Forever and Beyond: Highland Hearts Afire - Time Travel Romance

by B. J. Scott

  She scooped some onto a saucer and placed it on the floor, along with a bowl of water. “Go ahead and eat,” she cooed, pleased when Tiger tucked into the food with gusto. Having a cat around the house might prove to be good company, and it might help to keep her mind occupied and off Ayden. And unlike a dog, she didn’t have to take it out for walks. “Keeping the resident mouse population at bay is all I ask.” She scratched his back as the feline rubbed up against her legs, purring.

  Deciding she’d had enough excitement for one night, Katherine opted to forego supper and grabbed an apple and a glass of milk instead. She tucked the journal under her arm, then picked up the lantern and candle, before leaving the kitchen. As she headed through the parlor with Tiger bounding ahead of her — as if he knew the way — she paused and once again glanced at the mantle clock. It was almost half-past-nine, but after sleeping most of the day away, she wasn’t tired. It was going to be a long, lonely night.

  ~ * ~

  “Catriona.” Ayden shouted, then sat up with a start. He scrubbed his fist across his eyes and glanced at the room around him. He recognized the place immediately. He’d somehow ended up in the old hunting shack located in the wood on the border between Grant and MacAndrews land. How he got there and why, he had no idea, but the image of Catriona teetering on the edge of the cliff by the falls flooded his mind. He sprang to his feet and raced out of the small waddle and daub hut before sprinting toward the falls.

  When Ayden arrived at the cliff, he noticed the earth along the edge of the ravine looked undisturbed. “That canna be, I saw the earth give way beneath MacConnery’s feet, just before he and Catriona fell.” Knowing the rim of the bluff was fragile, Ayden crawled to the edge and peered over, expecting to see the broken bodies of Catriona and MacConnery on the rocks below.

  Upon reaching the edge of the cliff, he stared down at the rocky crag below. “Catriona,” he shouted.

  “You’ll na find her there, Ayden.”

  He whipped around when he recognized Malcolm MacBain’s voice. “Where the hell is she? I saw her fall.” He moved away from the edge and faced MacBain and Murray. “What happened back there?”

  “The wrong was righted.”

  “But did Catriona live or die? Did I?” Ayden asked. “When I saw the ground about to give way, I grabbed Catriona’s arm, but it slipped from by fingertips as we both plummeted over the edge. Yet I’m standing here and she’s vanished.”

  Duncan Murray stepped forward. “The past is no longer relevant, but we do have more work to do here.”

  “Like hell it’s not relevant. The woman I love just fell from a cliff and so did I. I want to know what happened to her and why I woke up in the old abandoned hunt camp.”

  “Duncan is right. The past is the past and you have more to do here,” Malcolm replied.

  Ayden dragged his finger through his hair. “You already sent me back once to fix my death at Stirling. Then you sent Catriona back to prove her death was not a suicide. Now you want more? Perhaps I’m really your slave for eternity.”

  “Nay. But you can always refuse and it all ends here and now,” Malcolm explained. “However, if you right this wrong, you will be granted your heart’s desire — and hers.”

  His pulse raced when he heard the words. “Are you telling me Catriona dinna die? And that we might still be reunited?” If only it would true, he’d do anything. “What task is it I must do?”

  “You’ll know it when you come upon it,” Duncan said and handed Ayden a piece of vellum. “Memorize these words then destroy the note. They are only to be used once and you will know when the time is right.”

  “You have only partially completed your first task, as well,” MacBain pointed out. “And completing it works together with the final chore you must complete. You have to convince Catriona you love her, the woman she is today, not just the Catriona from the past, and she must return your love. She has to trust you before midnight. And you haven’t much time left.”

  “Are you up to the task?” Duncan asked.

  “I’ll do whatever it takes to be with Catriona,” he said.

  What about Katherine MacDonald? Can you love her?” MacBain asked, then headed toward the woods.

  Ayden ran to catch up. “What did you mean can I love Katherine MacDonald?

  MacBain stopped and glared at Ayden. “It is a simple question. You said you would do anything for Catriona, the woman she was in the past. But can you love Katherine with equal intensity? She is the woman she is today.”

