The lass pointed at the South Esk below. “Let’s go down to the riverbank.” Kerry followed willingly, for he, too, felt as if stepping upon the bridge might signal the end.

Half an hour passed without either of them speaking. By mutual, silent consent, they maintained the distance of a meter or two. Jordan tossed rocks into the water while he sat on the ground and took in all the vibrant colors he’d been blind to all those years on the moor. The low, still-green grasses covering the riverbank, surrounded by dark pink heather, would have been the perfect spot for a picnic blanket, even on an October day.

“I regret we didnae think to pack our picnic,” he said, “but I believe breakfast will last me. How do ye fare, love?”

She barely glanced his way. “I don’t think any stores are open on Sunday, but we’ve still got a few rubbery eggs at the house.” She laughed and gathered more pebbles to throw into the water. But they both knew—surely she knew—he wouldn’t be going back.

He got to his feet. “Come here, Jordan.”

She dumped her cache of rocks into the water, brushed her hands together, then came to stand before him. Since she had difficulty looking anywhere but his stomach, he put his hands to the sides of her face to encourage her to lift her eyes. The smoothness of her skin distracted him, as did her lips, but there was much to say, and he feared little time left to say it.

“I love ye, lass. As sure as ye’re standing here, I love ye. Remember that.”

She shrugged. “Then why can’t you say where you’re going?”

“Believe me, it will be an easier thing for ye to believe I’ve returned to Brigadoon. I wish ye could trust me on this.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m a why kind of girl. Why would it be easier? Because the truth is just too horrible? Then I start wondering what horrible secrets you might be keeping.”

The ground might as well have rent in twain between their feet. Without moving a muscle, she retreated from him. No matter what had passed between them, he was asking for more trust than she could give.

Unfortunately, the truth was a chasm that couldn’t, shouldn’t be crossed. He knew full well that the powers that brought him back to life and returned him to Brechin involved secrets that were not his to share. His duty was to appreciate the time he’d been given. To prove himself honorable, which he believed he’d done in some small way. To move on to the next life when it was over.

“I will not lie to ye to allay yer fears, Jordan. I love no other and will love no other. My heart was only meant to be given once, and it is yers. I would give anything required to stay with ye for the remainder of yer life, if ye wished it. But I have nothing with which to pay such a price. Nothing to barter. Only gratitude that ye wanted my photograph enough to chase me down for it. If all we’d had together was the hour ye owed me, I would have thanked God for it, broken heart and all. And now, it would break my heart yet again if ye regretted our time together, such as it’s been.”

He opened his arms to her and held his breath. She moved into them eagerly and wrapped her own arms around his middle. He lifted her chin once again and kissed her forehead, her eyes, her cheekbones.

“Still a very poor aim, Kerry Mather.” She lifted her lips and puckered, lest he not understand her meaning. He corrected his mistake immediately.

~ ~ ~

Absently, Jordan noticed when Kerry ended the kiss. She hoped when he realized her eyes were still shut, he’d kiss her again, but he didn’t. He made a little noise in his throat and she looked up at him, wondering what was wrong. Wide-eyed, he stared up at the bridge, so she looked too.

White mist had moved down the hillside, headed their way.

“Wow. The clouds are low today. Maybe we’ll get lucky and the roads will be washed out.”

Kerry turned back to her then, his expression full of pity. “Those arenae clouds, love.”

She looked again. Mist poured onto the bridge like a cloud with a breeze behind it. Standing above the biggest arch was another guy dressed like a Highlander, though she hadn’t noticed him at first. His shirt was white with a thick sash of blue tartan crossing his body from shoulder to waist. His hair was even longer and darker than Kerry’s, and even from a distance, he looked like an incredibly dangerous man.

“A friend of yours?”

Kerry stared at her, studying her, watching for something.

“What’s wrong?” She glanced at the bridge again. “I’m such an idiot. He’s here to get you, isn’t he?” She grabbed his clothes and held on. “But he’s early, right? You haven’t had two whole days. He’s early!”

Kerry shrugged, but it didn’t loosen her grip. “I must away, love. Time to pay the piper.” He took a step backward and she went with him.

“Don’t go. Please. Just tell me where you’re going. I’ll find a way to come back to Scotland. Just tell me where to look for you. Kerry, please!”

He shook his head and gently pulled the fabric out of her hands, then held those hands tight. “One last kiss. That is all we will have.”

She flung her arms around his neck and pulled him as close as she could, hoping that the man on the bridge would take pity and leave Kerry with her. When their lips met, she kissed him so hard she knew she was bruising his lips, but she wanted to make a mark. To mark him as hers.

Kerry ended the kiss and pulled her against him so tight she could hardly breathe, but she wasn’t about to push him away. Sadly, he went willingly, putting his hands on her hips and pushing her back, holding her at arm’s length.

“Fare thee well, Jordan Lennox. Remember that somewhere, in the Highland mist, is a Scotsman that will love ye ‘til yer dying breath and beyond. Will ye remember?”

She tried to reach him again, but he held her back.

“Nay. Stay here, love. Watch from here. Perhaps ye’ll understand better that way.” With a lunge that felt like a kick in her stomach, he hurried up the riverbank and turned back. “Promise me ye’ll remember.”

She couldn’t speak, but she whispered. “Forever.” It was a sappy thing to say, but it was the sappiest moment of her life and she didn’t want any regrets. He really was leaving her, for good. And she’d never be able to find him again.

He walked to the end of the bridge like a man walking to his own execution. Once he was on it, though, he moved naturally. Whoever had come for him was someone he knew, and when Kerry reached him, the man shook his hand and clapped him on the shoulder. The guy even had the nerve to wave at her.

Kerry looked at the ground while the man spoke, then he turned and looked Jordan’s way. He stepped to the side of the bridge and blew her a kiss as the mist billowed up and swallowed his friend behind him. She’d barely had time to blow one back before the mist poured over Kerry, too, and spilled off the stone wall to the water below.

Jordan turned quickly to watch the far end of the bridge, for a glimpse of the two men leaving, wondering how in the hell she could follow him if she didn’t have a car. The mist had already dissipated there, however, and though she watched for a long time, she never saw them walk off the bridge.

The mist blew itself out like a giant block of dry ice had finally melted. And the Highlanders were gone. She hurried up the riverbank and ran to the stone wall, expecting to see Kerry and the other guy crouching like idiots, playing some kind of joke on her. But the entire length of the bridge was clear.

She ran to the far side and looked over, but she found nothing but shadows. The riverbanks, a hundred yards away, were undisturbed. Even if they’d started running when the mist hit, they couldn’t have gotten that far. If there had been a boat, she would have seen it through the arches.

What in the hell is going on here?