by Jo Jones
“Uh-huh,” Emily sniffled and nodded.
Darach shrugged. “ ’Tis the same for me. I ken ’tis hard tae understand, but ye heard me tell Tessa that I died on Culloden’s battlefield, just like William, did ye no’?”
She nodded again, sniffled some more.
“Then ye ken that I, too, am a ghost, trapped here just like he was, and now, with Soncerae’s help, ’tis time for me tae move on tae…whatever comes next.”
Emily studied his face, her brow furrowed, and hiccupped through several more sniffles. “Do you have a wife and baby waiting for you, too?”
Darach’s face twisted. “Nae lass! ’Tis you and Tessa that I love. If wishing could make it so, ’tis Tessa I’d claim for my wife, and ye as my child. No matter where I go, I’ll always carry ye, in my heart.” He looked up at Tessa. “Both of ye.”
He stood and nudged Emily into Tessa’s arms, where she hid her face against Tessa’s waist.
Soni cleared her throat, sounding a little overcome, herself. “Well, we mustn’t dawdle. I’ve only a narrow window of time tae get William and Keita back safely, w’out disturbing the balance of...everything.”
Holding Emily close, Tessa watched Soncerae move to the two reunited souls, still wrapped in the wonder of each other, and nod to Guthrie. “Ready?”
“Aye. I’m anxious tae go,” William replied. “I’ve a daughter tae meet,” he grinned before looking at Darach. “But first, Darach Chisholm, I wish tae thank ye for my boon.” He glanced lovingly at his wife, then back. “Ye forced me tae realize why my Keita couldnae come for me. I’m grateful tae Soncerae, too, for bringin’ her safely here, but if ye hadna forced me tae see ’twas my own unwillingness tae forgive myself, that held me back, Keita couldnae have come. I’d still be in the garret, cursing the saints for abandoning me. I pray ye find yer own peace, laddie, whatever and wherever it be.”
Guthrie turned his tender gaze to Emily. “ ’Tis been my honor, tae know ye, young Emily. I hope my daughter has some of the strength I see in ye.” He smiled at Tessa. “ ’Tis time this old house was filled with light and laughter again.”
Tessa clung to Emily as Darach joined William, Keita, and Soncerae. When he looked back at her, his own shredded heart was evident on his face. “Forgive me. If the choice were mine, I’d never leave ye.”
Soncerae scowled and plopped a fist on either side of her waist. “How can ye ask her tae forgive ye, when ye willnae even try tae forgive yerself. And, the choice has always been yers!”
Darach gaped at her. “Mine? My choices were forfeited when I dragged my friends tae their deaths. I had centuries stuck on that moor tae consider the consequences of my actions, so when ye came tae take me away from there, then yes, I ken I did make a choice. I chose tae get on with my penance; tae go tae Hell and finally be done wi’ it!” He looked longingly at Tessa. “Then ye brought me here. Ye showed me Heaven, but ’twas Hell knowin’ what I found—what I wanted more than I ever thought possible—could never be mine.”
Wait!” Tessa cried, rushing to Darach, Emily in tow. “I don’t know what you’ve done that you feel you need to pay for, but…” She tried to swallow the emotion choking her throat. “If you could only see yourself the way I do.” She touched his face, looked deep into his pain-filled eyes. “I don’t care what’s in your past. I love you. You’re gentle, kind, selfless. And so loving,” she added, gathering Emily into their circle of three. “Nothing you’ve done could ever erase who you are to me.”
She dropped her hand to his chest, felt the beat of his heart and her own desperate need to keep him with her. “Even if you haven’t won your …boon, or prize, or whatever you were supposed to do, I…” she glanced at Emily, “…we, want you. We love you. Your imagined flaws, and all!”
“Finally!” Soni lifted her hands in the air, before giving Tessa a huge smile and a laugh. “I thought ye were never goin’ tae say it.” But her smile turned to a scowl as she addressed Darach. “Now if we could just get this one tae do his part, I could take the Guthrie’s home, where they belong.”
