A Heartbeat Back to the Highlands

by Deborah R Stigall

  Pausing so her eyes could adjust to the dimly lit interior, Harley inhaled deeply as she looked around. The sweet smell of the hay, the familiar smell of horses and well oiled leather…all reminded her of home. Making her way to the first stall, she smiled as the inquisitive nose of a chestnut mare appeared over the low slung gate. Rubbing the horse’s nose, she felt a deep pang of homesickness as the mare quietly whickered a greeting.

  Swallowing hard, Harley choked back the rising tears as she scratched all the delicious spots that win a horse’s loyalty forever. “Yes…I rode horses almost before I learned to walk. My parents ran a stable for many years.” She wondered where her parents were right now. If they even knew that she was gone. What would they do when her cell phone went unanswered…and the battery finally died? What would they think when they contacted the retirement home only to find that she just hadn’t shown up one day?

  Clearing her throat, Harley turned her back to Ronan to shield her emotions from his gaze. “This is quite a stable. Do all of these horses belong to your family?”

  Ronan watched Harley closely, his eyes barely narrowing as he noticed her unease. Perhaps bringing her to the stables had been a mistake. It seemed to have stirred up painful memories of her past. “Most of the horses belong to my father and brothers. Neither Mother nor Aveline have ever cared to ride. There are a few here that belong to my father’s advisors. It just depends on who’s visiting the castle.”

  “I see.” Still not trusting her voice, Harley scuffled thru the clean straw littering the ground as she walked with her hands clasped behind her back. Suddenly, she stopped. Her hand flying to her throat, she pointed at a man that had just emerged from one of the stalls. All the color drained from her face as her mouth moved…silently struggling to utter the words tumbling from her mind.

  “Harley! What is it? What’s wrong?” Rushing to her side, Ronan caught her by the shoulders as she began dangerously swaying on her feet.

  “It’s him.” Her eyes rolling up, Harley crumpled into Ronan’s arms before she could utter another word.

  Catching her up into his arms, Ronan cradled her limp body against his chest. Meeting the gaze of the man standing at the mouth of the stall, Ronan’s jaw hardened as he clenched his teeth.

  “What did she mean….it’s him?”

  Sighing as he leaned the hay fork against the stall, the man idly rubbed his chin. “Perhaps ye best ask your sister. I’ll be down at the docks if ye have need of me.”

  His brows knotting into a menacing frown, Ronan stared at the back of the man as he walked out of the stable.

  “MacCallen! Ye were told to stay away from Aveline!”

  *******

  “Aveline!”

  Ronan roared as he entered the main hall with Harley still unconscious in his arms. Gently, he placed her in one of the chiseled out alcoves, tucking a small pillow beneath her head. He didn’t know what Aveline had been up to with MacCallen but he knew by the effect it had on Harley that it couldn’t have been anything good.

  MacCallen had been besotted with Aveline for years…even well before she had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. He’d followed her around the lands like a lost puppy whenever she was about. He was grateful to just be near her….and since MacCallen was a drifter with no claim to any clan, he was lucky he got as close to her as he did. But Aveline was soft-hearted and had begged her father to take him in…to give him a place with Clan MacKay. Innocent Aveline had no idea that what she considered a loyal friendship was, in fact, an obsessive unrequited love.

  “Aveline!” Ronan shouted again as his mother came running from the kitchens.

  “Ronan! What are you bellowing about?” Wiping her hands with the cloth tied around her waist, Rachel’s mouth dropped as she saw Harley lying in a faint.

  “What happened? What did you do?” Rushing to kneel by Harley’s side, Rachel touched a soft hand to Harley’s throat to check her pulse.

  “What did I do?” Ronan threw up his hands in exasperation as he watched his mother examine Harley’s limp form. “I didn’t do anything…but apparently MacCallen has because as soon as her eyes fell upon him, she fainted dead away muttering something about it’s him. When I tried to get an answer out of MacCallen….he said I’d best be asking Avey!”

  Biting her lip, Rachel slowly stood as she twisted her hands in her apron. “Perhaps you’d better go up to my solar and speak with Aveline. What she has to tell you…will clear a lot of things up.”

