Page 76

“No. That would not be having you. You’d still be away. You’d still have her to think of. Your wife.” She spat the word as though it tasted bitter. “You’ll have your son…”

“Ye’ll give me sons. Or daughters. I dinna care which. We’ll have children.”

She scoffed. “No, Angus. I won’t abandon my brother for this. I couldn’t stay even if you could marry me. I’m the only one he’s got. No one else cares for him, and he’s still seventeen years old.”

Her brother… Oh Lord, he understood that more than anyone. He, whose life was dedicated to protecting his own siblings. And still…

She took a step towards the rock and something broke in him. This was it. She’d be gone forever.

He dropped to his knees as if a scythe had sliced through his ankles. He didn’t beg her. He wanted to. He had to shut his mouth tight to stop the words.

She took another step, their hands still connected, their eyes locked.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Another step. So far away, he almost had to let go of her hand.

He had to let go of her.

He had to.

“I will always love ye, lass,” he said.

With the last blessing of his words, he let go of her fingers. He pulled up his tunic. His hands refused to move, and he willed them with a strength he didn’t know he had. He retrieved the leather roll and held it out for her.

Their eyes locked, and there was surprise in hers, and pain and sadness. She didn’t need to ask what it was. She knew.

“Thank you. But I know it’s important to you. I’ll do the work to find it in my own time. Hide it somewhere safe. Somewhere new,” she said through tears. Then she spun around and slammed her hand into the handprint. “I will never forget you.”

With wide eyes, Angus stared at the carving, which began to glow. Something happened with the air, as though a tremor went through it, like a distant earthquake.

He blinked, and saw her turning to him, and their eyes met for the last time. And then she was gone.

Just gone.

And although the torch was still burning, his whole world went dark.

Chapter 31

Oxford University, June 2021

“Congratulations!” said David.

Rogene looked up from the diploma in her hand. Her brother gave a soft chuckle and came to stand before her.

The University Parks were bright and alive with birdsong. Summer, contrary to common belief, was lovely in England, and Rogene inhaled sweet air full of the scent of greenery, blooming trees and flowers, and warm rocks.

She’d just defended her thesis. When she’d come back to her own time and told Professor Lenticton she wanted to work with a team to find that letter, they’d found it, thanks to Anusua and Karin. Anusua had checked through fifty letters from around that time, and had found evidence suggesting there might be a secret storage area in the underground rooms of Eilean Donan. They went to the castle as a team, and by carefully examining the wall, Karin had seen one stone that looked different from the rest and found the letter hidden behind a rock in the wall. Rogene knew this used to be Angus’s uisge brewery and the place where Bruce had hidden.

Once they’d pulled it out, there it was, the leather roll. The singed edges of the parchment reminded her of the day she’d thrown the letter into the fire only to have Euphemia take it out.

Thanks to that find, not only had Rogene honored her mother’s legacy, but she’d also started a whole new direction of research. Suddenly her name seemed to be on everyone’s lips—at least in the history department.

Rogene realized how great it was, to work on a team and trust her colleagues. She’d never have been able accomplish as much by herself in such a short period of time.

Professor Lenticton had already offered her a position as her assistant professor. Rogene would lead the research team on this topic. Professor Lenticton said she was proud of her, to see how she’d changed and was now open to teamwork.

David had flown back to his aunt and uncle after Rogene’s disappearance. While Rogene was gone, he’d had his eighteenth birthday.