“ ’Tis what I’m trying tae do, Soncerae!” Darach’s agony played across his face. “ ’Tis what I’ve tried tae do for nearly three bloody centuries! I’m ready tae do my part, pay my debts, when all I want is tae stay here!”
Soni shook her head and sighed, showing a little frustration of her own. “Darach, do ye love this woman?”
“With all my heart,” he cried.
He glanced wistfully at Tessa, looked down at Emily and brushed a hand across the child’s hair before gently cupping both hands around Tessa’s face.
Tess knew she’d remember this moment, the love, and the pain, in his eyes, forever.
“I dinnae have the words tae tell ye how much I love ye, Tessa, but I cannae come tae ye wi’out honor. I’ve sins I must pay for, before I’d be free tae accept the love and trust ye offer.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, her cheek and finally her mouth with such tenderness it triggered the sting of more tears.
“How…how long will that be?”
He shook his head and she saw moisture pool in his eyes, too. “Ye mustn’t wait for me.”
Desperate, unwilling to accept what he told her, Tessa turned to Soncerae. “Please. Is there nothing you can do?” she pleaded.
“Nae,” Soni shrugged. “Naught that I can do, but much that Darach could do, if he truly wishes tae stay.”
Darach’s brow scrunched over eyes full of confusion and a desperate spark of hope. “I dinnae ken yer riddles, Soncerae. Please. Can ye no’ just spit out what ye’re tryin’ tae say?”
“Aye. I can indeed, since ye’re too bullheaded tae see it for yerself!”
She raised her arms and spread them wide, as if to encompass the world. “Each of us are accountable for our own choices. Do ye agree?”
“Aye!” Darach nodded. “ ’Tis what this is all about.”
“I’m pleased ye, agree,” Soni nodded. “ ’Tis true ye encouraged yer friends tae go tae Culloden with ye, but the ultimate decision tae go and fight with the Jacobites, was theirs, alone. They died for their country. They died heroes. Why do ye insist on takin’ that away from ’em? Is it that ye wish tae claim their glory for yerself?”
“I dinnae wish tae claim anything!” Darach snapped. “The glory is theirs. They more than earned it.”
Soni shrugged. “Ye cannae have it both ways, number 74. Claim all of it, the blame for goin’ and dyin’ and the glory wi’ it, or none of it.”
Not understanding exactly what they spoke of, Tessa could only gauge the depth of Darach’s reaction to Soni’s words by the surprise, then agony she saw move across his face, and the way his body shifted in discomfort.
“But…” his eyes darted back and forth, clearly seeing nothing outside the thoughts that consumed him. “I…”
Behind them, Guthrie cleared his throat. “ ’Twould seem we’ve more in common than just the battle at Culloden. Ye helped me find forgiveness for myself. Can ye no’ find some for yerself?”
For several long seconds Darach just shook his head, his thoughts turned inward. With everything in her soul, Tessa willed him to understand and accept what Soncerae, and even Guthrie, tried to tell him.
“But, my penance… My boon, I’ve no’ earned it.”
“You’re wrong, Chisholm.” Soni said gently. “Ye’ve more than earned yer boon.” She nodded at Guthrie and Keita. “Ye reunited a family. But more important, ye must truly understand the only penance ever imposed on ye, was yer own.”
Soni gave him a moment to consider that, before continuing. “In time, ye’ll see your mither again and she’ll tell ye she understood why ye joined the Jacobites, and how proud she was of yer strength and willingness tae sacrifice so much for yer country. ’Twas the verra same for Reade, Ewart, and their mither. They dinnae have tae forgive each other, or ye, for there was naught tae forgive. ’Tis time tae let the past go, Darach.”
He stared at Soni, a look of disbelief, then won
der on his face. After several moments, he nodded slowly as if finally accepting her words. He shifted his shoulders the same way he would if dislodging a physical weight, closed his eyes and sighed. “Thank ye,” he whispered, raggedly.
Clearly relieved, Soni leaned toward Tessa as if imparting a secret. “I dinnae believe yer flat tire will be a hindrance tae ye, any longer.” Then she took a long, slow look around the large entryway. “Yer ancestors are sure tae be pleased ye’ve come home, at last.”
