Sobs erupted, unbidden, from the deepest recesses of her soul and she curled into him, for comfort. How long had it been since she’d had someone to hold onto? To holdher?
“Aww, sweeting,” he whispered. “Ye’re breakin’ my heart with this shattering of yer own. Whatever ’tis, we’ll fix it. Ye’ve my vow on it.” He moved her damp tresses aside and tenderly kissed her tear-stained cheek. “Cry it out, love. We cannae mend what ye keep locked inside.”
He continued to hold her. Soothe her. Rock her, muttering nonsensical words as he stroked her hair. Eventually her sobs dwindled to an occasional hiccup, but she stayed in his arms.
“Dinnae waste yer vow on me, Sean,” she finally said. “Ye cannae use yer strength nor yer stubbornness tae fix this. Ye belonghere. Ye cannae go back wi’ me. Dinnae ask me how I ken it because I dinnae have an answer. I justknow. OnlyIcan go. I’ve tried tae recreate thepassing-throughfrom one time period tae the other, but something is wrong. Or missing. I cannae figure out what ’tis, and I fear I’m stuck here.”
She expected him to argue, to point out her foolishness, but he remained uncharacteristically silent. Mayhap he hadnae heard her? If not for his repetitive stroking of her hair, she’d wonder if he’d fallen asleep. Several minutes passed before he took a deep breath. Released it.
“What happens if ye dinnae go back? If ye stay here?”
“ ’Tis out of the question.” She shifted, pushed out of his arms and carefully got to her feet. Pretending to look out the window, she turned away, but ’twas so she dinnae have tae see the look on his face when she told him the rest.
“The truth?” Betrayed by the quiver in her voice, she crossed her arms and pressed them to her middle. “ ’Tis not for the reason you think. ’Tis the love for my family, alone, that I must return. If I dinnae return in time, my mither and sister will be condemned. Burned, for…witchcraft.”
There. ’Twas out. She gritted her teeth, pressed her lips tight to stop their trembling, but she couldnae suppress the hot tears slipping down her face. “I dinnae ken how tae save them. Only that I must try.”
She waited for his response. For the shock, or fear, or contempt that would surely come. Instead, he came to stand behind her, wrapped his arms around her and bent to press his cheek to hers. “Are they?” His warm breath fanned her chin. “Are ye?”
Though she’d anticipated a negative reaction, when he’d come to her and wrapped her in his arms, for the space of a breath she’d believed he might be different than all the others. But his words cut to her very core.
She pulled out of his arms, whirled to face him. “Ye ken I’m a witch!?”
“Nae, lass. I doonae ken…” Sean drew a steading breath. “ ’Though ’twould be all right.”
What?’Twas a surprising response, but at least he dinnae seem to fear her. And his expression was void of the contempt she expected to find. ’Twas the same, caring, compassionate face she’d come to…care for.
Feeling completely off-balance both physically and emotionally, she dropped onto the faded chair opposite the sofa, sinking into the broken-down cushions. Her strength, her ability to fight for justice for herself or her family, seemed to sink in measure. The weight and weariness of the past couple of weeks was suddenly too much.
She leaned over, covered her face with her battered hands, and wished she could as easily hide from the truth. She’d trusted Sean. Cried out her deepest fears and revealed her deepest secrets to him. ’Twas impossible to take it back now. She’d been such a fool!
“Kenna,” Sean said slowly. She felt him kneel before her, lean in, and brush his hand over her hair in what was becoming a familiar—and cherished—gesture. “Idinnae care if they and ye are witches, or no’. I’m merely tryin’ tae understand everything so I can determine how best tae help ye.”
She raised her head, blinked at him in stunned silence. “Ye’re mocking me,” she finally managed. “Please. Doonae say more.” She tried pushing him away but he wouldnae budge.
“I’m no’ mocking ye, love.”
When he cupped her cheek with his broad hand, she fought to keep from leaning into his warmth.
“In truth I’m hoping ye are a witch. ’Tis none I have more respect for.”
“Really?” She reared back, furious with her own vulnerability. “Sorry tae disappoint,” she snapped, giving him a steely stare. “Let me up, please.”
Silently, a look of confusion on his face, he rose and helped her up.
Needing some distance, she raised her palm to keep him from assisting her further and limped to the window. Dusk had settled over the town, signaling the end of yet another day stuck in an unfamiliar world with time, and possibly her family’s lives, ticking away.
She’d tried to be diligent as she’d moved through this strange century, afraid to say or do anything that might give herself away. Or get her accused of witchcraft again. Yet, ultimately, she’d betrayedherself!Exposed herself. Let herself believe in someone. How could she have been so careless?
Despite the bandages, she fisted her hands the best she could, welcoming the pain, and pressed them to her belly. If only she knew what was happening to her mither and sister. They were all that mattered. Were they still alive? Cold? Hungry? Desperate and terrified? Or were all their mortal sufferings behind them, now?
She bit her lip to hold back the cry of desperation clogging her throat. By the Saints, she was sick of being afraid all the time. She whirled on Sean, happy to take all her pent-up frustration out on him. He’d used her vulnerability to pry her secrets from her. ’Twas time to turn the tables.
“Ye seem tae have me at a disadvantage,” she snapped.
Sean’s eyebrows shot up. “Lass, I dinnae ken in yer entire life, ye’ve ever been at a real disadvantage.” He waved a hand in her direction. “Yer injuries may have slowed ye down a bit, but—as I’ve witnessed—ye’re otherwise a force tae be reckoned with. Stubborn, tae say the least.”
She could argue the pot was accusing the kettle, but she wouldnae allow him to sidetrack her. “I revealedmypast. ’Tis time ye did the same.” She dinnae care a whit about his past. Not really. She intended tae have him out the door and out of her life before the moon was full up. But first, small-minded and petty as it was, she wanted him tae feel the same vulnerability she’d felt after sharing her deepest secrets with him.
