Summer of the Moon Flower (The de Vargas Family) (18 page)

Dougal clenched his jaw and cursed
inwardly. If he had gone to the shore instead of Kilmarnock, he would have
found her. He thanked the woman again and hurried back the way he came.

It took him a long half hour to locate the blacksmith
in Kilmarnock where he was able to procure a horse. By the time he had covered
the muddy road to the shore, it was almost dark. The sky was clearing from the
west and a spectacular sunset shot gold and pink hues through the sky above the
firth. Dougal jumped off the horse and hit it on the rump sending it back the
way they had come. If he needed to travel again, he would risk using the
Astrolaberors. His heart thudded in slow painful beats and he stretched his
fingers to relieve the cramps from holding the reigns. He stood at the top of
the cliff and shaded his eyes from the bright light in the west as the sun
dropped below the edge of the cloud. A path of golden light shimmered across
the firth silhouetting his castle in the background.

Scanning the shoreline, there was nothing
to be seen and he cursed. A deserted shoreline and some lumps of kelp between
the rocks. He strode along the cliff top, searching for the way down to the
shore; it had obviously moved over the intervening years. Finally, a break in
the gorse directed him to the path. Screaming sea birds rose in the still
afternoon air as he disturbed their slumber. A sudden flash of silver from
below caught his attention. A slight figured moved in the fading light and
stopped beneath a rock arch near the water. Dougal paused for a moment and
stared.

It was Sofia
.

He began to run, stones slipping beneath
his feet and tumbling down the cliff. Jumping down the last four feet into the
sand, he regained his balance and ran across the beach to the rock arch where a
small boat was secured

The golden light framed Sofia’s head within
the arch and he could not see her shadowed face until he was one step away from
her. He reached out to her and she turned away, pulling the cloak around her
slight shoulders. But before she turned away, he saw the coldness of her
expression. A racking cough escaped her lips and she leaned on the rock for
support.

Dougal put his arm around her shoulders and
she looked up at him, her eyes devoid of any recognition. He cursed himself. It
was not anger on her face, it was delirium; if any harm came to her, it would
be due to his actions.

He had to get her to the warmth of the
castle.

Scooping his arms beneath her, he carried
her into the warmth of the small cave in the cliff face and quickly returned to
the beach to check the boat.

Thank God, it was intact.

He dragged it into the water and secured
the oars in the rowlocks and returned for Sofia. Pulling off his cloak, he ran
quickly back to the cave. He crossed the small space to where she leaned
against the rock wall. She lifted her head slowly; her face was pale and her
eyes were wide.

“Dougal?” she whispered. “Oh, Dougal. You
came back.”

He placed his cloak around her shoulders,
and buried his face in her hair. It was damp and tangled and smelled of damp
peat. Gently he placed her in the boat, cursing softly at the burning heat of
her skin as he pushed out from the shore. He settled in behind her and leaned
her back against his chest as he rowed across the narrow channel to the Isle of
Rothmore.

Mary was waiting on the shore on the
island.

“I heard the birds and when I looked, I saw
ye carry her into the boat.” Her voice was anxious. “
Ach, puir wee lassie,
is
she hurt?”

“She has taken a chill from the icy waters
of the firth,” he replied. “Is the fire going in her room?”

“Yes, I
dinna
let it die. I knew you
would find her.”

Dougal paced all night as Mary ministered
to Sofia. He allowed himself one visit into the solar and when he finally saw
she was asleep and breathing normally, he stayed away. On the morrow, at
midday, he would take her back to the present and to her sister.

Whatever happened then would be out of his
control.

He closed his eyes.

Sofia woke alone the next morning and
looked around.

Had it been a dream, the row across the
firth and the sojourn with Dame Molly?

Back in the solar at the castle once more
and she had no recollection of getting there. Putting her hand to her head, she
struggled to sit up, before reaching for the tankard on the small table beside
the large four-poster bed.

Closing her eyes, she sighed as the cool
liquid eased her burning throat. She thought back to yesterday. A recollection
of a conversation tugged at her thoughts and drops of water fell on the bed
linen as she began to shake.

The old woman had said
eighteen
forty-two.

Indigo and their father had travelled
through time to the Amazon on several occasions to source the passion flowers
for their research. But never had she needed to travel to another time.

But obviously Dougal had seen the need
and it kept her safe from those who sought to harm her.

Warmth shot through her body and she
wondered how long before he came to her. He was in the castle and she assumed
it was he who had found her on the beach. The last thing she recalled was
making her way down to the cliff and waiting in the cave. She had known he
would come looking for her there.

Whatever he had done. He was a good and
righteous man and had saved her life.

She was beholden to him
.

No matter how he had gone about it. He had
saved her from the Knights.

The door creaked and Sofia looked up
anticipation shooting through her chest. But it was only Mary.

“
Ach, lassie,
” she crooned in her musical
voice. “You’re awake and a fine color ye are.” She put her hand out to Sofia’s
forehead and clicked her tongue with satisfaction. “And as cool as the waters
of the firth.”

“Where is the Earl,” asked Sofia.

“Pacing in the halls of the castle.” Mary chuckled.
“I told him it was only a wee chill, but he had ye dead and buried.”

“Can you tell him I wish to see him,
please?”

Mary smiled and patted her hand before
leaving the room.

“I think he will be delighted to see you,
Ma’am.”

A few minutes later the door opened and
Sofia turned from the window. She had left the bed and stood looking out over
the firth as she pondered the events of the past few months. The morning sun
was bright and the brisk wind had whipped up small waves on the gray water.
Gulls and kittiwakes circled ahead, occasionally dipping into the water to
catch a fish in their beaks.

