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Disclaimer in part one
The Truth Hurts
Part 22
by N.R. Levy
Erin looked on intently as the dark-haired woman drove away from Ceol Na Mara. The man who'd walked her out, Erin remembered, was called Ethan, and he was someone that her mistress feared. Well, perhaps feared wasn't the right word. Erin had never seen Maggie Abbott fearful of anyone, but the mistress was concerned that this young man's presence would upset her plans.
Ethan turned and walked back into the house, and Erin took cover behind an old ruined wall that had once stood as a boundary to foreign invaders. She pulled out the cell phone the mistress demanded she carry and dialed anxiously. After five rings, Erin knew she would get no answer. For some reason, Maggie had turned off her own phone. That meant she would call Erin when the time was right. Nothing to do then, Erin thought, but get back home and wait to hear what the mistress's wishes were.
***
As Parker drove down the road, the small car seeming to fly over the dirt-strewn path in front of it, she fought down a feeling of panic. She knew that it was born not only out of her concern for Jarod, but from the swirl of thoughts and images that were assaulting her brain. Just a few years ago, her family had consisted of she and her father. Now more mysterious branches had made themselves known. Violet, Lillias, and then there was the small, now silent family member whose presence she felt so strongly growing inside her. It was all so nearly overwhelming, and yet Parker could not afford to be overwhelmed. Jarod was in danger, and until he was safe with her again, he was all she could think about.
One thing she was certain of was her destination. "'tis someplace special t' him and ye. If ye listen yer heart will take ye there." Lillias' words echoed in Parker's mind. Her heart didn't need to lead her, her memories, so recently reclaimed, were doing that. St. Gilleabart's. Other than Violet's inn, it was the only place in Scotland that held real significance for them. It was also isolated and Jarod had already done security checks on it, which would mean it was a place he would feel potentially safe. Of course, he had no idea he was anything but.
What Parker did not know, though, was what she would say to him when she saw Jarod again. Ever since he'd learned that his parents were still alive, his whole life had been consumed by the idea he'd constructed of who Charles and Margaret Russell were. Once, he had even talked to her about how he imagined it would be when his whole family was together again.
"My dad, he's already accepted Ethan and the boy as his own. And we have Emily. And I have you." The last words had been spoken softly, his hand reaching up to stroke her cheek as she laid with her head on his chest as they watched the sun rise from their bedroom at Violet's. "But it's when we find my mother, Parker, that's when I'll have everything. I've always envied you so much, the memories you have of your mom. To know what it felt like to have someone take care of you when you were sick or read to you or make you your favorite dinner. I mean, I know I'm not a boy anymore, but to be able to look in her eyes and see that she wanted to do all those things for me. I know that'll make it right somehow."
A horn sounded, pulling Parker back to the present and the road she had almost driven off of. She felt wetness on her cheeks, and realized that she'd been crying. Quickly, she swiped away the tears. And then another memory returned to her. She was back in the Caer, back in the room where Margaret had stolen her memories. Her thoughts that day had also been of Jarod. God, how she wished she could spare him this. She knew the wound that the truth would open up in his soul would never heal. After a lifetime of dreaming, of having those dreams destroyed by the very person you'd focused them on...the pain would cripple him.
But Parker was resolved. She would put him back together again, she and Cameron. But first she had to get Jarod away from Margaret. Parker's foot jammed down on the accelerator, moving her toward that first dangerous but necessary goal.
***
Jarod had finally fallen asleep. The silence brought Margaret a much-needed respite. Her son was understandably gregarious considering everything he had on his mind, but unaccustomed as she was to having to "play" at mothering, the effort was exhausting.
He looked so like Charles when he was young. The same build, same hopeful gleam in the eye. Were Margaret a different person, she was sure that would have been a source of pride, something to make her wistful. Instead, it was merely an observation.
She was tempted to try and call Erin, but she knew from watching the DSAs of Jarod's captivity that her son was plagued by nightmares, and at present it was more important for her to keep him quiet than to get in touch with her operative. Once Jarod was safely secured at the Caer and under the doctor's care, then she would deal with Catherine's errant daughter.
She wondered if Miss Parker had figured out that she was pregnant yet, and if so, what must she think about how it happened? The brainwashing process was too thorough to allow her to remember anything about her relationship with Jarod other than the contentious nature of it prior to her arrival in Scotland. Who did she think was the father? One thing was certain; Margaret needed to get her back under control soon as well. In her confusion, Miss Parker might be tempted to end the pregnancy, and Margaret couldn't allow that to happen. The child was far too valuable and had been planned for far too long.
"No, no. Parker, don't go."
Jarod jerked in his sleep, his brow now covered in sweat. Margaret knew that on some level she should feel guilty for the demons that chased her son in his sleep. But guilt was something that normal people dealt with. Looking at her watch, Margaret sighed. Soon enough, Jarod would forget all of his pain, all of his hopes for finding his family, and, for now, all of his love for Catherine Parker's little girl.
