Dreams Of The Highlander

by Sarah Hoss

  They walked on for a bit, examining every booth. There was a tent sitting back a little ways. Fringe hung on the edges of the opening and a little old Gypsy woman sat outside to the left. The woman had her hair tied back with a scarf of blues and greens. Her clothes were a little worn, but one could tell they had been taken care of. Her skin was dark and wrinkled with age, and she held a very pleasant smile that made the wrinkles on her face more pronounced.

  Marlana walked up to her.

  “Come down, child, before ye put a crick in an old woman’s neck.”

  Laughing, she squatted and heard Alexander walk up behind her. For a moment, she had forgotten him. She felt drawn to this woman. She turned and peered over her shoulder and noticed that though he was trying to be friendly, he appeared uncomfortable.

  The woman patted her hand and she turned around, focusing on her.

  “What would ye like to know dear?”

  She wasn’t sure. She felt like a small child in a Catholic Church—the Priest was asking for her sins and she blushed.

  The woman stared at her for a moment, then smiled even broader. She brought her hand to her forehead and closed her eyes, then opened them, waving her hand slowly over Marlana’s chest. She didn’t move away, though she was tempted.

  The Gypsy woman waved her hand toward Alexander. “Come here closer.” She closed her eyes and was silent.

  “What is it?” Marlana asked, intrigued by the old woman.

  “I see in my mind’s eye a great travel. This I mean in many ways. Not only in distance, but in matters of the heart.”

  Marlana didn’t move.

  Alexander shifted his feet.

  “Might I be able to examine the pearl at your neck, dear?”

  She glanced over her shoulder at Alexander and he gave a slight nod to his head. Turning back toward the Gypsy, she brought it out of its hiding place in her dress. “How did you know?”

  The old Gypsy ignored the question. She placed the pearl in her hand and closed her eyes again. When she opened them, she looked at Alexander, then back to Marlana.

  “I want to tell ye a story.”

  Marlana remained squatted in front of her, even though she began to lose feeling in her legs.

  “A long time ago, a young woman, unwed and pregnant, went to see an old woman, who some say was a witch. She asked for help in delivering her child. After many hours, a son was born. The young woman had nothing to pay the old woman with, but offered her one prized possession, twin pearls.”

  Marlana held her breath as she recognized the story. Through her family, each time the pendant was passed on, the story would be retold.

  The old Gypsy continued, watching her closely. “The old woman refused the payment but laid a blessing on the pearls.” She leaned into Marlana, “Tell me the blessing child.”

  Marlana sat stunned for a moment, then repeated what she had heard when the pendant became hers. “Bless these pearls, for so long as they are together, true love will never be forsaken.”

  The old woman smiled and nodded her head. Marlana heard Alexander inhale. She turned around to glance at him. His eyes were frozen on the Gypsy.

  “That’s right, child. Look at your pearl. See the odd mark here?”

  Marlana took the pearl and turned it over, noticing the indention on the side. How had she missed it?

  “The twin will have one just like it.”

  The old Gypsy woman shifted her eyes to Alexander and stared at him with a knowing look. Without taking her eyes off him, she continued. “When the pearls are together again, ye will have the true love ye seek.”

  The Gypsy ran her hand over Marlana’s head in a grandmotherly gesture. Then Marlana stood and took her place by Alexander’s side. She thanked the Gypsy and Alexander placed a coin in her hand. As they walked away, Marlana glanced back over her shoulder at the woman to find her watching them intently. Alexander looked as if some secret had just been revealed to him and he wasn’t quite sure what to do with it.

  “Are you all right, Alex?” she asked and laid her hand on his arm.

  “Aye, I’m fine.” He patted her hand, then walked on ahead of her to get the horses. “Are ye ready to go now?”

  On their ride home, they rode in silence.

  CHAPTER 17

  Marlana was falling in love with Alexander Macpherson and she couldn’t stop it from happening any more than she could stop a speeding car.

  She put her head in her hands and closed her eyes. Her situation became more confusing with her realization. Things needed to be figured out, and soon. She missed her house back home and all the things in it. Not conveniences like a shower—she missed personal things. Her Grandma’s old ratty quilt. Her photo albums. Anything that kept her closer to her parents. She knew she didn’t need them to keep them close, they were in her heart and that was what mattered.

  She desperately missed Lilly and Victoria. If they were here with her, they would find a way to make pizza and that thought made her laugh out loud. Taking a drink, she wondered what they were doing now. What kind of grief had her disappearance caused them? She prayed that they weren’t blaming themselves for sending her here.

  Studying the cottage, she couldn’t help but compare it to her home. She had twelve rooms and this one had three. Hers had so many rooms, you could get away from someone if you wanted to. This one you had to stay and work it out, to hang out with each other and talk. How many times had she sat here, at this table with Alexander, eating dinner or talking?

  She rose from the table and went to look out the window. She stared at the bench Alexander had made for her, sitting under the big pine tree. It was something she would always treasure. Not just the time it took to make it, but the consideration to making it in the first place. It warmed her heart. Maybe he did care just a little, at least enough to think of her as a friend. Maybe that would have to be enough.

