“Then why didnae he stay here and wait fer me. Why did he leave me alone with his father back at Castle Treun?”
“There were things you both needed to learn. Dougall never left ye with the intention of not returning fer ye. And when he left ye here in San Francisco, it was only because ye didnae appear at the appointed time. It was time to return to the past and the fog doesnae wait fer anyone. He believes ye no longer wish to be with him and he is doing his best to get on with his life.”
Helene silently listened to Edna. Had she overreacted to everything? Her parents’ deaths had affected her deeply and over the years, Helene held on tightly to the people she loved, never wanting them to leave, afraid they wouldn’t return. Had she done that with Dougall? When he didn’t return right away she felt betrayed. When he left without her that morning many weeks ago, it was the same.
“I’m afraid, Edna. I’m afraid to give me heart to him again. What would I do if he left and never came back? I couldnae bear it.”
“I understand, Helene. If ye protect yer heart too much, then ye’ll miss out on some of the wonderful joys in this life. Ye’ve come a long way since ye’ve been with Zeke and Sara. Ye’ve learned to be yer own woman and that, me dear, is an important thing. Ye now know that if ye do find yerself alone, ye can do it. Ye can do anything ye put yer mind to. ’Tis an important lesson to learn.”
“But will I ever be able to go back home.”
“All in good time, dear.”
“And what of Dougall?”
“He has learned some important lessons as well.”
“But, will I see him again?”
“I must go now, Helene.”
“Edna, what of Dougall?” Helene waited for an answer, but the sparking in the fireplace subsided and the overall feeling in the room changed. Edna was gone.
The cat purred contentedly by her side. A spark of hope now burned in Helene. She softly petted Milly, who rolled onto her back. Helene smiled. The cat was always willing to accept the adoration she’d come to expect from the humans in her life.
Helene rose and got a sweater and her keys. She left the house, locking the door behind her and walked down to the Marina Green. There she found a bench and sat contemplating what this had all meant. Edna said she’d learned and grown, and so had Dougall. Helene had believed they were perfect for each other, but when she really thought about it, they had been living a fairytale. Everything had gone their way from the beginning and once they hit a bump in the road, neither one of them knew how to recover from it. Now perhaps they could.
Chapter 22
“Tomorrow morningwe’ll be back at Breaghacraig,” Logan said, adding more wood to their fire.
Dougall didn’t answer. What was there to say? Yes, he would be back to the place he’d called home for many years now, but it wouldn’t be the same.
“I wonder if Helene found her way back.” Logan plopped himself down on the ground next to Dougall and rummaged through his saddle bag. A triumphant smile lit his face as he produced a bag of oats and a griddle. “Mmmm… Bannocks!”
Dougall watched as his hungry friend quickly made a batter while he heated the griddle in the fire. Dougall wasn’t particularly hungry. He hadn’t been since he’d returned from San Francisco without his love.
“You should eat, Dougall. Ye’ll be skin and bones before long.”
His friend was right. He would wither away to nothing if he didn’t start taking better care of himself and then what good would he do the MacKenzie clan? They needed him to be a strong, powerful warrior. He felt anything but that right now.
Logan rummaged through the bag again. “Where is it?” he asked himself.
“What are ye searching fer?”
“I packed a small bit of honey and I ken there was some left this morning. I didnae use it all.”
Dougall chuckled at his single-minded friend. “Be careful, you’ll burn the bannocks.”
“Never.” Logan flipped the bannocks on the griddle and continued his search. “Ah, ’tis here. The jar is sticky, but there’s enough here to sweeten our supper.” He licked the honey from his fingers before removing the griddle from the fire.
Dougall closed his eyes and lay back on his folded plaid, his arms beneath his head, hearing without listening to Logan’s incessant babbling. He thought about how much things had changed since the day he left Breaghacraig with Helene by his side. He had been so happy to be with her. To bring her to his childhood home, a place where he would someday be laird and Helene would be the lady of the castle, was a dream too good to be true. Instead of returning triumphantly to Breaghacraig, he was returning without Helene and without the lairdship he thought he had so badly wanted. He knew now he could live without the lairdship, but he had his doubts about whether he could live without Helene.
Acheerfully chatteringLogan rode at Dougall’s side as they entered the courtyard of Breaghacraig. During the long journey, Dougall was thankful for the distraction, but now he was grateful they were at their destination and he might get a moment’s peace and quiet.
As luck would have it, Cailin and Cormac were conversing near the stables as they approached.
“Dougall. Logan. Welcome back.” Cormac gave Broch a rub on the neck. “Are ye staying or is this merely a visit.”
