Moving into the kitchen, she made herself a cup of tea and sat down at the table. She peered around the empty room. Again, she cleared her throat. “Rory?”
I’m right here, Kylie Jane.
Yeah, and seemingly right against her neck. Another deep breath. “I’m only called that when I’m in trouble.”
Rory laughed, this time a bit further away.I know. I heard your granny call you that more times than no’. Truce it is, lass. For now. I’ll no’ be able tae measure my behaviour in the future.
She gulped. A flirty apparition? She could understand that. “OK, so tell me how you think I can help you.”
Verra well.He let out a heavy sigh.I’m sae weary, girl. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been searching the river for someone to help me. No one’s been able tae hear or see me – save your granny – until you. I . . . canna seem tae remember things. One minute, my men and I were together, and then next, I was verra much alone.
“You’re a soldier?”
Aye.His voice moved closer.I left Nairn in the year of our Lord, seventeen hundred an’ sixty-five, where I joined the Revolution. I havena been back tae Scotland since.
“What happened?”
I remember leading my men through a wood, no’ too far from here. An ambush overtook us, killing several of the lads. We fought like mad, but were outnumbered. What few of us remained was herded into theBerkshire.
Kylie gasped. “The prison shipBerkshire?”
Aye, the verra one. How is it you know o’ her?
“I’m a professor of Georgia History at the University.”
Och, so you can help me then.
Kylie stretched and crossed her legs. “What is it, exactly, you need help with?”
I canna be sure, but all at once, I was leading my men into the ship’s belly. I was shoved from behind, and went sprawling into the pit of theBerkshire’s prison. Then, I was afloat, invisible. I could see my men, and the other prisoners of theBerkshire, and then . . . they simply disappeared. The verra next thing I knew, I was here.
Her insides chilled. “As crazy as it sounds, I think you must have stumbled into a time slip, or rift, or . . . something.” How unbelievable, to think this man had once lived, fought for a young country not his own, and then just vanished to another time. His family, loved ones, all dead for centuries now. She ached for him.
I’ve waited sae long for you. I always hoped one day you’d have the gift tae see me.
“I remember playing in the dock house. I always felt as though someone stood beside me, calling my name.”
Aye, I tried for many years. Then, you left.
She had left, and sorely regretted it. She’d missed a lot of things in her life by leaving home, and had encountered nothing else but pain. Now, nothing remained of her old life except the old river house. And, her memories. Rinsing out her tea cup, she turned. “Can you see me, Rory?”
A soft chuckle.Aye.
“So, you can see, hear and speak, just not touch and smell?”
Nor taste. At least, no’ until the gloaming. And for that I have no explanation.
She shivered as the suggestion sounded in her ear. Mercy, what a sexy man, even for one so inaccessible, invisible. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t broken out in a cold sweat, or run away. He seemed just tangible enough to be real . . . yet not real enough to be a threat.
Flipping off the kitchen light, she headed for the bedroom. At the door, she paused. “You’ll be here in the morning, won’t you?”
You have only tae call for me, mo ghraidh.
Her heart slammed against her ribs. “What’s that mean –mo ghraidh?”
Och – just an old Scottish endearment, lass.
She steadied herself with a deep breath as the words washed over her. Probably just her silly own wishful reaction. There was areason she neared thirty and still lived alone. She slipped into her bedroom. “Goodnight, Rory.”
