The Gift: The Pocket Watch Chronicles

by Ceci Giltenan

  She sighed. “Overall, they didn’t like the choices I’d made in my life. But that summer they thought I’d done something to deliberately embarrass them. I hadn’t. I mean I did do it, but it wasn’t to embarrass them. So within weeks I lost the heart of my heart and my family.”

  “Had ye been close with them before that?”

  “Not really. But I loved them. I still do. I guess that’s one of the reasons part of me feels compelled to go back. I believed I needed to try to fix that relationship.”

  “And do ye think that was possible?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. Frankly, I doubt it.” She shrugged. “But they’re my family, if I went back, I’d keep trying.”

  “Can ye tell me about the man ye loved?”

  She blinked a few times, as if trying not to cry. Then she swallowed hard and nodded. “Ye know, I think I can. We met in college and he wasn’t like anyone I’d ever met before.” She smiled. “The two of ye have that in common.”

  “Ye mean I’m the first Highlander destined to be laird that ye’ve ever met?”

  She laughed. He hadn’t heard that beautiful sound for a few days.

  “Aye, ye’re my first. And like ye, it didn’t take long for me to decide I liked him.”

  “Really? Ye liked me right away? I thought I was a complete arse at first.”

  She huffed in mock exasperation. “We’ve been through this before. Ye weren’t an arse, ye were just doing some arse-like things. And ye were being forced to do something ye didn’t want to. I absolutely understood why ye felt that way then, and things are even clearer now. But as upset as ye were, I also knew ye weren’t going to be forced to marry me, because I had to leave. So I could afford to just embrace the time I had here.”

  “And that, my beautiful lass, is precisely why I did fall in love with ye. Ye were bright and happy and nothing I did seemed to change that. Pretty soon I realized I didn’t want to change that. I hadn’t had that kind of presence in my life for more than seventeen years. I fell in love with ye.”

  “Tavish, I love ye too.”

  “Then please stay. Medieval Scotland is a better place with ye here. And for the first time in too long, I remember what it means to truly love someone. The idea of possibly losing ye too—I don’t think I can bear it. Tell me, sweetling, other than a family who has disowned ye, and memories of a love lost, what do ye have to go back to? A career?”

  “Nay, I’m still in college.”

  “Dear friends?”

  “There is someone who is very special to me. He’s kind of like a father-brother-uncle all rolled into one. And there’s my boyfriend’s family. They’re dear to me.”

  “No one else?”

  She gave a sad laugh. “I do have other friends, but nay none of them are very close. My family were a bit problematic there as well.”

  “Pets? A dog? A cat? An overfed goldfish?”

  She laughed. “No, but I did have an overfed goldfish once.”

  He grinned. “So did my girlfriend. And her family was a problem too.” The thought occurred to him, perhaps that was what had drawn him to her in the first place. There certainly were similarities. “Claire, I want ye to stay for very selfish reasons. But I am thinking of ye too. Ye love me, ye can’t identify anything compelling that draws ye back, and I fear if ye do return ye’ll regret it forever. Can I be honest?”

  “Of course.”

  “I think the real reason ye want to go back—the one that ye won’t allow yerself to acknowledge—is because that is where ye think yer memories are. But they aren’t there. They’re here.” He tapped his heart. “Would ye give up the chance of love again to go back to memories?”

  “I don’t think…” she frowned slightly, looking a little bewildered. “I don’t think that’s the reason.”

  “Claire, think about it. What other reason could there be? Tell me this, when ye imagine going home, do ye think of friends and family, or do ye think of him and the places that were important to ye both?”

  “I…I…” She covered her face with her hands. Then shaking her head looked up at him, dawning awareness in her expression. “I think of him and the places that hold memories for me.”

  “But places don’t hold memories. Yer heart does. Ye know that’s true.”

  She nodded slowly. “Aye, Tavish, I think ye’re right.”

  “I’m certain I’m right.”

  “Other than one dear friend and my boyfriend’s parents, all I have waiting for me in the future are memories—and I have them here.”

