The Time Between Heartbeats by Jen FitzGerald

Author:Jen FitzGerald
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: time travel, Medeival romance, historical Scotland, Mycroft Holmes, MM romance, gay romance, LGBTQ+
Publisher: Knotted Hearts Publishing
Published: 2022-05-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-six

Once they discussed the details of Scotland’s role in forming Great Britain, they talked about the current queen and the royal family as well as the Commonwealth until it was time for the evening meal and they joined the family in the dining room. Mycroft was none too pleased by the turn of events, but admitted that the knowledge made the decisions he’d already made easier to bear. Future courses of action would be less fraught with uncertainty.

By the time Elspeth herded the children up to bed, Mycroft looked pretty worn out, not just physically, but emotionally as well.

Geoff didn’t blame him. The loss of his country’s self-rule had to be difficult to accept after all the wars fought and lives lost to ensure it.

“I think I’ll soak and retire to my chambers.”

Geoff nodded. “How are you feeling? I never did get a chance to ask, which was my intention when I got home this afternoon.”

A small soft smile appeared on Mycroft’s face.

“What?”

“Ye said ‘home.’ When ye got home...”

Home is where the heart is flared unbidden in Geoff’s brain, and he coughed. “Yes, well it’s my home for the time being, isn’t it?”

A long-charged silence spooled out between them. He wanted to squirm beneath the intensity of Mycroft’s blue gaze. He resisted. Barely.

“It’s yer home for as long as ye care to stay.”

And there it was. The first acknowledgment of the change. With a nod, he rose, offered his thanks, and fled as subtly as possible.

He’d thought it’d have taken longer, but Mycroft... Geoff swallowed a sigh.

If he chose to stay, he’d be welcome.

But he couldn’t stay.

He just couldn’t.

He had a life.

A career. Friends.

No.

He couldn’t stay.

* * * * *

After his standard morning spent in the stables, Geoff returned to the castle and had lunch, then went in search of Hugh.

They meandered around the grounds immediately surrounding the castle and Hugh pointed out random trees, boulders, and sight lines, and issued Scottish city names as well as several from other countries to each item. Meant to misdirect any pursuers, Hugh said.

If attackers thought you were heading for Belfast, Inverness, or Oslo, they’d follow the more obvious roads and trails, rather than searching for the hidden paths to the local secret spaces.

Made perfect sense.

Tomorrow and every day after that for as long as it took, they’d re-visit each marker so Geoff could prove his memory or get a refresher.

* * * * *

The day of Mycroft’s departure arrived and there was quite a gathering in the outer bailey to bid the men safe travels.

Geoff would be traveling with Corc to Sherlock’s manor house in a few days’ time. It hadn’t been deemed safe for so many clansmen to be away from the castle at once, so their trip would commence the day Mycroft and his retinue were due back.

Sherlock’s place was on the opposite end of Holmes land. Mycroft thought it wise for Geoff and Sherlock to meet just in case things went terribly awry, as well as for Geoff to learn the scope of Holmes land, hence the trip.

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