Page 17 of Cottage in the Mist (Time After Time #3)

“I’m still having trouble getting my head around all of this,” Lily told the assembled company, her mind still reeling.

But at least she was feeling more stable.

They’d moved down to the great room to sit at one of tables in the breakfast area.

And at the insistence of Elaine, Mrs. Abernathy had joined the three of them, bringing with her the requisite pot of tea and a basket full of warm pastries.

The story they’d shared was even more amazing than her own. And despite the fact that the whole idea was almost beyond comprehension, it felt really good to know that she wasn’t alone in all of this anymore.

“Drink your tea,” Mrs. Abernathy scolded with a wave of the hand. “You’ve had quite a shock.”

“I’m not sure that tea is really going to help.” Lily shot Mrs. Abernathy a rueful smile and lifted her lips to the cup in an effort to soothe the older woman.

“I could pull out the scotch,” Jeff offered. “After all, we are in Scotland.”

“Already put a nip in the pot.” Mrs. Abernathy beamed just as the warmth started to spread through Lily’s chest.

“Nice country, this.” She took another swallow and then sat back, her gaze moving amongst her new friends. She’d never really had what she’d call great friends growing up. Too much moving. Too much money. Neither circumstance breeding intimacy. At least honest intimacy.

Of course this wasn’t all that different.

Nothing like a little time travel to force a feeling of closeness.

But with Mrs. Abernathy hovering and the look of concern on both Jeff’s and Elaine’s faces, Lily was forced to accept the very real possibility that these people actually cared, despite the outrageousness of the situation or the fact that she’d only just met them.

Sometimes it happened like that, she supposed, her mind turning first to her mother and father and then to Bram.

There wasn’t a doubt in her mind about her feelings for him.

She just had no idea what she was supposed to do with them.

Follow Katherine’s lead? Go to him? But how?

And would he even want her? Maybe she’d mistaken his feelings.

But the moment she had the thought she knew she hadn’t.

Perhaps it was the comparison to Justin. He’d never made her feel like that. Never. In truth, he’d filled a void. An empty place in her life. But now, having been with Bram, she realized Justin had just been a placeholder. She shivered at the thought of how close she’d come to settling.

“Penny for them?” Elaine quipped, cutting into Lily’s tumbling thoughts.

“It’s going to sound ridiculous.”

“More than the fact that my sister is alive and well in the fifteenth century?” Jeff asked, his lips quirking up at the corners.

“Well, maybe. No. Oh God, I don’t know, really.” Lily frowned. “I was thinking that maybe it was lucky that Justin dumped me.”

“It’s never easy to be jilted,” Mrs. Abernathy said. “But sometimes it is for the best. Everything in its time, I always say.”

Jeff and Elaine exchanged glances with a smile, then returned their attention to Lily.

“Well, the difficult part of all that is that my parents had to die for it to happen. And despite how things have turned out, despite finding Bram, if that’s indeed what I’ve done, I’d give anything if I could have them back again.

And it breaks my heart to think that I could only find my happiness as a result of them losing theirs. ”

“Ah, my puir wee lamb, therein lies the joy of being a parent. Although Jamie and I were no’ blessed, I’ve seen it first hand over and over.

The love a parent has for a child has no limits.

And if indeed death were the requirement for their child’s everlasting happiness, then there would be no hesitation.

Not that I’m saying that’s what happened here, Lily,” Mrs. Abernathy reassured.

“I’m just saying that’s how much they loved you. ”

Lily nodded. “It just seems so disloyal somehow. I’ve lost them forever.

And yet here I am discussing the man who makes me…

well… happy. And a man, I might add, that doesn’t even live in my century.

” She shivered suddenly, the enormity of it hitting her full force.

“Oh my God, Bram is dead. If he lived in the fifteenth century, then no matter what happened or when it happened, he’s dead.

” Her gaze locked with Elaine’s. “That’s why you were so sad on the rooftop.

You were thinking of Katherine. Of the fact that she’s… ”

“It’s not as easy as all that,” Jeff said, his expression turning serious.

“In a linear world, what you’re saying would be true.

But if time isn’t linear, if it’s more like a parallel universe, then no, neither of them is dead.

They’re just living their lives on another plane.