  “Aye, ye do. And ye have someone here who loves ye and understands what ye’ve been through more than anyone else could. So, my sweet lass, I’m going to do this right.” He went down on one knee in front of her and taking her hands in his said. “I love ye with everything in me. Please stay here at my side and be my wife.”

  A smile spread slowly across her face. “Aye, I will. I love ye, Tavish.”

  “Oh, thank God.” He stood and gathered her in his arms, kissing her until she was breathless.

  Finally, when he broke the kiss, he said, “I don’t think I could have survived losing another woman who held my heart so firmly. If nothing else, over the last few weeks I’ve learned that it is possible to love again.”

  “Aye, I’ve come to the same conclusion. I loved him too, but I have to go on. It’s what he would have wanted. He said as much days before he died and I told him to shut up. I wasn’t going to entertain the notion of him dying.”

  Tavish frowned. He’d had a similar moment with his sweet girl. “He knew he might be dying?”

  “Aye, he died of cancer too. I guess technically he died of complications related to his treatment. He’d had a bone marrow transplant.”

  Tavish could scarcely believe his ears. “I had a bone marrow transplant. That’s how I died.”

  “Ye aren’t serious.”

  “I am.”

  She looked befuddled. “Wow. That’s just hard to believe. Where were ye treated?”

  “In Baltimore, at Hopkins.”

  Her jaw fell open and she gasped. “That’s where Tom was.”

  “Tom?” This was too much of a coincidence. He didn’t dare hope. “Was that your boyfriend’s name? My name is, or I should say was, Tom. Thomas Hatcher that is.”

  Claire’s hands flew to her mouth. “Nay, it can’t be.”

  “Cassie?”

  “Aye, my name’s Cassie. But ye can’t be my Tom. He only just died in June. Ye’ve been here for seventeen years.”

  He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. He never wanted to let her go. “Oh my God, oh my God. It is me, Cassie. And it doesn’t matter how long I’ve been here. Gertrude gave me the watch on the twentieth day of June, 2013. I traveled to the year 1325.”

  “Tom?” She burst into sobs, burying her face in his léine. “This isn’t possible, none of it’s possible.”

  He continued to hold her in his embrace. “Aye, my beautiful lass, it is possible. It happened. And I can’t believe it either. Oh, Cassie, I loved ye so very much. I’m sorry I left. I tried to fight. I tried as hard as I could, but my body just failed. If Gertrude had been able to give me one more minute with ye, just enough to tell ye goodbye, I would have taken it.”

  She held onto him as if she feared he’d slip away. “It felt like my world ended that day. After that I was just going through the motions. Just surviving. Then Gertrude showed up at Hooked one night and offered me the watch. I thought maybe sixty days in some other life would get me past my horrible grief and let me move on, like ye’d wanted me to. I never imagined this would be possible.”

  “Neither did I. But I did ask Gertrude to take care of ye. I guess giving ye back to me was how she did it. I’ve already told ye, I didn’t really think I could love anyone again. Now ye understand why. And by some miracle I was pulled to ye anyway. What is it ye used to say about our hearts and—dear God—our souls?”

  “Aye, I read it in a book once. My he
art beats with yers. Our souls are entwined.”

  “That’s it. Our souls certainly are entwined.”

  “Tom, I am yers and I have been practically from the day we first met. Nothing could have ever made me leave yer side. I am worried about Mike though.”

  “Ah, of course, yer one dear friend.”

  “He is the one who will find me after my body dies in the future. I hate the thought of that.”

  “Mike will be all right. He loved ye like a daughter and he’d want ye to be happy. If ye could ask him, he’d tell ye to follow yer heart.”

  “Aye, ye’re right. He would.” A look of horror crossed her face.

  “What is it Cass?”

  “I came so close to losing ye forever. Until we talked yesterday, I had made my decision. I intended to go back. It’s why I was so desperate to return to the abbey or at least, Lewis. I knew that when I said my return word, Claire’s body here would die. I didn’t want Lady Ranald to have to deal with that.”

  “Nay, that would have been terrible for her.”

