Page 27 of A Thistle Beyond Time
“You won’t know for sure, unless you give it a try.”
“Fine, then.” He took a deep breath and began. “I be from Breaghacraig in the Scottish highlands. I live there on Clan MacKenzie land with me family, me brother Cailin and his wife, and me sister, Irene. Irene is married to the Laird of Breaghacraig. His name is Robert MacKenzie. ’Tis a beautiful place. I’d love to show it to ye, Jenna,” he said hopefully.
Jenna was listening carefully. “Did you say your brother’s name is Cailin?”
“Aye, I did. Why do ye ask?” Cormac hoped he hadn’t said too much.
“That name sounds familiar to me, that’s all. I don’t know why though.” Jenna looked perplexed. “Oh well, go on with your story. It’ll come to me.”
“Well, there’s nae much more to tell.”
“Why are you here? You didn’t answer that part of the question.”
“Ye willnae like me answer, Jenna and I dinnae wish to make ye angry with me again.”
“I’m trying to be open minded this morning. I won’t get angry, I promise.”
She looked to be telling the truth, so Cormac said, “I’m here to find ye, Jenna. I told ye that the first time I saw ye. Ye see, I wanted a wife and Edna said she could help me, but that I’d have to travel to San Francisco to find you.”
“So, this Edna said I was the one you were looking for?”
“Aye.”
“And she knew my name?”
“Aye.”
“So, if I’m to believe you, I have to believe that a woman named Edna, whom I’ve never met, knows me by name and she somehow sent you here through the fog to find me.”
“That be true. Dinnae forget that Edna is a witch.”
“That’s right and you’re also from the sixteenth century, correct?”
“Aye. I know it seems daft, but do ye nae believe in magic?”
“Not really. I need proof, I have to see it with my own eyes.”
Cormac took another forkful of pancakes. “I’ve never eaten anything like this before. I like it verra much indeed.”
Jenna smiled at him as if he was a daft fool. How was he ever going to make her believe him? He’d need to ask Edna. Dylan believed him and Cormac didn’t even have to work verra hard to convince him. Dylan believed in magic –thatwas the difference. How sad that Jenna’s world was so black and white. Cormac knew he had his work cut out for him, but he was starting to believe she could be worth it.
“I know ye believe that Dylan is playing a trick on ye, but try to think differently of it. What if it were true? Do ye not see that I am different from the people of San Francisco?”
“Wow! That’s a loaded question. You’re not from around here, obviously, but if you spent any time in San Francisco, you might know enough not to use the people here as your guideline to what’s normal.” She giggled at her own words and then sipped her coffee. “I’m okay with the Scotland part of your story, but the rest of it is just too weird. However, I am willing to go along with it, just to see how far you two will take this.”
Just then the flat box that Jenna always kept with her, buzzed on the counter. She picked it up and laughed. She poked at it with her fingers and then put it down.
“Jenna, what is that?” Cormac asked pointing at the object.
“Testing me already, I see. Okay. It’s a cell phone. Dylan just texted me from his bedroom to see if I made enough breakfast for him and his overnight guest. They’ll be down shortly.”
“Everyone has thesecell phones?” Cormac asked curiously. “Are they important?”
“I guess you could say that. Most people walk around with them in their hands all the time, or at the very least in a purse or pocket.”
“What do they do?”
Jenna raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “Seriously? They keep us in touch with each other. Don’t you have cell phones or land lines where you come from?”
