Page 18 of Cottage in the Mist (Time After Time #3)

“Not on the Mackintosh side of things, but there wouldn’t have been, really.

Once Aileen was gone, the family tie would have been considerably weakened.

Although Bram’s relationship could have continued with Iain.

And as for the Macqueens, the truth is their records from that time period aren’t nearly as extensive as the Mackintoshes.

” She shrugged. “Head of Clan Chattan and all that.”

“But at least we know that there was a family connection through both the Macqueens and the Mackintoshes, which explains why Bram was going to Iain for help.”

“Help with what?” Jeff asked.

Lily had told them the gist of what had happened. The car wreck, the cottage, and the fact that she’d seen him again here at Duncreag. But she hadn’t gone into the details.

“His father.” She paused, searching for the name Mrs. Abernathy had used. “Seamus. He was murdered.”

“By whom?” Elaine asked, her gaze narrowed in contemplation.

“I don’t know.” Lily shook her head. “He didn’t say. Only that it was an old enemy. And that he’d had help. Someone on the inside. A traitor.”

“Did Bram say when?” Jeff, too, had leaned forward, abandoning half a bannock on his plate.

Lily laughed, the sound strained. “As in a year? No. Wait,” she said, sucking in a fortifying breath.

“He said a week. It had been a week. And Bram was there. He must have meant Dunbrae.” She looked up, trying to order her tumbling thoughts.

“He said that the man was trying to kill him, too. But Bram escaped.” Again a bubble of hysteria rose in her throat, and she felt Elaine’s hand close around hers.

“Oh God, I asked him if he’d gone to the authorities. He must have thought I was crazy.”

“No,” Mrs. Abernathy said. “He’d have thought you meant the Macgillivray chief.”

“What did he say?” Jeff questioned, urging her on.

“That he was going to Iain. That’s why the horsemen were there. They’d come for him.”

“Where? At the cottage?”

“No.” Lily forced herself to focus on the present. “I’m sorry it’s all rather terrifying in context. But anyway, I told you that I saw him a second time. That he was there and then sort of faded away.”

They all nodded and Lily clung to Elaine’s hand like a lifeline.

“Well, I didn’t tell you everything. Before he came. I was dreaming of him.” Despite the serious nature of the conversation she felt herself blush. “And then I wasn’t. I was standing on the edge of the cliff that rings Duncreag and I could see down into the valley below?—“

“That’s how you knew where the path was that led to the old entrance,” Elaine said. “You’d seen it.”

Lily nodded. “And there were horsemen. A lot of them, I think. It was dark. Late, I’m certain.

And I just knew in my heart they were there for Bram.

And then it all faded away again, and I was awake—at least I think I was—in my room.

Only then it sort of shifted. I can’t say how exactly, except that the windows were different?—“

“The trappings of our century gone,” Jeff finished for her.

She nodded. “And then Bram stepped from the shadows. It was just so good to see him. He’d disappeared and I thought I was insane.

But then I remembered the men. And I warned him.

And almost as soon as I’d gotten the words out, he started to fade.

” She stopped, tears filling her eyes. “And then he was gone. Oh, God, what if they got to him? What if he’s dead? ”

“No way,” Jeff said, with a decisive shake of his head. “Iain’s Duncreag was a fortress. No way would a handful of men have managed to get in, no matter who they were. Especially with forewarning. And you gave them that. My guess is that Iain and his men met the challenge head on. And prevailed.”

There was comfort in the thought. But it wasn’t enough. “But we can’t know that for sure,” she said, putting her fears into words.

“No, the only way to do that is to go back,” Elaine said.

“But who’s to say that I can?” Lily asked, not even bothering to verify what they all already knew. “Even with Katherine it took time. Eight years, right? And she really never had any control of it.”

“True,” Jeff agreed, “but I seem to have. I mean, I went after my sister when it was important. And brought her back when that was necessary as well. Not that she appreciated the last.”

Elaine put a hand on his shoulder. “You had no choice. She’d have died if you’d left her there. And anyway, it all worked out in the end.”

“That it did,” Mrs. Abernathy agreed. “But you don’t know where Bram is.

And to date, at least, you’ve only been able to find him when there was a need.

First, for him to care for you after the accident and second, for you to let him know about the intruders.

And although you have a need now to know that he’s all right, it’s not specific enough. What we need is more information.”

“But you already said that his branch of the clan was a small one,” Jeff broke in. “So there isn’t much written about Dunbrae or about him.”

“But if there is anything,” Elaine continued. “It would be at Dunmaglass, right?”

“There might be something there,” Mrs. Abernathy admitted. “But the Macgillivray seat has no’ been there for a couple hundred years. Better, I’m thinking, to go straight to the source.”

“Dunbrae?” Lily’s heart started to pound. “It still exists?”

“Aye. Not in its entirety, mind you. But there are walls still standing. And if you can put stones together again here,” she said, clearly referring to the cottage, “then perhaps there’s something you could learn there.”