  Scrubbing his face with both his hands, Ronan could feel his blood beginning to boil. He didn’t know what his little sister had done this time….and the dread that was growing in his gut was a sure indication that he didn’t want to know. Avey had always held a special place in his heart…but if she had meddled in people’s lives….he didn’t know what he would do.

  “How bad is it?” His hands dropping to his sides, he fixed his mother with a dismal stare.

  Pressing her lips tightly together, Rachel twisted her apron even more. “Very bad.”

  Turning on his heel, Ronan took the steps two at a time….dreading the story his sister would tell him when he demanded to know the truth. Not bothering to knock, he threw open the door, knowing Aveline would be fully expecting him.

  “Now just sit down and let me explain. It’s really not so bad as it seems.” Her hands patting the air, Aveline hesitantly stepped toward her brother. She cringed as she saw the rage in his face. She couldn’t remember when she’d seen Ronan this angry. Swallowing hard, she wondered just how much more enraged he could get…since he didn’t even know the details as yet.

  His nostrils flaring, his hands clenching at his sides, Ronan stood with his feet braced as though he were about to do battle. “Tell me, little sister. I’ll be the judge of just how bad it seems.”

  “Now ye know how lonely you’ve been,” Aveline blurted out, avoiding Ronan’s fierce glare. “The last time ye were home, ye even told me so yourself…that even the sea held little comfort for ye anymore.”

  Ronan stood silent, barely breathing as he waited for Aveline to continue.

  “Well…I’d been working with the Mirrors…and with the scrying mists…and well, Ronan…ye weren’t the only one that was feeling lost and alone. When I came upon Harley’s emotions in the future….I found out she was in need of comfort…just as much as you were.”

  Her hands behind her back, Aveline’s eyes were round with dread as she waited for her brother to explode. His silence was making her confession even more difficult as his face grew darker with every word she said.

  “So…I sort of figured out a way to bring her here to ye. But I had to use MacCallen’s help.”

  “Ye brought her to me.”

  Ronan’s deep voice was a lethal whisper as he stared at his sister in disbelief. “She was entrapped in the Goddess Bheara’s locket. Do ye mean to tell me that ye were also bargaining with the Gods?”

  Frowning, Aveline shuffled her feet, fidgeting where she stood. “Well..sort of…but it wasn’t anything I couldna’ handle. The Goddess is quite reasonable if ye but listen to what she has to say.”

  Dropping his face into his hands, Ronan inhaled deeply as he forced himself to refrain from shaking Aveline until her teeth rattled in her empty little head. “They only seem reasonable until they twist your words and ye find out ye’ve made a pact ye canna keep.”

  Stamping one foot, Aveline balled up her fists. She was tired of everyone treating her like she was some fool that didn’t know a toadstool from a tadpole.

  “The only pact that I must keep is to ensure that the Goddess is never forgotten. So…all I have to do is tell my children…who will tell their children…and so on and so forth. Now see? I told ye! I had it all figured out.”

  Shaking his head, Ronan turned his back to his sister. He stared up at the ceiling as if the answer was etched somewhere in the heavy wood beams that spanned the length of the room. “The Goddess will let ye think ye have made an easy pact….and when ye l
east expect it…she’ll show ye where ye were a fool. What of MacCallen? What did ye promise to him? Ye’ve already made him a home in Clan MacKay.”

  Shrugging her shoulders, Aveline shook her head as she lifted her hands in the air. “He helped me because he’s my friend…and he’s grateful to our family for giving him a home.”

  “Aveline! How can ye be such a fool?” Ronan slammed his fist on the table so hard, the candle sticks few off into the floor. “MacCallen wants ye….as a man wants a woman…and the fact that you’re the Laird’s daughter makes ye even more appealing.”

  Aveline’s eyes grew wider as she backed away from her brother. Even her mother hadn’t been this enraged. “Ye should be thankful that I found the way to bring the two of ye together. I’ve seen the happiness your joining will bring.”