  “I intended to be well away from here when I said my return word. But I only had until the eleventh day of October. I’m sure I frustrated Coll no end. I kept pushing to return to the abbey.” She grinned. “At one point he thought maybe I was afraid of the marriage bed.”

  Tavish laughed. “Did he have the courage to explain sex to his little sister?”

  “Good Lord, no. I wouldn’t let him. He suggested I talk to yer mother—Lady Ranald, that is.”

  “It’s alright. I’ve been here long enough that I consider the Ranalds my parents. But if ye do decide to talk to her, I don’t want to know what she’ll say.”

  It was Cassie’s turn to laugh. “I think I’ll be fine without instruction from yer mother. Ye and I have had a bit of practice.”

  “Aye, and God willing, we’ll have a lot more.”

  She laughed again.

  “Tell me something else.”

  “Of course. Anything,” she said.

  “Yesterday, I was seriously worried that ye weren’t going to marry me.”

  “Yesterday, I wasn’t sure I would.”

  “What changed yer mind?”

  “As I said, at one point Coll was convinced I was afraid of marriage. Even though I assured him I wasn’t, he insisted that I was afraid of something. Last night when I was trying to figure out what to do, I realized he was right.”

  “What were ye afraid of?”

  “I was afraid of loving ye. I’m not Claire and I couldn’t stay here without ye knowing my story. But I was worried that when ye found out, ye wouldn’t understand and ye’d turn against me. I couldn’t stand the thought of that. So I decided I needed to just do it. Just tell ye. If ye didn’t want me after ye knew the truth, I’d deal with the consequences.”

  “Well, thank God ye decided to tell me. But come to think of it, Gertrude, could have made this a little easier.” He looked up. “Couldn’t ye have given us one little clue?” he asked, fairly certain she’d be able to hear him.

  Cassie nodded. “Aye, it certainly would have made things a lot easier. She said the pocket watch was a gift to ye and she said the same to me. Ye also said ye told her the only gift ye wanted was more time with me. I guess, looking back on it now, that’s what she gave both of us.”

  Chapter 21

  Cassie and Tom talked for ages, in the privacy of the chapel. She told him about the things that had happened after he died, including the kerfuffle over her ultra-short hair and Sloan’s debutante ball.

  “And how is my family? My parents?”

  “They’re sad, but they have each other. And not long before I left, yer mam called me to let me know that yer older brother and his wife are expecting their first child in March. They’re also looking to buy a house in Elkridge, so they’ll be a lot closer to yer parents. And yer mam is really excited to be a grandmother.

  “I’m sure she is. That’s great news. Dave and Tania will be wonderful parents.” There was just a touch of wistfulness in his tone.

  Cassie squeezed his hand. “And you would have been a fantastic uncle. I’m sorry ye’ll miss that.”

  He smiled and patted the back of the hand he held. “It’s all right. God willing, we’ll have bairns of our own. And then, of course we each have two brothers. There will be nieces and nephews.”

  “Aye, God willing.” She frowned as a new thought occurred to her. “I just realized something. You loved football. Your horse’s name is Raven.”

  He grinned. “Aye. When I was a wee child, my da took me to see a Raven’s game. It was their first season and I was hooked from then on.”

  They talked about the future and the best way forward.

  Tom told her the banns would have to be posted on three Sundays. “Today is the first day of October, so the banns can be posted for the first time this Sunday, the sixth of October.”

  Cassie counted quickly and frowned. “So we can’t be married until after the twenty-first.”

  He shook his head. “Sadly, we can’t. But ye know, neither of us have medieval sensibilities regarding sex.” He winked at her.

  She laughed. “Nay I don’t suppose we do. But Claire is a virgin and bloody sheets won’t go unnoticed.”

  He heaved a mock sigh. “I suppose ye’re right. I can wait until the wedding night for that if ye insist.” He kissed her and when he ended the kiss, the contented look on her face thrilled him.

  She sighed and snuggled against him. “I am just so happy to be with ye again.”

  “Me too. It makes it all the harder to wait. But now that I think on it, there are any number of other delightful things we can enjoy beforehand and I’ll still be able to say ‘I did not have sexual relations with that woman’.”

