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Now that she knew everything about herself.
Every day spent here brought bankruptcy closer to her family. Mandy and Jax might already be on the streets. What if Mandy got one of her episodes in the middle of it? How would Jax cope? Would social services take him?
The time traveling rock in Inverlochy was real. Knowing that, and how much Mandy and Jax were relying on her, there was only one thing to do.
She had to go back. Right now.
Even though Ian’s arms felt so good, even though he made her melt like butter in a hot pan, even though he’d just been a hero—for her…
She needed to go back.
And she would, as soon as they were far enough away from the English.
It felt like a few hours had passed when Ian slowed Thor down.
“’Tisna verra long till Dundail,” Ian said, “but he needs a wee bit of a rest.”
He jumped off the horse and helped Kate down, filling her nostrils with his masculine scent. His hands on her waist, she lost the ability to breathe.
When she stood on the ground, he took Thor to the loch and the animal drank thirstily.
Ian sank into a crouch and washed his hands, rubbing them against each other and leaving the water dark from dry blood. Then he stood next to Thor, his shoulders tense, the large muscles of his back stiff and bulging. Something was bothering him. Kate came to stand by his side.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
He gazed at her, his brown eyes dark with anguish.
“Are ye all right?” he said.
Kate breathed out. Surprisingly, she really was. She knew what she needed to do. Knowing where she came from explained so much. She could finally feel like herself. Maybe not the “herself” she very much liked, but herself nonetheless.
He reached out and touched her cheek, his hand cold and wet, and pain pierced her skin. She winced and his arm fell.
“Sorry, lass,” he said.
“You saved me. This is nothing.”
“What happened? How did ye end up there?”
“You don’t know?”
“Nae.”
“I thought maybe you saw my note and came looking for me…”
“They stole Thor yesterday, and I had no means of coming home earlier. Why? What did the note say?”
She sighed and looked away. Was she silly to have just left without talking to him first?
“I decided to go back to Inverlochy and try to find my way home. Some memories have returned to me over the last few days. And now I know that people need me back urgently.”
He looked at the loch. “Oh.”
They kept silent. Kate wasn’t sure what she could say without revealing too much. Or should she tell him everything?
No, surely he’d think she was insane.
“Did ye remember a husband?” Ian’s voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “Someone ye love?”