As Soni and the Guthries faded, she cast one last glance at Darach, and winked. “All three of ye.”
Tessa looked at Darach, barely daring to hope, and saw it again. Finally, after so long. That slow, captivating smile that had her from the very beginning. Laughing, he slipped an arm around her waist, grabbed Emily with the other and lifted them both off their feet, swinging them in a wide circle. When they stopped, he kissed Emily’s forehead and set her down.
When Darach turned his attention to Tessa, swept his adoring gaze over her face and gathered her close, a far different sort of tremble began inside her. Here was the man she chose to spend the rest of her life with. To love through eternity.
And he loved her back.
“Marry me?” Darach asked as he lowered his mouth, stopping just a breath above hers. “Say yes, love, so I can kiss ye knowin’ ye’re mine, forever.”
“Yes, yes!” she breathed, closing that final, minute distance between them. She poured her joy, relief, and love into a kiss so full of promise, her heart seemed to meld with his until they were one heartbeat.
Beside them, Emily clapped excitedly, and threw her arms as far around them as she could reach.
“I love you,” Tessa and Darach said in unison when their kiss ended. And they both said it again to Emily, as they drew her into their circle of their love.
Epilogue
Tessa joined Darach on the bench under the sprawling oak tree in the lush side garden. Together, they watched Emily dart from bush to shrub, giggling as a black and white spotted puppy stumbled awkwardly after her. “Which one is that?”
Darach laughed and shook his head. “I dinnae ken. Only Emily can tell them apart.” He reached down to pet the puppies’ mother, lying patiently while three more puppies climbed and toppled, around her.
“We’ve just booked another wedding party,” Tessa announced proudly, tucking her arm beneath Darach’s.
He dipped his head and kissed her, slow and deep, drawing all those familiar and exciting sensations to the surface she still experienced with every kiss.
“Ye’re acquiring quite a reputation for yer hospitality and grand weddings.” He kissed her again and gave her that wickedly delicious grin. “But lovely as they all are, none will ever top ours.”
She smiled at him. “That would be impossible. I loved every moment of that day, and I’ve loved every moment, since.”
“As have I,” Darach said, slipping an arm around her, to pull her closer.
Sighing contentedly, Tess looked over their exquisitely restored home and gardens. She was still overwhelmed by the discovery of shrouded hints in grandmother Isla’s diary about a sizeable treasure, buried in fear of confiscation during the Jacobite uprising. Too sizeable, it turned out, for them to have carried it with them during their escape. Tess smiled, remembering the treasure-hunt she, Darach and Emily had gone on. Ultimately, following Isla’s clues, they’d discovered the strongbox buried in the root cellar, not far from where Darach had found their first treasure of coal, on that long-ago stormy day.
Tessa snuggled closer to Darach. “You’ve done such an amazing job on the restoration. Your talent and eye for detail can be seen everywhere.”
His tender gaze warmed her from the inside out. “ ’Tis because I’ve been blessed with the most exceptional inspiration.” He leaned close to whisper. “Would you like tae hear what I’m planning next?”
“Hold still now, silly, while I give you back to your mama,” Emily interrupted, laughing as she brought the squirming puppy back. She dropped down beside the wriggling puppy-pile and added hers to the litter.
Gently, she petted their mother before glancing up at Tessa and Darach. “I’m glad I picked her to adopt,” she sighed. “She’s such a good dog. And a good mama, too, and she’s a’specially good listener. She understands when I talk to her.”
“I’m happy ye picked her, as well, lass,” Darach said as Emily rose and sat beside him on the bench.
Emily leaned against Darach’s arm and slipped her hand inside his. “And I’m glad you and Aunt Tess adopted me. Now none of us are orphans. We all belong to each other.”
“We certainly do,” Tessa said. “Oh, I almost forgot, I have something for you.” She pulled a paper from her pocket. “I’ve asked for copies of the official documents from the researcher, but this is a brief summary of what he’s discovered so far about what happened to Grandfather James and Grandmother Isla, after they left Lochridge House.”
Tessa handed the paper to Emily who studied it briefly before scrunching her nose. “It’s a lot of dates and numbers and stuff. What does it mean?”
