Once Upon a Duke's Dream

by Ellie St. Clair

  They reached the fresh air of the courtyard, and Sorcha pulled her earasaid closer around herself for warmth .

  “Sorcha,” Bryan said, “This is Emilia. She is my -- friend. I have been looking for her. It’s actually the reason I came to Scotland, to find her. My God, Emilia, what is going on? Did we time travel ? How? And why? This is incredulous. I could barely believe it myself for days .”

  Emilia gave Sorcha a warm smile and hello before turning back to Bryan .

  “I know, I could barely believe it myself,” she said. “You know that I came to Scotland to clear my head, to get away from everything. I was at the ruins of Dunnator Castle -- just below the cliffs of where we are standing now, actually -- when I came across some kind of portal, I suppose you could call it, and it allowed Dougal and me to travel back and forth. It closed, though -- is that where you came through ?”

  “I thought perhaps it was some type of wormhole,” he said. “I’ve read of their possibility. But no, it wasn’t through Dunnator. I booked a room through Airbnb at Fetterosso Castle. I was going to sleep and all of sudden this -- thing -- appeared in my room and transported me back. I landed nearly on top of Sorcha as she slept !”

  Bryan turned and looked at her again. Sorcha could only gape at the two of them. It was one thing for Bryan to tell her of time travel, but this woman claimed the same thing? Could it be ?

  “I feel I should introduce myself,” said a hulking man over Emilia’s shoulder. “I’d be Dougal MacGavin .”

  “Oh yes, I’m so sorry!” the woman exclaimed. “This is my husband. I should have introduced him much sooner .”

  “Your husband!” Bryan seemed slightly incredulous. “Emilia, we only broke up six months ago !”

  So this woman was more than his friend, Sorcha thought to herself, and Emilia didn’t seem quite as friendly anymore .

  “Six months for you,” Emilia said with a gentle smile. “But I’ve been here now a year and a half. And Bryan, you must admit, it wasn’t as if we were madly in love. We were more friends than anything. Tell me, if you found the right woman now, would it really be so hard to get over me ?”

  The glance Bryan gave Sorcha was so quick she barely noticed it, although apparently Emilia did as well, as she raised her eyebrows and took in the two of them .

  The man nodded at Bryan, though his facial expression didn’t change much as he moved closer to Emilia, as if reinforcing the fact that she was his wife .

  “I came to Scotland for you, you know,” Bryan said, but quickly added as Dougal looked sharply at him, “Not to get you back or anything, but I was worried about you. Your automated emails didn’t fool me. As much as you wanted to distance yourself from me, I knew you would care more than that in your responses .”

  “Thank you, Bryan,” Emilia responded, smiling at him warmly .

  “And you decided to stay?” Bryan asked her. “You had the choice ?”

  “I did,” she said, looking up at her husband with all the love she felt for him in her eyes. “I was going to return, but I couldn’t leave Dougal. And honestly, I feel at home here. You know how much I loved history, Bryan, and well, I know this time and this place. These are my people now .”

  Sorcha broke in suddenly .

  “You are Laird MacGavin, are ye not ?”

  “I am,” he replied .

  “How do you -- that is to say -- you believe this ?”

  “Aye,” he nodded. “I didna myself for some time, until Emilia took me through and showed me her own time. It’s not a place ye want to find yourself. There are machines for horses and melded rocks for roads. The people are rude and there are so many of them, so close together. What they say is true .”

  Sorcha looked at Bryan with amazement. She felt guilty for not believing him, for calling him mad for so long .

  “I’m so sorry Bryan,” she said. “I did not truly think it was possible, but I suppose I must open my thoughts to the possibility that this ‘time travel’ as ye call it does exist .”

  “Beg your pardon lass,” Sorcha felt a hand on her arm, and turned to find a large redheaded man in a plaid staring down at her. “Did I hear ye say time travel ?”

  “You did,” she said with a nod, confused on who else would understand the strange combination of words .

