by Jennae Vale
The sound of hooves pounding along the pathway behind them caused both Jenna and Cormac to freeze in their tracks. Glancing back, Jenna saw a man dressed completely in black, riding atop the largest horse she had ever seen. He galloped past them and then reined his horse in and turned in their direction.
“Is that Cormac MacBayne I see?” the man questioned. He had an obviously English accent.
“Aye. ‘Tis.” Cormac answered sullenly. There was an intense, angry expression on his face as he quickly made his way to Jenna’s side. “How did ye get back here?” he demanded of the other man.
“Good question. I’ve been waiting for quite some time, but today was apparently my lucky day. The fog happened to be swirling at the bridge and I was able to ride through. Who is this lovely woman you have at your side?”
“‘Tis not your concern. I warn ye, Richard, stay away from MacKenzie land, or ye’ll pay the price.”
“Ha! I have other things to attend to MacBayne, and none of them include the Mackenzie’s. At least not at this particular moment.” Richard sneered down at Cormac and gave Jenna an appraising once over, before turning his horse and galloping deeper into the woods.
“Who was that?” Jenna asked.
“That was Sir Richard Jefford. He is an enemy to my clan,” Cormac watched intently as Sir Richard disappeared into the trees. “We must get back to Breaghacraig at once. We must warn them.”
“Warn them about what?” Jenna wondered aloud.
“Warn them that Sir Richard is back. He’s been in the future for these past few months. We were told he’d been jailed. I didnae ever expect to see him again, but he is back and nae doubt he will cause trouble.”
“So the future is back that way - and you’re leading me away from it!” Jenna was beside herself with fury. “I’m heading back to the bridge, and don’t you dare try to stop me!”
Cormac reached out to grab her arm, but she shook him off. “Jenna, you don’t understand. The fog must be there, and it is gone now.”
“Then how did he get here? He said the fog was there. You’re lying to me,” she barked.
“I wouldnae lie to ye, lass. Ye cannae go back right now. The fog is fickle. It is only there when someone is waiting on the other side. Do ye nae ken? If there is no one waiting for you, in the future, the fog willnae appear for ye.”
“Was someone waiting for him? I didn’t see anyone else when we arrived. How did we get here?” Jenna demanded suspiciously.
“My horse was awaiting our arrival. The fog disappeared as soon as we got here. I dinnae ken how Richard arrived. I’m not the one in charge of the bridge. If Edna were here, she could answer yer questions, but I cannae.” Cormac was sounding increasingly frustrated with Jenna. He raked his fingers through his hair and stared up at the sky as if seeking divine intervention. “Now, come with me… please. We must hurry.”
Jenna glared at him, hands fisted at her sides. Damn, damn, damn him… and Edna! “Fine, let’s go.” She again headed off down the path, Cormac following close behind. She’d figure this out, without his help.
Cormac had been so busy trying to appease Jenna that he almost missed the low murmur of voices coming from their left. Jenna was babbling on and on, in a most disagreeable manner. “Shhh…” Cormac put his finger to his lips to silence her. She was about to protest when she obviously heard the sound as well. She threw him a questioning look and Cormac held up his hand for her to stay put. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered.
Leaving his horse and Jenna behind, Cormac made his way silently through the trees toward the voices.
“Where are we,” the woman’s voice questioned.
“How the hell would I know?” The man responded with an angry growl.
“Hey, don’t get mad at me! It’s not my fault something weird just happened.”
Creeping closer, Cormac was able to make out the figures of a man and woman standing in the clearing. They had their backs to him, but he could tell they were from the future. Their clothes were a dead giveaway. They searched the area, looking both confused and out of place. As they turned in his direction, Cormac dove low into the cover of some brush. He peeked over the top and was amazed to see Jonathan and Sophia, not more than ten feet away. How did they get here? He was just about to approach them, when Sir Richard appeared in the clearing.
“Hello, fellow time travelers. I’m Sir Richard Jefford. May I be of service? You appear to have just arrived.”
“Time travelers?” Jonathan questioned suspiciously.
