“Aye. I have. I imagine ye to be the one who lost her.”
What did she mean by that? “She left me father’s castle unescorted and I’m afeared for her safety.” Dougall couldn’t get the words out fast enough. He needed to know where Helene was. If this Edna knew then why wasn’t she telling him?
“As I would imagine ye would be. Dougall, isn’t it?”
“Aye.” This had to be one of the stranger moments he’d lived to see, but no matter as long as he would see his Helene again.
“I know where she is,” Edna stated.
“Well, are you going to tell us?” Ashley asked.
“She is safely in San Francisco,” was her answer.
“San Francisco? Is that nae where ye are from Ashley and Jenna?” Dougall turned to the two women for confirmation, but it came from the glass globe instead.
“It is. She was quite heartbroken and asking fer help, so I sent her to me time,” Edna said.
“I must speak with her. I must get her back,” Dougall was afraid he might never see her again. She was so very far away from him.
“Well, I’m nae sure she will want to speak with ye.” Edna’s voice wasn’t reproachful, she was merely stating a fact.
“I ken I should never have left her alone with me father, but I was afraid that if I didnae do as he requested he would lock us both up.”
“And instead, he locked up Helene,” Edna replied.
Dougall’s shame was great. “Please Edna. I must find her and bring her back home. She’s to be me wife.”
“If she’ll still have ye after the ordeal she’s been through,” she replied.
Dougall hadn’t thought of that. In his mind, he thought it was simply a matter of locating her and then things would be back to normal. But Edna had a point. She may be angry with him for leaving her. “Please Edna, I must explain what happened and make sure she is well.”
“I’ll help ye, Dougall. I can get ye to San Francisco, the rest will be up to ye.”
“How will I find her?” he asked.
“Jenna can give you her old address. She is staying there with someone I trust will watch over her. Come to the bridge as soon as ye can. Once there, call to me. Dinnae fear. I’ll hear ye, just as I heard Helene.”
“I’m coming with ye,” Logan said.
“Ye can join him if ye wish,” Edna answered. “Now, if there isnae anything else, I’ll say goodbye for now.”
“Thank you, Edna,” Ashley said.
Edna’s face and voice were gone, leaving the room oddly silent.
“I’m going to put this away. You should gather the things you’d like to take with you and get ready to go,” Ashley said as she left the hall, snow globe in hand.
“Will we be able to take our horses with us?” Logan asked.
“I’ll give you all the information you need and I’ll draw you a map so you can find your way to the stables in Golden Gate Park. I have a friend there. He’ll help you get your horses situated. You’ll have to do the rest on foot,” Jenna said.
Robert, Cormac and Cailin rushed into the room with Irene right behind them. “We’re all ready to go, Dougall. Dinnae fear we’ll find her,” Cormac said.
“It’s okay,” Jenna said. “Edna is going to help him. It seems Helene somehow managed to travel through time to San Francisco.”
“She didnae somehow manage, Jenna. Ye ken Edna had something to do with it,” Cormac answered.
“Edna had everything to do with it,” Jenna laughed, her confidence in Edna evident. Her obvious attempt to lighten the mood was working. The men relaxed their posture and dispersed to stand by their spouses. Cailin went to Dougall and placed a hand on his shoulder, just as Ashley returned to the hall. “Dougall and Logan are going to go to San Francisco,” she said, her voice filled with excitement.
