Jenna cleared her throat. “Yes,” she said, her voice barely above awhisper. “That would be worth a fortune.”
“And there’s more where that came from,” he said, pressing his advantage. “I will pay ye a king’s ransom if ye can save my people.”
She swallowed. He couldn’t quite decipher the expression on her face. Hopeful and despairing at the same time, as though she was being pulled one way and then another.
She was not what he’d expected, this MacFinnan spellweaver. She was beautiful, that was for sure, with her lustrous black hair, bright green eyes, and a smattering of freckles over her face. Confident too, if the way she’d waded into the lake to help him and then brought him back to her dwelling place was anything to go by.
And yet she seemed… fragile. There was a shadow in her eyes and he’d yet to see her smile. He got the feeling that she didn’t do that very often.
“So, lass?” he pressed gently. “What do ye say?”
Her eyes moved from the torc on the table, to his face. Arran held her gaze, refusing to look away, and for an instant they stood like that, staring at each other.
Then the lass turned away. “I’m sorry,” she said. “But you’ve got the wrong person. I may be a MacFinnan, but I’m not a spellweaver. Not anymore. I’m not the person you need.”
“I think ye are. Lir sent me to ye.”
“Then she got it wrong! I can’t help you. Now please leave.” Her expression had gone blank, shutting away whatever she was feeling behind an expressionless mask. She strode to the door and held it open for him.
He ground his teeth in frustration. He had come all this way, traveled through the layers of time for this woman. He couldnotgo home empty-handed. “Listen, lass. I—”
“Just go!” she yelled. And then more softly, added, “Please. Just go.”
The anguish in her voice stopped any further protest. “All right,”he breathed in defeat. “All right.”
He picked up the torc, its weight feeling as heavy as the despair that settled in his stomach. He’d failed. This had been his last chance, and he’d failed. He walked to the door and paused as he reached her. She did not look at him, but stared straight ahead.
“Thank ye for the coffee.” He gave the giant dog one last scratch behind the ears, then walked down the porch steps and onto the path that would lead back to the lake.
He heard the door close behind him.
Chapter Four
Jenna watched ArranMacLeod walk down the drive and then turn onto the path into the trees. She hugged her arms around herself, trying to tell herself that she was glad he’d gone. What he’d asked her to do… It was ridiculous! Go back in time with him? Use her powers to restore some ancient spellweaving she’d never even heard of?
Yes, she was glad he’d gone. So why did she feel so shaky? Why did she feel like a coward?
Her eyes strayed to where the gold torc had lain on the kitchen table. Arran had been right—it would be worth a pretty penny. Maybe even enough to pay off some of the mortgage arrears. Certainly enough to get her a bit of breathing space until she could figure something out.
And all she had to do to get it was break her vow and use the powers she had lost faith in long ago.
No. She wouldn’t do it. She couldn’t do it. She would find the money another way.
She sighed. This was turning into one of those days where she wished she hadn’t bothered getting out of bed.
“Come on,” she said to Bunny, who was standing in the doorway staring in the direction Arran had gone. “Let’s get you home.”
Clipping on Bunny’s leash, she took her down the street to a grateful Mrs. Turner, then hurried home. She had to get ready for work.The last thing she wanted to do was be late and get into trouble with her boss. She wasn’t likely to be given the overtime she needed then, was she?
But as she hurried up the steps and onto her porch, her phone beeped. Digging it out of her pocket, she opened the message that had just appeared, and read it. It wasn’t very long, just a few simple words, but they spelled the end of Jenna’s hopes.
Your loan application has been declined.
Jenna stared at the words, fighting back the sudden tears that stung her eyes. The dark wave of despair she’d been holding back ever since she’d found Alex in bed with that blonde woman rose up and threatened to drown her. She took deep, steadying breaths, but it didn’t help. She felt suddenly as if a giant pit had opened in front of her feet and if she took another step, it would swallow her.
She was going to lose her house. She was going to lose everything.
There is more where that came from. I will pay ye a king’s ransom if ye can save my people.