Sophia crept closer to Jonathan’s side, but he offered her no protection. “Where are we?” she asked.
“You find yourself in Scotland. The year 1514.” They looked shocked and Sophia teetered on her feet. “I’ll let that sink in for a moment.” Sir Richard sat atop his horse and waited before speaking again. “Where are you from?”
“San Francisco. 2014,” Jonathan answered.
“Do you know how you got here?” Sir Richard asked.
“I’m not too sure…” Jonathan glanced down at Sophia, as if she might know the answer.
“We were following Cormac and Jenna when we walked into a fog bank. Next thing we knew, we were here. Do you know how we can get back?” Sophia appeared to be rapidly regaining her composure.
Why were they following us? Cormac didn’t like the sound of that. Perhaps if he listened longer, he might have his answer. He was concerned for Jenna, but felt certain she’d stay where he left her, as he’d requested.
“Did you say Cormac and Jenna? I just saw them. Or at least, I assume the young woman with him was Jenna. Cormac did not introduce us. They are most likely heading back to Breaghacraig. What do you want with them?”
Jonathan perked up when he heard this information. “I need to get Jenna back to San Francisco. She’s going to help me get some money I need.”
“I thought you said you wanted to convince her to be friends with you,” Sophia interrupted.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t get any money when she annulled our marriage, so I have to get it somehow.” Jonathan defended his actions.
“You have an ulterior motive, it seems. Do you wish this woman harm?” Sir Richard asked.
“I don’t know how any of this is your business,” Jonathan retorted.
“It’s only my business because she’s with Cormac MacBayne, and he and his family… let’s just say we’re not on the best of terms. What is his relationship to this Jenna?” Richard asked.
“They’re definitely an item,” Sophia offered.
“An item?”
“They like each other… a lot,” she explained.
“I see. Well, then perhaps we can help each other,” Sir Richard suggested.
Cormac had heard enough to know that Jonathan was planning to find Jenna and bring her back to San Francisco and not with good intentions, and that Sir Richard was still up to his old tricks. He had to get Jenna away from here. He left Sophia, Jonathan and Sir Richard to their plotting and hurried back towards Jenna.
TWENTY
At first, Jenna had thought it a good idea to head off on her own. After all, Cormac seemed to be taking a really long time getting back to her. This might be her only opportunity to escape from him. She decided to head back the way she had seen Sir Richard coming from, in hopes of finding some fog to swirl her back home. No such luck. She had been wandering about for what seemed like hours and had only succeeded in getting herself hopelessly lost. Her feet hurt and her ankle was starting to ache. The woods were spooky, too. The limbs of the trees were covered in moss and they seemed to be reaching out to grab her, even though she knew it was only her imagination. A chill raced through her body and she kept glancing back over her shoulder. Hearing the sounds of twigs breaking, she stopped and whirled around. Nothing. Jenna knew she was just extra jumpy. I have no idea where I am or how to get back to Cormac. Why am I so stubborn? I really need to learn to think before acting.
Cormac had been so patient with her, but then again, he had kidnapped
her. Jenna couldn’t depend on him to help her get back to San Francisco. She was going to have to do this on her own. With renewed purpose, Jenna continued trudging through the woods. Her heels kept puncturing the soft forest floor, which was making it very difficult to make progress. That’s probably why Edna let me keep my boots! She knew I’d never be able to walk very far in them. Maybe she should take them off, but then her feet would freeze. The trees blocked the sun’s rays and the longer she walked, the colder she was getting. If she didn’t find help soon, she’d find herself suffering a case of hypothermia.
At the sounds of howling animals, Jenna’s head jerked up. She scanned the area around her and saw nothing, but had the distinct impression she was being watched. Were those coyotes or wolves? Did they even have wolves in Scotland? There weren’t many creatures who howled, so the choices were limited. They sounded very close, but she couldn’t really tell. She’d never been one for trekking through the woods, especially on her own.
