Morna’s Magic & Mistletoe

by Bethany Claire

  “Yes, that’s what I was thinking. I know she won’t be happy to leave. I hoped that if I could tempt her with the promise of something I know she’s wanted to see for a while, she might make it a little easier on me.”

  “Aye, I think it could be just the thing to make leaving easier for her. I’ll call them as soon as we get to Morna’s.”

  “Thank you.” He lifted my left hand and kissed it. I leaned toward him as much as the barrier in between our seats would allow.

  “’Tis no trouble at all.”

  “Kenna…” He paused the way he often did before asking me a question. It seemed to be a habit of his. I found it rather endearing.

  “Aye?”

  “There’s a question that has been on my mind since the first night I met you, but there hasn’t really been an appropriate time to ask it. I’m afraid it will make you sad, but I’d very much like to know.”

  He had to know that after such a statement, any female would be too curious to discourage whatever his question might be. Whatever could he ask me that would make me sad?

  “Being sad shall hardly kill me. Ask whatever ’tis.”

  “That first night we met, when I thanked you for not showing me pity, you said you’d experienced your own share of grief. I know you lost your husband, but after all you’ve said of him, I think you must’ve meant something more.”

  Knowing that I intended to share more of my life with him meant that I wanted him to truly know me—to know and understand my wounds as well as my joys.

  “Aye, I did. The grief I referred to…a few years ago I lost a son.”

  I’d never spoken of Niall to anyone outside of my family, and I hardly knew how to do so now.

  “My son wasna a good man. He had an evil in him that I was blind to for far too long. While I refuse to take responsibility for his actions, I do sometimes wonder.” My voice caught as the inevitable lump rose in the back of my throat. Turning away, I allowed the tears to fall as I continued. “I…I sometimes wonder if I had I seen who he really was sooner, perhaps I could have done something to prevent everything that happened.”

  Without a word, the car slowed as Malcolm pulled to a stop on the side of the road. He waited until I faced him to speak.

  “I will show you the same courtesy that you showed me. I will give you no pity, but I don’t believe this is the sort of discussion one should have while driving. I want you to know that I hear you and that I recognize the strength it must’ve taken for you to get through something so horrible. I am sorry, Kenna. You only have to tell me what you wish to.”

  It was right of him to recognize that I would be as reluctant to someone’s pity as he was, and I appreciated the space he created for me to tell him the story. I did so for the better part of an hour. Sobbing, I told him things that I didn’t even know I needed to say out loud—things I could never say to my family, for they were too intimately connected to all that had happened. Having someone outside of the situation made it so much easier.

  “I think what pains me the most is the undeniable truth that I still love him. I shouldna love such a monster. But even years since his passing, even knowing that he murdered my first daughter-in-law, knowing that he murdered my sister and tried to kill his brother and me, I still love him fiercely. ’Tis why it took me so long to see the truth—we mothers always believe the best of our children. Perhaps, ’tis what it means to be a mother—no matter the joy it can bring, it can also be the most painful thing in the world.”

  Malcolm had tears in his eyes, too, but not tears of pity—his gaze made that clear. They were the tears of empathy. While one separates, the other binds. I’d not thought it possible for me to feel closer to him than I had last night, but in some way this story was even more personal than sharing my body with him. I’d never felt so close to anyone.

  “Of course you still love him. Love, once truly given, doesn’t ever go away. And there is no truer love than that of a parent for their child.”

  He brushed the hair from my face and stroked my cheek as I drew in shaky breaths.

  I knew I needed no one’s permission to love Niall, but just hearing Malcolm acknowledge that it was okay made me feel so much less alone. I felt free for the first time in years, as if some poison within me had finally been flushed away.

  “I’ve never cried in front of anyone the way I just cried in front of ye, but now I’m quite ready to stop. Do ye know any good jokes, Malcolm?”

  He chuckled just a little and raised his brows mischievously.

  “Not a one, but I think I know of something that might put a smile back on that beautiful face of yours.”

