by Bess McBride
“Oh, you don’t need to do that,” I said quickly. “You’ve done so much already.”
“Well, there’s really no way to see if you need a ride back to Fort William unless we go down with you,” Beth said in a practical tone.
“Beth is right,” Gordon agreed. “We can’t just abandon you here in the dark.”
“Okay.” I clicked on my flashlight and made my way toward the trail leading to the valley.
“Let me go first,” Gordon said. “I remember the path well enough and can stop you if you fall. Those skirts look alarming. I cannot imagine how you will manage.”
“I’m getting pretty good at handling them,” I said with a smile. Nevertheless, I was grateful that he took the lead. He took the flashlight from Beth.
“If you’re carrying the flashlight and fidgeting with your skirts, you’ll need both hands,” Beth said. “Let me carry those.” She held out her hand for the bag of medicines, and I handed them over reluctantly.
We began our descent with me hoisting the front hem of my skirts with one hand and clutching Gerry’s flashlight with the other. Grateful for Gordon’s guiding light, I nevertheless slipped a few times. Beth grabbed my left arm from behind to steady me.
“Thank you,” I said.
“I am so very thankful I was not born in the eighteenth century,” Beth said dryly.
“No kidding,” I responded.
We continued our descent, finally making it down to the path alongside the river.
“What now?” Gordon asked.
I turned and took the bag of medicine from Beth.
“Now, I just splash water on my face. Wait a minute though!” The thought that a bag clutched in my hand might not make it through time suddenly occurred to me. I fished the bottles out of the bag and stuffed them inside my bodice.
“There! It would be a nightmare to travel back without the medicine after coming all this way and putting you kind folks through this. Luckily, the clothes seem to travel with me and I don’t arrive naked.”
Gordon chuckled.
I wrapped my arms around Gordon, startling him.
“Thank you, Gordon. Thank you for everything. I can’t thank you enough!”
“It was my pleasure. Say hello to Colin and Beth for me. Do tell them Gleannhaven Castle is well and in good hands.”
“I will,” I said, somewhat breathlessly. Anxiety about the possibility of not making it back was peaking and robbing me of air. That and emotion.
“Thank you, Beth!” I reached for her, but apparently not one for hugs, she stayed me by patting my shoulders.
“We’ll be right here if something goes wrong,” she said in a kindly voice.
I nodded and turned toward the river. Self-consciously aware of Beth and Gordon’s scrutiny, I knelt down on the bank and settled the flashlight in my lap. I bent over, cupped some water in my palms and splashed it on my face. The familiar tingling started in my hands and cheeks, and I felt myself falling. I grabbed at the pills tucked into the top of my bodice with one hand and the flashlight with the other as I tilted over onto my side.
Chapter Twelve
I woke up in darkness and grabbed at my chest. The bottles of pills were still in place, thankfully. Now, where was I?
“Gordon?” I called out. “Beth?”
The darkness was thick, and I could see nothing. No moon shone to shed any light on my surroundings. I could hear the river in front of me, but that told me nothing.
My right hand touched a hard plastic surface, and I grabbed the flashlight. Swallowing hard, I flicked it on. Had I traveled? I knew where I was, but when?
I waved the light in an arc toward the river and then behind me, but there was nothing to suggest what year I was in.
“Maggie?” a male voice called from nearby.
“Gordon?” I pushed myself to a standing position. “Is that you?” My heart sank, and my throat closed over. Hot tears formed in the corners of my eyes.
“It is I, Colin.”
I shone my flashlight on the tall Highlander as he approached, rubbing his eyes and pulling a length of plaid from his shoulders. Then I swung the light in the direction of the wagon and waiting horse.
“Oh, Colin!” I said with joy. “You’re here! I’m here!” I could have hugged him but decided that probably would shock him.
“Aye, that ye are,” he said. “Were ye successful in yer quest?”
“Yes! I have the medicine right here! Have you been waiting long?”
“I delivered the women to Gleannhaven only a few hours ago and returned to await ye. It isna yet dawn.”
