Stone Heart (8 page)

He nodded, took her hand and led the way out of the shop.

As they walked down the street, Angus saw no signs of the abject poverty that had ravaged the countryside in his time.

People seemed well-clothed and happy. Houses were constructed to withstand the elements and shops seemed to thrive. Some of the passersby even smiled. He acknowledged their greetings and realized that it made a difference to act as though
he
was friendly. It was something which garnered kind responses in return. And it felt wonderful just to have a stranger tip a hat, or offer a "
good day,
" for no other reason than that he had grinned at them. Life must have changed a 64

Stone Heart

by Candace Sams

great deal. As he looked up into the sky, he couldn't help laughing out loud. He had a new life full of possibilities.

"Well, you look very pleased with the world," Karen remarked as she watched his face light up.

"I am. Verra' pleased indeed."

When they reached the car, Karen opened the driver's door, but Angus paused. She watched as he leaned across the hood and sent her a boyish smirk that almost knocked her boots off.

"I would learn to drive this beastie," he said, and swiped his hand over the hood.

"You've
got
to be kidding."

"Oh, not here in the village," he admitted looking around at the passing folk, "but out on some lane where I would do no harm."

Karen thought for a moment. Had they just met? Or had she known this man for a lifetime? It seemed so ridiculous to have ever feared him. So far, he hadn't shown a mean or malicious bone in that huge, gorgeous body. She sighed, then shrugged. "Ohhh ... what the hell! Let's go for it."

"That's the spirit, lass." Angus broke into what felt like a face-splitting grin and got in the passenger side.

As soon as they were outside the boundaries of the village, Karen turned off the ignition, pulled the car over and got out.

Angus got out, too, and walked to the driver's side. Karen chuckled as she watched him rub his hands together in expectation.

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Stone Heart

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"All right. This is the gas." She pointed to the appropriate pedal. "This makes the car go forward. The other one is the brake. That makes it stop."

"And the wheel steers the thing, aye," Angus eyed the interior with a determination long denied him. "I
will
master this. After all, I tamed many a wild horse in my time. This can be no worse."

"I should think it will be a lot easier. But go slow. It takes a while not to overcompensate with the steering wheel."

Karen remembered the first time her aunt had taken her driving, and she had almost put the car in a ditch. Thankfully, this road was bordered by open pasture on either side.

Angus sat behind the wheel. Karen showed him how to adjust the seat and the steering wheel to suit his much larger frame. She walked to the opposite side of the car, got in and nodded.

"Gently then?" Angus asked.

"Aye," Karen mimicked.

Angus slowly pushed on the gas pedal and the car moved forward. Then he touched the brake and it stopped. "I can do this, Karen!" He felt excitement course through him. He tried again, then several more times to get acquainted with the equipment. He listened intently as Karen explained some of the other devices.

Angus slowly drove the car several hundred yards, successfully mastered a left-hand turn then stopped. "I would never, in all my born days, have imagined doing such a thing."

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Stone Heart

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It was hard for Karen not to feel excitement for him.

Angus' face had a wonderful way of illuminating when he was all worked up. "Go further now. Don't worry about going fast yet. And if you see something you want to look at, just pull the car to the side of the road and stop."

Angus took a deep breath and moved the car forward. The roads were bumpy in some places, but it tested his newfound skills. Karen watched his movements, slowly guided him by obstacles and even a farmer with a trailer full of fat pigs. He could see how people might be better off with cars of different kinds. If livestock could be moved more quickly, and in greater numbers, it stood to reason food would be more plentiful.

And Karen was the most patient of teachers. She never seemed to mind if they hit what she called a "
pot hole
," or if he had to take a turn very slowly. She praised what he did, and something in his chest hurt a little. No one, except his parents, had ever done such a thing. If he had a chance to undo only one wrong thing, he vowed to never criticize where encouragement would gain so much more. This descendent of Elspeth's was a sweet, feisty woman of quality. What would his previous life have been like if he had known such a generous heart sooner?

* * * *

They stopped several times to check their bearings and once more to get something to eat. Karen wondered if Angus really knew where he was. "Why is it we seem to need to stop 67

Stone Heart

by Candace Sams

so often?" she asked as she cast a look at him from the corner of her eye. "Has the landscape changed that much?"

"Aye, it
has
in some places. There were many more trees then. And I was a small boy when I left the Order in England.

Still, it should no' take us verra' much more time." He turned to look at her. It seemed she was battling fatigue. Her shoulders slumped, and there were dark circles under her eyes. "We should stop for the night and find rest."

"That might be a good idea. We won't be able to see anything of the countryside after dark," she agreed.

Karen found a hotel nearby and guided Angus' efforts at parking. Surprisingly, he did a very good job although it was a little slow. Then, she booked a single room with two double beds for them. After spending so much time in his presence, she just couldn't feel threatened. And what if there were a fire or some other emergency? How would he know what to do?

At least, that's the excuse she used to rationalize their sharing a room.

While they waited for room confirmation, Angus didn't ask many questions. But he did stare at things like the computer the desk clerk used, the blue carpeting on the floor and the decorations. She tried to hide her amusement as the hotel staff openly stared back. A vivacious young girl tossed her blond curls in such a way that someone who was catatonic could have picked up on the sexual message. Angus beamed at her though Karen hoped it was only friendliness on his part. The staff wore hotel clothing that he mentioned looked like some kind of '
Breatannach uniform'
. The word
Breatannach,
she surmised, was someone from England. They 68

Stone Heart

by Candace Sams

could work on his inappropriate use of dialect later.
If
she was around long enough to help him.

