Stone Heart (33 page)
Authors: Candace Sams
- Another half hour of looking proved that the statue just was
- As the sun began to sink, Karen gave up hope. She slowly mad
- Judging by the neglected branches, logs and bushes growing i
- The dirt road dwindled down to a path. This abruptly ended a
- She pushed through the brush knowing the exertion would cost
- The statue was the most disgusting, horrifying thing imagina
- Karen stood and looked at it for some time. Instead of being
- Angus heard the soft sigh. He knew someone had made their wa
- "You're not the most attractive thing I've ever seen. Whoeve
- A woman. She had the dulcet tones of a dove. Would she speak
- Speak. Let me hear that sound again. I beg you ... Please! h
- Karen took the paper out of her pocket. The moon would be al
- "This is for you, Aggie. I hope you can hear me and know I k
- Karen waited for several minutes. Nothing happened. What had
- She nodded in recognition of completing the task. Then, she
- She heard a sound like the splitting of rock. Her chest bega
- "Holy crud!" she croaked. "Oh, Aggie, you weren't crazy."
- She backed away, shaking her head in disbelief. There were n
- The moment the words had been spoken, Angus' heart cried out
- As the stone fell away and he began to feel the weight of hi
- As the world cleared before him, he saw a woman standing in
- He leaped from the remains of the pedestal and landed before
- * * * *
- Shayla Gallagher read over the last of the documentation the
- "Aye, but we've had so many people entering information into
- "That's what worries me. Perhaps they do have it. Why an out
- They immediately stopped talking when a flight attendant cam
- "I believe she never meant for this Druid to see the light o
- "That's no excuse, Hugh. Unless someone found him, his three
- Hugh sighed and lowered his voice to a whisper. "This isn't
- "It would have been far better if she had. What kind of woma
- "No one believes you have a cold heart," he raised her hand
- She sighed. "The least we can do is move the statue into the
- "Aye, those are points of concern. But imagine. The poor bru
- "Get some sleep, Hugh. I have some thinking to do, and I'll
- "Aye, Shayla. If you don't mind me making a suggestion, you'
- Shayla watched as he put his head back against the reclined
- She sighed and unbound the long braid that normally kept her
- To fight the outside world and its continual encroachment of
- Chapter Three
- Angus wasn't surprised that the woman fainted. Seeing him tr
- "You are the first human I have laid eyes upon in three hund
- The sound of his thick brogue seemed unfamiliar to him. It h
- The woman moaned and he took one of her small hands in his.
- He considered the state of the woman before him. Her long ta
- Karen sat bolt upright and tried to scoot away. Her chest wa
- "Aggie, what in the name of God have you got me into?" she w
- "Please, lady. Dunna' be frightened. I could never harm the
- That deep voice. Did voices sound like that in dreams? This
- Angus tilted his head in surprise. "You spoke the words undo
- "I came as a promise to a dead relative. She told me a wild
- "Aye," he nodded. "I am Angus MacGregor and I was imprisoned
- "I ... I don't know. I suppose so. According to my aunt, tha
- "'Twas no pointless tale. I am real, lady. But your manner o
- "American," she said as she slowly scooted farther away. May
- "Please. Dunna' be frightened." He moved closer. "'Tis natur
- Karen's chest hurt in earnest now. She plunged her hand into
- Angus watched. While he didn't know what it was the lass too
- "If you are ill, lady, I will take you to those who might he
- "No. No, I'll be fine in a few moments." Karen watched as he
- "How did you do that?" She looked at him and felt her blood
- "I am Druid. The same as the one who imprisoned me. We are a
- She remembered reading what Aggie had written about Druids.
- Angus nodded and watched as her expression changed from one
- She became more pale and he began to fear the woman would re
- "Please, lady, come closer to the fire and worry no more. No
- For some minutes, Karen just sat on the ground and stared at
- Karen sighed. If it was all true and she wasn't imagining it
- Angus smiled and closed his fingers about her small, cold pa
- He helped her off the ground and led her closer to the fire.
- Karen held her hands out to the fire. She was beginning to f
- "Angus, tell me more about what happened. Tell me about you,
- Happiness filled him. He had someone to talk to. Someone wit
- "I lived in a world that was often violent and harsh. The cu
- "You mentioned something about a child befriending you?"
- "Aye. Little Elspeth." He smiled. "I did a small kindness fo
- Karen watched as his eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears
- "What did you do for her that inspired such loyalty?" Karen
- He shrugged. "I saved her wee kitten from drowning."
- Karen smiled and watched him gaze into the fire. What a swee
- Angus looked away from the fire and stared directly at her.
- Karen watched as his gaze dropped and pain etched itself ont
- "Aye. I believe the Sorceress who bewitched me dinna' ever i
- "My aunt Agatha told me the legend. Actually, she wrote it a
- As her voice trailed off, Angus smiled. "You never imagined
- Karen looked at him and nodded. "So ... You're a real, live,
- "I am. And I want to show you the things in this world forbi
- "You're talking about this mythical Order, aren't you?"
- "'Tis no myth. And because you and your kin have befriended
- "I have to be completely honest with you, Angus. I'm not wel
- "Aye," he quietly responded. "This I know. I sensed your sic
- She stoically continued. "I don't know how much time I have
- He lowered his gaze as deep regret filled his heart. Then, h
- Karen scrutinized his face, watching for the response to her
- He solemnly nodded. "And if you would rather no' speak of yo
- "Good. I don't want pity."