“Shall we go? To Castle Lochloon? Or do you need to rest?” I hoped he would say no. Although apparently I’d only been gone a matter of hours rather than days, I wanted to hurry back to James’ side as soon as possible.
“No, I slept for a wee bit. Let us make haste to Lochloon.” He took my arm and guided me to the wagon. “What is that light you carry? I do not see the flame.”
“I’ll explain on the way.”
Colin handed me up into the wagon and urged the horse forward, the lamp at the front of the wagon providing a measure of light for Colin and the horses. I explained the flashlight and told him how it worked, as much as I understood about batteries anyway, which was nothing. I told him the batteries would die and that would be the end of the flashlight.
We rode on through the night, and I told him about his descendants—that his tenth great-grandson, Gordon, still lived at Gleannhaven Castle and that he had said the castle was in good hands.
“It stands in the twenty-first century?” Colin asked in an awed voice. “What a sturdy building!”
“It does. I didn’t get a chance to see it though. I was in a hurry to return.”
“And ye say ye met two of our descendants? What are they like?”
“Yes, the current laird, Gordon Anderson, and his sister, Beth. Beth is married and a doctor.”
“A doctor?” he exclaimed.
I nodded.
“Remarkable,” he said.
“They resemble you a great deal. Both have curly dark hair and blue eyes like you. Gordon is kind. Beth a little more brisk.”
“Brisk, eh? I ken ye had to get the medicine from her?”
“Yes. Though she didn’t really believe that I had traveled in time, she did get me the medicine. I’m sure she believes in time travel now, since I disappeared in front of their eyes.”
“Aye, I imagine she does that.”
“I wonder how James is doing,” I said quietly.
“Ye have medicine which will make him well again, no? Dinna fear what ye canna change. Ye have done all that ye can, and that is much.”
I nodded, exhaustion hitting me suddenly and hard, and my head drooped. “I’m just going to nap a little bit. If you don’t mind.”
I never heard Colin’s reply as I fell instantly asleep.
I awoke some time later to see the sun rising over the lake behind Castle Lochloon. The wagon was parked, the horses eating hay. I recognized Duncan’s cabin.
“Are ye awake?” Colin asked with a grin as he helped me down.
“How long was I asleep?” I asked with a yawn.
“About an hour,” he said. “The tide is in, and we must take the boat. Duncan’s son is waiting to take us over. Duncan has seen to the horses.”
Duncan dipped his head in my direction, and I greeted him. I ran a hand across my neckline to make sure the pills were still in place.
“This is yers wi which to delight and entertain James,” Colin said as he handed me the flashlight that had apparently slipped from my hands when I fell asleep.
I grinned and allowed myself to be led to the boat where Duncan’s son waited. He rowed us over, and we climbed out on the other side.
Colin and I walked to the base of the castle stairs, and out of earshot of the boy, I turned to him.
“You should not enter. You can probably only become infected by contact with food or water, but it’s
better you don’t.”
“Maggie, I canna leave ye here alone,” Colin said with a firm shake of his head. “Ye dinna rightly ken our customs, and there isna a female here to act as chaperone, no unless ye count the cook.”
I nodded just as firmly as Colin.
“Then I will count the cook. I have to find out who gave James the typhoid, and that might very well have been the cook. That you and Aunt Edith didn’t contract it is miraculous. You have to go.”
He sighed heavily and looked up toward the castle.
“Beth said ye would say so, and she said ye would be right to send me home. I will stop to see Dr. McDougall and make sure he is diligent in visiting. Dinna mention the medicine to him. He might raise a fuss and will surely say something. Send a lad for me if ye need anything. When can I return?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. Maybe two weeks? That’s how long the course of antibiotics is. And probably how long until I figure out how James got sick.”
“And ye are safe yerself? Ye willna sicken?”
I nodded again. “No, I’m fine. How is Beth, by the way?”
“She is well, glowing.”
I smiled. “Good!”
I turned toward the castle.
“Thank you, Colin. See you in a few weeks!”