***
The train station was as busy as usual, and Gellie held tightly to young Ian's hand as they made their way through the crush of people. Of course, she knew that soon enough she would have to let her grandson go. She hated sending him away, and she knew the boy didn't really understand why he was leaving, but at least Marley had made it seem like quite the adventure for him. Still, Gellie wished there was another solution.
"We're all set then." Lillias walked up, tickets for she and Ian in her hand. She could see the strain of worry on Gellie's face, and Lillias was grateful that Marley had stayed behind at the inn, just in case Jarod tried to contact them. More people would only make this more difficult, and it was going to be hard enough. As if cued by her thought, Ian looked up at Gellie, a questioning look in his eyes.
"Gran, are you sure Pa is going to be okay? He seemed so sad when we left?"
Gellie took a deep breath as she thought about what her answer would be. Aye, "Pa" as Ian referred to Donal, was very sad indeed. Gellie had never felt such pain in her life as when she'd had to confront her dear husband with the truth of his wrongdoings. Donal hadn't tried to deny or excuse, instead he had just sat down, his hands covering his face.
"I let ye down, lovie. I'm sorry."
Gellie had spent the next hour convincing her husband that she understood the why of it even if she didn't agree with what he'd done. And she had to admit that had it been she Maggie Abbott had trapped and threatened, she couldn't honestly say she would have done any different than her man had.
Donal had barely been able to make eye contact with Marley or Lillias when they'd returned to the main house of the inn, but Marley had quickly approached him and embraced him in a gesture of understanding. Lillias had simply nodded her head toward him and then stated that it was best she and Ian be heading out.
Gellie knew Donal also regretted the need for sending their grandson away. Though they hoped it was only temporary, it was almost like losing their own boy again. Yet after the things the caer mistress had made Donal do to the young Americans, well, he also knew that it might be the only way to protect the boy without causing more harm to any innocents.
"We'll take good care of him, Gel." Lillias said, her had reaching down for Ian's free one.
"Aye, I know." Gellie leaned down and planted one final kiss on Ian's cheek, then she turned to go. Lillias' voice stopped her before she could get too far away.
"She's no don' wit him, Gellie. Be on yer guard."
With a nod of understanding, Gellie walked away. As she disappeared, Lillias looked down at Ian's youthful but bewildered face and smiled at him.
"Aye now, Mr. Ian. Let's us be off on our adventure now, shall we?"
***
Jarod woke up in a flourish of movement. The fleeting vision from his dream was one he wished he could burn out of his memory. Parker and their baby were lost to him. He couldn't remember how or why, he only knew that in the end, he had not been able to save them.
Quickly his eyes scanned the room inside St. Gilleabart's where he and his mother had spent the night. She was lying on the cot, her eyes closed, and he was grateful that his nightmare had not disturbed her rest. At least she was still here. Part of him had been afraid to sleep, fearful that she would sneak away in her efforts to keep him safe. Yet as worried as he was about that possibility, he wanted, no he needed a few minutes to himself outside of the tiny room.
Shaking his head, Jarod reached for his jacket and headed out to check the perimeter of the abbey. A dense white fog greeted him and sent a chill through his body as he began to walk around the ruins. His mind was struggling to recover the terrifying dream that had so quickly slipped away from him, but it was gone. What remained was the fear he'd felt and the overwhelming sense of loss. He could not lose Parker, not now. After all the confusing and painful years of separation and anger and, of course, the cat and mouse game of the last five, they had finally found each other. But it was more than that now. Their child was at stake.
Stopping on the north side of the old church, Jarod leaned against one of the walls and took in a deep breath. He had to calm down his mind. Sydney had told him so often that he couldn't find the answers he sought if he could not quiet the chatterings of his mind. For a brief moment, he wondered how Ethan and, more recently, Parker, could deal with the incessant whispers of their inner sense. He was certain that had he been born with that particular gift, his mind would have been trapped in an eternally harsh cramp. He needed quiet to think. He only hoped that his mother didn't wake and wonder what had happened to him.
***
Margaret had listened to Jarod's ragged breathing as he woke up from whatever tortured vision he'd suffered in his sleep. She'd wisely closed her own eyes, pretending to be deeply at rest so that her son would not realize she had sat awake all night, making certain that nothing happened to ruin her plans to get him safely to the caer today.
She'd continued to feign sleep as Jarod pulled on his jacket and exited the room, keeping her body still until the rhythmic shuffle of Jarod's careful steps, he was probably trying not to wake her, disappeared down the hall. Finally alone, she opened her own eyes and stood up, stretching away the night's stiffness.
Margaret was not concerned that Jarod would run away. What she'd been more fearful of was some interference from Mirage. As long as Ethan was on the loose and near to them, there was the chance that the voices of his inner sense would lead him to Jarod, and that would definitely not do, not now.