- "I will offer you friendship," he softly told her, "and thro
- Karen sighed in acceptance. "All right, Angus MacGregor. Thi
- "We must go to England where the main body of my kind once e
- She looked at him for a long time, wondering what kind of fo
- "God help me, I don't know what I'm doing, but it's like you
- She was rewarded with his dazzling smile and knew her world
- There had to be some place for him. She felt a certain sense
- She pushed her long hair away from her face and stared into
- Angus looked around the clearing. "I will make you a safe ha
- Karen smiled at the sound of his thick accent and moved clos
- Angus soon returned with his arms full of soft evergreen bou
- "'Twould be better if I had a soft blanket to warm you. Perh
- Karen looked down at her coat and slowly shrugged out of it.
- "Come quickly, lass. Bed down upon the boughs. You'll warm s
- Karen did as he requested and stretched out on the greenery.
- Here she sat, or rather lay, on some evergreen branches, let
- Because she had relentlessly confirmed Angus' whereabouts, a
- Karen silently made one last promise. If his plans on going
- Some little well of energy formed inside her. Here was a rea
- "You were far away in thought, lass. Do you miss your home a
- She slowly shook her head. "There's no one left to miss. The
- Angus frowned. "'Tis sorry I am. I, too, am without kin." Th
- Karen tried to hold off the tears. "No. No one should ever b
- "Then give me your hand, wee Karen. We will make a pact, you
- Karen smiled broadly and placed her hand in his. "It's a pac
- Angus let out a heartfelt laugh. "In my time, such a pact wo
- "A what?"
- "A cup decorated with designs of my ancestors. 'Tis shared b
- Karen snapped her fingers. "I have wine. Food, too. I had it
- Angus grinned broadly. "Lady, truly you are an emissary from
- "It's on the back seat of my car."
- Angus tilted his head. "What is a ... car?"
- It was Karen's turn to smile. "I'd better show you..."
- "No, Karen. You should stay by the fire and keep warm. Just
- She pointed toward the path and road beyond. "It's a big, si
- Looking in the direction she pointed, Angus nodded and was o
- His stomach growled and reminded him of the task he had been
- Once he'd seen a nobleman being driven in a fancy coach. The
- "There. I have mastered opening and closing this great beast
- Karen heard him returning, but she was so warm and cozy in h
- "Aye. And a wonder it is. There are many questions about it
- Karen laughed. "First, lets eat. I'm hungry." It occurred to
- "I'm afraid they only packed one wine glass, so we'll have t
- "Sharing with you?" He beamed. "It will be my honor, lady. A
- Karen grinned back at him, uncorked the wine with the compli
- He carefully took it from her, lifted it in her direction an
- Her eyes met his. "What did that mean?"
- He shrugged his shoulders and slowly smiled. "A simple toast
- "You go first." She broke off a huge hunk of bread and hande
- The food and the wine were the best he had ever eaten. The c
- Chapter Four
- "It's obvious what has happened, Hugh. Someone had the prope
- "We can alert our people to be on the lookout for him. They
- As a cold breeze blew, Hugh watched Shayla close her eyes an
- "He'll be back here?" Hugh turned to her as she walked towar
- "No. I mean he's trying to find his way back to the forests
- "You can sense all this?" Hugh asked, awed for at least the
- "If one of us had found a way to free this man, I'm certain
- "As you command," Hugh said, nodding in agreement. He opened
- * * * *
- "'Tis an amazement!" Angus shook his head as he watched the
- Karen smiled for what seemed like the thousandth time. Every
- Watching him quickly turn his head to view the cottages that
- He tilted his head as she got out of the car, then opened hi
- "It's an expression." She laughed at his confusion then walk
- "Ah, this is another expression," Angus said, understanding.
- Never in his life had he seen such beautiful bounty. There w
- "What?" he breathed, as he pointed at the woman and then tur
- It was so hard not to laugh, but Karen managed to contain he
- "It's called a marshmallow. And she's dipping it into chocol
- The woman behind the counter looked up, took one look at Ang
- Karen smirked. The woman was twice his age, but that didn't
- "Aye," he sighed. "I would definitely love to sample." His e
- "Here ya' go then, love. I make the best candies in the area
- Angus carefully took the offering. When he put it in his mou
- Karen held back a snort of laughter as she watched the woman
- "What about you, lass? Won't you have something?" Angus held
- "Just a small glass of water. Maybe some shortbread."
- Angus nodded in approval. If he could get her to eat more, t
- An hour later, Karen stopped trying to hold back the laughte
- "I hope you haven't overdone it," she replied.
- "There is no such thing. A man canna' overdo bliss."
- Karen's shoulders shook in mirth. "I've created a monster. Y
- "Is that a bad thing?"
- "Not really. There are some people who think that life witho
- "Wise they are," he agreed, slapped his hand on the table th
- Karen picked up a napkin, leaned over to wipe a small bit of
- "There are other things just as tempting to a man." He winke
- Karen pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows. "If you think
- He nodded, took her hand and led the way out of the shop. As
- "Well, you look very pleased with the world," Karen remarked
- "I am. Verra' pleased indeed."
- When they reached the car, Karen opened the driver's door, b
- "I would learn to drive this beastie," he said, and swiped h
- "You've got to be kidding."
- "Oh, not here in the village," he admitted looking around at
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