  I was open to anything.

  “What?”

  He grinned and reached to open the door on his side of the car.

  “Get out for a minute. I’ll show you.”

  No sooner did I step out of the vehicle than I was smacked directly in the middle of my chest with a giant snowball.

  Chaos ensued as we played and wrestled in a giant field of snow just off the road in the middle of nowhere.

  We arrived at Morna and Jerry’s two hours later than expected, soaked through, looking utterly a mess, and blissfully happy by each other’s side.

  Chapter 19

  Our late arrival at the inn changed everyone’s plans—not that anyone minded. Rather than head to McMillan Castle for their tour today, Malcolm and Rosie would leave tomorrow. The extra time together gave me hope that I would be able to speak with Morna before they left, and one way or another I would be able to tell Malcolm how things could move forward.

  While the days spent together had made Cooper tolerable to Rosie, it was evident that it would still take much convincing for her to consider him a friend. Ever the determined young lad, Cooper wasn’t worried in the least.

  “Nana, I think I’m in love.”

  “Really?” Smiling at him as he entered my room, I patted the bed so he would come and sit down. I’d just finished drying my hair from the snow fight and was carefully applying just a little bit of make-up so I would look presentable for dinner. “What makes you think so?”

  “Do you remember when Dad was falling in love with Kathleen?”

  I nodded, laid the lipstick down, and faced my grandson.

  “Aye.”

  “He was so grumpy and strange, but he still wanted to be around her. That’s how I feel now, Nana. I shouldn’t want to be around someone that dislikes me so much, but…” he held up both palms and shrugged as he shook his head, “for some reason, I kinda like it that she’s so mean to me.”

  Laughing, I moved to pull him into a hug.

  “’Tis something I will never understand, but it seems to be common amongst men, Cooper. Perhaps, ye are right. Ye may have gotten yer first taste of love.”

  He pulled away and grinned up at me with excited eyes.

  “Should I tell her?”

  Panic ran through me as I dropped to my knees to discourage him.

  “Ach, no lad, I wouldna do that if I were ye. I doona think Rosie would take to it well, and while those first feelings of love can be verra powerful and they come on verra fast, they also often pass just as quickly.”

  Thankfully, Cooper didn’t seem bothered by my dissuasion. He nodded as if he understood and moved toward the doorway.

  “Okay, good thinkin’, Nana. I’ll wait.”

  “Good, I truly think that best, Cooper. Are ye headed downstairs?”

  He nodded and reached for the doorknob.

  “If Morna isna busy, will you ask her to come up here? I’d really like to speak to her.”

  “Sure thing, Nana. She’s not busy. She’s just watching Rosie cook. She’s gonna make the whole thing by herself tonight.”

  There was such admiration in Cooper’s voice when he spoke of Rosie. There was no question—my grandson had found his very first crush.

  *

  The smells coming from the kitchen were wonderful. Situating his bag next to his pallet on the living room
floor, a freshly showered and dry Malcolm called out to Morna to see if he could offer some help.

  “Morna, that smells fantastic. Is there anything I can do to help you?”

  Rosie’s voice answered him.

  “It’s me, Pops. Morna’s not in here.”

  He stepped into the kitchen to see his granddaughter smiling the first true smile he’d seen on her since arriving in Scotland. Standing proud in front of the stove, she wore an apron that hung just a little too long. It didn’t matter that she had to stand on her tiptoes to look down at the food, she appeared to know exactly what she was doing.

  “Are you making all of this yourself?”

  She reached for a spoon, dipped it into the pot she worked over, then carefully balanced it over her hand as she walked over to him.

  “Yes. Morna watched me for a little while just to make sure I didn’t have any questions, but when she saw I had it mastered, she went to go see Kenna. She’s letting me do everything on my own tonight. Here, taste it.”

  Taking a brief second to blow on the stew, he placed the spoonful in his mouth.

  “It’s delicious.”

  Rosie regarded him skeptically.

