

  “Ye ready lass?” Alec asked, turning Jaime’s attention to the street.

  “Oh, yes,” Jaime said slightly confused. “I was just talking to….”

  Jaime turned towards Fiona, but there was no one there. She looked all around her, but it was like the woman had disappeared into thin air. She looked back to Alec, who was looking at her with raised eyebrows. Jaime shook her head and headed down the stairs, following Alec out of the town and across the field to the woods. Before she crossed the threshold, she looked back at Crieff, wondering what happened to the little town over the next 500 years. Where did it go?

  Alec and Jaime walked for hours through Crieff’s Pass, combing the area as they went looking for any sign of a magical portal. Jaime knew Alec was still wondering if the quest was worthwhile, but he never said a word of complaint. The sun was shining down through the trees, casting beams of light like a cathedral ceiling. Three deer crossed their path, pausing just a moment before leaping off into the woods. Alec stopped and looked up at the sun and then around him in all directions.

  “This is where I found you,” he said, looking out at the spot where he had first seen her laying in the mud. “Right over there.”

  They walked slowly over to the spot but only found a patch of fern. They began to look around the area, kicking leaves and rolling old fallen trees. Jaime was looking over the edge of a small cliff when she heard Alec call out.

  “It’s here,” he said, incredulous. “I donna believe it, but I found it.”

  Jaime ran over to him, stopping right at the edge of the dark swirling hole. She looked down, nervous at the thought of jumping into it. Her heart fluttered, and she turned to Alec, suddenly unable to bear the thought of leaving him.

  “Jaime,” he said, before she could say anything. “Thank you for all ye did. I put you in an impossible situation, and ye did all I asked you to. I apologize for keeping you at a distance. My father’s death was hard but I shouldn’t have run from ye, but couldna… didna want to become closer to you, knowing that you would leave.”

  “It’s all behind us now,” Jaime said, holding her breath and waiting for him to say something more, though what she wasn’t sure. He had a point. She wished she had kept her feelings much more guarded, and then her heart wouldn’t be breaking as it was in this moment. But she couldn’t stay, wouldn’t stay, for someone who didn’t love her as she did him. “I guess this is goodbye.”

  They looked at each other for a moment before Jaime turned towards the portal, tears exploding from her eyes as her heart shattered. She took a step forward and looked past the portal at a red-tailed fox that was scurrying away. She closed her eyes and leaned forward.

  “Jaime, stop!” Alec called out, reaching out and grabbing her arm, turning her towards him. “Donna go. Please. There, I said it. Oh, Jaime, I love you. I love you more than anything. I beg of ye, we need you. I need you.”

  The tears continued to flow as Jaime let out a deep breath of air and lunged forward, away from the portal and toward Alec, wrapping her arms around him. She pressed her cheek against his chest and listened to his heart beating rapidly. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips, pulling her close. The whirling ball of nerves in her stomach finally settled, and the yearning of her heart that had been reaching for something since the day she sat and stewed in her living room chair for hours finally found what it was looking for.

  “Alec — I love you too,” she whispered in his ear. “And I think I figured it out.”

  “You figured what out?” he asked pulling back.

  “It wasn’t Scotland calling to me all these years,” she said. “It was you. I was looking everywhere to try to find where I belonged, but it doesn’t matter where I am or even what time I’m in. It’s who I’m with. With you, I’m home.”

  Alec hugged Jaime tightly once again, lifting her feet from the ground. He set her down, and the two began to walk back towards the path, hand in hand. Before they got there, Jaime stopped and looked back.

  “What is it?” Alec asked.

  “I just have to do one thing,” she said, running back toward the portal.

  She looked down into the swirling black hole, knowing she was right where she needed to be. Jaime took the leather bag from her shoulder, hugged it tightly against her chest, and then tossed it forward into the portal, which closed around it. She didn’t need all those things. She had everything she needed right here.

  Epilogue

  Jaime

  The red, curly hair of the child flew behind her as she raced down the hill towards the arms of her mother, waiting at the bottom. Jaime laughed as she twirled her daughter in a circle, then carried her back to the blanket, where Alec, Una and Em were waiting. They were due back shortly to meet Balloch and his new wife for dinner.

  Jaime smiled to herself as she looked around her, at her family backdropped by the beautiful Scottish countryside. She had never been happier. Sure, she missed running water, and Danishes, and when she gave birth she would have been much less fearful in a hospital with modern medicine, but she’d survived.

  As much as she had given up, she had gained so much more. She wouldn’t trade her life now for anything. She loved Alec with her entire heart, and when she gave birth her heart grew even more to include her little girl. Then there was Una and Em.

  She was whole. She had
found what she was looking for, here in Scotland in the 16th Century.

  Alec reached out and ran a finger down her cheek, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to the moment.

  “I love ye lass,” he said, swooping down to plant a kiss on her lips.

  “I love you too, Alec,” she responded.

  More Romance Stories by Ellie St. Clair

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  About the Author

  Ellie has always loved reading, writing, and history. For many years she has written short stories, non-fiction, and has worked on her true love and passion -- romance novels.

  In every era there is the chance for romance, and Ellie enjoys exploring many different time periods, cultures, and geographic locations. No matter when or where, love can always prevail. She has a particular soft spot for the bad boys of history, and loves a strong heroine in her stories.

  She enjoys walks under the stars with her own prince charming, as well as spending time at the lake with her children, and running with her Husky/Border Collie cross.

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