Page 77

Once she was back, Rogene had called David’s school principal and asked for him to allow her to homeschool David until his final exams, which were coming in two weeks. She felt incredibly guilty and just couldn’t bear the thought of letting him remain with her aunt and uncle where he’d continue to be ignored and not supported with his dyslexia.

He was still waiting to hear about the football scholarship to Northwestern University, and was grateful to stay with her and have her help preparing for his exams.

She realized David had congratulated her and she’d never responded to him.

“Thank you,” Rogene said.

They’d agreed to meet up here after her defense. Although her colleagues had suggested going for a beer, she’d said she’d join them later, after she celebrated with her brother. With an ice cream—just like they had when their mom and dad were alive.

“Why don’t you look happy?” David said. “Before the wedding, you were all about this thing. You got the job with your supervisor. Isn’t it what you wanted so much? The degree, job security, and proving Mom’s hypothesis?”

She sucked in a breath. “Goddamn you and your observational skills. Let’s go, we’ll talk there.”

They walked to a gelato shop where she bought him his favorite pistachio ice cream and a strawberry chocolate for herself.

“Actually, you haven’t been yourself ever since you got back from that strange trip when you went like completely AWOL.”

Karin had called the police the next morning when Rogene hadn’t come down for breakfast in the hotel in Dornie. They had all been terrified while the police had searched for her, interviewed the wedding guests and the museum staff. David had stayed in contact with Karin every day until Rogene got back, hoping to hear some news about her, frustrated that he wasn’t allowed to go and search for her himself.

Rogene sighed. “You have no idea.” She licked her gelato and closed her eyes. Whenever she enjoyed something, she always thought Angus would have loved it. But there was no ice cream in the Middle Ages.

They crossed the street and slowly walked along the path. Oaks, which were planted along it at equal intervals, rustled gently in the wind. The big meadow of mowed grass was full of students sitting on blankets and sunbathing. Dogs barked, people laughed. It smelled like fresh grass, sunscreen, and barbecue. The sun was pleasant on Rogene’s skin, warming her, and she waited for the aching tension in her shoulders to loosen. Now she’d achieved everything she’d ever wanted. The degree. The job. Mom’s recognition. David was by her side.

She’d worked twelve hours a day after she’d returned, to submit the thesis on time. Then hours and hours of meetings and reading and learning and preparation for the defense. Now she could relax.

But the tension wasn’t going away. And that nausea she’d had for a few days before the defense… She’d attributed it to nerves, but even now that she’d given her defense and gotten her diploma, it still wasn’t going away.

Actually, it had gotten worse with the ice cream, and she couldn’t even look at it anymore.

She rolled her shoulders back. She knew what the problem was. Angus wasn’t here. He didn’t exist in her time.

She hadn’t been able to bring herself to check Angus and Euphemia’s marriage certificate since she’d returned. But she’d briefly checked the history of the Scottish kings, and it had all worked out perfectly, just the way she remembered.

So he must have married Euphemia like he’d said he would. And she must have had Paul Mackenzie. Rogene didn’t know. It was too painful to think of that, let alone look through the documents. And what would be the point? She’d only terrorize her heart, which already throbbed as though put through a meat grinder.

“I didn’t want to talk with you about it until you’d defended your thesis,” David said, “but I know you didn’t run away with a secret boyfriend like you said. You have no boyfriends. Secret or otherwise.”

Rogene sighed. “Yeah. You’re too smart for your own good. What do you think I did, then?”

She felt her brother’s piercing eyes on her. “I think…I think you disappeared.”

“Yeah, Sherlock. I disappeared with Cameron. Like I told you. I’d had enough of the stress with the wedding, with the thesis, with Lenticton. He was walking his dog on the island and he talked to me. I went for a drink with him. The rest is history.”

“Yeah,” David said after he bit into a chunk of the ice cream. “But you would have called, or texted, or emailed. I know you. You would have never left me. You text me daily when I’m in the States and get worried if I don’t reply by the end of the night.”

His brown eyes were serious and, as always, so intelligent, taking in her carefully. Could she really tell him the truth? He’d think she was lying, of course, but then she could turn it into a joke. And she really wanted to tell someone about her crazy adventure…about Angus.

What was the worst thing that could happen if she did confess? She would tell him she was kidding if he didn’t believe her. Which would, probably, be a bit cowardly and mean, but she really didn’t have the mental capacity to fight with anyone about anything. All she needed was a friend. Was support. And her brother was the best support she could get.

“Okay,” she said, “let’s go sit and talk.”

He put an arm around her and hugged her to his side, reminding her of how huge he was, and how loving. “Okay.”

They sat on a bench under the shadow of a large oak tree. David bit into the cone. He was half done with his ice cream. Looking at her now dripping cone, Rogene felt nauseated, and threw it into the trash with regret.

David turned to her, bending his leg on the bench so that he was facing her. “So? Where did you really disappear to?”

She let out a long sigh. “Back in time, David. To 1310.”