With tears in her eyes, Izzy said, “Max is right.” She turned to Abby. “I don’t want to lose you again, but I understand, and I can see you love Iain.” She took Abby’s hands in hers. “I’m really happy for you. I really am.”
Once Izzy dropped Abby’s hands, Iain moved to Abby’s side, put his arm around her waist and smiled down into her eyes.
She smiled back and rested her head on his shoulder for a few seconds before realizing that her staying there didn’t have to be goodbye. She snapped her head back up and widened her eyes at her siblings.
“Hey, just because I choose to live here doesn’t mean youcan’t visit.” Abby eyed the orb in Garrett’s hand. “You could come back here anytime, right?”
Garrett studied the orb. “I have no idea. I don’t even know how it brought us here this time.”
“But it did, didn’t it? So, it could do it again,” Abby said to all three, her smile radiant and her heart filled with love for all of them.
“I think we all need some time to digest all this.” Izzy turned to Maeve. “Can we stay here a bit longer? Have a look around?”
Maeve looked to her brother, who said, “Aye, but we need ye to change yer clothes.”
Izzy clapped her hands. “Great.”
Maeve grinned at Iain and took Izzy’s and Max’s hands. “Come with us. Jannet will find ye something to wear.” She looked Garrett up and down. “I’ll hand you over to Donal, he should have something that will fit ye.”
Abby knew full well Maeve was getting them all out so she and Iain could have some alone time.
She looked from sister to sister to brother. They were adults and had their own lives to live, and those lives didn’t really include her. Of course, if she went back, they would see one another every now and then, but they wouldn’t be living together. They would all be forging ahead with their own futures, futures that probably included marriage and children one day. But Abby knew in her heart she would never find a love like Iain again, and she couldn’t for the life of her imagine marrying anyone else.
“Have fun,” she called out after them. “And try to keep out of the limelight.”
“Limelight?” Iain asked.
“Yeah, I don’t want them becoming the center of attention. I don’t think you’d like to answer all the questions your people would have about them.”
As she spoke, Iain took her into his arms. Abby sighed. It felt so right being there with him, feeling his strong arms encircled around her, holding her. She hadn’t thought she was lonely in her time, but being with Iain, she realized how alone she had become, that she’d never felt at home in any of the places she’d lived. Even her family home had become just another place to meet up with her siblings. But at that moment, in Iain’s arms, she felt like she would never be alone again. She felt like she was at home.
Iain nuzzled her ear. “Are ye really staying?”
Tilting her head back, Abby grinned. “Aye, if ye still want me to stay.”
His whole face brightened, and he brushed his lips against hers. “Now and forever, my angel. Now and forever.”
***
Once her siblings were dressed, Donal and Callum took Garrett to the fighting pit outside. When Mauve learned Max was a skilled fighter, she wanted to show Max the arms’ room and great hall. Abby and Izzy roamed around with Jannet.
“I suppose it wouldn’t matter if your sister were to see,” Jannet said, more to herself than to Abby.
“See what?” Abby asked.
“The secret room. Now that yer staying with us, ye should know where it is and how to enter.”
Izzy clapped her hands together, and sang, “Oooh, a secret room.”
Abby laughed. What castle didn’t have secret passageways and rooms? As they walked the halls and down the stairs, Jannet told them the history of the castle and the Orpol MacLaren clan. Abby could almost hear Izzy’s mind turning over mysterious plots for her next book.
The smells of roasting meats and baking bread filling the kitchen as they passed through reminded Abby she hadn’t eaten since that morning. She paused at the end of a weathered wood table and gazed at the small freshly baked, sweet cakes. The cook hurried over and handed one to her.
“Mmm, they smell good,” Izzy said.
“Thank you,” Abby said to the cook. “Can I have one for my sister?”
“Aye,” the cook said and picking up another, handed it to Izzy.