  “They are the same person,” Ayden said.

  “Are they?” MacBain asked. “Until you figure out the answer to that question, you willna be able to find the answers to any other.

  Ayden scratched his head. He’d never thought about them as separate people before. He set out to find Catriona and he had, or so he believed. She returned to the past and they were prepared to pick up where they’d left off. But MacBain was right, there was a difference. They shared similarities, like their appearance, carriage and soul. But each lass had a unique set of qualities of their own.

  “What say you?” Duncan Murray asked. Time is of the essence.

  “I won’t know until I try,” Ayden said.

  “Then best you get started.” MacBain patted him on the back. “But first, follow me. There is appropriate clothing for this time waiting for you at the hunt camp, along with some very specific instructions.”

  “Instructions?”

  “While here, you must win her heart and not use the past to do so. She must get to know you in this time period, just as you must get to know her.”

  “But won’t she know me?”

  “She has some memories of her time in the past, but not everything. I’d suggest you use a name other than your own when first you meet,” MacBain said.

  “What name should I use?”

  “I am sure you will think of something,” MacBain replied and headed down the path toward the hunt camp.

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Katherine woke up early and padded to the kitchen. She’d slept surprisingly well, with Tiger curled up on the pillow beside her, his soft rhythmic purr lulling her to sleep.

  She opened the shutters and peered outside, pleased to see the sun was shining and all traces of the fluke snow storm were gone. A warm breeze caressed her cheek and gently lifted her hair. It looked like a perfect day to explore outdoors, she thought, and maybe even do a bit of gardening.

  When she was a child, she loved spending the weekends with her grandmother, working in the garden, and going for long nature walks. Grand lived in a lovely country cottage in a small town on the outskirts of Boston. She grew her own vegetables on her two-acre lot, and took great pride in having the most beautiful roses in the county. While she had not excelled when it came to her culinary talents, Katherine did take after her grandmother when it came to growing plants.

  During her initial exploration of at Glen Heather when she’d glanced out the window in the sitting room, she’d immediately noticed the gardens were overgrown and in need of some T.L.C. The one with the small stone cross — the grave of Catriona Grant — was where she’d start first. After reading the journal and upon learning she’d likely been named in honor of her ancestor, Katherine had developed a sentimental bond with her deceased relative.

  After eating a quick breakfast of cold cereal, some sliced bananas, and brewing herself a cup of the same delicious coffee she’d had yesterday, Katherine was ready to get her day started. She selected a plain ankle-length leine and a wool skirt from the trunk in Agnes’s room. As soon as her week was up and she could leave the estate, she needed to find a phone and contact the airport about her luggage. If still missing, a trip to the department store was in order. While it was novel to dress the part of a Highland country maiden in her aunt’s clothes, she missed her jeans and cotton blouses, and the thought of washing her bra and lone pair of silk panties every night would get old, fast. Decent undergarments were something her aunt was sore
ly lacking. She hadn’t noticed any in the trunk.

  As she got dressed and braided her hair, Tiger amused himself by stalking a dust bunny, then chased it across the plank floor and under the bed. If nothing more, her little feline friend was entertaining. “Let’s go, buddy, time to do some exploring. Maybe you can show me around the estate, since you’ve been here a lot longer than I have. She laughed when he cocked his head to one side and pricked his ears as if he knew exactly what she’d said, and scampered out of the chamber toward the kitchen.

  Before leaving the croft she grabbed a straw sunhat from a hook by the door and a pair of gloves for gardening. While most of the things Agnes owned were vintage, she did have a few more modern possessions, things like the gardening apparel and her china teapot.

  The first thing Katherine planned to do when she got outside was to pull a few weeds. Once she’d tired of that and needed a break, she set out to see if she could find the stream she’d read about in Catriona’s journal and fetch some water. A wooden bucket she’d noticed on the porch would come in handy.

