Silence greeted us as we entered the village. Every window was dark. As if in repose, the colorful buildings rested snuggly against one another. Had we failed to save the people of Doon after all?
I glanced questioningly at Jamie. His brow furrowed and he stopped in the middle of the street. “Listen,” he whispered.
Duncan and Fergus turned toward us. We all strained to hear the gentle melody that floated on the breeze, swelling and retreating on the gentle wind.
“They’d be in the Auld Kirk,” Duncan said with quiet determination.
“Of course!” Jamie beamed, the tension leaving his body for the first time since we crossed the bridge.
“Come on!” Fergus motioned to us and then set off in a loping stride. Duncan, Jamie, and I followed on his heels. Despite my exhaustion, energy surged through me as we ran in the direction of music that became clearer with every step.
Give us strength to face the darkness,
Faith to keep us safe,
And be our protection in times o’ trouble.
The hymn, clear and pure, rose into the night air, causing my heart to swell within my chest.
Never will we fear, for You are our mighty shield.
Because we have made You our refuge,
The Most High our dwelling place.
We raced up the stone stairs of the church. Duncan and Fergus pulled opened the double doors, and all four of us stood in the entryway.
No evil shall befall us or our own,
No scourge shall come near …
The entire kingdom of Doon stood united, their voices lifted to the sky, singing a prayer for their kingdom and the safe return of their king. Jamie’s eyes met mine as he took my hand, and we stepped into the sanctuary.
Fiona was among the first to see us. With a cry of joy, she ran down the center aisle and hurled herself into Fergus’s waiting arms. People surrounded us, their exultations and questions blending into a dizzying cacophony. Sofia flew toward us with a huge grin. Respectfully, I stepped to the side to give her access to Jamie, but stumbled back when she threw her arms around me. “You saved him, didn’t you? You beautiful girl, you saved us all,” she whispered urgently into my hair. Surprised, I met Jamie’s intense pride-filled gaze over Sofia’s narrow shoulder.
“She did save us all,” Jamie said in a reverent tone I’d never heard him use before. “In fact, it’s a story all of Doon needs to hear.”
After giving Sofia a brief hug, he held his hand out to me. Ignoring Jamie, I turned back to the tiny Italian girl, searching her lovely face. “But Sofia …”
I trailed off, unsure how to frame all the questions racing through my mind. Why was she not mad at me? How did she feel to see Jamie holding my hand? How long would she go on loving him?
With a wide smile, she leaned close to my ear and whispered, “’Tis all right, Veronica. I’ve had a Calling o’ my own.”
My eyes widened, and I stared at Sofia in amazement. A quick glance at Jamie’s face told me this was not news to him. I arched an eyebrow and frowned. “You knew about this?”
“Aye, though in my defense it was a recent development,” he said, his lips sliding into an apologetic grin.
And just like that, I melted.
“Come.” Jamie took my hand and pulled me against his side, whispering, “Your highness.”
I smiled up into his handsome face as he led me through the crowd, to the front of the church. But as we climbed the steps to the altar, my feet began to drag. How would these good people accept the news that their newly crowned king, who’d been reared for the position since birth, had been usurped by an ordinary American girl—one who was thought by many to be in league with the devil?