Separated By Time: Book 3 of The Thistle & Hive Series

by Jennae Vale

  “Caw, caw,” the bird cried.

  “Yes, I must be careful. She is much stronger than I anticipated, but I will outsmart her, never fear. You’ll see,” Brielle spoke to the bird as if he could understand her. She stroked his soft feathers with her hand. “Yes, you will see and so will they. They’ll all learn they can’t win against me.” Reaching into her pocket, Brielle removed a piece of fruit, which she held out to the bird. He grabbed it from her fingers and fluttered off her hand, stopping further down the branch to eat. Some of the others came back, realizing that Brielle had food and not wanting to miss out. She gladly shared what little she had with her feathered friends. She loved perching in the uppermost branches of the tallest trees. She could see for miles in every direction and rarely did anyone other than the birds know she was there.

  “Time grows short; I must make my move soon. She has my amulet and I must have it back. Maggie has no idea the power it holds, nor what she could do with it and she mustn’t find out. You won’t tell her, will you?” The birds had settled around her once again, sated by their small treat, their feathers plumped up around their small bodies and eyes closing to nap. Brielle stayed where she was and watched the cottage, until long after the sky had grown dark and the wind began howling through the branches of the tree.

  CHAPTER 17

  In between greeting guests who were arriving in her dining room, Edna Campbell paced back and forth restlessly. She felt disconnected from Maggie and Angus, and had no idea what was happening between them and Brielle. She had done her best, as promised, to change Richard’s conniving ways with the nightmares she had sent to haunt his sleep. Hopefully it had worked. Edna had always believed that everyone had good qualities and sometimes they just needed a little assistance to reveal them. Sir Richard needed a woman in his life, but until he found one to replace Irene, he would never be content. The nightmares had been meant to wake him up to the possibilities that lay in front of him. To make him see how his behavior had adversely affected him and caused him to make bad choices. It had initially been difficult for Edna to see Sir Richard as a good man, who had simply lost his way, but she’d done it, and now she desperately needed to know what was going on in medieval Scotland. She had tried contacting Maggie, but Brielle was blocking her again. She’d try again later, in the hope that Brielle might grow preoccupied with something else and lose concentration. It was the only way she’d be able to talk to Maggie, unless she could find a way to force her way through Brielle’s block again. She’d done it once before, when Angus needed her so desperately, so it was always possible she could manage to do it again if the circumstances were right. She just didn’t know what the right circumstances might be.

  Pacing in front of the fireplace had become a ritual for Edna. Day after day, she paced back and forth, staring into the flames, waiting for a glimpse into what was happening with those she loved. The weight of the world seemed to be sitting on her shoulders and she couldn’t shake it. Responsibility for all that was happening weighed heavily on her mind. Edna had been less than forthcoming with the truth about Brielle, but at the time, she’d felt she had no choice. In truth, the bridge was only a small part of the reason she had sent Maggie back in time. If she lost the bridge, then so be it. Of far more concern was Brielle’s threat to the MacKenzies. She couldn’t ignore Brielle’s challenge. If she did, the MacKenzies would surely pay and Edna couldn’t allow that. They were innocent victims in all of this and she would nae see any harm come to them. Hadn’t she sent Ashley to Cailin and then Cormac to Jenna? Now that they were all happy and in love, she would be damned if she let Brielle take that away from them. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, just thinking about it.

  “Edna?”

  “Yes,” Edna responded, turning to her friend and helper, Teddy. “What’s wrong, Teddy?”

  “I was going to ask you the same thing,” Teddy answered.

  “I’m so worried about Maggie and Angus, and I’m frustrated that I’m in the dark as to what’s happening.” Edna walked to the bar and poured herself a glass of wine. “Maybe this will help,” she said, offering Teddy a reassuring smile.

  Teddy didn’t say anything. Instead, he held out his hand to Edna. Tipping her head to the side, she gave him a questioning look, but gave him her hand. Teddy led her back to his favorite corner of the dining room. It was where he kept watch over everything and everyone as they came and went. He even had a view of the street outside the inn. Edna sat with him and saw the world from his perspective. The dimly lit space created a cocoon for Teddy. It was his safe spot and he wanted to share it with Edna. She’d known Teddy since he was a small child and they’d developed a special bond over the years. Most people thought of Teddy as odd and avoided him, but not Edna. Edna loved all the things that made Teddy different. People didn’t know him, didn’t see him through her eyes, but if they could, they’d see he was loyal, kind, smart and trustworthy. In fact, since Edna had taken him under her wing, the people of the village had become more accepting of him and many had befriended him. He was awkward at carrying on a conversation, but that didn’t matter a whit to Edna. She was happy to do all the talking and Teddy was a good listener. She appreciated the fact that here and now, Teddy was trying to make her feel safe and comforted, so she settled back and enjoyed his quiet company and her glass of wine.

  * * *

  THE MORE SHE got to know Sir Richard, the harder it was for Maggie to believe he was guilty of the crimes Edna accused him of. He was very chivalrous, helping her gather wood for their fire, while Dylan tended to the horses. He had offered to collect water from the river and seemingly worried that they would not have enough food for the evening meal, Sir Richard had found a wicker trap around the back of the cottage and offered to catch a fish for their dinner. Maggie followed him down to the river, curious to see just how successful his fishing would be.