Exhausted and feeling increasingly hopeless, Jenna leaned her back against a nearby tree and slid to a seated position at its base. She was exhausted, scared, and cold. Not a good combination. Tears began to form in her eyes when she realized she might die out here. The how of her demise was up for grabs. She would either freeze to death, or be eaten by a wolf. Jenna began to shake uncontrollably. Head in hands, she called out into the forest. “Cormac! Cormac! Help me!” Silence punctuated by howling was all she heard. Sensing a presence in front of her, Jenna lifted her head. “Cormac?” Her breath caught in her throat and panic seized her as she looked into the face of a very large and scary wolf. A wolf just like the one she’d seen in her dream.
***
Cormac arrived back to find that Jenna was missing. He’d told her to stay put, but apparently she’d decided to wander off in search of a way home. As silently as possible, Cormac mounted his horse and headed off in search of Jenna. He hadn’t been gone that long, so she should be close by. He headed back towards the bridge, assuming that would be her destination. Tracking was usually his specialty, but he wasn’t seeing much to help him in his search. He made it all the way back to the bridge and couldn’t find her. His heart sank as he realized she might have managed to return to San Francisco. He couldn’t be certain though, so he decided to keep searching. Cormac turned his horse back the way he’d come and looked around more carefully for signs that Jenna had been there. If she had made it back to San Francisco, he’d be happy for her, but if she was still here, he needed to find her before she came to some harm. The weather was changing and he knew she’d be cold, and if it started to rain, as it looked like it might, that would be an even bigger disaster. It was imperative that he find her quickly.
Cormac finally saw something that he knew would lead him directly to Jenna. Her high-heeled boots were making holes in the ground as she walked. She had taken a side path and Cormac guessed she’d gotten turned around. If he hadn’t blindly headed towards the bridge, he would have noticed and found her more quickly. He hoped he would reach her soon. He’d heard the sounds of wolves in the area and knew them to be excellent hunters. As he rode, he listened carefully and was finally rewarded by the sound of Jenna calling his name.
“Jenna,” he called back. “I’m here.” He broke into a canter and headed in the direction of her voice. He realized he was also heading in the direction of the howling wolves. As he broke through the trees, he saw a terrified Jenna backed up against a tree with a lone wolf ready to lunge at her. “Jenna. Dinnae move, lass.” Cormac spurred his horse forward, right at the wolf.
As he approached, his horse reared and struck out, clipping the wolf’s hindquarters. The wolf snarled and spun in Cormac’s direction. Saidear bravely snorted and ran at the wolf, which yelped and ran off.
Jumping down from his horse, Cormac pulled Jenna to her feet and into his arms. “Dinnae fash, lass. Yer with me now, I’ll not let him harm ye.”
Jenna was sobbing uncontrollably. Cormac cooed soft words in her ears and held her close. When she calmed, he held her away from him. “Did he harm ye, lass?”
“No,” she hiccoughed. “I’m okay.”
“Come. We must get away. He’ll be back with his pack. They are not one’s to give up on a meal.”
Jenna shuddered. “I’m sorry I ran away. I just wanted to go home. I got so lost. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“I’m here. I found ye. I would search for ye forever if need be,” Cormac reassured her. “Come. I ken ye dinnae care for horses, but ye’ll need to ride with me if we’re to make any progress. The sun is setting and we’ll need to find a place to stay for the night.”
Jenna shook her head anxiously. “I’m afraid of horses. I can’t.”
“Ye can. Saidear is a good horse, he’ll take care of ye. And I’ll be holding on to ye, so ye’ll be safe. Come.” He motioned with his hand for her to follow.
Jenna hesitated, but Cormac took her hand and gently pulled her towards his horse. He lifted her up into the saddle and she sat frozen with fear. Hoisting himself up behind her, Cormac wrapped one arm around her, anchoring her to his body and with the other hand gathered the reins and started his horse on a slow walk until he began to feel her relax.
“I’m going to take Saidear to a gentle lope. Ye willnae fall. It will be a soft, rocking motion. Ye’ll see.” The horse moved off smoothly under Cormac’s guidance. “Why are ye so afeared of horses, Jenna?” he asked.