  “At what cost?” Ronan spat. “Ye know ‘tis forbidden to meddle with another’s life. Of all the lessons ye would choose to ignore….ye turned your back on the cornerstone of all the rites we’ve ever been taught.” Grabbing her by the shoulders, he gave her one swift shake as he glared into her eyes.

  “Ye are to harm none.”

  “But I didn’t hurt her!” Aveline cried out, her eyes filling with tears at the anger she saw in her brother’s eyes.

  “Didn’t hurt her? Ye tore her away from her life. Took her away from all she knew and cared about and ye dropped her into a century where she knows nothing about trying to survive. Ye may not have caused her physical harm…but what ye did to her emotionally….Aveline…’tis unforgivable.” Releasing her shoulders, Ronan pushed her away as he slowly shook his head.

  “Ye’ll both thank me someday!” Aveline shouted thru her tears, determined to make him see reason. “I saw how miserable she was in her time. MacCallen confirmed it when he traveled there to ensnare her in the locket and bring her to us. She had nothing. She was miserable. I brought her back here to be with you….so the two of ye could be together!”

  “Why Aveline?” The muscles in Ronan’s jaw rippled as he spoke thru clenched teeth. “Ye never do anything entirely for another. How did you benefit from this madness?”

  Scooping a candlestick up off the floor, Aveline threw it at her brother. “Because I want you to stay home! I’m tired of ye always being gone at sea. Ye were the only one who ever listened to me and didn’t tell me to go somewhere else and play!”

  Dropping to a crumpled heap in the floor, Aveline covered her face with her hands. “I thought if I found ye a wife…that ye’d stay here…and make babies…and then I wouldn’t be so….alone.

  Snorting in disbelief, Ronan wearily dropped into a nearby chair. Leaning his head into his hands, he stared at his sister as she wept. How could Aveline have done such a thing? Snatched an innocent woman out of her life and dropped her right into the middle of their’s. His mother had always said Aveline’s powers would be the greatest…and that she would be the most difficult to guide and control.

  “Ye must send her back. I don’t know how ye managed to work out all the details of bringing her here….but now ye must undo them….and send her back.”

  Hugging herself as she rocked to and fro, Aveline slowly shook her head. “I can’t. I’ve already sealed the pact with Bheara. Everything that’s happened…can’t be undone.” Wiping her nose with the back of her hand, she sniffed as she looked up from the floor.

  “MacCallen swears he’ll not tell Harley what we did. We can just tell her that she’s mistaken about having seen him before. His glamour in the future was of a much older man. I’m sure we can convince her that she’s never met him.”

  Shaking his head, Ronan stood as his face locked into a scowl. “NO. Ye will be telling Harley the truth. I’ll no’ give MacCallen anything he can use against the clan. Ye’ve done enough damage by being deceitful. Telling more lies will only make it worse.”

  Pulling his sister up from the floor, Ronan stared deeply into her eyes. “As soon as she awakens from her swoon….ye will be telling her everything.”

  “She’ll hate me.” Aveline whispered as she clutched at Ronan’s sleeves. “She doesn’t know of magic…she’ll never understand.”

  “Ye’ll be lucky if that’s the only way the Fates decide to punish ye.” Ronan snapped as he stormed out the door.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Harley sidled her way down the staircase, her back pressed tightly against the wall. She didn’t know where she was going…all she knew was that she had to go. She’d spent an unbelievable hour listening to Aveline’s confession of manipulation and she’d be damned if she stayed around to be manipulated any more.

  Ronan and Rachel had stood on either side of the young girl, their faces dark with irritation and shame. Harley hadn’t said a word. She’d merely sat there, awestruck into silence. If it weren’t for the fact that she was actually sitting in Scotland in the 1400’s, she would have thought Aveline quite insane.

  As soon as Aveline had finished her story, hiccupping thru it as tears ran down her pale face. Harley had just stared at her for a brief moment, then bolted for her room. Locking herself inside, she’d stood with her back against the door. Ignoring Ronan’s incessant hammering and pleas to open the door; she’d stood with her eyes shut, gritting her teeth until he’d finally given up and left her alone.

