Page 107 of An Enchanted Spring

Emma carefully refolded the letter, smoothing the edges as she went, and placed it back in its envelope. Mr. O’Rourke poked his head in the door.

“Can I get you anything, Mrs. MacWilliam?”

She nodded and took a shaky breath. “My family, please.”

“I’ll bring them in,” he said. A moment later, Reilly and Colin entered, and she felt her chin quiver.

Reilly opened his arms, and she flew into them. He held her, avoiding her recovering shoulder, and let her cry for as long as she wanted.

And he didn’t bat an eye when she hit a few times, too.

Colin staredout the window of the small cottage, watching Emma as she sat motionless on the cliff. The wind whipped her hair around her, but she was as still as stone as she stared across the sea.

“A storm’s coming,” Reilly noted, glancing at the dark clouds rolling toward them. “I hope this shack can hold up.”

“Aidan custom-built this house,” Colin said. “I’m sure it will withstand a storm. He did like to be prepared for anything.”

“That he did,” Reilly agreed. He watched Emma for a moment. “Except, perhaps, this.”

“Yes,” Colin agreed quietly, “except this.”

Emma’s grief was almost palpable. She ate, but only enough to survive, and only at the prodding of Colin or Reilly. She functioned—she did some work for Colin, agreeing that she needed to occupy her mind, but every assignment he gave her she completed in record time. When finished, she would spend the rest of her day outside, staring at the sea, lost.

“If only there was some way to bring him back,” Colin said for the umpteenth time. “What good is our power if we can’t use it to heal people?”

Reilly placed a hand on his shoulder. “Col, have I taught you nothing over the years? It can’t be used for personal gain. O’Rourkes are only supposed to travel when the line is in danger.”

“I know,” Colin replied. “But look at her. She’s devastated. And I can only imagine what Aidan’s going through; he has no idea what happened to her.” He paused. “Why is it that you never told Aidan that he could just hop the open time gate near your house?”

Reilly didn’t take his eyes off Emma’s profile. “It isn’t mine to close or open.”

“Can you travel to the future?” Colin asked. “Tell me, Reilly. Because I need to know if this works out.”

“I can’t go to the future, Colin. I’m just a man.”

“I can’t understand you.”

“Nor can I, so I suggest not trying.”

Colin dragged a hand through his hair, his attention back on Emma. “I don’t know how to help her. Nothing we’ve done has worked. Is she doomed to live this way until she dies? Is that what the Fates want for her?”

“I don’t pretend to know what they want,” Reilly said,bitterness in his tone. “They change their minds so often, I can’t keep up.”

“It’s always just a matter of time until they change them again.”

“Everything is a matter of time with us,” Reilly replied wryly.

“Hopefully what I have next will help distract her.” Colin sighed and leaned heavily against the wall.

“Another Celtic Connections assignment?”

Colin nodded. “We’re ready to start in the UK and Ireland. But I need some positive press from the natives, so to speak.”

“You’re turning to the paparazzi?”

“I’ll let Emma determine that. But we need some locals on our side.”

“What happens if they’re not on your side?”

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