Reaching into her jacket, Margaret pulled out her cell phone and pre-dialed the number she wanted to reach. Before she pushed send, she moved to the window, glancing out to see if she could catch of glimpse of Jarod anywhere. Her effort was rewarded. Her son was pacing down below, agitation evident in every step he took. Smiling slightly, she pushed the send button. An accented female voice answered on the other end.
"Aye."
"Erin, what's happening?"
"Ma'am, the boy be here at Ceol Na Mara. I saw him."
"And he's still there? I need to be certain he's no where near Inverness."
"Not a chance o' that."
Margaret sighed, a bit relieved. Everything was working. "Did you see Parker?"
"Aye, if she be the dark-haired woman he was wit."
"Good. That's just..."
Footsteps. Margaret quickly disconnected the call, moving back to hide the phone in her coat.
"But she's gone, ma'am. She left hours ago. Ma'am? Ms. Abbott?"
Erin got no response. Oh, well, she thought. It was the boy the mistress was really worried about, and at least she knew the lad would not be causing her any trouble today.
***
Margaret finished hiding the phone just in time to turn around and see Jarod enter the room. When he saw the flushed look on her face, he assumed it was because she had been unable to find him.
"I was just downstairs checking things out, Mom. I'm sorry if I scared you."
Taking his cue, Margaret let her hands shake visibly as she crossed to embrace her son.
"No, I should have...I should have known you were just trying to keep us safe. I'm sorry I overreacted."
Jarod seemed appeased by her note of true worry, and after a brief embrace, she pushed back carefully and looked at him with a suitable mask of motherly affection.
"I won't let anything hurt you," he said, his tone so earnest, "I promise."
Margaret nodded and crossed to the other side of the room. God, sometimes it was almost laughable how easy it was to manipulate him. Despite his intelligence, her son was ruled by his emotions. It was the reason her plan had always hinged on grooming Parker to take her rightful place at the Centre. Parker would learn that emotions were a luxury and a weapon that a queen could use against her consort whenever needed. It was that very theory that had made using Charles so simple.
***
Parker parked the car a half a mile away from St. Gilleabart's and, gun in hand, walked the rest of the distance. Years of chasing Jarod had taught her that he was attuned to the slightest movement of rocks or gravel and that a hint of squeak from brakes would send him running. It would do so now. He had no reason to believe that it was her coming to find him.
Carefully, she approached the abbey. Just seeing it threatened to bring a rush of emotions flooding through her, but she steeled her nerves and heart against it. Now was not the time. Stopping to remove her shoes so that she would have extra stealth inside the stairwell, Parker moved inside, her gun extended before her.
It seemed to take forever to climb the old, crumbling steps, her heart pounding more with each step. She still had no real plan for what she would do or say, she only knew that she was leaving here with Jarod no matter what it took.
Parker reached the landing that led to the small room where she and Jarod had made love just weeks ago. She crossed the threshold, her eyes instantly taking in the site of Jarod sitting on the bed, and that bitch Margaret kneeling down in front of him with a look of such fake concern it made Parker want to throw up.
Margaret saw her first. Her eyes widened, and then she grabbed at Jarod's shoulders.
"Run, son. Run."
They were the first words Margaret could think to say though the first words she'd wanted to say were a litany of curses. How in the hell had Parker found them?
Jarod stood, turning quickly, ready to defend his mother. He had expected to see an army of sweepers. Instead he saw the all to familiar sight of Parker standing with a gun in her hand, and the gun was pointing at his mother. Yet instead of the panic that scene would normally cause him, all Jarod felt was relief. She was all right, and she was here. Now he could fix everything.
"Parker, thank God. I was so worried about..."
He was more than a little surprised when Parker tightened her grip on her gun and pointed it even more directly at his mother.
"Jarod, it's time to go."
Margaret took in the confusion emanating from both of the room's younger occupants. Parker looked ready to kill and Jarod's whole body had turned into a rock of tension as he tried to understand what was happening.
"What? Parker, what is going on?"
There seemed to be only one explanation for what was happening, at least in Margaret's mind. Parker, returned to her memories of several months ago, thought she was here to hunt Jarod down. Well, then, so be it. Margaret would use that to her advantage.
"Jarod, we have to get out of here. She's here to take you back to the Centre."
"Mom, no. I told you, things have changed. We..." Jarod looked desperately toward Parker. "Parker, tell her you aren't here to hurt us."
Parker's eyes narrowed intently as she thought about how much Jarod loved his "mother." The cow was totally undeserving, and if it was the last thing she ever did, Parker was going to make Margaret pay for the pain she was going to cause Jarod when he found out the truth.
"Jarod, I want you to come with me, right now. Come away from her and let's go."
"This is my mother, Parker. I'm not going to leave her. I've been looking for her forever, you know that."
Margaret put her hand on Jarod's arm, squeezing it.
"She wants to hurt you, son. I know how you feel about her, but she clearly wants to tear us apart."