Peaceful. Very different to the busy
streets of Vienna.

Now Dougal stood in the doorway looking at
her, his brow wrinkled in a frown.

“Come in,” she said softly.

He crossed the room to her and she sat in
the small alcove in the window and patted the seat next to her. Dougal
hesitated, before sitting beside her; the space was small and his arm and his
leg pressed against hers.

“So, Dougal,” Sofia began. She turned to
him and grasped his strong jaw in her hand. “What you did was very brave. Once
my anger passed I realized you truly saved my life.” She sensed his body relax
next to her and he exhaled.

 “For a time, I was angry that you
made it look as though I were dead. Angry you made such a decision and did not
tell me.” She waited for him to respond.

Finally he took her hand from his chin and
held it tight in his grasp. “I pondered on the matter for many nights, my
love.” Warmth shot through her as the endearment came from his lips. “To hide
you nineteen years in the past, using the Astrolaberors was the only way I
could be sure the Knights would not find you. Even thought they resided at
Kilmarnock and were beholden by the restrictions of Scottish law, their influence
spread far and wide and they had access to much technology.” He lifted her hand
to his lips. “You do recall how they sent me to Vienna with the automatons? The
airship supplied to me that night was sleek and fast.”

Sofia pulled her hands away from his and
stood staring out at the lock. “I am beginning to understand. But I need to be
sure of just one thing. Have the Knights gone? Did you and Edward succeed in
your quest?”

She turned back to him and held his gaze as
deep blue eyes looked deep into hers.

“Aye, the cowardly curs have run and sought
refuge in Edinburgh. We shall see no more of them in Kilmarnock.”

“But what of Vienna?”she asked. “Will they
send others to try to stop my research?”

Dougal pushed himself up from the seat and
looked long and hard at her before replying. “There is no Vienna research left.
The laboratory was destroyed by fire.”

She gasped and grabbed for his hands. “What
of Ernst? Is anyone hurt?”

He wound his fingers through her before
lifting her hand and placing it against his cheek. “All is well. No one is hurt
and the professor is in Cornwall at your sister’s manor. As are Johann and
Genevieve.”

She sagged with relief. “But Dougal, I do
not understand. How have you come by such information? How is it you know my
people?”

A low chuckle came from his lips and the
laughter lines fanned out around his eyes.

“Not only do I know that, I have two
visitors for you when we return.”

“Return?”

“To my castle.”

“But we are in your…oh…I see.” She shook her
head. The remnants of her fever clouded her brain and it was too confusing to
think of traveling between times and still be in the same castle.

 “We must leave at midday or we shall
have to wait for another day.” He smiled down at her. “Could you stand to stay
in this…ah…let me remember…‘draughty pile of stones’ for one more night? It is
just as cold and draughty in 1861 as it is now in 1842. Are you ready to
return? To come back with me to our present?” he asked.

Sofia shook her head.

Was it the experience of travelling back
in time, or was it her fever? Or more likely it was her love for this man
creating the whirling confusion in her mind.

She looked up at Dougal. He had placed his
arms around her when she had been lost in thought. Now his lips were lightly
parted and a nervous pulse fluttered in his neck. The warmth of his body
against her raised goose bumps on her skin and her heart began to race. She
closed her eyes and nervous thrills ran to her fingertips.

It was definitely the man beside her.

Raising her lips to his neck, she murmured
against the pulse point. “Wherever you go, I will follow.”

Jory and Jago, Ruan and Kit ran across to
the lawn to the landing pad, whooping and cheering. “Here they come.”

Sofia looked down from the airship as their
excited cries floated up to them. Indigo and Zane followed at a more leisurely
pace along the path, although Sofia could see the excitement in her sister’s
step.

Dougal stood beside her and chuckled. “Who
is the little lady running behind the children?”

A stout woman wearing an apron waddled
after the boys, her little legs working furiously to catch them.

“That, my dear is Mrs. Grimoult.” Sofia
looked across at Mary, who passed the tiny white bundle in her arms to Dougal.
The baby began to whimper and Sofia smiled up at her husband of one year.

“I think the heir apparent to the Earldom
of Rothmore is keen to meet his cousins,” she said softly.

Mr. Grimoult turned the airship and it
descended to the ground with one final hiss of steam. Sofia hurried out into
Indigo’s waiting arms; she had not seen her sister since her last visit to
Salon
de Sofia
before she had handed it over to Vivienne.

“Now show me my nephew.” Indigo gave her a
final squeeze and stepped back. Dougal gently placed the baby in her arms.

Dougal and Indigo had yet to make their
peace. Sofia had begged Indigo to be forgiving before she had married Dougal
last spring in the Belvedere Gardens in Vienna. “He saved my life.”

Indigo had snorted. “There were other ways to
protect you than imprisoning you in that ancient castle and leaving us to think
you were dead for three months.”

Now Sofia smiled as Zane pushed his wife
toward her new brother-in-law.

Indigo looked first at her younger sister
and then down at the baby in her arms, before raising her eyes to meet
Dougal’s. “I am sorry, Dougal. For those weeks I had thought my dear sister had
been taken from me…as our father was.” She brushed crossly at the tears welling
in her eyes. “Thank you for bringing her safely home…and welcome to our
home…brother.”

Sofia’s heart filled with love for her
husband and family as Dougal reached over and kissed Indigo on the cheek.
“Indigo,” she said. “I have some news for you.”