  “Really? You don’t have to lie to me.”

  “Really, Rosie. It’s wonderful. I can’t believe you learned so much in just a few days.”

  Malcolm would be forever grateful to Morna for the way she’d turned this holiday around for his granddaughter. It seemed the old woman had known just what Rosie needed.

  “Morna is a great teacher, Pops. She even taught me how to read UK recipes. They use measurements that are pretty different than how we do things back home, but it didn’t take me long to get the hang of it. It actually makes more sense than what we use. Pops…” Rosie laid down the spoon and surprised him by wrapping her arms around his waist. “Thank you for letting me stay. I know I wasn’t very nice to you. I’m sorry. I was just…I was just sad.”

  He bent to kiss the top of her head. If he loved the child any more than he already did, he worried his heart would burst from it.

  “I know, kiddo. It’s okay to be sad. Just a few more days and then your Mom should be here.”

  “I hope so, Pops. I really, really do. But even if she doesn’t come, this has already been one of my favorite Christmases ever.”

  “Well, it sounds like you need to thank Morna for that, Rosie.”

  “No, Pops. It’s not Morna that made this great. It was you. If you hadn’t tried to cheer me up by booking that tour to Conall Castle, we would’ve never stayed here.”

  The decision had been so last minute. All he’d wanted was to get Rosie out of the house in the hopes of making her smile. How could he have possibly known that such an outing would change so much for both of them?

  Even if things didn’t turn out how he hoped, he would treasure his time spent with Kenna for the rest of his life.

  “You know what, Rosie? This has already been one of my favorite Christmases, too.”

  Chapter 20

  “Did ye really believe for a moment that I would say ye couldna tell him, Kenna?”

  I didn’t know Morna as well as many of the members of my family. While I knew she often allowed matters of the heart to direct her decisions, in my mind, it was still entirely possible that she could reject my suggestion.

  “I dinna know.”

  Morna patted my knee in a motherly fashion.

  “Lass, ’twas I who encouraged ye to see if the two of ye had something together. It pleases me more than ye know that ye do. I thought on this quite a lot while ye were in Edinburgh. As ye know, there have been many I’ve had to share my magic with over the years, and if one thing is for certain, ’tis rarely knowledge they accept easily. I think I know of a way that might make him more accepting.”

  I’d seen first hand what a difficult time Grace’s sister, Jane, in particular, had with learning of time travel and the magic that surrounded pretty much all who knew Morna. If the old witch had any idea as to how to make it easier for Malcolm to accept, I would allow her to direct our next steps.

  “Morna, ye have done this many more times than I. Whatever ye wish me to do, I shall do it.”

  “Good. Pack yer bags and tell Cooper to do the same. When Malcolm and Rosie leave in the morning, we are going to McMillan Castle with them.”

  “Are ye so ready to be rid of us, Morna? Ye do know that Cooper and I were meant to stay with ye for another week, aye?”

  “Aye, I know ’twas the original plan, but it no longer fits with what needs to be done. Ye need to be at McMillan Castle with Malcolm. If ye and Cooper will be headed there anyway, ye may as well go home afterward.”

  While Cooper was normally very sympathetic to the needs of others, he wouldn’t be so forgiving of anyone who shortened his time with Morna.

  “I canna do that to Cooper, Morna. He’s looked forward to his time here for so long.”

  Morna stood, quickly dismissing my concern.

  “Doona worry about that, lass. Much as I loathe to admit it, I lost a bet with the lad, and my loss has caused me to do something that I’ve sworn more than once I wouldna do again.”

  I knew from experience that it was never a good idea to make bets with Cooper. He never forgave a debt, and I knew of only one thing that Morna had vocally promised to never do again.

  “Ye canna mean…?”

  “Aye. I hope the wee lad knows how much I love him, for he is the only one that could get me to agree to go back once again. It seems Jerry and I will be spending Christmas in the year 1651.”