When they made their way to their room, she was so tired the very act of standing was almost too much. She fumbled with the electronic key card. Angus was carrying her small travel case and an overnight bag. He didn't seem at all concerned when a passerby looked him over as if he were an oddity. Indeed, that's how he seemed in the black leather outfit he wore. One person muttered something about him probably being in one of those
heavy metal
rock bands. Karen vowed to find him something more suitable to wear. Common sense told her they shouldn't be drawing so much attention to themselves. After all, Angus didn't have any I.D., and the police might want to find out who he was. Especially since he looked like he didn't belong.

When she pushed the door to her room open, Angus tossed her bags on a nearby chair, picked her up and placed her gently upon the bed. She was so tired the energy to object to his actions wouldn't come.

"Sleep sound, Karen. I will be verra' near."

Karen smiled up at him then fell into the deep sleep someone who is desperately ill needs. It didn't occur to her to be afraid or send Angus to the adjoining bed. By now, she realized he probably wouldn't leave her alone, even if she insisted.

Angus took off Karen's shoes, covered her with a blanket from the closet, and began to inspect every item in the room.

The air was much warmer than that which was outside.

Perhaps there was a
heater
in the room. The same kind as 69

Stone Heart

by Candace Sams

Karen used in the machine called car.
What a strange world
he had awakened into.
There was a box in the room which was black and had a grayish curved glass in the front. He looked at the thing and noticed a small elongated device sitting upon its top. He picked this up and poked at several buttons. The box in front of him seemed to come alive. There was a man within it who was speaking right at him. Angus dropped the small object he had been holding and backed away. He looked at the bed but Karen did not awaken. His heart quickened. "What sorcery can this possibly be?" he whispered.

After several moments of watching and slapping at the black box, he determined that the man inside was not a small version of the Elf Clan. He wasn't really
there
at all. He stopped and listened. The man in the box spoke of the weather and pointed at various spots on a map of the British Isles.

"This is more magic than I shall ever have," he murmured as he sat in a nearby chair and leaned forward.

After some time, Angus picked up the elongated object he had dropped and pushed at the buttons again. The smaller object seemed to control the larger box and its images. Angus glanced at the bed again to make sure the noise was not disturbing Karen's rest. He pulled the chair closer and proceeded to make an attempt to master this strange new beastie. There was no going back in time.
This
was his time now, and he must learn all he could.

* * * *

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Stone Heart

by Candace Sams

Karen woke slowly and heard a child's voice. She pushed herself up and turned toward the sound. It was all she could do to keep from laughing out loud. Angus was leaning forward in a chair, his attention trained upon the TV. He was nodding in agreement with the youngster in a commercial. Long dark hair made a curtain which partially hid his face.

"Aye, I think I should try this thing called
a hamburger
,"

he murmured and nodded at the television. "'Twould no' be wise to add so many onions, though."

"Having fun?" Karen smiled, trying her best not to laugh at him.

Angus quickly turned his head and grinned. There was no sign of embarrassment on his face. Just the expression of a man experiencing the sheer joy in being alive. He slowly rose, stretched his massive frame and walked toward her.

"This machine is verra' informative," he said as he pointed at the television.

"How did you learn to turn it on?"

"'Twas by mistake." He shrugged and smiled again. "Could you tell me how it works?"

"I'll tell you what I can.
First
, I need a shower and some hot food. How about you?"

"Two large hamburgers, with bacon, cheese and a..." he thought hard searching for the correct words, "a side order of French fries with a chocolate shake." He nodded and grinned at his successful request for food.

"
Oh, God!
You stayed up all night watching that damned thing didn't you?"

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He just smiled and shrugged again. "I've had three hundred years of rest. I want to see, know and do
everything
."

"First things first." Karen stood up and moved toward the bathroom. "When I'm through, you can have the bathroom all to yourself. I'll raid the fast food place across the street while you're showering."
And hopefully find you some new clothes
while I'm at it.

He tilted his head and looked at her. "You will
ruaig?
"

"Do what?"

"You will go hunt or raid for food?"

Karen had to stop for a moment until her sleep disoriented mind caught up. Then she shook her head and tried not to smile. "It's another
expression
. I meant I would just go across the road and
buy
us some food while you clean up ...

um,
wash up
," she corrected.

"Oh." he nodded. "May I ask another question?"

Now she grinned. "Angus, you can ask anything you want."

"Good. What is a bathroom?"

Karen put her hands to her mouth and tried not to choke on her response. "Why ... why d-don't I just get cleaned up, then I'll show you. All right?"

Angus shot her a broad grin and nodded. "Aye."

Angus watched her retrieve some clothes from her luggage, go into a small room and close the door. He sat back down to watch more on the black box. He abruptly stood again when a man began to speak about
'crop circles of
unknown origins'
. Then the box showed him pictures of some of the circles. Maybe they weren't known to the man in the 72

Stone Heart

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box, but they were definitely
known
to Angus. In centuries past, the intricate patterns made in fields of grain, the designs plowed into the landscape, and patterns carved into large stones, were how transient members of the Order had communicated with one other. He knew exactly where he was going now. The circles were telling him how to get to his people. They knew he was coming. He was surprised to learn the Order had not moved in three hundred years, and that some of their communication stayed the same. No outsider would ever be able to translate the beautiful patterns in the grain fields, but his parents had taught him many ways of the Order. He only hoped the ruling Sorceress would accept him.

At least as long as it took to keep his promise to Karen. He looked toward the room where he heard water running and felt his heart begin to ache. After being entombed for so long, his senses
might
be wrong. Though she'd told him otherwise, her situation might not be that desperate. Cures might exist she knew nothing about. He shook his head, hoping the action would chase away any morbid thoughts. There had to be a way to help her. He had seen a healer inside the box who spoke of amazing medicines. Between the outside world and the magic of the Order, there would be a way to help Karen. There
must
be! Like her kin, she was patient and kind.