Voice shaking, Jenna explained. “When I was a child, I went for a riding lesson with Ashley. My parents said it was okay for me to go. We were riding around the arena when something startled my horse and he bolted for the gate at the entrance. I didn’t know if he would stop or try to jump. I was so scared, all I could do was hold on tight and hope he wouldn’t go over the gate. He didn’t, but I did. I landed on my shoulder and broke my collarbone. I’ve never been on a horse since. Not until today.”
“Ye had a most unfortunate accident and I can see why ye’d be frightened. When we get to Breaghacraig, I’ll find ye the quietest horse in all of Scotland and I’ll teach ye to ride. It will take time, but ye’ll lose yer fear, and when I’m done, ye won’t even need a license to ride.” Cormac tipped his head to gauge Jenna’s reaction. He was pleased to see she was smiling at him.
“Very funny, Mr. MacBayne. I don’t suppose you need a license for much around here.”
“Nae. I dinna have a single license to my name,” he chuckled and Jenna relaxed even more in his arms. He was relieved. Now he had to get them to a safe place to stay for the night.
Jenna sat on a log next to the blazing fire Cormac had built for them. They would be sleeping outdoors tonight. She wasn’t looking forward to that prospect, but at least she was still alive. Cormac had gone off in search of food and returned with a rabbit for them to share. Jenna wasn’t used to this kind of thing, she preferred to buy her food at the grocery store, but she was so hungry that her stomach was growling and she was actually shaking. She’d eat whatever was presented to her at this point. He’d found some oats and a griddle in his saddlebag and had whipped up some bannocks as well.
“Are ye enjoying yer meal, Jenna?” Cormac asked. “I know this isnae what yer used to at home.”
“It’s good, thank you.” Jenna continued to eat in silence. Cormac was so much more at home here. She’d noticed in San Francisco that he always seemed a bit uncomfortable and out of place. He had done a very good job of trying to hide it, but here, he was in his element. He took control of their situation and no matter how grumpy she’d been with him, he never let it get to him. He knew exactly what to do and how to do it to keep them safe. He’d built them a little shelter, which he lined with a plaid he kept in the saddlebag. It was long enough to wrap them both up comfortably for the night. He kept the fire blazing. He explained it would keep them warm and keep the wolves away. Apparently they had been following Jenna and Cormac, not willing to give up on their quarry. Cormac had also removed her boots and wrapped som
e warm stones in yet another plaid, then he’d massaged her feet and placed them on the stones, swathing them in the remainder of the fabric. It felt amazing and she had to control herself to keep from moaning in pleasure.
“Jenna, I dinnae wish you to be angry with me. I truly didnae know ye’d get swept up in the fog along with me, but when you touched my hands, everything started moving and I knew that if I didnae hold onto you, you might be lost forever in a different time and a different place. Can ye forgive me?”
“I’ll think about it.” She wasn’t quite ready to give up the idea that he’d purposely kidnapped her and dragged her back to Scotland with him.
“I’ll accept that,” he responded with a sweet smile.
Raindrops began plopping down on them. It was just starting, but within minutes it would be a downpour. Cormac carried Jenna inside the shelter and bundled her up in the plaid. He had been warming more rocks on the fire and he poked them out of the flames with his sword. “We’ll need these to keep warm,” he said as he gathered them up in his kilt. They were still quite hot, but he managed to get them under the plaid where they would emanate warmth for some time to come. He had unsaddled his horse and placed the saddle in their shelter, along with anything else that needed to stay dry.
“What about your horse?” Jenna asked. Saidear was nibbling on some grass and didn’t seem to mind that he was getting wet.
“He’ll be fine. ‘Tis not the first time he’s been caught out in the rain.” Cormac lay down beside Jenna, resting his head on his saddle. “May I hold ye, Jenna, lass? Ye told me not to touch ye, and I ken that I have done so since, but here in our shelter, I don’t want to presume too much.”
“It’s okay,” Jenna said. “We need to stay warm. Here,” she said as she held the plaid up for him to crawl under. “For survival purposes, you can hold me.” She turned her back to him and he pulled her in to the curve of his body. Before long she heard the sound of his steady breathing, letting her know he had drifted off to sleep. She only hoped she could manage to do the same.
