“Here’s to us,” she said, pouring out the wine, passing a goblet to him. “And to catching sharks.”
Brice stuck his hands apart. “It was this big, ma.”
“Really? How come it didn’t bite the boat in two?”
“We got it with da’s sword.”
“Did you indeed? Well, what a warrior you are. Come and eat something, you must be starving.”
Brice picked up an apple and bit into it. Beside him Sasha was scooping oats from the bowl with her hand, cramming them into her mouth.
“Slow down,” Gavin said. “You’ll make yourself sick.”
Heather smiled. “I never thought I’d see the great strong warrior become the great strong worrier.”
He stuck his tongue out at her. “I’m a da. I’m allowed to worry.”
“What have we got to worry about? The clan is happy. We’re happy. It’s all good.”
“I suppose it is. Not regretting marrying me yet then?”
“Only when you snore.”
“I dinnae snore. Do I?”
“I’m only kidding.” She lifted the goblet. “Cheers.”
They sat and looked out at the loch, the children happily eating. Gavin’s arm slipped around Heather’s shoulder. “Three years today since we got married,” Gavin said. “Seems only a day ago.”
Heather heard a horse riding toward them. She turned her head in time to see a messenger coming to a halt at the end of the track. He jumped off the horse and nodded to both of them. “My laird, my lady. I bring news.”
“What is it?” Gavin asked impatiently. “I’m supposed to be having a day off.”
“The scouts have come back from the Isle of Rhum and they speak of a woman they found there.”
Heather felt a knot tighten in her stomach. She had a terrible feeling he was going to say the old crone had come back to life.
“What woman?” Gavin asked.
“She says she has something she must tell the laird of the MacGregors.”
“Where is she now?”
“At the castle. The scouts brought her back on the boat.”
“I must speak with her,” Gavin said, getting to his feet.
“We better come too,” Heather said, scooping Sasha into her arms. “What if it’s Donna?”
It wasn’t Donna. It wasn’t a woman either Gavin or Heather recognized.
When they got to the castle the woman was pacing up and down in the great hall, muttering to herself.
“Who are you?” she asked as Gavin walked in, Heather and the children behind him. “Are you the laird?”
“I am Gavin MacGregor. Who are you?”
“My name’s Jessica Craven.”
“And what do you want with me, Jessica Craven?”
“I was in a bookshop when it happened.”
“When what happened?”
“When I came back in time.”
Heather stiffened. “You’re a time traveller.” She put Sasha down on the rug by the fire. Brice began playing with her, Heather was glad they were so good together.
Jessica looked from the children to her. “You’re Natalie MacGregor, aren’t you?”
Heather shook her head. “Natalie was his mother. I’m Heather.”
“Wow,” Jessica said. “So it’s true. The letter was right.”
“What letter? What are you talking about?”
Jessica reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver key.
“Where did you get that?” Heather asked, thinking how similar the key looked to her own.
Jessica sank into the chair behind her. “It’s the last of six, the letter said.”
“What letter?”
“The letter in the book. Here, read it for yourself.” She passed an envelope to Heather who unfolded the paper within and began to read.
“What does it say?” Gavin asked.
“You’re not going to believe this,” Heather replied, passing it to him.
He began to read.
Author’s Note
This is the fifth story in the MacGregor Clan series.
The first book, The Key in the Loch, featured Cam and Rachel and was set around 1180.
The second book, The Key in the Door, starred their son, Eddard, and Morag and was set around the start of the thirteenth century.
The Key to Her Heart featured the son of Eddard and Morag, and was mostly set in and around 1240.
The Key to Her Past starred Wallace and Natalie and is set in and around 1270.
MacGregor Castle is fictional but I have tried to make it as realistic as possible for a castle of that time.
In response to those who ask about my method, I have a routine I try my best to stick to. First I outline the plot of the entire book in around 5,000 words.
Mornings are then spent getting a minimum of one chapter done, preferably two. This normally adds up to around 3,000 to 6,000 words per day.
In the afternoons, I edit what has already been written.
Evenings are spent researching and exercising to make up for sitting still all day. I do my best to keep weekends free for research trips to the locations I might use in current or future books.
If I have any spare time, I try to catch up on my always growing pile of, “must reads,” while mulling over ideas for future books.
The final book in the series is due out around December 2019.
This book must not be copied, reproduced, distributed, leased, licensed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the author as permitted by applicable copyright law.
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Text - Copyright © Blanche Dabney
Cover Design - Copyright © Melody Simmons
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and situations are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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The Key to His Castle: A Clean Time Travel Romance (Clan MacGregor Book 5) Page 20