I dreaded saying good-bye to a familiar face, but I had little choice. I clutched my skirts, hurried up the stairs and pushed open the heavy oak door leading into the castle.
No one greeted me, and I trotted up the stairs toward James’ room. I tapped on the door and waited impatiently for about three seconds before pushing the door open.
Bracken sprawled in a chair next to James’ bed. From the sound of the butler’s snoring, he was heavily asleep. I tiptoed around to the opposite side of the bed to look at James. He seemed to be asleep, his breathing quick and shallow. Robbie scrambled out from under the bed and pushed a wet nose into my hand. I patted him absentmindedly.
I laid a hand on James’ forehead and gasped. His skin burned to the touch. His fever had worsened, if that was even possible. Had I told Bracken to apply cold compresses before I left? I couldn’t remember.
I ran over to the bureau, grabbed some linen and poured what I hoped was clean boiled water over it, soaking it in a bowl. I returned to James’ side and pressed the cool damp cloth on his forehead. Robbie slid back under the bed.
James opened his eyes and looked at me. He raised a hand and laid it over mine.
“Hello,” I said, unable to stop the tears from slipping down my cheeks. “You have a fever.” I moved the cloth around to his cheeks.
“Hello,” he said in a husky voice. “Where did ye go? I thought I had lost ye.” His hand traveled with mine as I moved the cloth around his face.
I bent and kissed his hot forehead, a spontaneous gesture that surprised me.
“I’m back. I told you I was going for medicine. I’ve come back.”
“Nay, I dinna remember such, but it’s glad I am that ye’re back.”
I looked over at Bracken, who continued to sleep.
“I have some pills for you to take,” I said. “You’ll have to let go of my hand if I’m to get them for you.”
James dropped his hand, and I hurried back to the bureau to pour water from the pitcher into a glass. I withdrew one bottle of antibiotics from my bodice and slipped a single pill into my palm. The prescription was for one pill every twelve hours. I opened the other bottle of paracetamol and retrieved two tablets.
I returned to James and helped him sit up.
“Here, take these,” I said.
“What are they?” he asked weakly.
“One is an antibiotic for typhoid fever. You’ll take two a day for two weeks. The other is to reduce your fever and alleviate pain. Take them now and swallow with water.”
James did as I ordered, and I lowered his head back to the pillow. At that moment, Bracken jerked and awakened. He jumped up from his seat.
“Mistress! Master!” he said, seemingly disoriented.
“I’m back, Bracken,” I said. “Thank you for everything. You must be exhausted. Did the laird have anything to eat while I was gone?”
Bracken shook his head.
“Nay, mistress, I havena been able to waken him. I’ll see if cook has some soup set by.”
“No!” I said quickly.
Bracken quirked an eyebrow and stared at me.
“No, I’ll go down to the kitchen and see what I can do.” James had fallen asleep again. “We have to find out who is spreading the typhoid fever. What if it was the cook? Has she been ill lately? Had a fever?”
Bracken looked positively insulted, and he pulled himself to his full height.
“Nay, mistress. Mrs. Bracken hasna been sick a day in her life.”
“Mrs. Bracken?” I squeaked. Oh, dear! “Your wife?”
“Aye,” he said with a stern look in my direction.
“Well, if not her, then who else has been handling food? It could be the water source, of course, but then wouldn’t everyone have come down with typhoid fever by now?”
Bracken stared at me for a few more seconds before relenting.
“Ye’re suggesting that the typhoid fever comes from someone who has been cooking or from the water? Ye’re right. We have been drinking the water here at Castle Lochloon for many a year and no been struck with the fever. There is a young lass working in the kitchen and serving food who was sick some time ago. Mrs. Bracken told me that she came back to work just afore his lairdship journeyed to Gleannhaven Castle.”
“That could be it then!” I exclaimed. “Thank goodness Aunt Edith didn’t get sick.”
“I sent all the servants away as ye requested, but the lass hasna gone home yet. She wished to stay and work, and Mrs. Bracken agreed. I saw no harm in keeping just one of the servants on to help her.”
“Oh, Bracken!” I gave him a reproachful look.