Which doesn’t really make complete sense, but you get the idea. ”

“And the important thing to remember is that nothing is cast in stone,” Elaine said. “We managed to change the future with Katherine and Iain.”

“But didn’t that change the fabric of time or some such?” Lily asked, still not really convinced that any of it was possible, but needing it to be so.

“It did,” Jeff admitted. “Slightly. Nothing that threw things completely out of whack though.”

“Speak for yourself, Jeffrey,” Mrs. Abernathy said, a note of teasing in her voice. “Jamie and I lost possession of Duncreag in the process of all those changes.”

Lily’s eyes widened, and Jeff ducked his head in embarrassment.

“Now, now, don’t worry, either of you.” Mrs. Abernathy reached over to pat their hands.

“I was teasing. My ancestors turned out not to be very nice people. At least Alisdair wasn’t.

” She let out a satisfied sigh. “Things happened the way they were supposed to. And I’ve no regrets as to where it all ended up.

Jamie and I have still got our home and more importantly, now we have a family.

And I canna think of anything more important than that. ”

“Well, we agree on the last bit, Mrs. Abernathy,” Jeff said. “You are part of our lives, now and always.”

The older woman beamed. “So, more tea.” She reached for the pot to fill the cups. “And try a bannock. My cook makes them just the way they were meant to be.”

“She’s not kidding,” Jeff said as he scarfed one down. “They’re awesome.”

Lily reached into the basket for one of the little cakes. “So you’re saying it’s okay to change things?”

“No,” Elaine said. “Not randomly.” She looked over to her husband and he nodded.

“What we believe is that time for Katherine and Iain was stuck in a loop. The wrong loop. And it was important for that loop to straighten out. To play as it was meant to play, if you will. Jeff’s going back did that very thing.

With a substantial shove from Katherine and Mrs. Abernathy. ”

“And a lot of love from you,” Jeff added, his eyes reflecting the depth of his feelings for his wife.

“Well, there is that.” She smiled and leaned over to give him a kiss.

“It’s all very confusing,” Lily admitted. “But basically, you’re saying that what happened, even though it changed things, was what was truly meant to be.”

“Yes.” Mrs. Abernathy folded her arms over her argyle sweater with a nod.

“And we’re also telling you that none of it could have been accomplished without love.

Romantic love certainly. Like Katherine and Iain’s, and Elaine and Jeffrey’s.

But also love between siblings. Love between parent and child.

And love between friends.” Her warm gaze encompassed them all now.

“There’s magic here at Duncreag. But only those with love in their hearts can find it. ”

“So what I feel for Bram,” Lily posited, turning the idea over in her mind, “you’re agreeing that it’s love? Even if I was only really with him the one time?”

“I canna tell you how you feel, lamb.” Mrs. Abernathy shrugged. “I just know that if you found him it was for a reason. And it’s up to us to figure out what that reason might be.”

“Which means we need to understand what’s happening in Bram’s time. Mrs. Abernathy, what do you know about him?” Jeff asked.

“Not a lot, I’ll admit. But I do recognize the name.

” She turned her attention to Lily. “I’ve always had a keen interest in the past. And especially Duncreag and the people who’ve come and gone over the years.

” She spoke as if they were talking about last month or last year instead of over five hundred years ago.

But then if time really wasn’t linear, then in a way, it wasn’t any different.

Mrs. Abernathy scrunched her nose in thought.

“His father was the second son of the brother of the Macgillivray chief at the time. He had a small holding, called Dunbrae, to the northeast of here. Seamus, his name was. He married a Mackintosh, so there was kinship with Iain as well as with Elaine’s Ranald.

Bram was their only child. Aileen died early on when Bram was quite young.

He fostered at Dunmaglass, the Macgillivray seat.

And then went on to Moy, which is where he probably would have met Iain and Ranald if he hadn’t already.

He would only have been a few years younger.

” She spread her hands with a shrug. “And I’m afraid that’s where my knowledge ends. ”

“You said the Macqueens are your family?” Lily asked Elaine.

“Yes.” Her friend nodded. “But they are also Mrs. Abernathy’s as well. So although it’s quite distant, we’re actually related. And since she grew up near the Macqueen seat, she’s had access to all the historical documentation.”

“But there’s nothing after the time at Moy?” Lily asked. “No documentation at all?”