Love Beyond Belief (Book 7 of Morna’s Legacy Series) (6 page)

He tried not to take offense to Anne’s description of him and the other men of his time. He always thought himself a gentle sort of man on the inside. He expected the same was true of most of them.
 

“Ye are right. ’Tis not the magic Morna is worried about. She believes this girl already knows of it, for Morna had no hand in sending yer email to the lass. I know she dinna respond well to ye before, but she’s ready to tell all of ye about Grier and her suspicions now, and aye, that is why Jerry is gone, though if he wakes and learns she put poppies in his drink before dinner is over, I fear a dreadful scene will unfold before all of our eyes. Still, the lass must be discussed with everyone whether ye like it or not.”

He could see the resignation in Anne’s eyes, and he didn’t wait for her response as he stepped past her on the stairwell on his way back to the dining hall.

“Come, Anne. Let’s not put this off any longer.”

When Callum and Anne returned, all of the children save the babies were gone from the table. Callum didn’t know for certain what Morna would say, but the last thing she would want to do was frighten them. He expected she sent the children away to shield them from her words.

“All right, Callum. Now that ye’ve told Anne that she willna be surprising the lot of them tomorrow, I’m ready to speak with everyone.”

Jane spoke right as baby Nora squealed in her arms. “Please do. I think the three of you have successfully put everyone’s nerves on edge. Why did you send Cooper and the other little ones away?”

Callum walked around the table, offering to take the child for her so that she could listen more closely. She handed the babe to him as soon as he approached. He smiled as the baby quieted the moment he gathered her in his arms. Whether it was the fire or their daily sessions with Morna for the months following, he didn’t know, but he and the babe shared a special bond. It warmed Callum’s heart to know she would always be able to call him uncle.

Morna gave him a quick questioning glance. As he nodded to encourage her, she spoke.
 

“The time has come for me to tell all of ye more about me than I’ve ever had cause to before. Though, before I say a word, I’d like to preface it with this—doona ask me a single question. All of it brings back memories I doona wish to dwell on. I will tell ye what I must, and that will be all. Understood?”

Callum watched everyone nod in agreement as Morna paused briefly.
 

“We all know that magic exists at Cagair—the magic of another witch—a witch I long believed dead. She is not. It was she that ended the fire at Cagair, and it is she that has seen fit to bring someone new into our midst now.”

With Nora sleeping in his arms, Callum returned to his seat, allowing Morna to relay everything she told him over the past days to the rest of the castle’s residents. When she finished, a silence hung over the room in a way he’d not expected. He could sense the tension of many around the room, their strong fear of a woman none of them knew.

He understood that Morna’s past dealings with Grier made her fearful, but something deep within told him that perhaps, in this instance, his friend was wrong to be hasty with her judgment. He’d seen this Grier for himself—witnessed her power, sensed her presence. Even as he lay enveloped in the rising smoke, all he felt was her love for the burning castle when he looked at her. He knew in that moment, as his vision faded along with the flames that roared over his castle, that the witch had come to save his home that day out of her own real and desperate love for Cagair Castle.

Time had a way of distorting memories. What if time somehow veiled the truth about Grier from Morna? What if whatever happened between them blurred Morna’s reality of past events after all this time?
 

Adwen’s voice stirred him from his thoughts.
 

“Morna, ye are right. If she knows of the magic like ye think she does then it means she works with this Grier, and she comes here with intent. We canna allow her to be here without knowing the extent of her knowledge about the castle’s magic. When she arrives in the morning, we must question her, the lot of us. If we’re all gathered, perhaps she will be frightened enough to tell us the truth. If she doesna do so, then we can have Morna spell her so that she has no choice.”

Callum stood, quickly looking over to his right where Blaire already held her hands extended toward him to accept the baby. When his hands were free, he slammed his fists down on the table. Adwen was always hasty with his decisions, but how could he possibly think it good to apprehend the lass and scare her to death when her innocence was far more likely than her guilt?
 

“Ye are a fool if ye think I will allow that for a moment.” Callum turned his angry eyes away from his brother to address Morna. “I’m sorry, Morna, but yer suspicion is not enough for us to treat this lass any differently than we would anyone else.”

Orick’s voice, deep and booming, joined in from across the room.

“Callum’s right. I’ve not had the same experiences with Morna as the rest of ye have so forgive me if my words cause offense. Have we not all learned by now that witches doona usually enlist the help of others in their meddling?”

Callum wanted to jump across the table and hug Orick in thanks for his wisdom. Not that it surprised him—Orick was always the sound and steady mind to Adwen’s changing and reckless one.

Morna joined him by rising to her feet, demanding everyone’s attention before a single person in the room could answer Orick’s question. She pointed right at Callum as she spoke.

“Callum, ye can sit now. I’m taking charge of this conversation once again.”
 

Twirling to her right, she pointed at Orick.
 

“Orick, seeing as ye only know the one witch,” she pointed to herself, “me, I think it best ye keep yer opinions about witches in general to yerself.”

Adwen was the last to get her angry finger pointed in his direction.
 

“And, Adwen, Callum is right. What were ye thinking suggesting we all but take the lass captive? I’m frightened, but I saw fit to tell ye my fears so we could discuss them. I’m not cruel, nor am I a criminal. Jane’s sure to give ye hell for that answer later.”

