“I’ve missed you, gal. I’ve truly missed you.” Granny gently rocked her back and forth, hugging and rubbing Mairi’s back as though trying to convince herself Mairi was real.
“I’ve missed you too, Granny.” Mairi closed her eyes against the sting of more happy tears. It had been so long since they’d all been together, and even now, Lilia’s absence pulled at Mairi’s heart. “I wish Lilia was here. Then we’d have a complete reunion.”
Granny released her with a sniff and a nod. She pulled a square of linen out from the bell of her sleeve then eased her wire-rimmed spectacles out of the way and pressed the linen to her eyes. “Yes. I miss Lilia too, but her time has not yet arrived.”
Mairi’s heart sank. And there it was. The crux of the matter. Granny’s grand plan for each of her granddaughters. She took a deep breath and eased a step back. Might as well grab the bull by the horns and lay down how things were going to be. “I’m only here to heal Ronan’s mother and his friend. Once the curse is lifted and everyone is guaranteed their happily ever after, I’m going back to the future. My place isn’t here.”
Trulie mouthed a silentoh shitand stole a quick glance at Granny. “I’m going to go make sure Chloe isn’t throwing horse manure at the stable boys again.” Grabbing her skirts in one hand, Trulie trundled down the steps and hurriedly waddled across the courtyard. She glanced back over her shoulder and gave a reassuring smile and a thumb’s-up to Mairi.
Coward.Mairi glared at Trulie’s retreating back then returned her attention to Granny, who stood with her bony arms folded across her chest, glaring at Mairi as though she were about to send her to cut a willow switch. Unconsciously, Mairi flexed her butt cheeks. Growing up, she had endured many a spanking for misbehaving. She’d never been as good at covering her tracks as her sisters.
Granny’s face puckered into an even more displeased scowl as she nodded toward the men standing across the bailey. “And what does your Chieftain Sutherland think of this grand idea of yours?”
“He knows my plans. He knows I don’t belong here.” Mairi flinched at the quiver in her voice. Damnation, she sounded as though she was still trying to convince herself.
“Does he now?” Granny’s eyes narrowed as she turned and studied Ronan and Gray, standing across the bailey beside the stone watering trough. “You do realize he is destined to remain here.”
A nauseating ache erupted dead center of Mairi’s chest and flip-flopped with a disheartening thud. No. She had not realized that. And wasn’t even certain it was the truth. Granny had been known to twist details to suit her plans before.
Ronan had successfully traveled both forward and back across the web of time. Mairi saw no reason why he couldn’t do it again and settle down in whatever century they chose. “He’s more than welcome to travel back with me. I don’t see any reason why he can’t.” Mairi swallowed hard. “If he wants to.”
Granny huffed and emitted the annoying clucking sound she always made just before she slam-dunked an argument. She shook her head and pointed at Ronan. “The Fates granted Ronan permission to travel the web for one reason.” Granny swung her pointing finger to within a few inches of Mairi’s nose and shook it. “Ronan belongs in this time. He will not be allowed to travel to the future again. Mark. My. Words. He doesn’t belong in the twenty-first century, and you already know the truth of that whether you admit it or not. The future is not his destiny.”
Heaven help her, the dreadedmark my words.Mairi stole a glance across the courtyard and leaned back against the low stone wall hemming in the wide top step of the keep. Ronan and Gray were still deep in conversation, nodding and pointing at a pair of horses meandering around the paddock. “You sent Eliza forward and she adapted just fine to the future without being a time runner. Ronan could do the same.” Mairi released a deep sigh. She hadn’t meant to get into this inevitable battle right off the bat. Why was every conversation with Granny like a strategic game of chess?
“Eliza is a woman.” Granny turned and settled against the wall beside Mairi. She jabbed a bent finger in the air as she spoke, punctuating each phrase with a flamboyant wave of her gnarled, blue-veined hand. “And Eliza is also a witch. Few males have been able to adapt to a new era for extended periods of time. It’s a rare man that can switch centuries permanently.”
Mairi rubbed the gritty corners of her eyes. She was tired and hungry. What little sleep she’d gotten on the cold hard ground had done little to recharge her for the day ahead. Couldn’t they hash this out later?
Granny twisted the square of linen between her hands, frowning as she stared down at the bit of material. “I’m telling you the truth, Mairi. I’m not trying to manipulate your decision. If you choose to return to the future, you will travel there alone and leave a great deal of heartache in your wake. The future is not Ronan’s destiny.”
“Yeah. You said that. Twice now.” Mairi pushed away from the railing. “Look—I can’t do this right now.” A wave of nausea knocked her balance off kilter and sent her stumbling sideways.
Granny rushed forward, steadying her as she helped her through the doors and over to a bench waiting in the entryway. “Sit here. I’ll have one of the lads fetch you some water and an oatcake. How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” Granny flicked her hand at a wide-eyed serving boy waiting just past the arch. He immediately bobbed his head and took off at a dead run.
Mairi pressed shaking fingers to her forehead, leaned forward, and closed her eyes. “Too long. I didn’t eat before the jump because I was too angry at Ronan.” She put her head between her knees and tried to concentrate on slow, deep breaths. She knew better than to go so long without food. But food had not seemed that important at the time.
Granny chuckled as she accepted a metal tankard from the lad and held it down in front of Mairi. “And why were you angry with Ronan? Judging from the look in the man’s eyes, he’s clearly smitten with you.”
Mairi sipped the cool water, pleasantly surprised at the refreshing sweetness. She knew Scotland had the purest spring water in creation, but the water of the past tasted even better than that of the future. “Ronan wasn’t honest with me the first time we met.”
“You’re saying he lied to you?” Granny seemed surprised as she slowly lowered herself to the bench beside Mairi. “I find that . . . interesting.”
Mairi wrapped both hands around the cool metal cup and took another sip. “No. He didn’t really lie. It was more like he just didn’t tell me everything he knew. He led me to believe he was from the future instead of telling me straight off about the curse and the fact that it was the real reason he came from the past to get me.”
“I see.” Granny rubbed Mairi’s shoulders and urged her to take another drink. “Lie by omission. So that’s Ronan’s only sin against you?”
Mairi straightened, studying Granny closer. What was she getting at? A chilling shiver stole across her. The atmosphere of the entryway hall suddenly felt . . . off. “Yes. Lie by omission. But now he’s finally fessed up and everything is all straight between us. No more secrets.” Mairi finished off the water, savoring the last of the cool sweetness. “Now all I have to do is heal his mother and his friend. The curse will be broken. All will be good between the Sinclairs and the Fates, and I will have fulfilled my destiny and be free to go on my merry way.” Perhaps she was being a bit overly flippant, but the present situation seemed a lot more palatable when listed in such simple terms.
Granny’s thin gray brows ratcheted up to her silver hairline. “Really? You’re certain of all this?”
“What are you getting at?” Mairi leaned back against the stuffed tapestry cushioning the detailed carvings along the back of the dark wooden bench. Whenever Granny saidreallythat way, it usually meant she knew a hell of a lot more than she was letting on.
“Nothing.” Granny patted the heavy gray braid knotted into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. She rose from the bench and smiled down at Mairi. “After you’ve both eaten and had time to rest, we’ll send Ronan to fetch his mother and Graham and get on with the ceremony.”
“Fetch his mother and Graham?” Mairi steadied the empty pewter cup on the bench beside her. “And what ceremony? Is there some ritual or something I have to do to break the curse?” She didn’t like Granny’s tone and she liked the wicked glint in Granny’s eyes even less.
“You said you came here to heal Ronan’s mother and his friend and to break the curse.”