  Walking over to the fireplace, she grabbed the little shovel and bucket to clean it out. Thoughts danced in her mind to how life changes so suddenly. If Mom and Dad had taken a different road, or had left later, they would be alive today. If Lilly, Victoria, and she had chosen a different bar that night, she wouldn’t have met Alan. Either one of those things would have seriously impacted her life’s path. But place them all together and see how it adds up. Her entire situation was so absurd, yet here she was, in another time, with a man she’d dreamt about for a year. She stood straight and burst out laughing, if nothing else, to keep from crying.

  Alexander walked in and stared at her. “Are ye going daft on me?” There was a slight smile on his face.

  “Aye,” she said, imitating his brogue. “You travel through time and go through all that I have and see if you don’t go a little crazy.” She shoveled one more time and dumped the ashes into the bucket. “I was thinking, that’s all.”

  “I see yer point. I came in to tell ye that Hamish has stopped by with some news.” At that moment, the hair on her arms stood straight up and she rubbed them quickly to get rid of the feeling.

  “Are ye all right?” He was looking at her funny.

  “Fine, I got a cold chill. Can Hamish stay for supper? There will be plenty.”

  “Aye, he would appreciate it. What are ye cooking?” He walked over to retrieve the bucket and the close proximity made her heart beat faster. It always did when he was around.

  “Clapshot, clootie pudding, and cock-a-leekie soup.”

  “Aye, he’ll stay.” The look he gave her nearly took her breath away. Alexander didn’t smile often, but when he did, she swore she could hear angels singing in the sunrise. His whole face lit up. Pearly white teeth shone out of full lips and his mood was infectious. She couldn’t help but smile back. She wished he would do it more often.

  They stood for a moment, just grinning at each ot
her, searching each other’s eyes, until she felt herself lean in.

  He flinched. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Hamish was coming in right behind me.”

  She nodded her head and went to wash her hands. “Give me a couple of hours and it’ll be ready.”

  Alexander started to walk away, passing by her, but he stopped, put the bucket down, and placed one hand on the small of her back to pull her closer. With his other hand, he tipped her chin up so she was forced to look at him. It was a gentle touch with softness in his eyes.

  “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.” With that, he lowered his head and the moment his lips touched hers, all of the hurt and anger melted away.

  She let him take control. He brushed his lips over hers, placing little kisses on her nose, cheeks and mouth. Then he became more insistent and when his tongue slid across her lips, she parted immediately, longing for his touch. The strokes were rhythmic and she caught on quick. He pulled her in a little tighter, slightly tipping her, causing her head to rest on his shoulder. She could feel her heart beating faster. His other hand had found its way into her hair and he deepened the kiss. Their lips were hungry, but danced at leisure. He was the one to break the kiss, standing there looking at her lips, he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

  “Apology accepted?”

  “Feel free to apologize whenever you want,” she whispered, unable to catch her breath.

  “Yell for us when dinner is ready.” He smacked her on her bottom and walked out the door.

  She stood for a moment, staring at the door. This kiss had been different; at least that’s what she wanted to think. His kisses before had always been urgent, like he couldn’t get enough, but this time, it seemed to hold a secret. It wasn’t the urgency of a man who only wanted the physical act of lovemaking. Was she kidding herself into thinking things that weren’t there?

  “Snap out of it, Marlana. Do not read more into it than there is. That’s how you got hurt the first time.”

  With Supper over and the dishes washed, Marlana came back to the table to join the men as they talked. “Dinner was verra good. I thank ye,” Hamish said as he stretched back in his chair.

  “Well, I’ll have to tell Margaret that she’s a great teacher. I give most of the credit to her.”

  Hamish smiled.

  “So, big brother, what brings ye out here? Why do ye wait until now to speak?” Alexander gave his brother a very curious glare, but one that spoke of knowing that what he was about to hear, wasn’t going to be anything good.

  “James stopped by my home late yesterday and asked me to bring a message. Said he would have brought it himself, but he was on urgent business.” Hamish took a drink of his whisky and continued. “There is to be a ceilidh in a sennight at the castle. In honor of a marriage. This comes from Cluny personally.”

  “Who is getting married?”

  “Catherine Macgowen. She is a maid to the Chief’s wife.”

  “Can I interrupt here?” Marlana asked.

  Both men looked at her as if she had just materialized out of thin air.

  “I don’t understand your words.”

  “Sorry, lass, it’s easy to forget sometimes that ye arena from here. A ceilidh is a party and a sennight is one week. The Macgowen’s have served the Chief and his wife for many generations.”

  She turned to look at Hamish. There was something wrong, she could see it in his demeanor. He’d never acted like this before when she was around him. “Hamish, what else is there to tell us?”

  “Observant is what ye are.”

  “Well, no offense, but after trying to read your brother’s face,” she said, pointing to Alexander, “you’re a piece of cake.”

  Both men laughed. Hamish turned to look at her and got right to the point. “The Chief knows of ye, lass.” Turning his attention on Alexander, he added, “Ye are to bring her to the castle in two days for him to meet her. He wants to talk to ye.”