  She grinned. “Aye, I suppose ye’re right. But if we do, ye might not want to make that claim. I seem to remember it didn’t work out too well for someone in the past—or I suppose it’s technically the future.”

  He chuckled, “Aye, that’s probably better left unsaid. At least we know how it all works.” He grinned. “And as I recall, we were rather good at it.”

  She laughed again. “Aye. But we’re using someone else’s equipment now.”

  He kissed behind her ear and down the column of her neck before saying, “That’s true, but ye won’t be disappointed, I can promise ye that. In a manner of speaking, I traded up.” He ran his hand over one plump breast. “Ye might have as well.”

  She slapped playfully at him. “We are in a church. Behave yerself. And the fact remains that Claire’s a virgin, so…”

  “Aye, we’ll wait and when the time comes, go gently. But that brings up something else. Ye keep referring to Claire, as if she’s someone else. I know ye’re Cassie in yer head, but if ye’re staying here, it’s probably best if ye start thinking of yerself as Claire. And I’ve been Tavish for nearly as long as I was Tom. It’s just who I am now.”

  “I think I can manage that.”

  “Well then, Claire, my bonnie lass, shall we return to the keep and share the good news?”

  “Aye. Absolutely.”

  Tavish held her hand as they walked across the bailey. In June, she would have given anything for the opportunity to spend a few more minutes with him. Now, they had another chance at a lifetime. She marveled at the miracle that brought them back together.

  The midday meal was well underway when they walked through the doors to the great hall. It was one of those moments when a gradual hush fell as people noticed them.

  The first person to react was Lady Ranald. The joy that suffused her expression warmed Cassie’s heart. “Please, please tell me this means ye’ve changed yer mind, Claire.”

  With all eyes on her, Claire felt a hot blush rise in her cheeks. “Aye, my lady.”

  The hall erupted with cheers.

  To her surprise, Boyd shouted and whooped louder than most.

  Her eyes went to Coll. He wasn’t yelling or stomping or banging his hands on the table, but
his smile told Cassie he was both pleased and relieved. It reminded her that beyond her own happiness, her marriage to Tavish was a fulfillment of Claire’s duty to her clan in that the Ranalds would be strong allies. She was also struck again by how devastated Coll would have been if Claire had died a terrible death. All of the pieces seemed to be falling into place.

  When the din in the hall had finally ceased, Laird Ranald stood and raised a glass. “Laird Morrison, it looks as if we’ll have our alliance after all. To Tavish and Claire.”

  Everyone in the hall followed suit. “To Tavish and Claire!”

  Laird Ranald continued, “And to our new allies, Clan Morrison.”

  Again the people in the hall answered the toast. “To Clan Morrison!”

  ~ * ~

  After it was clear there would be an alliance between the Ranalds and the Morrisons, Laird MacLean and Coll reached an agreement too. David would begin training as Coll’s squire.

  Tavish wasn’t surprised that Laird MacLean had waited to see how things would turn out between the Morrisons and the Ranalds before making an alliance himself. The MacLeans were perhaps the Ranalds’ closest allies. He wouldn’t want to make any decision about the Morrisons unless Da did as well. With that settled, the MacLeans returned home the next day but would be coming back for the wedding. And when they did, David would travel on to Lewis with Coll.

  Although Tavish thought finalizing the betrothal would be simple, it was anything but. It took nearly three days to sort out all the details. When his father and Coll had reached an accord on all issues, they finally got around to setting the date.

  Just as Tavish had told Claire, the earliest they could be married was the twenty-first day of October. But if they didn’t have the wedding before Advent started, they couldn’t have it until January.

  Tavish wanted to marry her on the earliest possible day. But his parents wanted to be able to invite allies, as did Coll.

  “Maybe we should wait until the new year,” suggested his mother.

  “Ye can’t be serious, Mam.”

  “I don’t understand the rush now. Neither of ye seemed to be in any hurry weeks ago.”

  “Really, Mam, I don’t think—” he started to argue, until he realized that his mother’s eyes sparkled with mischief.