Page 29 of A Keeper of Time

“I’m no’ sure,” Cailin replied.

Dougall pushed his horse into a gallop as he rushed by them. “’Tis me sister,” he called back over his shoulder.

Angus followed closely behind as did the others. When they reached the group, he jumped down from his horse and approached. Dougall already had his sister in his arms.

“What are ye doing here?” Angus asked. Something was very wrong. These three should be safe in San Francisco.

“We came to find Edna, but something went wrong.” Hamish appeared quite agitated.

“What happened?” Dougall asked his Brenna.

“Ashley, Jenna and Sara…” She seemed unable to get the words out, which set Angus and the others on edge.

“Ashley?” Cailin asked, an obvious note of panic in his voice.

“Aye. They were in San Francisco. They needed help getting back.” The sorrowful look on her face did nothing to calm the fears of the men who stood staring at her.

“Where are they?” Cormac asked, looking down the road.

“We doona ken,” Donal said, looking down at his feet. “They were with us and then they were no’.”

“Did they make it to the bridge?” Angus was trying to make some sense out of all that was happening. He knew it all pointed back to Evanore, but he wasn’t sure what she was up to.

“Nay.” Donal shook his head in obvious dismay.

“They must still be in San Francisco.” Robert grabbed hold of Angus’s arm as he spoke.

Cailin scrubbed his hands through his hair, pacing back and forth. “We’ve got to get them back.”

“How, is the question,” Dougall said. “This must have something to do with Edna’s disappearance.”

“I believe yer right,” Angus said. “Biera said we should go to the bridge.”

“If we hurry we can be there before nightfall,” Robert said, returning to his horse.

Dougall mounted his horse and pulled Brenna up behind him.

“We’ll follow along behind ye,” Hamish said. “We doona wish to slow ye down.”

“We’ll see ye there then,” Angus replied, but he was already headed off down the road at a gallop.

***

Arriving at the bridge, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Everything looked much as it had when Angus passed only days before. While the others set up camp, Angus rode along the banks of the stream searching for any clues to Edna’s whereabouts. He crossed the stream at a shallow spot and did the same on the opposite bank. Still nothing.

A fire was made in a small clear spot where there was enough room for everyone to sit around it and feel its warmth.

“Biera said there was a house here, but hidden from view,” Angus observed.

“Aye, but there is none,” Cailin said.

“We must find our wives.” Cormac stood and paced the outside of the circle.

“But how?” Logan asked.

His question was met with silence. There was no answer to his query. Angus knew, as did the others, that to travel through time they needed Edna or his niece. “We’ve nae way to contact Maggie,” Angus stated.

“I doona ken how much help she can be,” Brenna said. “She’s the one who brought us here, but she was no’ able to bring us all.”