  Katherine expelled a soft sigh when she thought about how different her life would be without Ayden and some of the other people she’d met in 1304 and grown fond of. She loved having a brother and hoped Warren was well and found happiness with the lass from the neighboring village. He deserved to be happy and loved. Lily always made her smile and together they were a team to be reckoned with. But perhaps she missed Cora most of all. She was close to her own mother and loved her very much, but Cora was like the mother everyone dreamed of having and every woman hoped to be. She was sweet and kind, and loved unconditionally. While she hadn’t known them very long, and still hadn’t quit learned to fit into fourteenth century life, she was learning, and her new acquaintances had become like family.

  After spending a good two hours digging in the garden and pulling weeds, Katherine decided to take a break. She sat on a large rock, removed her gloves, and dragged the back of her hand across her sweat-soaked brow. The weather had certainly changed for the better since her arrival. It had actually turned out to be quite balmy. She tilted her face toward the sun and closed her eyes, soaking up the rays and the warmth. But her solace ended abruptly when a dark cloud passed overhead, blocking the sun.

  She opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself, the feeling she was being watched again causing her to shiver.

  “Soon, Katherine. I warned you.”

  The voice came out of nowhere and sounded like a mournful sigh. Katherine sprang to her feet, frantically scanned the area in all directions. But her search came up empty. Aside from Tiger, she was very much alone. She chastised herself for being a fool and as the cloud moved off, so did her ominous mood and sense of foreboding.

  “Time to get back to work, buddy, she said to Tiger and reached for her gloves, but the cat snatched one before she could scoop them up and ran down the path toward the woods.

  “Come back you little scamp!” she shouted and chased after him. But the cat kept running, the glove in his mouth, and Katherine in hot pursuit. She followed him along the path until he dropped the glove, darted into a thicket, and disappeared.

  “No mystery meat for you tonight, Tiger,” she called, then laughed when he poked his nose out from beneath a branch. Winded from the brief jog, Katherine vowed to get in better shape. Sitting behind a desk for hours had taken its toll.

  Bending over at the waist, she sucked in a slow deep breath before reaching for the glove, surprised when it was no longer on the path. Instead, she saw on a pair of tan suede hiking boots in its place.

  “Where you looking for this?” a man asked.

  Her heart skipped a beat and her head shot up when she recognized his deep smooth voice. “Ayden?”

  She couldn’t believe her eyes. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and hold on to him for dear life. She wanted to smother him in kisses, but instead she stared at him in disbelief, wondering if she was seeing things, or if he was really here. She studied him from top to bottom, his broad chest, narrow waist, rock hard abs, muscular thighs, and long sculpted legs that went on forever. But instead of trews, he was packed into a pair of tight Levis, and in place of his leine and padded gambeson, he wore a denim shirt that lay open at the neck. His raven hair was secured away from his face in a leather thong and where a day’s worth of stubble usually darkened his jaw, his face was smooth and clean shaven.

  “I’m Adam MacAndrews,” he said smiling and handed her the gardening glove. “I believe this is yours.”

  “Thank … thank you, she stammered. What were the chances she would meet a guy that looked exactly like Ayden? Too much of a coincidence, she thought, but she wasn’t about to call the stranger a liar.

  “Happy to be of service.” He held out his hand. “And what’s your name, bonnie lass?”

  Katherine.” She continued to gaze up at him in disbelief, but didn’t take his hand. “I’m Katherine MacDonald. Do you live around here?” She thought back to the day on the road where she almost hit the knight on the road. Perhaps this was the same guy. And while he looked like her knight, it could just be a family resemblance. How much she resembled Catriona was proof it could happen.

  “Nice to meet you Kate.” He tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I’m staying at the castle on the estate next to yours.”

  He bore a striking resemblance to Ayden, sounded like Ayden, but she couldn’t quite wrap her head around the fact he looked more like a model for Calvin Klein or GQ magazine than he did her knight-in-shining-armor. She gave her head a shake. As much as she wanted him to be Ayden, he couldn’t be. Not unless he was over seven hundred years old.

  She missed Ayden so much, she was certain her eyes were playing a cruel trick on her. And if she stood the two men side-by-side, they’d not look alike. She offered him a hesitant smile. “Are you kin to the MacAndrews clan who built the castle?”