  “Me wife may want a word with you .”

  “Likely not me,” she said. “But perhaps but companions .”

  He nodded, and brought over a fair redhead to meet them .

  “My wife,” he said, “Jaime of 2017 .”

  Emilia was the first to get over the shock. “There is another of us? How is it that there are now three who have traveled through time, all from 2017? It is hard to believe, isn’t it, that time travel never seemed possible at all and then suddenly here we are ?”

  Jaime laughed. “I can’t believe this! It’s been over two years for me, though I appeared at a place rather far from here. We are at Dunnator for a wedding. Alec’s family -- this is Alec, my husband -- is somehow aligned with the Keiths. How great it is now, to have someone who will understand, literally, where I’m coming from! There must be some connection between our time and this one .”

  “Or someone,” Emilia said. “Have either of you had any connection with a woman named Fiona ?”

  “Fiona!” Bryan exclaimed. “Of course she’s behind all this. She was not only my cab driver from the airport, but she’s Sorcha’s maid of all things! I’ve been trying to get answers out of her for days, but she keeps evading me .”

  All eyes turned to Sorcha now .

  “Aye, she’s my maid,” she said. “She only has been for a couple of months now, and is rather odd, I will tell ye that. As Bryan says, she has a way of… coming and going .”

  Jaime looked at her questioningly. “So you are from this time then ?”

  “Aye. Bryan is the one who has… time traveled,” she said, the words sounding strange as she spoke them aloud .

  “Oh, so are you and Bryan, that is --”

  “No,” Bryan answered for her. “Sorcha is the bride you are here to see married .”

  “Oh!” Jaime’s freckled face turned bright red. “My apologies. I just thought, that is, you seem …”

  Sorcha suddenly realized she had been holding onto Bryan’s arm, as if his steady presence would keep everything stable in the madness that surrounded them. She dropped it now, and Bryan noticed the crowd was beginning to thin around them as the Keith men had broken up the dinner and were escorting people out the front gates .

  “I’d best get you home,” he said, not seeing any of Sorcha’s family or Singleir men anywhere about. “The rest of you, we will speak further, I’m sure. I will try to get more information out of Fiona .”

  “It’s all right,” Emilia said with a smile at him. “I’m happy here, Bryan, I don’t need any help .”

  “As am I,” chimed in Jaime. “Have you seen my husband ?”

  The man who had been standing silently behind her wrapped his arms protectively around her from behind .

  “It’s you who needs to decide what you want, Bryan,” said Emilia. “The rest will come naturally. I’m so happy to see you though. We’ll talk soon .”

  At that, they took their leave, and Bryan sought out their horses before leading Sorcha down the cliffs of Dunnator to the path below. They were both silent for some time, taking in all that had occurred .

  Sorcha didn’t know what to say. The fact that Bryan was speaking the truth had never occurred to her until she had been confronted with these people here tonight. The women spoke like Bryan, with his strange accent that she could never quite place. She didn’t believe he had set this up for her either -- what would be the point of all that ?

  She shook her head, clearing her mind .

  “Bryan,” she said, looking up into those serious eyes that seemed to simply drink her in. “I must apologize. I am very sorry I didn’t believe you. I’m still unsure of what to make of all this, however I know ye speak the
truth. I wish to help you, though I’m unsure of how to do so .”

  He stopped his horse. She could tell he had not spent much time at all on a horse before, but Godric had found him a gentle mare who was old and slow but would keep him from harming himself, at the very least .

  “Sorcha,” he said. “I could hardly believe it myself and I’m the one who found myself in an entirely new existence. You’ve been kinder to me than I could have imagined, despite the fact you thought me mad .”

  He laughed and his smile warmed her down to her very toes. If only she could marry a man like this. One who had deep thoughts on life, who spoke to her as if she were an equal, who was kind and handsome and looked at her as if he treasured who she was, not because he wanted to get her in bed .