  “The water is very clear,” Richard said. “Look you can see the fish there among the larger rocks.” He pointed to a spot near a huge boulder. “We’ll set our trap here.” He placed the trap, which he had baited with some of the meat from the bridies, into the water and then sat back on a boulder. “Now, we wait.”

  Maggie stood awkwardly to one side, but after a few minutes decided it wouldn’t hurt to sit with Richard. “Have you fished with one of those before,” she asked.

  “Yes, many times. They work best in a stream or river like this one.” He checked the trap and then sat back down again.

  Maggie surreptitiously studied Sir Richard from beneath her lowered lashes, and decided he was really quite handsome. She was puzzled as to why he wasn’t married. “Sir Richard, may I ask ye a question?”

  “Please, call me Richard,” he offered pleasantly. “What would you like to know?”

  “Why is it that ye arenae married? A handsome man like yerself should have many women to choose from.”

  For a long moment, Richard remained silent, staring at the slowly moving river and Maggie began to worry that she’d offended him. He drew his gaze from the river and turned to face her before he spoke. “Because, my dear, I am a fool. I fell in love once, a long time ago and she didnae feel the same for me. In fact, she loved another man. I let my heart turn cold to everyone but her. It set me on a path that I am sorry to say, has left me alone and deeply regretful of the decisions I’ve made.”

  “I’m sorry,” Maggie said, and she really meant the sentiment. She knew the woman he was speaking of was Irene. She had heard the story from Edna, but had always imagined the Sir Richard who loved Irene as being an unattractive and unappealing man. This Richard, sitting beside her by the river’s edge, was neither of those. “Will that change now, do ye think?”

  Richard appeared touched by her concern. “I can only hope it will. There are steps I must take to ensure it, but if I can accomplish them, who knows? Anything may be possible.” He smiled; a warm, friendly and open smile, and Maggie decided that she rather liked him and thought she would do whatever was w
ithin her power to help him.

  The sound of splashing water caught their attention.

  “Look there, we’ve caught a very nice fish. He seems large enough to feed the three of us, I’d say.” Richard laughed with delight as he pulled the trap from the water. He’d caught a huge trout and seemed gleeful about his success. “Shall we go show your man what we’ve caught? Come.” He offered Maggie a hand to help her up and Maggie accepted his assistance without concern.

  “This will make us a fine meal,” Maggie agreed. She liked that he’d called Dylan her man. She certainly thought of him as such and she liked the sound of it. He was her man, she thought happily.

  * * *

  LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, Maggie and Dylan went in search of edible wild plants to go along with their fish dinner. Maggie, who was very familiar with what was safe to eat and what was poisonous, due to years of wandering the countryside near her home, led the way and pointed out things Dylan should pick. Her mother and Edna had given her a topnotch education, with many warnings about taking care when choosing plants to eat. They gathered a good quantity and headed back to the cottage, where Richard had cleaned the fish and prepared it for cooking. Maggie wrapped the greens around the fish and placed it, along with some water, in a heavy pan. The three of them settled back and waited for their meal to be ready, Dylan and Richard casually discussing fishing and hunting.

  When the fish was almost cooked, Maggie rummaged through their saddlebags, hoping to find something she could use to make a sauce. She used some apple cider, combining it with herbs they had found while foraging, along with some of the now-stale bread, a handful of dried fruit and a touch of the whiskey. “This may not be verra good, but it’s all I’ve got to work with.” Removing the fish from the pan, she added her sauce ingredients and stirred continuously until the bread had broken down and it had thickened nicely. “Shall we give it a try?” Maggie asked, returning the fish to the pan.

  They sat on the floor near the fire and ate communally from the pan Maggie had used for cooking. “This is delicious, Maggie,” Richard complimented. “Very, very good.”

  Dylan nodded in agreement, shoveling another spoonful into his mouth.

  “Are ye sure it’s not just that yer terribly hungry?” Maggie questioned with a grin, but from the smiling faces staring back at her, she could tell they were truly enjoying it. Maggie reached for the rest of the stale bread and tore off a chunk, passing the remainder to Dylan and then Richard. It was perfect for sopping up the juices from the pan and left them all completely sated.

  * * *

  THE SKY HAD DARKENED outside of the little cottage, but the hearth cast a cheery, warm glow about the one room cottage. Richard proved to be quite the gifted storyteller, keeping them entertained with tales of romance and adventure long into the night.

  Richard was surprised to find himself happier than he could ever remember being before. Once he had cast off the anger and jealousy that had held him captive for much of his life, he found that he could genuinely enjoy the company of others. Dylan and Maggie had accepted and welcomed him into their temporary home. He felt comfortable and at ease with them, in a way he hadn’t experienced even with those who had sworn to be his loyal friends. “This has been most enjoyable,” Richard proclaimed.

  “It has,” Dylan replied.

