Page 61 of A Keeper of Time

Sitting as quietly as she could manage without blurting out her thoughts, Edna nibbled on her food and sipped the coffee Maggie had poured for her. She wanted tea. She swirled her spoon around in the cup and slowly the coffee spun itself into the tea she wished for. A satisfied smile appeared on her lips as she lifted the cup and took a sip.

“Is something wrong?” Melusina asked. “Ye’ve said barely a word.”

“I’m fine,” she said, moving a strawberry back and forth on her plate. She couldn’t do this. She had to know. “No. I’m no’ fine. I can no’ sit here and wait while ye all talk politely about this and that. I must ken what ye wish to speak with me about. I must ken if I can bring all of me couples back together. I must ken if Angus will be able to stay with me.” There. She’d said it.

Everyone at the table, including Angus, stared silently at her as if she’d lost her mind.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted at ye. This is tearing me up inside and sitting here and pretending that it doesn’t matter is no’ something I can do.”

“Calm yerself, Edna,” Mardella said. “If ye’d like to talk now, we can.”

Edna took a deep breath and steeled herself for what they were about to tell her.

“We’ve sent the jury home. There was nae need for their input on this subject. The three of us have spoken at length about the bridge. We ken ’tis been in yer family for generations and ’twill stay that way. We have nae wish to take the bridge away from ye.”

“That’s good, is it no’ Auntie,” Maggie said.

“Aye.” Edna was wound up tighter than a top and she couldn’t uncoil herself.

Mardella smiled indulgently at Edna. “Me dear we’re impressed with what ye’ve done here. Ye’ve a kind heart and are a talented witch. We have need of someone like yerself on the Council. We’d like ye to join us.”

Edna was stunned speechless. This is the last thing she was expecting to have happen.

Maggie and Angus were both staring at her with mischief in their eyes.

“Ye knew!” she said. “How could ye no’ tell me?”

“’Twas no’ up to them to tell ye.” Melusina seemed to be enjoying Edna’s surprise at their pronouncement.

Edna looked from one to the other and back again.

“Well? Will ye join us?” Daire asked.

“Aye! Of course I’ll join ye.” Her excitement could hardly be contained. She wanted to jump up from the table, dance joyfully and shout to the world. She’d never dreamed it possible to be part of the Council. “But what about the bridge?”

“I think ye ken leave it in Maggie’s hands.”

“Maggie, would ye be okay with that?” Edna asked.

“It’s what ye’ve been training me for. I’m more than okay with it.”

“But ye will no’ be able to leave. Ye’ll be tied to it as I have been all these years.”

“We’ve got that all figured out. Maggie will have an apprentice to help her, much as ye’ve done with her.”

Angus took hold of her hand and held it to his lips. “This is wonderful news. We’ll be able to travel. Ye ken I’ve always wanted to. Where will we go first?”

“We’ll talk about that when we get back to the inn. I’ve got plenty of ideas, but first there are some things that need to be spoken of here with the council.” She let go of Angus and spoke to the three witches. “I must ken what ye’ve decided about me couples.”

“Mardella spoke first. “Ye ken we have had concerns about matching men and women from different times. There are many things that could be considered difficulties for them. Things that ye may no’ have taken into consideration.”

“I would like to address those issues if I may,” Edna said.

“Let us finish first, Edna, then ye can address everything all at once,” Daire said.

“Go on then.”

“Now, for those traveling from the past to the present, one might think it would be a wonder to them and I’m sure it is, but it must be difficult to constantly feel out of touch with everything going on around ye,” Melusina explained.