Jannet’s eyes widened in horror. She extinguished the lights, and the door opened. “Ye must go to her this minute.”
“Are ye saying her treasure will take her away, that ye believe she is from the future?”
“Aye, I know she is, and so, too, were Dianne and Mark, they are her parents. There are many miracles in this world, my laird, and we have had the fortune to see two such marvels in our time. But ye must go. I can see ye love the lass, so stop her before she leaves ye forever.” She pushed against his chest. “Go.”
He did love Abigail, and he berated himself for not telling her, so he scooped up the board game and hurried through the doorway.
Racing through the castle and bounding up the stairs two and three at a time, he charged into the bedroom. Abigail was standing like an angel, the orb in her hands and a light casting a strange glow over her. “Abigail?”
She grimaced, and the light sparked against her wet cheeks. Iain’s heart thudded. She was crying.
“I found out how it worked,” she said.
“No. Please, Abigail, I love ye. Don’t go.”
“I can’t stop it. I’m sorry, Iain. I love you too.”
Iain was beside himself, and without thinking of the consequences, he leapt forward and slapped the device out of her hands. Abby fell back against the wall.
Iain bent to pick up the device, but just as his fingers neared it, it disappeared.
“Uh-oh,” Abigail said.
Kneeling beside Abigail, Iain took her into his arms. “I love ye.”
He kissed her before she could respond, sure she would be angry at him for losing the device, for losing her only way home. He brushed his lips against hers. “I’m sorry.”
She giggled and pulled back. “Don’t be sorry, because I’m not. At that last minute, when you said you loved me, I would have done anything not to go home.” She snuggled her head into his chest. “Thank you.”
Joy exploded in Iain’s chest, and his heart drummed an unnatural rhythm as a beat was missed.
“What is that?” Abigail asked, pointing to the board game that must have fallen onto the floor.
He spread out onto his stomach over the rugs, pulled the game to him, and handed it to her. “My father’s friends gave it to me when I was just a wee child. Have you seen something like it before?”
“Monopoly?” She turned the game over in her hands and tipped her head at Iain. “Who were your father’s friends?”
“Mark and Dianne were their names.”
Abigail gasped and dropped the game. “Mark and Dianne? That is their names, that’s my parent’s names.”
“Mayhap your parents and my father’s friends were one in the same. They were different from Sottish people, not only because they spoke differently but the acted differently too.” He smiled. “Not unlike ye.”
Abigail stroked the box in her lap. “I wish they were here now.” She looked up, tears glistening in her eyes. “Your father must have known they were from the future so he must havebeen very open minded. How did everyone get along? Can you remember?
“I remember they were friendly and all here liked them immensely.”
“I hope your people like me as much then.”
He pulled her up onto her feet and, bringing her in close, kissed her, enjoying the sensations she elicited in him. He spoke between depositing kisses on her lips, her jawline, her cheeks. “They will love you as I do. Will ye marry me?”
The air vibrated a hum throughout the room. Iain glanced up and blinked. Three people appeared as if out of the very air between them and the door. One man and two women, all strangely dressed and all holding the white trinket that only a moment before disappeared before his very eyes. The black-haired woman was dressed like a man, in trews.
The young blonde woman groaned. “Wow, that was weird.” She looked up and screamed, “Abby!”
Abby jumped back out of Iain’s arms and gasped.
He pushed Abigail behind him. “Who are ye and how did ye get into the keep?”