  Tears pricked her eyes as she thought of the existence that awaited her instead. Even if Bryan did stay here -- though it didn’t seem his wish -- there was no way they could ever be together when she had been promised to another, particularly a man from a family as powerful as the Keiths .

  “Sorcha, what’s wrong?” Bryan asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. She realized a tear had fallen from her eye, and as she lifted a hand wipe her tears, he moved his horse closer to hers and reached over to brush away the wetness himself .

  “Come,” he said, as he led them to the side of the path and awkwardly dismounted. She held back a smile at his expense, but it was so sweet the way he attempted everything without complaint. He held out a hand and helped her off her horse. She didn’t need his help, but accepted it for the chance to be close to him. He led them past an outstretched tree branch and walked her off the path so they could look up to the starry sky. Their breath mingled in the cool night air as they stood close .

  It was magical. She turned to Bryan in the same instant he looked down at her, and before she could think, his mouth was on hers, warm and gentle as his lips moved over hers. Her heart soared in her chest at the warmth that pooled in her stomach as his arms surrounded her and held her tight. The chill to the air seemed to disappear, and all she could focus on was the pressure of his mouth. The kiss deepened, and she felt his tongue teasing her lips, coaxing them open. She did so willingly, welcoming him and all he was giving her, until her thoughts stopped entirely .

  9

  Bryan

  H e didn’t know how it had happened. One moment they were staring up at the sky as he tried to comfort Sorcha. He could tell how upset she was about her upcoming wedding, and while he couldn’t do much to help her, at least he could take her mind off it for this moment. He didn’t mean to distract her like this though. Her face had been so close, her rosy lips right in front of his eyes, and his body had reacted to the attraction he felt for her .

  She was willing and pliant below him, and he sought more from her, his tongue stroking hers. He could feel her innocence, but no hesitation as she matched his eagerness. His fingers found her long, unbound hair, and he stroked the silky strands .

  Finally he raised his head, having been lost in the spell that had drawn both of them into their own world .

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I probably shouldn’t have done that .”

  “I’m so glad ye did,” she said, her eyes still glistening, no longer with sadness but a passion that he had awakened inside of her. “Can we do it again ?”

  “I would love to more than anything, but you are another man’s fiancee,” he said .

  “Not a willing one,” she replied. “Please -- I would like to experience this one more time .”

  He couldn’t argue with that as his lips found hers once more. His hand found its way to her backside and he pulled her closer, catching the soft gasp from her lips with his own mouth. He felt his desire for her growing, and he slowed himself before he let it go too far .

  “Sorcha, we must stop,” he said .

  “Why?” she asked, her eyes rising to his, the disappointment in them gripping his heart .

  “Because if we go any farther, I won’t be able to stop at all,” he ground out .

  “Oh,” she said, her mouth forming a round circle. “I understand .”

  He led her back to the horse, cupping his hands together for her to step into them, as he had seen done in many movies. She gave him a smile of thanks and deftly mounted her horse with a grace he admired .

  The return ride was silent, but he couldn’t miss the glances she sent his way as he could hardly keep himself from his own appreciation of her .

  Her delicate beauty was a facade of the inner strength she held within her, which made its way to the surface when her values were questioned. This was the woman he had been looking for, a woman who knew her own mind yet was eager to share her thoughts and feelings and remain open to new ideas. She cared deeply for others, and put their needs before her own. Why, she was marrying a man to better the future of her clan, and to please her father, who, as Bryan could tell so far, was not so much interested in his daughter’s well-being, but only in his own holdings .

  Just his luck that he would find the woman of his dreams in 1546 in Stonehaven, Scotland. He didn’t realize his rueful laugh was out loud until Sorcha asked him what had entertained him .

  “Life,” he responded. “It’s funny how things work. The irony of finding what’s right in the wrong time, the wrong circumstance .”

  She nodded with a despondent look. “I couldna agree more .”

  When they arrived back at Fetteresso, her father rushed out the doors to greet them. “Sorcha! I’ve been worried. What in heaven’s name were ye thinking, to put yourself in front of those horrific people? Ye could have been seriously injured, or worse !”