"Shut up!" The force of the words coming from Parker's mouth caused Jarod to jump a bit, and he turned to her, his face twisted in absolute shock.
"Parker!"
"You tried to destroy us, to destroy me. But you failed. I am not going to let you hurt him. Do you understand me? I will not let you win."
"Parker," Jarod barked out, his body moving to move completely conceal his mother from his lover's view, "what the hell are you talking about? She hasn't hurt us. She loves me..."
"I love you, Jarod. I love you. And I am asking you to walk over here and come to me right now."
The words registered in both mother and son, but they prompted wholly different reactions. To Jarod, the words were a godsend. She remembered. She knew they had fallen in love, she knew what they meant to each other. To Margaret, the words almost floored her like nothing in all of her twisted life ever had. She remembered? Dear God, if Parker remembered...no, there was no way the brainwashing could have failed. It had NEVER failed.
"Your memory..." the words slipped from Jarod's lips so quietly it was almost as if he were afraid to speak them aloud. But Parker heard them.
"I remember, Jarod. I remember us, here and Violet's. I remember our child, Jarod. I remember everything. Now come to me, please."
Jarod took two involuntary steps toward Parker and for the first time Margaret felt real panic. She did remember; Parker remembered. Margaret glanced at her watch. The sweepers were still more than an hour away and there was no way she could hurry them. Her only option was to try and hold Parker off, but that didn't seem like a very likely path.
Parker felt her breath catch as Jarod began to walk toward her. Then he stopped. Slowly, he turned back and looked at Margaret, then he looked back at Parker.
"I...I don't understand. I can't, why do you want me to leave my mother?"
"Jarod, please," Parker begged, yet she kept strength in her voice, "please come to me. I know this doesn't make any sense, baby, but I'm asking you to trust me. Trust me."
The pretender felt his heart constrict and his lungs felt as if he couldn't get in any air. Trust her? Of course he trusted her. He loved her. But leave his mother? He'd searched so long...but it was Parker asking him and how could he not go?
"If what happened here meant anything to you, Jarod, then you'll come to me now." Parker hated to play that card with him, but she could see how much he was struggling, and damn it, she had to win this fight.
Margaret saw the look in Jarod's eyes as he turned to stare into her eyes. What was it he was looking for? She wasn't certain. This was not a development she had ever anticipated. Parker had somehow willed her memories back into being, and if that were true, her nemesis had become far more powerful than even the Centre had ever imagined. And Margaret stood helpless as her prize genetic product walked out of her embrace and walked toward his predestined lover.
Parker fought the urge to run to Jarod and pull him over to her more quickly. It seemed to take him forever to cross the width of the tiny room. But finally, he was there, beside her, and though she wanted nothing more than to pull him to her and hold him, she had someone else to take care of first. Parker pushed a stunned Jarod partially behind her as she reinforced her aim on Margaret. Her voice came out low and full of rage as she spoke to her new enemy.
"I know what you did to me."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Margaret replied, her voice still carrying out the charade of panic-stricken mother. Yet her mind was racing. There was only one option now, she had to get out of the room. The problem was, there was only one way out, and Parker and her gun were blocking it. Yet Jarod was also there. Jarod. His weakness was about to be her ace in the hole. Feigning an attempt to get closer to her son, Margaret moved forward. Parker reacted instantly, taking a step forward and pushing the gun in Margaret's direction. Jarod remained behind Parker. He was in a partial daze, his mind still reeling.
"Stay away from us. I won't let you hurt him."
"You're the one who's going to hurt him, Miss Parker. Look at what you're doing to him now."
Another few steps. Parker was losing her patience. She clicked the safety off her gun. That movement was all it took to break Jarod from his shock-induced reverie. He reached out and grabbed Parker's arm, pulling it down and away from his mother.
"Parker, no!"
A shot rang out as Jarod's movement made Parker pull the trigger. The bullet jettisoned into the floorboards, missing all of the room's occupants, but Margaret had made her opportunity. With Jarod and Parker out of the way, she dashed through the door and down the steps.
"Jarod, stop. Let me go." Parker tried to push Jarod off of her, but it was already too late. Margaret was gone. Meanwhile Jarod stood looking at her as if she had grown two heads.
"Parker, she's my mother. What the hell were you doing?"
"Saving you, saving our child from a life worse than anything you or I have been through so far, Jarod."
Jarod was speechless. Parker briefly thought of pursuing Margaret, but decided against it. She and the Centre Bitch would meet up again. What mattered now was the man she had come for. Parker moved to him, her arms pulling him against her body.
"Baby, I know you don't understand what just happened. I'll tell you everything, I will. But the truth is going to hurt so much more than any of the lies they've told you."
Parker felt his body begin shake against her, and she knew the emotional tumult of the last few minutes had finally worn him down. Helpless, she simply held him tighter.
"Parker, I...what..."
"Shh. I'm going to make it all right, Jarod. I promise I will."
