I was unsure of what a ‘tourist’ was, but if what he said was true, it meant that they’d been successful at stopping the attack. Adelle, Bri, Eoin, Mary, Arran, had most likely all gone on to live for many more years. That knowledge was enough to rid meself of any other fears I had about moving on in this time alone.
“Do ye really mean it? The castle is no just a pile of rocks? It wasna destroyed long ago?” I needed just one more reassurance in order to let meself fully believe him.
Gwendolyn nodded and spoke this time. “Yes, dear. The Conalls have been one of the most powerful and beloved clans in Scotland for centuries. Descendants still own the castle, but they’ve partnered with the historical society to open it up for visitors. Are you sure you’re still not ill?”
I nodded, relieved beyond explanation. It was time to explain to them what had happened. Then regardless of their reaction, it was time for me to move on from this place and start a new life here on me own.
“Aye, I feel fine. But I need to tell ye what’s happened, and ’tis a long story. I doubt that ye will believe me.”
Jerry smiled and sat back in his chair, settling in. “Why doona ye just get on with it, lass? Then we will decide what we believe.”
“Aye. I’m no sure of where to begin. The first thing I should tell ye is that I’m no Bri. My name is Blaire MacChristy. My father was Laird of MacChristy Castle during the seventeenth century. I was betrothed to Alasdair Conall’s eldest son, Eoin, but on the day of our wedding in the year sixteen hundred and forty-five, I found meself swept up by a spell cast by Alasdair’s late sister, Morna Conall, a witch who died when I was very young. As ye can see, Bri and I look very much the same with our hair dark and our eyes blue, and Morna knew that we would. She cast the spell so that if Bri and I ever laid eyes on the same spelled plaque in a spell room beneath the castle, we would switch places in time. Nearly two months ago, her spell worked. Bri was sent back and I was brought forward.” I paused to look up at them and was surprised to see that they both seemed rather unsurprised by my words.
Instead, Jerry asked a question as if we were having the most normal of conversations. “Lass, why did Morna want ye to switch places? And where is Adelle?”
It took me a moment to speak. Was it possible that he believed what I was saying? “Ye see, that’s why I asked ye if the castle was ruins. When I arrived here, it was. When Adelle and Bri came here, it was in ruins. Only a few short months after my wedding, the Conalls were murdered and the castle destroyed. No one ever found out who murdered them and that was why Bri and Adelle came to Scotland, to search for something that might reveal who had murdered the Conalls. Tis for the same reason that Morna cast the spell. She hoped that if Bri and I switched places, Bri’s knowledge of what was to come would enable her to stop it. And she did. If no, then the castle would still be in ruins now.”
“And Adelle?” Jerry continued to stare at me as if he wasn’t shocked by me story.
“Once Adelle realized that we’d been switched, we spent weeks searching for a spell that could switch us back. We found one, but Bri dinna want to return. She married Eoin, and they fell in love. I dinna want to go back either, there’s no much left for me there.” I paused as an uncomfortable knot lodged itself in me chest. I swallowed hard, pushing it down and continued. “Adelle wanted to be with Bri. So she did the spell instead, and it worked. She’s with Bri now. ’Twas three days ago when I arrived here alone telling ye I was sick. I dinna know what to do.” I leaned back in me own chair and crossed me hands in my lap.
Gwendolyn had remained silent when Jerry had spoken up, and I could tell nothing by her face.
The three of us sat in silence for what seemed like much longer than I’m sure it was. Eventually, Gwendolyn stood and walked to the other side of the room behind me and reached up to the top of the bookshelf lining the wall and pulled a small box from the shelf.
She returned to her seat next to Jerry and smiled at him quickly before extending the box in me direction. “I’d like to tell you a story meself, if you don’t mind, dear.”
Confused, I only nodded and took the box to sit it in me own lap.
Gwendolyn pointed at the box. “Open it, and pull out the top three photographs.”
I obeyed, lifting the small metal latch that kept the lid closed and looking down inside the box. I remembered the first time I’d seen a photograph, the first day I’d arrived in this time. Adelle had shown me one of Bri to emphasize just how much we resembled one another. Despite all the strange and wonderful things I’d seen, it was still miraculous to me that moments could be captured forever on a small piece of parchment.
Only three photographs lay inside, all facing down, and I lifted them out and closed the lid before turning them over. As I did, the air around me chilled suddenly as I gazed at the images.
The first was of Conall Castle, but not as I remembered it. It was the castle in ruins as it had been when I arrived in this time.