Page 5 of A Keeper of Time

“Maggie,” the man matter-of-factly stated.

“I’m searching for Edna. Did ye meet her when she arrived?”

“Nae. She did no’ tell me she was coming.” The man removed his dusty cap and scratched his head.

“Have ye seen anyone else nearby or on the bridge?” Angus wondered if someone had met her here.

“I have no’, but I’ve only recently arrived.”

“I was sure she came this way, but there’s nae sign of her.”

“If yer worried about her, I would no’ be. She’s a powerful witch, that one is. Nae one would dare try anything to harm her.”

Angus agreed, knowing it was true. Edna was a very capable witch. He’d seen her do some amazing things. “Thank ye, Wallace.”

The man bowed. “At yer service, sir.”

“If ye see Edna, please tell her that I’m on me way to Breaghacraig.”

“Ye can be sure I will.” He turned his cart around and headed back towards the bridge, leaving Angus more perplexed than he had been before.

“Edna, where are ye?” he asked out loud, knowing there would be no answer and wondering what he would do if he couldn’t find her.

***

“I’m here, love,” Edna said. Angus didn’t turn. There was no acknowledgement. He really couldn’t hear her. Edna’s powers seemed useless here in this house and her heart sank with the knowledge that she had no control over this situation. None. It wasn’t like when she sent Ashley or Jenna across the bridge and she knew where they were, what they were doing and had the ability to intervene if need be.

Evanore had left her alone shortly after she’d seen Angus ride past and was off somewhere else. Edna wasn’t even sure if she was still in the house, but she knew that there was no escaping. The doors and windows had evaporated before her eyes as she tried to open them. She’d tried calling on her magic, but to no avail. Nothing was working with the exception of the orb that followed her wherever she went.

She gazed lovingly at the image of her handsome Highlander. Angus’s hair shown like silver in the sunshine. When he turned and looked her way, Edna’s heart skipped a beat much as it had on the day they first met all those many years ago. She had to get a message to him, but how? Nothing she’d tried so far had worked. She would be forced to bide her time and wait for Evanore to let her guard down. Edna still wasn’t sure why she was here and Evanore was being very evasive. It was a waiting game and Edna wasn’t very good at waiting.

Glancing around the room for a clue as to her whereabouts and to any information she could glean on her captor, Edna searched from floor to ceiling for a clue.

Evanore’s servant appeared in the doorway. “Mistress has asked me to show ye to yer room.”

“There’s nae need. I willnae be staying.” Edna faced the man who stood in the doorway. His face was expressionless.

“Come with me,” he said, ignoring what she’d just said.

“What’s yer name?” Edna asked.

“’Tis of no importance, ma’am.”

“I believe it is,” she replied.

He seemed puzzled as he stood very still, gazing over the top of her head.

“How will I call ye if I need something? How will I yell out yer name if I doona ken it?” she asked.

A faint smile appeared on his lips just long enough for Edna to see before it vanished and the same stoic expression he’d been wearing returned. “You may call me whatever name pleases you. The mistress likes to call me Joseph.” His English accent and nineteenth-century garb gave Edna some hints about where he was from and it wasn’t sixteenth-century Scotland.

“But that’s no’ yer name, is it?”

He stared off into space and didn’t answer her question.

“How long have ye been with Evanore?” Edna asked.

“Mistress says ye’ll ask me many questions, but I am to tell ye nothing.” His stoic expression and the way he stood so very still made Edna think he must be under a spell.