The Truth Hurts
Part 22
by N.R. Levy
Erin looked on intently as the dark-haired woman drove away from Ceol Na Mara. The man who'd walked her out, Erin remembered, was called Ethan, and he was someone that her mistress feared. Well, perhaps feared wasn't the right word. Erin had never seen Maggie Abbott fearful of anyone, but the mistress was concerned that this young man's presence would upset her plans.
Ethan turned and walked back into the house, and Erin took cover behind an old ruined wall that had once stood as a boundary to foreign invaders. She pulled out the cell phone the mistress demanded she carry and dialed anxiously. After five rings, Erin knew she would get no answer. For some reason, Maggie had turned off her own phone. That meant she would call Erin when the time was right. Nothing to do then, Erin thought, but get back home and wait to hear what the mistress's wishes were.
***
As Parker drove down the road, the small car seeming to fly over the dirt-strewn path in front of it, she fought down a feeling of panic. She knew that it was born not only out of her concern for Jarod, but from the swirl of thoughts and images that were assaulting her brain. Just a few years ago, her family had consisted of she and her father. Now more mysterious branches had made themselves known. Violet, Lillias, and then there was the small, now silent family member whose presence she felt so strongly growing inside her. It was all so nearly overwhelming, and yet Parker could not afford to be overwhelmed. Jarod was in danger, and until he was safe with her again, he was all she could think about.
One thing she was certain of was her destination. "'tis someplace special t' him and ye. If ye listen yer heart will take ye there." Lillias' words echoed in Parker's mind. Her heart didn't need to lead her, her memories, so recently reclaimed, were doing that. St. Gilleabart's. Other than Violet's inn, it was the only place in Scotland that held real significance for them. It was also isolated and Jarod had already done security checks on it, which would mean it was a place he would feel potentially safe. Of course, he had no idea he was anything but.
What Parker did not know, though, was what she would say to him when she saw Jarod again. Ever since he'd learned that his parents were still alive, his whole life had been consumed by the idea he'd constructed of who Charles and Margaret Russell were. Once, he had even talked to her about how he imagined it would be when his whole family was together again.
"My dad, he's already accepted Ethan and the boy as his own. And we have Emily. And I have you." The last words had been spoken softly, his hand reaching up to stroke her cheek as she laid with her head on his chest as they watched the sun rise from their bedroom at Violet's. "But it's when we find my mother, Parker, that's when I'll have everything. I've always envied you so much, the memories you have of your mom. To know what it felt like to have someone take care of you when you were sick or read to you or make you your favorite dinner. I mean, I know I'm not a boy anymore, but to be able to look in her eyes and see that she wanted to do all those things for me. I know that'll make it right somehow."
A horn sounded, pulling Parker back to the present and the road she had almost driven off of. She felt wetness on her cheeks, and realized that she'd been crying. Quickly, she swiped away the tears. And then another memory returned to her. She was back in the Caer, back in the room where Margaret had stolen her memories. Her thoughts that day had also been of Jarod. God, how she wished she could spare him this. She knew the wound that the truth would open up in his soul would never heal. After a lifetime of dreaming, of having those dreams destroyed by the very person you'd focused them on...the pain would cripple him.
But Parker was resolved. She would put him back together again, she and Cameron. But first she had to get Jarod away from Margaret. Parker's foot jammed down on the accelerator, moving her toward that first dangerous but necessary goal.
***
Jarod had finally fallen asleep. The silence brought Margaret a much-needed respite. Her son was understandably gregarious considering everything he had on his mind, but unaccustomed as she was to having to "play" at mothering, the effort was exhausting.
He looked so like Charles when he was young. The same build, same hopeful gleam in the eye. Were Margaret a different person, she was sure that would have been a source of pride, something to make her wistful. Instead, it was merely an observation.
She was tempted to try and call Erin, but she knew from watching the DSAs of Jarod's captivity that her son was plagued by nightmares, and at present it was more important for her to keep him quiet than to get in touch with her operative. Once Jarod was safely secured at the Caer and under the doctor's care, then she would deal with Catherine's errant daughter.
She wondered if Miss Parker had figured out that she was pregnant yet, and if so, what must she think about how it happened? The brainwashing process was too thorough to allow her to remember anything about her relationship with Jarod other than the contentious nature of it prior to her arrival in Scotland. Who did she think was the father? One thing was certain; Margaret needed to get her back under control soon as well. In her confusion, Miss Parker might be tempted to end the pregnancy, and Margaret couldn't allow that to happen. The child was far too valuable and had been planned for far too long.
"No, no. Parker, don't go."
Jarod jerked in his sleep, his brow now covered in sweat. Margaret knew that on some level she should feel guilty for the demons that chased her son in his sleep. But guilt was something that normal people dealt with. Looking at her watch, Margaret sighed. Soon enough, Jarod would forget all of his pain, all of his hopes for finding his family, and, for now, all of his love for Catherine Parker's little girl.
