“Dinnae blame yerself. He’s yer Da, Dougall, of course ye’d do as he wished. Did Helene travel on foot?”
“Aye. They locked up her horse.” Dougall hung his head. He couldn’t bare to look at Irene, sure he’d see the disappointment on her face that he himself felt.
“I’ll gather the men and we’ll come up with a plan to find her. Dinnae fear. She’s fine. I’ve known Helene a good long time and she is a strong lass.”
Dougall knew that too, but he feared that this had all been too much for her. “The woods are no place fer a woman alone, Irene. What if she met with some highwaymen or if she fell and was injured?”
Irene put her finger to his lips. “Come. Sit for a while. Logan stay with him.”
Irene left them alone in the great hall as she hurried off to find the men. Dougall continued to beat himself up over Helene’s disappearance.
The sounds of women’s voices came to them from the passageway adjoining the great hall. He recognized Jenna and Ashley’s unusual speech pattern. They entered the hall without noticing him at first, but when they did they both ran to hug him.
“So, how’s it feel to be married, Dougall?” Ashley asked.
When he didn’t answer, Jenna asked, “What’s wrong?”
Dougall didn’t have the will to tell one more soul of his failure, so he looked to Logan, who somehow understood what he needed.
“There’s been a problem,” Logan began. He told the women everything from their arrival at Castle Treun to their departure and Dougall watched the horrified expressions on their faces and felt even worse than he had a moment before.
“Oh, no! How are we going to find her?” Jenna asked.
“Irene’s gone to get Robert and yer husbands. We’ll ride out together,” Logan answered.
“I’ve got an idea,” Ashley said. “Edna!”
“Edna!” Jenna shouted.
Dougall wasn’t sure what they were speaking of and he must have looked quite confused.
“Don’t worry, Dougall. We’ve got this.” Ashley hurried from the hall.
“She’ll be right back,” Jenna assured him.
Dougall exchanged confused glances with Logan. “I cannae wait a moment longer. I must leave. Every moment she is gone is a moment too long.”
“Dougall, please sit. Ashley has something that will help. I promise.”
Dougall reluctantly sat down, although he was unable to contain his nervous energy. Despite the lack of human compassion at Castle Treun, the exact opposite was to be found here. The warmth he felt for these women and this family almost overwhelmed him. Jenna stood behind him, rubbing his back. This small gesture of comfort was so much more than he deserved.
Finally Ashley arrived back in the hall. She was carrying something he had never seen before. “What’s this?” he asked.
“This is going to help, Dougall. You’ll see.” Ashley appeared quite confident, as did Jenna who was tut-tutting around him like a mother hen.
Ashley was carrying a glass ball with a small building inside. She must have lost her mind because she was now speaking to the ball.
“Edna. Can you hear me? It’s Ashley.” Ashley exchanged what appeared to be a knowing glance with Jenna, who smiled back at her.
Dougall remembered hearing about Edna. She was a witch who lived in the future. She was responsible for Ashley and Jenna being at Breaghacraig.
“I’m here, Ashley. Is everything okay?” Edna’s face appeared through swirling snow in the glass ball and Dougall’s jaw dropped at the sight.
“Not really, Edna. Our friend Helene has disappeared and we need to find her.”
“Ah, yes. Helene.”
“Have ye seen her?” Dougall spoke to the face in the globe. A sense of relief washed over him. Edna knew of Helene. She must be alive.