  “Father, that woman could have died!” she replied. “I couldna stand there without acting .”

  He scoffed. “She chose the life. You did not. Next time you will stay where ye belong, although that will be up to Archibald soon.” He turned to Bryan now. “Who are you and what are ye doing at this time of night, alone and unescorted with my daughter ?”

  “Respectfully, Singleir,” he looked at Sorcha for confirmation on the address, and she nodded her head behind her father’s back. “I was your daughter’s escort. Following the flee from the great hall, she was quite alone, so I ensured she returned to Fetteresso safely. I am a guest at Fetteresso, a friend of Godric’s .”

  “He kept me safe, Father,” Sorcha added, quietly. “We must thank him for that .”

  Baldwin Singleir gave a curt nod toward Bryan, then put a hand on Sorcha’s back and led her into the castle. Bryan waited a time before following, to his own rooms .

  * * *

  The next days passed very slowly for Bryan. He barely saw Sorcha, as he was primarily kept to the training yard, while she was swept up by the women in wedding preparation. While he only caught the odd glimpse of her, she wasn’t far from his thoughts. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could think about was her face in the moonlight, how she looked as she stared up at him, her lips rosy from his kisses and her eyes full of passion .

  In the meantime, he tried searching for Fiona. He needed answers, and he needed them quickly. He couldn’t stand living in limbo, unsure of what the future held for him and what he was supposed to do next. Was it even an option for him to return home? And when he did, how could he leave Sorcha as she was here in the past, in this situation that was haunting her so? But he didn’t fit well in 1546. He wasn’t part of the Singleirs, that much Baldwin had made clear. Bryan didn’t have a clan, and a man without a clan in Scotland was lost .

  Back home, in 2017, one could live without family and make a life for himself. Here, a man without family was no man at all. Godric had proven to be a faithful friend, he could say that much for the man, although he suspected his loyalty lay more with Sorcha and her wishes than with him ..

  Fiona seemed to have simply vanished into thin air. He had asked around about her, but no one had any idea where the vivid, frazzled redheaded lady’s maid had gone. He didn’t know where to turn, but he knew Emilia w
as closeby, and would at least perhaps have an idea for him .

  Claiming her and her husband Dougal to be friends of his -- half true -- he had asked Godric for help in locating them. The man came back later on with information that they were saying not far, at a friend of the McGavin clan’s. Bryan saddled his trusty mare and set out for the holding with crudely drawn directions .

  When he arrived, he was greeted with a bit of a suspicious look as he asked after Emilia, but the man at the door disappeared with the promise to find her. Bryan was led into the great hall of the home to wait and was surprised when Emilia emerged with a bundle of something in her arms. His shock increased when he realized it was a blanket wrapped around a small baby .

  He rose and walked toward her, a question on his face. “Emilia,” he said. “Is that -- I should say, who is that --”

  “Yes Bryan,” Emilia said with a bit of a laugh. “She’s mine. She stayed here with a nursemaid when we were at the dinner the other night .”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about her?” he asked .

  “It didn’t seem the time or the place,” she replied. “You had enough of a shock already. I didn’t want to add to it even more. Don’t forget Bryan, I’ve been here a year and a half now. A lot has changed for me in that time .”

  As she led them over to the table, a large figure appeared in the doorway .

  “Dougal,” Emilia said, with a look of affection toward him unlike any she had ever bestowed on Bryan. “Bryan has come to visit .”

  Dougal nodded at him but said nothing, sitting protectively behind his wife and child. Bryan didn’t miss the significance of the action .

  “I’m only here because I need help,” he said. “I can’t find the blasted Fiona anywhere. She’s disappeared. There apparently is no portal to return through, and I don’t know what I’m doing here .”

  “Do you think, perhaps, there is a reason you are here?” asked Emilia. “I don’t believe we were selected at random to come to this time or place. What are you seeking, Bryan ?”