***
The train station was as busy as usual, and Gellie held tightly to young Ian's hand as they made their way through the crush of people. Of course, she knew that soon enough she would have to let her grandson go. She hated sending him away, and she knew the boy didn't really understand why he was leaving, but at least Marley had made it seem like quite the adventure for him. Still, Gellie wished there was another solution.
"We're all set then." Lillias walked up, tickets for she and Ian in her hand. She could see the strain of worry on Gellie's face, and Lillias was grateful that Marley had stayed behind at the inn, just in case Jarod tried to contact them. More people would only make this more difficult, and it was going to be hard enough. As if cued by her thought, Ian looked up at Gellie, a questioning look in his eyes.
"Gran, are you sure Pa is going to be okay? He seemed so sad when we left?"
Gellie took a deep breath as she thought about what her answer would be. Aye, "Pa" as Ian referred to Donal, was very sad indeed. Gellie had never felt such pain in her life as when she'd had to confront her dear husband with the truth of his wrongdoings. Donal hadn't tried to deny or excuse, instead he had just sat down, his hands covering his face.
"I let ye down, lovie. I'm sorry."
Gellie had spent the next hour convincing her husband that she understood the why of it even if she didn't agree with what he'd done. And she had to admit that had it been she Maggie Abbott had trapped and threatened, she couldn't honestly say she would have done any different than her man had.
Donal had barely been able to make eye contact with Marley or Lillias when they'd returned to the main house of the inn, but Marley had quickly approached him and embraced him in a gesture of understanding. Lillias had simply nodded her head toward him and then stated that it was best she and Ian be heading out.
Gellie knew Donal also regretted the need for sending their grandson away. Though they hoped it was only temporary, it was almost like losing their own boy again. Yet after the things the caer mistress had made Donal do to the young Americans, well, he also knew that it might be the only way to protect the boy without causing more harm to any innocents.
"We'll take good care of him, Gel." Lillias said, her had reaching down for Ian's free one.
"Aye, I know." Gellie leaned down and planted one final kiss on Ian's cheek, then she turned to go. Lillias' voice stopped her before she could get too far away.
"She's no don' wit him, Gellie. Be on yer guard."
With a nod of understanding, Gellie walked away. As she disappeared, Lillias looked down at Ian's youthful but bewildered face and smiled at him.
"Aye now, Mr. Ian. Let's us be off on our adventure now, shall we?"
***
Jarod woke up in a flourish of movement. The fleeting vision from his dream was one he wished he could burn out of his memory. Parker and their baby were lost to him. He couldn't remember how or why, he only knew that in the end, he had not been able to save them.
Quickly his eyes scanned the room inside St. Gilleabart's where he and his mother had spent the night. She was lying on the cot, her eyes closed, and he was grateful that his nightmare had not disturbed her rest. At least she was still here. Part of him had been afraid to sleep, fearful that she would sneak away in her efforts to keep him safe. Yet as worried as he was about that possibility, he wanted, no he needed a few minutes to himself outside of the tiny room.
Shaking his head, Jarod reached for his jacket and headed out to check the perimeter of the abbey. A dense white fog greeted him and sent a chill through his body as he began to walk around the ruins. His mind was struggling to recover the terrifying dream that had so quickly slipped away from him, but it was gone. What remained was the fear he'd felt and the overwhelming sense of loss. He could not lose Parker, not now. After all the confusing and painful years of separation and anger and, of course, the cat and mouse game of the last five, they had finally found each other. But it was more than that now. Their child was at stake.
Stopping on the north side of the old church, Jarod leaned against one of the walls and took in a deep breath. He had to calm down his mind. Sydney had told him so often that he couldn't find the answers he sought if he could not quiet the chatterings of his mind. For a brief moment, he wondered how Ethan and, more recently, Parker, could deal with the incessant whispers of their inner sense. He was certain that had he been born with that particular gift, his mind would have been trapped in an eternally harsh cramp. He needed quiet to think. He only hoped that his mother didn't wake and wonder what had happened to him.
***
Margaret had listened to Jarod's ragged breathing as he woke up from whatever tortured vision he'd suffered in his sleep. She'd wisely closed her own eyes, pretending to be deeply at rest so that her son would not realize she had sat awake all night, making certain that nothing happened to ruin her plans to get him safely to the caer today.
She'd continued to feign sleep as Jarod pulled on his jacket and exited the room, keeping her body still until the rhythmic shuffle of Jarod's careful steps, he was probably trying not to wake her, disappeared down the hall. Finally alone, she opened her own eyes and stood up, stretching away the night's stiffness.
Margaret was not concerned that Jarod would run away. What she'd been more fearful of was some interference from Mirage. As long as Ethan was on the loose and near to them, there was the chance that the voices of his inner sense would lead him to Jarod, and that would definitely not do, not now.