  “Oh, Morna!” I stood and threw my arms around her as she laughed. “I’ve not heard such good news in a verra long time. Everyone at the castle will be so excited. We must send word to everyone—all of the relatives—and have them come stay, too. It will be a grand reunion. We are long overdue for one anyway.”

  Morna sniffled, and I pulled back with shock to see that she was crying.

  “Well, if I shall be there anyway, then I would verra much love to see everyone.”

  Gripping her shoulders, I gave them a reassuring squeeze.

  “Then we shall make certain that ye do. Now, tell me. Just how should I explain everything to Malcolm once we get to McMillan Castle?”

  *

  The nerves I felt standing nearly naked before Malcolm were nothing compared to the nerves I felt walking into the grand room of McMillan Castle. Morna was right—it was the perfect place to tell him the truth. My likeness hung in the room, right in line with the dozens of portraits of my ancestors and the descendants that would come after me. It would be a sure way to get him curious for the portrait looked exactly like me. Only in the McMillan Castle of today, the woman in the portrait should’ve been dead for hundreds of years.

  While it would help raise the question in his mind, he would still believe me mad. Any sane person would. Thankfully, McMillan Castle provided quick access back to my own time where I could show him in person. Morna, Kamden, and Harper were in on the plan, too. They would keep Cooper and Rosie occupied and away from this part of the castle for the next few hours—plenty of time for me to tell him what I must and also to take a quick trip back into the past to prove that all I said was true.

  After that, it would be up to him. If it turned out to be too much, he and Rosie could leave, and I would officially let go of the dream of being with Malcolm.

  “Where did everyone else run off to?”

  “I believe they are ice skating on the pond. Then they plan to go on a carriage ride through the grounds.”

  His expression was quizzical.

  “Are we not joining them?”

  “No, Malcolm. I need to speak with ye.”

  “Do you intend to put me out of my misery? Please say that you are. I don’t think I can stand another moment of wondering. Rosie and I leave this afternoon. I made myself very clear to you in Edinburgh. I want you. I want to be with you, and if all continues to go as well as it has the past few days, I want to
enjoy the next forty years of my life with you at my side. But I need to know, Kenna…do you want me, too? Did you find whatever answers you needed—speak to whomever you needed to speak to?”

  “Aye, Malcolm.” I hurried to his side, reaching up to kiss him as his nearness helped my fears fade. “I want ye. I want ye more than anything I’ve wanted in my entire life. And aye, I spoke to whom I needed to. But there is something I must tell ye. It may change the way ye feel about our future together.”

  Reassuringly, he took my hands and kissed them.

  “I don’t think there is anything you could tell me that would do that.”

  Pulling one of my hands from his grip, I pointed to my portrait behind him.

  “I want ye to look at that painting, Malcolm.”

  He turned and stared at my likeness for a long moment before speaking.

  “Wow. I knew you were a McMillan, but you’re a McMillan by marriage, correct? How could a McMillan ancestor resemble you so much?”

  “’Tis not an ancestor. The woman in that painting is me.”

  Malcolm’s brows pulled together in confusion, and his mouth opened and closed several times without a word.

  Just as he started to speak, his phone rang.

  Instinctively, I knew the call was not good news.

  Chapter 21

  McMillan Castle – December of 1651

  Three Days Later

  *

  I didn’t cry upon returning home to my own century. It wasn’t as if Malcolm had broken my heart or disbelieved my story. In truth, I’d not given him the chance to do either of those things. Malcolm’s phone call from his daughter had made the absurdity of my dream for us clear.

  The lives of his daughter and granddaughter were in America. Even if he loved me—which I knew he did—he would no sooner ask them to uproot their lives than I would ask my family to uproot theirs. Even if I told him about the magic, it would bring our worlds no closer together.

  “Your skin looks better, but other than that, you look worse than I’ve ever seen you. It’s been three days, Kenna. I know that you and I aren’t very close, but you have to tell someone what happened while you were away. I’m nosy enough to hound you about it even though I can see you’re hurting, so it might as well be me. Now spill.”