“What? What’s true?”
“A seer once told me I’d be visited by a lass from another time. I never believed her but here you are.”
“So you believe me?”
“Aye, lass. I knew at once you were too beautiful to be a MacKay. It makes sense now. Listen, I think I know a way to solve both of our problems.”
“How?”
“There is a doorway north of here.”
“A doorway? What doorway?”
“Rumor came to us of a woman from the future who came through that doorway recently. And if that doorway brought her here, it must be able to take you back to your time.”
“Where is it? You must take me there.”
“I dinnae ken where it is but I know someone who will.”
“Who?”
“You’ll see. We shall head off at once. Soon you will be back in your own time and as I am betrothed to you, I cannae marry Nessa MacKay. I will have no bride to bother me any more.”
Kerry kept quiet as Callum called for a pair of horses. She had no idea if he was right but what choice did she have? It was that or stay by his side and end up wanting him more than ever. Which would be fine if it wasn’t for the fact his actual bride was presumably going to turn up at some point and then where would she be? Probably locked in the dungeon as an imposter and there would go her chance of a happy life with Callum.
“What about the real Nessa?” she asked.
“I dinnae know but I suspect if I sweeten the pain with news of a portal to the future, even my own father might calm down. Think what we could do with a doorway to the future. I could bring back warriors from your time and then we would have no need for a pact with the MacKays. Besides, my father made me vow to marry you. Once you’re gone, the oath remains. I will be unable to marry another. Not my fault if you’ve vanished, is it?”
The horses were brought out and Callum climbed onto his, waiting while Kerry tried to remember the single riding lesson she’d had as a child. It took several attempts before she was up and even then she almost lost her balance twice before finally settling in place on the beast’s back.
“Let’s go,” Callum said, turning his horse toward the gate.
Kerry tried to follow but no matter what she did her horse would not move. It just flicked its head as if she was nothing more than an errant fly irritating its ear.
“Could you give me a hand?” she shouted to Callum.
He looked back at her. “You can ride, can you?”
She shook her head in response.
“I never met a lass who could not ride,” he said, bringing his own steed back to her. “No matter. We shall ride together.”
With one arm he reached out and grabbed her around the waist, lifting her onto his horse, setting her down in front of him, his hand still around her waist.
“On,” he called out and the horse moved forward. Kerry held her breath for a long time, feeling his strong hand holding her in place, the tips of his fingers pressing into her skin. She closed her eyes and let out her breath as slowly as she could. The quicker they made it to the portal the better.
