“Out with it, Quinn. Ye know I canna stand a dawdler.” Her hands twitched atop the much smaller swell of her stomach, her thumbs tapping impatiently.
“Evie finally told me where she is from.” He stared down at the floor, unsure how to continue.
“And why is that so dire?”
He leaned forward, lowering his voice. “She said she is from the year 2019. From London. In the future.”
Fern blinked as though waking from a daze. “2019, ye said?”
“Aye.”
Her head tilted first to one side and then the other. She studied him as if trying to see into his mind. “Do ye believe her?”
“I dinna ken what to believe.” He scrubbed a hand across his mouth, wishing he could pour all he knew into his sister’s head so she would know all the unbelievable facts, too. He had never done well with explaining. “I think…aye, perhaps, I do.”
With a thoughtful look, she pursed her lips. “Has she ever caused ye harm? Or caused anyone harm?”
“Nay.” Evie didn’t have it in her to harm anyone. He for certain believed that about her.
“She saved my life and the life of my bairns.” Fern gave him an impressed nod. “Perhaps, she is from the future to know the things she knows.”
“Aye, but what should I do?” He sagged forward, propping his forearms on his legs and wringing his hands. “What should I do, Fernie?”
“I am going to ask ye again. Do ye believe her? Do ye believe she is being truthful with ye?”
“Aye, Fernie. I do.” He slowly shook his head. “I dinna ken how what she says could possibly be so, but there is so much proof to what she claims.” A heavy sigh escaped him. “And the poor lass couldna tell a lie if her life depended on it.”
“Her life does depend on it.” With a slight wince, Fern eased herself up from the chair and turned toward the bedroom. “I am weary, brother. I must get my sleep when the babes do.” After another few steps, she paused and smiled back at him. “Tell no one of this, and protect Lady Evaline as long as she does no harm. I trusted her with my life and the lives of my children. I owe her. For my sake, grant her yer protection and trust her until she proves ye shouldna do so, aye?”
“Ye wouldna think me foolish to trust her then? To keep her as my wife?”
Her smile widened. “Nay, brother. I have thought ye foolish for many things. But not for this.” With her hand on the door latch, she paused. “And I see more than worry for the clan in yer eyes. I believe ye already love her.” Before he could reply, she went into her room and closed the door behind her.
Aye, he loved her. May God have mercy on his soul. But that didn’t mean he knew what to do with her. And then there was Kendric and the English to deal with. He pushed up from the chair and headed for the library, knowing exactly what he would tell his friend. He knew the man’s thirst for battle. The war chief would want to send warriors to find the nearest English troops and oust them. But if what Evie said was true, the English would stay far south of them. At least for a while. That would give them time to plan for when their troops made it this far north. Time they could use to strengthen their fortifications and better protect those who trusted them.
He strode into the library, determined to concentrate on the matter at hand and give no hint about what Evie had told him. They couldn’t prevent it, anyway. The abbey near Scone, where the Stone of Destiny was kept, was too far south to reach in time to protect it from Edward. They might make it there by August 8th, but it would be a hard ride, leaving them weary and ill-prepared for a defensive confrontation.
“Forgive me for interrupting yer time with yer new bride,” Kendric said as he paced back and forth in front of the wall of books. “But we must make haste and ride out to push the English back.”
“Have ye seen them anywhere inside our borders?” Quinn went to the sideboard and poured himself a drink. The difficulty of the morning demanded it. When Kendric didn’t answer, he turned and held up another glass. “Yerself?”
“Nay, Quinn.”
“To the drink or the fact that the English havena yet showed, and ye’re overreacting to the information from the messenger?” He waited, knowing Kendric would not appreciate the wording of the question.
His friend’s face hardened into a familiar scowl. “Both,” he spit as though the word tasted bad. “What would ye have me do? Take no action, so they perceive us as defenseless?”
“If ye take all our forces south,” Quinn said. “We will be defenseless, as well as foolhardy.” He waved his glass to encompass the entire room. “We have a fine, large keep here, my friend. Double…nay…triple the guards and increase our stores. Make our stronghold even fiercer.” He shook his head as he strolled closer. “Dinna leave our people unprotected with few to walk the walls and keep them safe. Spend yer energies on warning those who dinna live within these walls. Bring those unable to defend themselves back to the keep for protection. They can return to their homes once things settle.”
Kendric pounded his fist on the map spread across Quinn’s large desk. The candelabra wobbled, and melted wax splattered everywhere. “We must take a stance! Not herd our people into a pen and wait for the slaughter.”
“We will take a stance.” Quinn downed his whisky and upended the empty glass on the sideboard. “Our stance will be within the protection of these walls.” He could tell by Kendric’s expression that the man strongly disagreed. Longtime friend or not, he would not be countermanded. “Do you understand me?”
Kendric’s scowl twisted tighter, but he gave a curt nod. “By yer leave then, my chieftain.”
Quinn dismissed him with a nod, regretting that he had angered his friend but knowing he had done the right thing. Their first duty was their people. Many a castle fell into enemy hands while its men fought elsewhere. He would not allow that to happen here.
He walked over to the window and leaned against the frame. As he rubbed his chin against his shoulder, he drew in a deep breath, then closed his eyes. Her warm, alluring scent clung to him, reminding him of things he’d rather not think of right now. What to do about Evie? What had he ever done, what sin had he committed for Fate to place such a dilemma in his lap? This was worse than trying to discover who wanted him dead. Because this risked his heart as never before.