  “You have both been so welcoming and generous with what you have shared. If there is ever anything I can do for you, simply ask. I will be happy to be of service.” Richard poked at the fire and added more wood. The air outside had grown colder and the little cottage, while small and cozy, was not without drafts.

  “I’m so happy ye decided to stay the night with us,” Maggie said. “I wish we were travelling together. Ye are verra good company.”

  “As are you,” Richard agreed. “Unfortunately, we are headed in opposite directions. You head south, I believe you said.”

  “Aye. We have something we must accomplish and then we’ll be heading back to the north.”

  Maggie’s statement piqued Richard’s curiosity. “What must you do? Perhaps I can be of assistance and then we could travel north together?”

  * * *

  AFTER RICHARD’S ANNOUNCEMENT, Maggie turned to gaze at Dylan with an unspoken question in her eyes. “I think it’s okay to tell him,” he said.

  “Tell me what?” Richard asked.

  “Well, ye see – Dylan and I – we know who ye are. We’ve heard stories about ye.” Maggie hesitated a moment, seeing the shocked expression on Richard’s face. “We’ve just travelled from the MacKenzie’s castle in search of a witch named Brielle. I must stop her before she destroys the MacKenzie clan.”

  “I see,” Richard said. His face, which had been so happy moments before, had turned ashen on hearing this news. “Why didn’t you tell me immediately… that you knew who I was?”

  “Well, based on what we’d been told, I wasnae sure at first whether we could trust ye. After getting to know ye a little better, I have to admit to feeling completely different. I understand that ye’ve done some things yer ashamed of. Haven’t we all? The point is, ye have changed for the better. Dylan and I both believe that now and Aunt Edna will be so pleased to hear it.”

  “You’re Edna’s niece?” asked an astonished Richard.

  “Yes, I am.” Maggie scooted closer to Dylan, who put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. You should also know that neither one of us is from this time. We’re both from the future.”

  “That explains the accent,” Richard said to Dylan.

  “Richard, we didn’t want to deceive you,” Dylan said. “You can surely understand our hesitation in telling you the truth at first.”

  “I can. I completely understand and I’m not upset with you. I would have done the exact same thing in your position. I’ve no doubt you’ve heard some very horrible things about me.” Maggie tried to interrupt, but he held up his hand to stop her. “They were, for the most part true and I did it all without a care of the consequences for those affected by my actions. I was a despicable human being. I did whatever I had to do, to get what I felt was rightfully mine. Now that I look back on it, I can see clearly that Irene was never mine. She always held Robert’s heart close to her own. Through it all, I have to admit to feeling extremely lucky that no one was killed by my blind vengeance.” He lowered his head in shame. “The one person I need to apologize to, more than any other is Ashley. There is no excuse for what I did to her and I’m sure she will never forgive me. I had some very bad men in my employ. They treated her horribly and I allowed it, and then I added to that bad treatment, by being equally cruel. She was an innocent victim of my need to make Irene mine. When I think about what I did, it truly sickens me.”

  “We’ll help you in any way that we can, Richard. It won’t be easy, but I’m sure they will at least listen to what you have to say.” Maggie strongly believed that Richard was telling the truth, relying on her gut instincts.

  “Thank you, Maggie. Your kindness is most generous and that gives me hope that with time, others may see me differently. Perhaps I’m not as hopeless as I thought.” He smiled sadly at them. “You must let me help you with Brielle. After all, I am to blame for her presence among the MacKenzie clan.”

  “I don’t think you can take one hundred percent of the blame, Richard,” Maggie suggested.

  “You may change your mind about that when you hear my tale,” Richard said. “You do know that I’ve been to your future time, don’t you?” he asked.

  Maggie nodded, “I do, but I don’t think Dylan was aware of that.”

  “No. I didn’t know that,” Dylan added, appearing surprised to hear it.

  “Well, I crossed the bridge through time and found myself in Glendaloch, where you’re from, Maggie. It was quite a shock to me, but I made the best of it, even after your aunt had me arrested.” Richard laughed remembering the experience. “I was eventually released for lack of evidence and when I was finally able to get back across the bridge
to my own time, I was quite angry with your Aunt Edna and the entire MacKenzie Clan. I couldn’t wait to get my revenge on them for what I perceived as their unjustified mistreatment of me.” Richard paused momentarily, gathering his thoughts. “Of course, now, I can see that everything they did was completely justified and I was deserving of everything that came my way.” Richard stood and stretched his legs. “But at that point, my only thoughts were of revenge. Upon my return, I met some time travelers in the woods – a man and woman. After a brief conversation, I understood that while they were not sure of their final destination, I knew they were looking for Breaghacraig, and I travelled with them for a while as the man explained to me what he was after. We decided that he needed a potion, something that would put the men of the castle to sleep so he could rescue his wife from Cormac MacBayne,”

  “That was Jonathan and Sophia,” Dylan said somewhat astounded by this news. “They were looking for my cousin, Jenna, who wasn’t his wife anymore, by the way. He lied to you.”

  “I see that my behavior has affected you and your family as well, Dylan. I apologize,” Richard said, sounding deeply regretful.