Page 9 of A Promise Through Time

“I think I’m going to need something stronger than wine tonight,” Tina said taking a deep breath.

“And why would that be?”

“I’m going to time travel,” she said.

Angus looked from her to his wife. “Edna! What have I told ye?”

“I ken it, Angus, but there’s someone waiting for her. Ye wouldnae deny her the chance at true love, would ye?”

He let out a breath, shaking his head as he went behind the bar and pulled out a cocktail shaker. “Would ye like a martini, lass?”

“Yes, please.”

“I make a good one,” he assured her.

“Good. Extra olives, please?”

“Yer wish is my command,” he said, bowing at the waist.

She liked Angus. They hadn’t had much of a chance to get to know each other, but he had a nice calming effect on her. She imagined he did the same for Edna who seemed a high energy lady. He placed a very large martini on the bar, winking at her as he did.

Tina hoped it was going to relax her enough so she could sleep later.

“Enjoy yer drink. I’m going to prepare yer things for the trip,” Edna said.

“I’m sure ye already know this, but just in case, ye won’t need yer suitcase or yer phone. They’ll be of no use to ye there,” Maggie said.

“Oh, okay,” Tina replied. She hadn’t really thought about the fact that she would be cut off from everything and everyone. “I’m leaving this all up to you and Edna. Whatever you say goes.” That was not how she usually operated and she could feel the panic starting to build inside her. “You know, I’m used to always being the one taking care of everyone else’s travel plans, it’s nice to leave it all to someone else.”

There must have been something off about her voice because Angus reached over and patted her arm kindly, “Edna will take good care of ye lass. There is nothing to worry about.” And just like that, she felt the panic subside. She didn’t know if Angus was magic, too, but there was definitely something calming in the touch of his giant hand.

She raised her glass in a toast and the others did the same. “To time travel.”

Chapter 3

Scotland – 1518

She’d done it. She’d traveled through time, through the fog and now she was seated next to a very happy Wallace.

“Edna said you loved those scones. She asked me to make sure you got them,” Tina said, placing the bag of scones on the wooden bench between them.

“Thank ye, lass. She’s right. I look forward to them with great relish.”

They started off down the path into the surrounding woods. The smell of pine scented trees tickled her nose with their delightful scent. Birds chirped happily from their perches up high and she thought how this wasn’t much different from her own time. She glanced over at Wallace, who despite his clothing looked very real. She wasn’t sure what she had expected him to look like, but his kind eyes and happy smile assured her all would be well. “Did you take my sister to Breaghacraig, Wallace?” she asked.

“Nae. Hamish brought her.”

She hadn’t heard that part of their story. She looked around them, wondering if the man she was supposed to meet would be meeting them soon. Edna had said Wallace would take her to Breaghacraig, but hadn’t said when or where she would meet her mystery man. Wallace was friendly enough, but not as chatty as Edna. She thought for a while about a topic they could cover. “Do you do this often?”

“Whenever Edna needs me.” He smiled reassuringly at her.

“How does she get in touch with you?” she asked.

“Through the fire. I cannae say that I’m used to it yet, but ’tis how she communicates with me.”

“When you say through the fire, what do you mean?” she couldn’t even begin to imagine.

“Through my hearth, ye ken.” He said it as if she should know exactly what he was talking about.