Having gone down to the library the day after she’d returned, Abby had found out that Aedan did in fact survive the war and so, too, did the laird of Clan O’Cain. History noted that the O’Cains had scurried back to their lands, and the battle was known as the last clan battle between the two foes in Scotland.
There was no mention of Gwen—if she’d survived or passed away from the fire. Perhaps, Gwen had died. That her only link to the past was gone. Both thoughts were horrific. Her friend was dead and Aedan was lost to her forever.
King James VI had made an amendment to the law to stop such wars from happening again. Had, in fact, made the Scottish lairds make use of their men, by farming and a trade, such as blacksmiths or bakers. The start of a new era that still resonated today.
Abby hadn’t been game enough to look any further into Aedan’s future, for fear of reading he’d married someone. Had fathered children to a woman who he had fallen deeply, madly in love with. The thought was a little imaginary, but desperation, want, and need, were playing tricks on her mind, and sometimes Abby actually thought she was losing it. Literally.
She sat on a park bench that looked out over the Highlands. Little children played on swings and slippery-dips in the park beyond, dogs chased Frisbees and tennis balls. Not a breath of wind tainted the day. It was a warm, beautiful Highland day, and she hated it.
The thought was soon followed with another. That she’d have to accept her situation in life. She wasn’t going back to the seventeenth century. That her dearest friend Gwen had perished in the fire. Her heart crumbled at the thought. And Gwen had had such grand plans for her future with Braxton. Of a long and happy marriage filled with children. That Gwen hadn’t pulled her back through time told her more than anything, that her summarization was true.
She looked toward Druiminn Castle, standing high and foreboding over the town and Abby stood, walking toward it. If she was going to return home to America, to her old life and try and wrangle some sort of future in this time, then she’d say one last good-bye to Aedan. Up until now, she’d not been able to bring herself to visit the castle again. But now, it was time.
It took her half an hour to reach the base of the grounds. The grey stone looked forlorn and sad, like her. She walked around, not that much different from Aedan’s time. The small inlet of water still flowed with the tide, but trees had grown where once there had been only barren fields.
Abby walked around to where she thought the exit was that she and Gwen had used to flee. A wall of rock had been built in the hidden doorway, preventing the use of the tunnel. Her gaze lifted to the window that was Aedan’s anteroom.
No handsome, wickedly sinful laird looked out at her, just the countryside reflected on the glass. The front entrance to the castle hadn’t changed, either. In fact, Abby was sure the doors were the same ones, weathered and creaking their only sign of old age. She stared at the brass plaque that was screwed onto the wood that stated opening times.
She walked into the small foyer and paid her money to the lady sitting behind a little desk, waiting while she handed her a layout of the building for her to use. It was strange being here again, seeing it the same but so very different.
The family still owned the estate, but were not in residence. It was probably a good thing, she’d hate to run into descendants of Aedan and his wife.
Despondent, she walked into the hall and looked toward the dais. It was the strangest sensation being here, seeing pieces of furniture she’d used that were now accompanied with an array of others that spanned the four-hundred years of history that had taken place.
She headed up the stairs, smiling at the memory of her first kiss with Aedan in that very spot. She’d miss him, would never forget those piercing green eyes that had a way of melting her limbs on the spot.
The rooms upstairs were completely changed, and where she’d slept was inaccessible on the do-it-yourself tour. The sound of footsteps behind her made her turn, and she smiled at the young woman who looked at her in some