  “You could say I’m a distant relative.” He glanced past her at the cottage. “And have you lived here long?”

  She shook her head. “Not long. My aunt died a couple of months ago and I inherited her estate. I’m from New York City.”

  He looked puzzled.

  “You know, in the good old USA? Across the pond? My ancestors were Grants, but I was born and raised in the States.”

  He nodded as if he understood, though she wasn’t positive he did. But it really didn’t matter. They were just two people who happened to cross paths, and she likely wouldn’t see him again. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable talking to a stranger in the middle of the woods, Katherine wrapped her arms around her middle and took a step back. “I guess I should get back to work. I have a lot of gardening to do.” She held the glove in the air, for lack of a better thing to do. It was nice meeting you, Adam.” She turned to leave, but he placed his hand on her forearm. A strange jolt of energy shooting up her arm.

  “Do you have to leave?” he asked. “The weather is glorious and seems a shame to be working. I was at the stream, enjoying a day of fishing and sunshine, and in Scotland, we take advantage of sunny days. Besides, the meadow is one of my favorite places.”

  “Mine too,” she said softly.

  “Would you like to join me there? The fish are biting and if lucky, maybe I can catch a few, and—”

  “Um … oh … I don’t think so.” She cut him off before he could finish. She wanted to say yes. But after what she’d been through with Ethan, then losing Ayden, her heart had already been through the emotional ringer, and then some.

  “Do you na like fish?” he asked, grinning.

  “I do, but I really should get back to work. Thanks for the invitation. Maybe another day.”

  Tiger came out of the bushes and darted toward Ayden. Rubbing around his legs, he purred loudly.

  He squatted and scratched the cat behind his ears, then glanced up at Katherine. “I was about to ask what a lovely lass was doing out wandering an estate this large on her own, but I see you have a wee defender her
e. I bet he would like some fish.”

  Tiger responded a loud meow, then scooted down the path toward the stream

  “Traitor,” she called after him. “He seems to like you, Adam.”

  He rose to his full height and smiled. “Animals usually warm up to me. But in this case, I think it was the idea of fish that won him over. How about it, Katherine, will you go with me to the stream?” he asked again. “It is truly lovely at this time of year.” He reached out and lightly stroked her cheek, then withdrew his hand and took a step back. “But its beauty could never compare with yours.”

  The minute he touched her face, her heart did a quick flip, her belly fluttering as if filled by a bevy of butterflies. Just like Ayden, he had a way of turning her inside out, and remaining aloof and objective was nearly impossible. Her head told her to keep her distance, that like before, this was a passing thing and could end without a moment’s notice. But as always, her heart told her otherwise. Before she realized it, she nodded her head. “I’d like that.”

  ~ * ~

  Thrilled to have Catriona so close, he wanted to sweep her into his arms, to tell her how much he loved her. Instead he tamped down the urge to disclose all and would honor the deal he’d made with MacBain and Murray instead. He’d do everything in his power to court Katherine, to win her trust, and her heart, which given her hesitance, could be a challenge, and he had less than a day to do it.

  He really couldn’t blame her for being guarded. She’d been whisked away from a life in her own tine period and dropped in another. That alone would be enough to make anyone wary. When he looked at Katherine, he saw Catriona, but he knew MacBain and Murray were right. They were very different from each other. And so far what he’d gotten to see of Katherine, he liked very much.

  “Shall we go?” He held out his hand, pleased when she accepted the offer, and together they strolled toward the stream in silence. He could think of no better place to stir passion’s fire than one where he and Catriona had spent so much time in their youth, where they’d kissed for the first time, and vowed their never-ending love for each other. If that didn’t work, he’d take her to the caverns. Perhaps visiting the place they’d married and made love for the first time would ignite the spark he sought. He didn’t know how much, if anything, she remembered about her trip to the past. MacBain told him it was different for everyone. When he was in his own time, he didn’t recall his trips to the future, but when in the future he could remember both. He was sure he saw a flicker of recognition in her eyes when they met, so hoped her memory of both the past and future were good.