“Forgive me, mistress,” the elderly man said hastily. “I will send the lass home at once.”
“Wait!” I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I couldn’t just let the poor girl lose her job. Nor could she stay. Nor could I knowingly let her spread typhoid if she was infectious or a carrier. “Let me go talk to her. Can you show me the kitchen?”
“Aye,” Bracken said. I took a last look at the sleeping James before following the butler out of the room. I called Robbie to accompany me, and we descended the main staircase and another set of stairs before reaching a large cavernous room. The kitchen.
A stout woman sitting at a large oak table jumped up and stared at me. Mrs. Bracken really did look as if she’d never been sick a day in her life. Rosy cheeks and bright cornflower-blue eyes shone under a plain white mobcap. She wore an apron over an indeterminate gray skirt and bodice, the whole encompassing a plump figure.
“This is Mistress Scott. She’s come to see about Morna,” Bracken said.
“Morna,” I echoed faintly. The tall serving girl?
“Mistress.” Mrs. Bracken curtsied in my direction.
“Hello, Mrs. Bracken,” I said.
I resisted my initial instinct to hold out my hand to the cook. Not only was I becoming a bit of a germophobe, I realized that shaking hands just wasn’t done.
“I’ll just go and get her.” Mrs. Bracken hurried into the next room and returned in seconds with the blonde. This time, I inspected her more closely, albeit from a distance. Wan and pale, she did indeed look as if she had been or was still ill. I hadn’t noticed how stringy her hair was beneath her white cap. She wore the same color dress as Mrs. Bracken. Morna curtsied toward me, wringing her hands in her apron.
“This is Morna, mistress,” Mrs. Bracken said.
I looked over at Bracken before turning my attention to the girl. I couldn’t know if she was a carrier of typhoid, but between her and Mrs. Bracken, she was the most likely.
“Morna, I understand you were sick some time ago?”
“Aye, mistress.” Morna nodded, staring at m
e with pale-blue eyes from a white face. “But I be better now.”
“Did you have typhoid fever?”
Morna drew in a sharp breath and threw a quick look in Mrs. Bracken’s direction.
“But I be well now, Mrs. Bracken! I promise!”
Mrs. Bracken turned a dark face on Morna.
“Get ye from this house, girl!” she barked with flashing eyes, pointing a finger toward the door.
“Wait, Mrs. Bracken, just a minute,” I said.
“Wait for what, mistress? The lass should have kent better to come here sick. She must go. Isna a wonder that his lairdship was taken sick.”
Tears ran down Morna’s face.
“We needed the money, Mrs. Bracken. I promise that I be well now. I dinna have the fever anymore.”
“Although you don’t have the fever anymore, you could still be carrying the disease, Morna,” I said. “Did you have diarrhea with your illness?”
“Diarrhea, mistress?” Morna’s cheeks burned bright red, and I suspected she knew what I was talking about.
“Yes, you know, an intestinal ailment?”
“Do ye mean from the bowels, mistress?” Mrs. Bracken asked. She turned to Morna. “Well, did ye, girl?”
Morna ducked her head.
“Aye, but no longer. It were terrible, but it be over.”
“Och!” Mrs. Bracken sighed. She turned to me. “What is it ye wish us to do, mistress?”
I pulled a bottle of antibiotics from my bodice. I couldn’t face the thought of giving Morna the entire bottle of hard-gained pills and trusting her to dose herself properly, so I came up with another solution.
“Morna, I’m so sorry, but you cannot work in the house until you are completely free from the disease. I am going to give you the same medicine as his lairdship is getting. But you must come every day for fourteen days twice a day to take the medicine, morning and evening. I cannot give you all the medication at once.”
“Canna I work while I take the medicine?” Morna asked.
I shook my head in sympathy.
“No, I’m afraid not. I think you’re still contagious.”
“Contagious, mistress?” Morna repeated.
“Yes, you can spread the disease even though you think it is gone.” I handed Morna the first pill, and she swallowed it without question and without water. “Come back tomorrow morning for your next pill.”
