Page 25 of Hearts Bound By Time

“I’m from Boston.” Marissa answered and then thinking perhaps she wouldn’t know where Boston was added, “Massachusetts.”

“Really? I have cousins who live there.”

“I probably don’t know them.”

“I wouldn’t imagine ye would. ’Tis a large city. Knowing everyone who resides there would take quite a bit of work on yer part.” Mrs. MacDougall chuckled and put her napkin back in her lap.

That was quite a dumb thing to say. Of course this kind woman wouldn’t think she knew her cousins. Marissa had always been a bit socially awkward, but she’d been working hard to be better in social situations. She obviously still had some work to do. “What part of the city do they live in?”

“Actually they live just outside of the city itself in a place called Somerville. Ye must be familiar with it.”

“I am. I actually grew up there.” She was about to continue, but Teddy was back and had quietly taken his seat. There was something about him that Marissa found attractive. He definitely wouldn’t fall into the hot category, but she found him appealing. He seemed quite shy and she liked that. For once she wasn’t the shyest one in the room. When he glanced her way, she tried to convey all of what she was thinking in one smile, but she was afraid she probably looked more like a demented jack-o-lantern. To her surprise, Teddy smiled back. Butterflies began to roil in her tummy and her heart beat quickened uncomfortably. This would not be a good time for a panic attack. She took some long, slow deep breaths to calm this odd sensation she was feeling.

Mrs. MacDougall must have sensed the thickness of the air between the two. “This is so nice. I haven’t had a Christmas gathering in years. Even though this one was impromptu, I think it’s been a big success.”

“I’ll check to see if the snow has stopped. If it has, we should head back to the inn.” Teddy went to the door and quickly returned. “’Tis still coming down quite heavily. I don’t know how we’ll get back.”

“I’ve got an idea. Help me clean up and we’ll see about getting the little one’s back to their families.”

Chapter 12

All Is Well

Ashley and Cailin headed back to the inn. The others were still roaming up and down the street in search of gifts, but they had finished their shopping and Ashley was anxious to get back to Emma. The snow was piling up on the street and the sun had set early, as it did here during the Scottish winter months. Try as she might, Ashley couldn’t help but worry about Emma. Cailin was always patient with her, understanding her concern and not making her feel badly about it.

They reached the inn door and she noted the lack of lights in the interior. “That’s odd. There aren’t any lights on. I hope everything’s okay.” The anxiety she felt whenever she thought Emma might be in danger came bubbling to the surface.

Cailin’s arm was around her in a flash. “All is well, love. Ye’ll see.”

Entering the inn, she noted the quiet. You could hear a pin drop. Not something that was ever possible when the twins were around. “Cailin.” Ashley glanced up at him and was not comforted to see that he wore a concerned expression now too.

“Teddy!” He called into what they both realized was an empty inn.

Ashley ran to the dining room, which was the last place they’d been seen and turned on the lights. There was not a sign of any of them. “Where could they be?”

“I dinnae ken. The snow is coming down in droves out there. Why would Teddy take them out in it?”

“Maybe they’re upstairs. I’ll go look,” Ashley said.

“I’ll check the cottage out back,” Cailin responded.

Ashley bolted up the stairs, searching from room to room to no avail. When she arrived back downstairs, she was greeted by Cailin, who had a dark expression on his face. “They’re not at the cottage?” she asked.

“Nae.” Cailin paced back and forth for a moment. “Ashley, ye stay here. I’ll go search for them.”

“Don’t you think we should let the others know first. That way Robert and Cormac can go with you to find them.”

“Aye. I’ll take care of it. Stay here in case they return.”

He was out the door in a flash.

***

“We won’t all fit in my tiny little car,” Mrs. MacDougall was saying, “so I thought we might use this. Teddy, if ye’ll help me please.”

Teddy followed her and helped her remove a large canvas tarp from an old sleigh.

“I haven’t used this in years, but it’s large enough to fit everyone and ’twill be a fun way to get everyone safely back to the inn. Teddy, if ye’ll help me move it to the center aisle of the stable, we can get Old Hildy hooked up to it and we’ll be off. Marissa would ye mind folding the tarp for me.”