Reaching into her jacket, Margaret pulled out her cell phone and pre-dialed the number she wanted to reach. Before she pushed send, she moved to the window, glancing out to see if she could catch of glimpse of Jarod anywhere. Her effort was rewarded. Her son was pacing down below, agitation evident in every step he took. Smiling slightly, she pushed the send button. An accented female voice answered on the other end.
"Aye."
"Erin, what's happening?"
"Ma'am, the boy be here at Ceol Na Mara. I saw him."
"And he's still there? I need to be certain he's no where near Inverness."
"Not a chance o' that."
Margaret sighed, a bit relieved. Everything was working. "Did you see Parker?"
"Aye, if she be the dark-haired woman he was wit."
"Good. That's just..."
Footsteps. Margaret quickly disconnected the call, moving back to hide the phone in her coat.
"But she's gone, ma'am. She left hours ago. Ma'am? Ms. Abbott?"
Erin got no response. Oh, well, she thought. It was the boy the mistress was really worried about, and at least she knew the lad would not be causing her any trouble today.
***
Margaret finished hiding the phone just in time to turn around and see Jarod enter the room. When he saw the flushed look on her face, he assumed it was because she had been unable to find him.
"I was just downstairs checking things out, Mom. I'm sorry if I scared you."
Taking his cue, Margaret let her hands shake visibly as she crossed to embrace her son.
"No, I should have...I should have known you were just trying to keep us safe. I'm sorry I overreacted."
Jarod seemed appeased by her note of true worry, and after a brief embrace, she pushed back carefully and looked at him with a suitable mask of motherly affection.
"I won't let anything hurt you," he said, his tone so earnest, "I promise."
Margaret nodded and crossed to the other side of the room. God, sometimes it was almost laughable how easy it was to manipulate him. Despite his intelligence, her son was ruled by his emotions. It was the reason her plan had always hinged on grooming Parker to take her rightful place at the Centre. Parker would learn that emotions were a luxury and a weapon that a queen could use against her consort whenever needed. It was that very theory that had made using Charles so simple.
***
Parker parked the car a half a mile away from St. Gilleabart's and, gun in hand, walked the rest of the distance. Years of chasing Jarod had taught her that he was attuned to the slightest movement of rocks or gravel and that a hint of squeak from brakes would send him running. It would do so now. He had no reason to believe that it was her coming to find him.
Carefully, she approached the abbey. Just seeing it threatened to bring a rush of emotions flooding through her, but she steeled her nerves and heart against it. Now was not the time. Stopping to remove her shoes so that she would have extra stealth inside the stairwell, Parker moved inside, her gun extended before her.
It seemed to take forever to climb the old, crumbling steps, her heart pounding more with each step. She still had no real plan for what she would do or say, she only knew that she was leaving here with Jarod no matter what it took.
Parker reached the landing that led to the small room where she and Jarod had made love just weeks ago. She crossed the threshold, her eyes instantly taking in the site of Jarod sitting on the bed, and that bitch Margaret kneeling down in front of him with a look of such fake concern it made Parker want to throw up.
Margaret saw her first. Her eyes widened, and then she grabbed at Jarod's shoulders.
"Run, son. Run."
They were the first words Margaret could think to say though the first words she'd wanted to say were a litany of curses. How in the hell had Parker found them?
Jarod stood, turning quickly, ready to defend his mother. He had expected to see an army of sweepers. Instead he saw the all to familiar sight of Parker standing with a gun in her hand, and the gun was pointing at his mother. Yet instead of the panic that scene would normally cause him, all Jarod felt was relief. She was all right, and she was here. Now he could fix everything.
"Parker, thank God. I was so worried about..."
He was more than a little surprised when Parker tightened her grip on her gun and pointed it even more directly at his mother.
"Jarod, it's time to go."
Margaret took in the confusion emanating from both of the room's younger occupants. Parker looked ready to kill and Jarod's whole body had turned into a rock of tension as he tried to understand what was happening.
"What? Parker, what is going on?"
There seemed to be only one explanation for what was happening, at least in Margaret's mind. Parker, returned to her memories of several months ago, thought she was here to hunt Jarod down. Well, then, so be it. Margaret would use that to her advantage.
"Jarod, we have to get out of here. She's here to take you back to the Centre."
"Mom, no. I told you, things have changed. We..." Jarod looked desperately toward Parker. "Parker, tell her you aren't here to hurt us."
Parker's eyes narrowed intently as she thought about how much Jarod loved his "mother." The cow was totally undeserving, and if it was the last thing she ever did, Parker was going to make Margaret pay for the pain she was going to cause Jarod when he found out the truth.
"Jarod, I want you to come with me, right now. Come away from her and let's go."
"This is my mother, Parker. I'm not going to leave her. I've been looking for her forever, you know that."
Margaret put her hand on Jarod's arm, squeezing it.
"She wants to hurt you, son. I know how you feel about her, but she clearly wants to tear us apart."