  The only sound out of Alexander was a grunt of acknowledgement. Hamish told them about the rumor spreading of a dark haired woman staying with Alexander. Some didn’t believe the story. Others, of course, swore by it, clinging to any bit of gossip to make life a little more interesting.

  Alexander glanced at her and reached out to grasp her hand. She welcomed the lifeline.

  “It’ll be all right. I wouldn’t let any harm come to ye.”

  “Ha.” A nervous chuckle escaped her. “You really should word your sentences differently.” She stared at him. “What are we going to say?”

  “Did he seem angry?” Alexander asked.

  “Nay, I imagine he’s just curious.”

  “Let’s hope so.” Alexander said, never taking his eyes off her.

  Marlana excused herself and went for a walk, leaving Alexander and Hamish talking about the party. She needed to get away for a moment, try and catch her breath. The Chief. What were they going to say? He was bound to ask questions, starting with where she was from. She wondered for a moment if the Chief would do more to help her find her way home? She had to figure out what she was going to do and soon. She was either planning to stay or she was going to make an honest effort to get home. But how does one just travel through time by choice?

  There was a distinct path that led into the forest from the back of the house, so she decided to take it. She turned a quick circle to make sure she knew where she was. All she had to do was stay to the path and she could see the house still.

  She walked around a few trees, stepped over a fallen log, then stopped dead in her tracks. All she could do was stare. She wasn’t surprised to find a grave close to a home, this was the 1700’s. They didn’t have the kind of burial services one would find in the twenty-first century. But nothing could have prepared her for this.

  A five-foot area around the grave had been kept clean, telling Marlana that Alexander visited often. Stones had been placed carefully around the grave and there was a beautifully carved wooden cross. She stepped closer, taking care not to kick any of the rocks, and read the names.

  “Mairi Shelagh MacNiven Macpherson. 1676-1703.” She raised her hand to her chest; unable to believe she was standing here. Mairi was real, now. Below her name was written, “William James Hamish Macpherson, infant, 1703.”

  A tear slid down her cheek. So much lost in so little time, it was unbelievable to think about. She understood the devastation it could have on a person’s life; she’d lost her parents at the same time, though it wasn’t the same as a spouse and child.

  She took a few soft steps off the path, picked the little flowers that grew wild, and placed them on the grave. A bird flew overhead, a light breeze stirred the trees, and the moment was one of peace. The last of the sun’s rays peeked through the trees and she turned her face into the last of the daylight.

  “Hi,” she said and she nervously switched feet. She wasn’t sure she should be speaking to the grave of a woman she didn’t know, but she continued anyway. “My name is Marlana.”

  Shuffling her right foot in the grass, she bit her lip. “I’ve been staying in the cottage, but I bet you know that.”

  She glanced around to see if anyone was watching, then pondered on the words she would say.

  “He’s a good man. I see why you fell in love with him. He’s dependable and loyal. Oh, my God, is he loyal. I wish you knew just how much. I think it’s one of the things I love most about him.”

  She ran her hand up and down her arm, though there wasn’t a chill. This is where his loyalty lay, and she was so jealous, she almost choked on it. She didn’t like feeling jealous of a dead woman, but she couldn’t help it.

  “I fell in love with him. It was so easy to do, but you understand that, don’t you?” A nervous chuckle escaped her lips. What would Mairi say if she could speak back?

  “The pro
blem is, he still loves you and he’s so heartbroken. I can’t penetrate the wall he’s put up. I don’t mind that he loves you, he should. You held his heart first and what a lucky woman you are.” She wiped at a tear. “It’s that he can’t or won’t let go, and I wish he would. I’m sorry if that seems nasty to say, but I wish he would turn to me and he doesn’t.”

  She put both of her hands over her mouth for a moment to think. After breathing deep a few times, she ran them over her cheeks, then crossed them at her chest.

  “I don’t know why I’m here, but if I’m stuck, I want to stay with him. I hope that makes sense. He is the man of my dreams, after all.”

  More tears slipped down her cheeks and she came to the realization that she had made a decision. She toyed with the pearl hanging from her necklace.

  “I won’t be back to visit. I think its best that I leave. I wish I could’ve known you, you must have been some kind of lady to have held his heart this tightly.”

  She turned around and ran back to the cottage.

  Alexander said goodbye to Hamish, then went on a walk to find Marlana, not knowing which direction she may have taken. He first went to the stables and upon not seeing her there, went to the stream. Where could she have gone? This was becoming a habit. He started walking to the only other place she could be, hoping she wouldn’t be there, but he figured sooner or later she would find it. He was lost in his own thoughts as his feet mindlessly took him down the path. Everything over the last month and a half seemed to go round and round in his head. She was adapting to life here very well. He remembered how frightened she was when she first showed up and how confused he was at her story. There were still times he found it hard to believe the things she said, but her mannerisms, her speech, not having any knowledge of how to live in this time period, all spoke the truth. Then there was her backpack and the things it held.