“I might have heard her tell that story,” he said, his lips warm on the skin of my neck.
And it turned out—he had.
Much, much later, as we walked down the hill from the circle, I decided that my blog audience would just have to do without the full story of the discovery—at last—of my own Craigh na Dun.
Channeling Claire…
Somewhere in the Highlands of Scotland
10:00 am, September 14
As this leg of my journey ends, I think what I have taken most from this trip has been the importance of friends.
And perhaps the discovery that sometimes Highland Warriors wield pens, not swords.
I may have begun this journey with the sole objective of finding my own Fraser, but I am much happier that the person I found, instead, was my own inner Claire.
I ‘ll be back soon…
- ES
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To:
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From: SophiaSheridan@angstandarg*t.com
September 14
Hi Emma,
It was with great relief we received your email noting your arrival details. I’ve arranged to get the time off, so Paul and I will be there to meet you.
By the way, I received the strangest email from a friend who works at a publishing firm in New York. Apparently they’d like to speak to you about a blog-to-book deal. I have no idea what that means, but if it’s a chance to earn a few dollars, I hope you do the sensible thing and take them up on it!
Sophia
Reporting in to the police station at the Edinburgh airport was unnerving. We pulled up to the terminal and Jack pointed to the small sign.
“It’s just over there. Don’t worry about a thing. I just need to sort out my ticket, and then I’ll meet you on the other side of the security gates.”
I got out of the car and walked around to the driver’s side. Jack rolled down his window. “Listen—it may take them a bit to run the paperwork. Hold on …”
He rustled around in his computer bag, pulled out a book and handed it through the window. “Somethin’ to do while ye wait,” he said.
“Thanks.”
I tucked it into my pack beside the copy of OUTLANDER, but it didn’t really make me feel any better. The kiss he gave me before I stepped inside the door marked with the stark POLICE sign helped quite a bit more.
In the end, the visit to check in with the police was entirely anti-climactic. After assigning me to a chair, they left me sitting outside the office door for almost an hour before calling me in. While I was waiting, I paid out one of my last pound coins to use the airport wifi to make the blog post and read my email, but that only took a moment or two. I was grateful for the copy of Jack’s book, as it at least gave me something to think about other than my imminent arrest.
I skipped right through the entire first couple of chapters and headed straight for what Mrs. McCarthy would call the juicy bits. When the police did call me, I’m pretty sure they had to say my name twice.
It was a good book.
Inside, I handed over my letter, which they stamped with great formality, and tucked into my passport.
The policeman on duty shot me a quizzical glance. “Yer not even a full month overstay, it says here,” he said, reading off his screen.
“Yes—it was more of a mix-up than anything. I don’t know why everyone got so upset.”
He shrugged, and then peered at his screen before looking up at me.
“‘Pears you’ve got yerself an enemy, Miss. Says here you were reported—by anonymous call. Full description of yeh, too. It’s uncanny …”
“Anonymous call…” I repeated slowly.
“Well, I wouldn’t worry about it, Miss. They’ll not bother to flag this. It prolly won’t even show up if you try to return to the UK.”
I thought of Sophia’s note. “Oh, I’m coming back,” I said.
“Let’s get ye through to yer plane, then, aye?”
He swung open the door into the terminal, and I walked through.
After signing off with the police, I hurried toward the security gates and spotted Jack almost immediately. He was still on my side of the gates; craning to look through the crowds. My stomach clenched a little at the sight of him, still wearing his kilt from the festivities at the Games. I thought about our brief trip to the circle on the hillside, and immediately felt my face suffuse with heat.
I hate being such an easy blusher.
As I walked up, he turned and caught sight of me. His look of anxiety was swept away by a relieved smile. “Oh, thank god. I thought I’d missed ye.”
“You could always have found me on the other side of security. You know my gate, right?”
“That I do. Since it is mine, as well.”
It took me a minute to catch on. “You’ve changed your flight?” I said, slowly.