"Shut up!" The force of the words coming from Parker's mouth caused Jarod to jump a bit, and he turned to her, his face twisted in absolute shock.
"Parker!"
"You tried to destroy us, to destroy me. But you failed. I am not going to let you hurt him. Do you understand me? I will not let you win."
"Parker," Jarod barked out, his body moving to move completely conceal his mother from his lover's view, "what the hell are you talking about? She hasn't hurt us. She loves me..."
"I love you, Jarod. I love you. And I am asking you to walk over here and come to me right now."
The words registered in both mother and son, but they prompted wholly different reactions. To Jarod, the words were a godsend. She remembered. She knew they had fallen in love, she knew what they meant to each other. To Margaret, the words almost floored her like nothing in all of her twisted life ever had. She remembered? Dear God, if Parker remembered...no, there was no way the brainwashing could have failed. It had NEVER failed.
"Your memory..." the words slipped from Jarod's lips so quietly it was almost as if he were afraid to speak them aloud. But Parker heard them.
"I remember, Jarod. I remember us, here and Violet's. I remember our child, Jarod. I remember everything. Now come to me, please."
Jarod took two involuntary steps toward Parker and for the first time Margaret felt real panic. She did remember; Parker remembered. Margaret glanced at her watch. The sweepers were still more than an hour away and there was no way she could hurry them. Her only option was to try and hold Parker off, but that didn't seem like a very likely path.
Parker felt her breath catch as Jarod began to walk toward her. Then he stopped. Slowly, he turned back and looked at Margaret, then he looked back at Parker.
"I...I don't understand. I can't, why do you want me to leave my mother?"
"Jarod, please," Parker begged, yet she kept strength in her voice, "please come to me. I know this doesn't make any sense, baby, but I'm asking you to trust me. Trust me."
The pretender felt his heart constrict and his lungs felt as if he couldn't get in any air. Trust her? Of course he trusted her. He loved her. But leave his mother? He'd searched so long...but it was Parker asking him and how could he not go?
"If what happened here meant anything to you, Jarod, then you'll come to me now." Parker hated to play that card with him, but she could see how much he was struggling, and damn it, she had to win this fight.
Margaret saw the look in Jarod's eyes as he turned to stare into her eyes. What was it he was looking for? She wasn't certain. This was not a development she had ever anticipated. Parker had somehow willed her memories back into being, and if that were true, her nemesis had become far more powerful than even the Centre had ever imagined. And Margaret stood helpless as her prize genetic product walked out of her embrace and walked toward his predestined lover.
Parker fought the urge to run to Jarod and pull him over to her more quickly. It seemed to take him forever to cross the width of the tiny room. But finally, he was there, beside her, and though she wanted nothing more than to pull him to her and hold him, she had someone else to take care of first. Parker pushed a stunned Jarod partially behind her as she reinforced her aim on Margaret. Her voice came out low and full of rage as she spoke to her new enemy.
"I know what you did to me."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Margaret replied, her voice still carrying out the charade of panic-stricken mother. Yet her mind was racing. There was only one option now, she had to get out of the room. The problem was, there was only one way out, and Parker and her gun were blocking it. Yet Jarod was also there. Jarod. His weakness was about to be her ace in the hole. Feigning an attempt to get closer to her son, Margaret moved forward. Parker reacted instantly, taking a step forward and pushing the gun in Margaret's direction. Jarod remained behind Parker. He was in a partial daze, his mind still reeling.
"Stay away from us. I won't let you hurt him."
"You're the one who's going to hurt him, Miss Parker. Look at what you're doing to him now."
Another few steps. Parker was losing her patience. She clicked the safety off her gun. That movement was all it took to break Jarod from his shock-induced reverie. He reached out and grabbed Parker's arm, pulling it down and away from his mother.
"Parker, no!"
A shot rang out as Jarod's movement made Parker pull the trigger. The bullet jettisoned into the floorboards, missing all of the room's occupants, but Margaret had made her opportunity. With Jarod and Parker out of the way, she dashed through the door and down the steps.
"Jarod, stop. Let me go." Parker tried to push Jarod off of her, but it was already too late. Margaret was gone. Meanwhile Jarod stood looking at her as if she had grown two heads.
"Parker, she's my mother. What the hell were you doing?"
"Saving you, saving our child from a life worse than anything you or I have been through so far, Jarod."
Jarod was speechless. Parker briefly thought of pursuing Margaret, but decided against it. She and the Centre Bitch would meet up again. What mattered now was the man she had come for. Parker moved to him, her arms pulling him against her body.
"Baby, I know you don't understand what just happened. I'll tell you everything, I will. But the truth is going to hurt so much more than any of the lies they've told you."
Parker felt his body begin shake against her, and she knew the emotional tumult of the last few minutes had finally worn him down. Helpless, she simply held him tighter.
"Parker, I...what..."
"Shh. I'm going to make it all right, Jarod. I promise I will."
