Page 29 of The Curse of McMillan Castle
“I don’t think you should.”
“I dinna ask for yer permission, lass. I am coming.”
“I am too.” Cooper’s little voice spoke up next to Kenna.
Baodan released Rosie and looked back over at me.
“I’ve sent all the servants home. Every resident of McMillan Castle will be passing through time tonight. None will return to this time until Osla has finally found true peace. I willna have anyone else terrified by her as we have been.”
I immediately thought of Kamden and Harper.
“Well, all right then. I sincerely hope our twenty-first century friends are ready for some company.”
Chapter 18
While Kamden and Harper were happy to see everyone and eager to accommodate us—with the extra couple in addition to the set of workers who lived permanently at the castle—there simply wasn’t room for all of us at the castle in the twenty-first century.
After much discussion, it was decided that Eoghanan, Grace, Cooper, Duncan, Rosie and I would borrow Kamden and Harper’s cars and travel into town where we would get a hotel for the night before making the longer journey over to Morna’s in the morning. It would free up three rooms in the castle, allowing everyone else to get a good night’s sleep.
After changing into the clothes that those of us who were accustomed to time travel had brought with us and seeing Duncan into some of Kamden’s clothing, we set off for the hotel.
The car ride with Duncan was something I would forever wish I’d been able to record. Rosie—no longer riddled with guilt, thanks to Baodan’s graceful reaction—delighted in watching Duncan grip at the side of his seat every time I wound around a corner or accelerated.
All day he said little, and with Rosie in the car, I was hesitant to discuss much of anything with him.
By the time we arrived at the hotel, the stress of the day finally caught up with Rosie and she was sound asleep by the time I placed the car in park.
“Lass?” Duncan’s voice was barely above a whisper as he tried not to wake Rosie.
“Yes.”
“Tell me what to do so I doona act a fool as soon as we step inside.”
Duncan was handling all of this better than most, but I could certainly understand his apprehension.
I reached out to squeeze his hand. “Don’t worry. Grace, and Eoghanan beat us here. She will most likely have our room keys by the time we get inside. Just don’t say anything and once we get up to our rooms, I’ll come over and show you how to work everything in your room.”
He nodded with a nervous gaze as I watched him look past me and up at the small chain hotel. While our brief time at McMillan had allowed him to see some of the small modern-day miracles, such as electricity, I sensed he knew that even more mind-blowing revelations awaited him inside.
Smiling at him, I moved my hand from his and reached behind me to wake Rosie but stopped as Duncan grabbed my arm.
“Doona wake her, lass. I can carry her.”
“She’s thirteen, Duncan. She’s pretty tall too. You really don’t have to.”
He shook his head and looked down as he tried to unbuckle his seat belt. “I ken how old she is, lass. But she doesna weigh a thing, and she looks as if she hasna slept in days. I doona mind.”
Finding the latch to free himself, Duncan opened the car door as quietly as he could before walking around to Rosie’s side of the car.
Tears sprang up in my eyes as I watched Duncan tenderly lift my daughter from the car. How many times had my own father carried me to bed as a child after I fell asleep on the couch with a book spread across my chest? And how many times had I awakened the moment he lifted me up, only to quickly feign that I was still asleep so I could enjoy the feeling of being cared for in such a way? More times than I could remember. Rosie had missed out on so much of that.
“Are ye well, lass?” Duncan whispered the question as I stepped out of the car and brushed a rogue tear from my cheek.
“I’m perfect. Let’s go.”
* * *
It was a miracle Duncan didn’t drop Rosie as the elevator lifted us into the air. His eyes doubled in size and he muttered something in Gaelic I knew had to be a curse word as he plastered his back against the back wall of the elevator in surprise.