 
Callum looked over at Jane to see her nodding her head in agreement. Her arms were crossed and her teeth clenched as she spoke.
 

“Oh, you have no idea.” Jane twisted her head to speak directly to her husband. “You can be so stupid sometimes.”

Callum seated himself at Morna’s request and leaned back to listen silently as he tried to keep from laughing at the wounded expression on Adwen’s face.

“Now. I’ll continue as I meant to before Adwen interrupted me and Callum and Orick saw fit to cast me as a crazy criminal. My first thought was that we needn’t pick up the girl from the airport, but ’twas a foolish notion, for I’m sure she’ll show up either way. I’ve had time to calm down. Here is what I suggest.

“We must all be hesitant with the lass. We must all be cautious, but I will not allow anyone to be unkind to this girl. I can see now that fear of Grier has turned me into a bit of a monster. I allow her to win if I continue on in such a way.
 

“Of course, we willna be apprehending her as soon as she arrives, but we must find out if she knows of the magic. Who is going to pick the lass up tomorrow?”

Callum raised his hand. He and Anne had already agreed on the arrangement. “I am.”

Morna nodded and reached into her pocket before rolling a small vial across the table toward him.
 

“I should’ve known. O’course ye are. Ye will give her this. I doona care how ye get it down her throat, but ye must promise me that ye will. Doona worry, it willna hurt the lass at all. All it will do is make certain that she canna lie to us while she’s here. That way, we will verra quickly learn if she knows of the magic.
 

“If she does, we will inquire further about what Grier has sent her here to do. If she does not, I suggest that we keep quiet on the subject for, let’s say a week, so that we have time to see how she works out. If Gillian and Anne, seeing as the lass will be working for them in the near future, find her work pleasing and she fits in well, we will tell her everything then. I doona see how anyone can live here without learning of the magic. ’Twould be best if she knows everything if she stays here long-term. Does everyone agree, or do I need to keep speaking until ye all see sense and get on board with my plan?”

Callum twirled the glass vial in between his fingers. He didn’t like the idea of tricking the stranger in any way, but he could see that Morna’s thinking was more rational now than the last time he spoke with her. Her plan was a sensible one, and he expected everyone would agree as well.

“Aye, I’ll give the lass this before I arrive here with her in the morning. Does everyone else agree to do as Morna suggested? We can broach the subject of magic with her over dinner her first night here, if so.”

It didn’t take long for everyone to agree, and the matter was settled among them all.
 

Only when Callum stood to leave the table before everyone else did he see Jerry standing outside the dining hall, out of sight but surely not out of earshot. Morna’s poppies were not as strong as she hoped. Clearly, Jerry had been awake for some time.

Tears ran down the old man’s face, and Callum didn’t dare approach him for fear of embarrassing his friend. Whatever reason Morna had for keeping word of Grier from Jerry, it mattered not.
 

Jerry now knew everything. Callum was sure of it.

CHAPTER 9

By the time I actually landed in Scotland, some twelve hours later than originally scheduled, I was exhausted, frustrated, and ready to collapse. All that kept me from stopping for a quick nap on an airport bench was the knowledge that I didn’t have to drive myself to the castle.
 

So while I stood in baggage claim waiting for my bag to come around the carousel, I did my best to be grateful for small blessings. By the time I grabbed my bag, I felt better about everything and hurried outside to look for my escort.

When I first spotted him in the pick-up area, I started at the sight of him. I didn’t know if they just didn’t make them like that in Italy, or if he was truly as good looking as he seemed to me—it had been a long time since I’d stepped out of my sleepy village—but I found him immensely attractive.
 

He was tall, but not freakishly so. He wore a dark green sweater that hugged him just tightly enough so that anyone could tell that he didn’t have an ounce of fat on his body. His tan corduroy pants, while not the most normal piece of clothing I’d ever seen, suited him.
 

I could tell he didn’t have a clue what I looked like, not that he would have reason to, and I appreciated the moment of anonymity so I could stand back and really look him over.
 

His hair was thick and full, and I had the strangest desire to run my fingers through it. I found my reaction to him ridiculous, but I still stood there and gawked at him for another long minute or so.
 

He was just a guy, most likely one with a completely average, dull personality, but from afar, my lady bits didn’t seem to care one bit how boring he would most likely turn out to be.
 

Suddenly, a button popped me in the nose. I looked down to see that my blouse had busted open in response to the needy, shaky breath I’d drawn as I watched him lean against the car and cross his arms in such a way that his muscles bulged out against the sweater. Luckily, it was the top button rather than the middle one right between my breasts, and it didn’t reveal too much by leaving the tiniest bit open.
 

That was enough for me to shake myself out of my teenage-like stupor. I reached down to grab my suitcase sitting on the ground next to me. Only then did I hear the snickering of the middle-aged woman standing next to me.
 

“Oh dearie, ye’re in trouble with that one, I can tell ye right now. I suppose ye are the one he’s waiting for then? Ye best close yer mouth and blink a few times so that ye doona look so doe-eyed before ye walk over to him. Never let a man see how much ye like him.”

“Right.” I stood and straightened myself and smiled at the woman in thanks. “I don’t even know him. He’s just picking me up to take me to my new job. He’s probably awful.”