Tessa laughed. “Basically, it says, they made it safely out of Scotland, joined their family in the American colonies and began a new, and happy life there, which led…to us.”
“So, we made the ring?” Emily grinned.
Tessa laughed and Darach kissed the top of Emily’s head. “If ye mean, ye came full circle, aye, that ye did, lass.” He turned his gaze, full of love and promise, on Tess. “And we intend tae keep it going.”
“We do,” Tessa smiled. “Emily, how would you feel about a little brother or sister?”
“Really?” Emily hopped off the bench to hug Tessa. “Could I have both?”
THE END
MORE BOOKS BY JO JONES
The Ghosts of Culloden Moor Series:
Book 8 - DUNCAN
Book 29 - RORY
Book 34 - ANGUS
Book 40 -ALISTAIR
Book 43 - GREGOR
GHOST SERIES LIST
*The Ghosts of Culloden Moor
By L.L. Muir unless otherwise noted
(Print copies are published as The Ghosts of Culloden Moor Collections)
1. The Gathering
2. Lachlan
3. Jamie
4. Payton
5. Gareth (Diane Darcy)
6. Fraser
7. Rabby
8. Duncan (Jo Jones)
9. Aiden (Diane Darcy)
10. Macbeth
11. Adam (Cathie MacRae)
12. Dougal
13. Kennedy
14. Liam (Diane Darcy)
15. Gerard
16. Malcolm (Cathie MacRae)
18. Watson
19. Iain (Melissa Mayhue)
20. Connor
21. MacLeod (Cathie MacRae)
22. Murdoch (Diane Darcy)
23. Brodrick
24. The Bugler
25. Kenrick (Diane Darcy)
26. Patrick (Cathie MacRae)
27. Finlay
28. Hamish
29. Rory (Jo Jones)
30. McBean (Diane Darcy)
31. Tristan
32. Niall (Diane Darcy)
33. Fergus (Bess McBride)
34. Angus (Jo Jones)
35. Bram
36. Alexander (Cassidy Cayman)
37. Ronan (Diane Darcy)
38. The Blacksmith
39. Ross (Jennae Vale)
40. Alistair (Jo Jones)
41. MacNabb (Diane Darcy)
42. Rhys
43. Gregor (Jo Jones)
44. Jack
45. The Storyteller (Terri Brisbane) 9/18
46. Moodie
47. Chisholm (Jo Jones)
About the Author
Jo Jones lives in the red-rock area of southwest Utah. Though her roots go deep into the red soil of cattle country, tended by four generations of ranchers, she keeps a tight hold on the ancestral string of her Scottish
heritage and always keeps a piece of her heart in the Highlands.
With a lifetime love of reading and writing, she has a soft spot for richly detailed historical novels with characters who draw their strength and purpose from the land, their environment, their heritage, and of course, each other.
A great deal of this book was written with the aid of an ice-cold Pepsi, and an inordinate amount of M&M’s. Drop Jo a message on her website, www.jojonesauthor.weebly.com or her Facebook page Jo Jones Facebook and tell her what your go-to treats are, as well as your reading preferences. What are your favorite characters, settings, storylines? Or, any other questions or comments you have. She’d love to hear from you.
Don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter to learn of news and new releases, or to reach her personally, at— www.jojonesauthor.weebly.com Facebook at Jo Jones - author and please follow her, on her Amazon author page at Jo Jones author.
Also - The lads have a website.
www.ghostsofcullodenmoor.weebly.com
And they have a Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/GhostsofCullodenMoor
The Ghosts also have a new Facebook page, How To Feed A Highlander Drop in for some conversation about what you’d feed a Highlander if he showed up on your doorstep, and participate in submitting your recipe for an upcoming compilation.
Thank you for sharing your time with Darach, Tessa and Emily. They, and the author, deeply appreciate it. If you enjoyed CHISHOLM, or any of the other Ghosts of Culloden Books, your honest review will be greatly appreciated.
CHISHOLM
The Ghosts of Culloden Moor (No. 47)
By Jo Jones
AMAZON KDP EDITION
PUBLISHED BY
Jo Ann Jones