  Now she was leaving. She had to get out. She didn’t know where and at this point, she really didn’t care. If she lived…fine. If she didn’t….well….she’d come to the conclusion that if that were her fate…then so be it. All she knew was that she couldn’t spend another minute under the same roof with the person who had ripped away all she had ever known.

  She found her jeans, tee shirt and tennis shoes neatly folded and put way in the top of the wardrobe. She’d returned the borrowed dress to the hook on the screen and quickly donned her twenty first century clothes. Now she was quietly making her way down the back staircase. She easily found the outer entrance Ronan had shown her earlier in the day. She’d slip to the stables and if she was lucky, saddle the little roan colored mare for a ride. Then they’d both go as far as the mare’s legs would take them….into whatever might lie ahead.

  The outer bailey was silent, only the occasional shadow crossing the ground as the clansman standing watch upon the parapets walked beneath the waning moon. Harley melted into the shadow of the wall, until she was positive the guard had gone to the other side of the tower. Pulling the dark plaid closer around her shoulders, she quickly stole across the yard to the stable door. Listening carefully to ensure no one was within, Harley finally eased inside the door to the whickering of the mare she’d met earlier in the day.

  Ducking underneath the bar, she quickly tossed a thick blanket upon the mare’s back and settled a worn saddle in place. Harley tied the bag of bread, dried meat and a skin of water that she’d lifted from the larder across the front of the saddle, then easily mounted the patiently awaiting mare. Keeping her body low across the animal’s back, she slipped out across the yard.

  It didn’t strike Harley odd that the gate to the castle was open. She wasn’t versed on the defensive practices of a Scotsman and his keep. She also didn’t notice the tall shadowy figure standing just inside the gatehouse, his silencing hand on the shoulder of the guard.

  Riding slowly across the narrow bridged ravine, Harley felt like she’d been holding her breath when they finally reached the other side. Casting one last glance back at the castle, her eyes narrowed as she snorted with disdain. Ronan’s sister would have to find him another plaything to keep him from taking off to sea.

  Keeping the mare to the moonlit trail, Harley decided to veer to the right and head for the coast. If her memory of her history lessons was the least bit accurate, most of the settlements would be close to ports….if she could just find one. So caught up in figuring out which way to strike out, she didn’t notice the lone figure riding parallel with her in the edge of the woods. Staying well within the dark shadows of the trees, the dark horse and its rider were nearly impossible to disce
rn from the brush.

  Harley noticed the trail seemed to be gently sloping downward and the hard packed dirt was beginning to grow softer with sand. As the sound of crashing waves greeted her ears, Harley rounded the last huge outcropping of stones to discover she’d escaped to a deserted horseshoe bay.

  Reigning in the mare, Harley chewed her lower lip as she eyed the tiny deserted bay.

  “Dammit!”

  Sliding from the mare’s back, Harley tied off the reigns to a scraggly bush and walked farther down the beach to get a better view. Throwing her hands up in the air, she muttered to the patiently awaiting horse. “Why didn’t you tell me we were headed for a dead end?”

  “Perhaps because she knew it was the safest place to take ye.” Stepping out of the shadows, the huge black stallion touched noses with his stable mate who’d begun chewing at what leaves she could reach. Sitting astride the great horse, dressed all in black, Ronan sat unsmiling, his hands folded in front of him.

  “Get away from me and leave me alone.” Harley felt her heart pounding as she gritted her teeth. How had he followed her so closely and she not even noticed?

  “’Tis not safe for ye to be traveling alone. I’ve come to bring ye back.” Sliding from his horse in one graceful move, Ronan’s dark cape billowed in the rising wind.

  “I’m not going back. Leave me alone.” Her gaze never leaving Ronan’s unreadable face, she edged her way to the mare. With a sharp tug, she yanked with frustration at the reigns to untangle them from the bush.

  His eyes dark and unreadable, his mouth hard and unsmiling, Ronan slowly walked toward her. He’d come to bring her back safely to the castle, where they’d all…somehow…begin anew. He’d be damned if he let this hard headed woman ride off into the night to some unsavory fate.

  “Ye will be returning with me, whether it be willingly or not. This day, I’ve had my fill of women who think they can do as they please and not give a care as to the consequences.”