The Wellspring (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #12) - Diana Knightley Page 0,15
“I hae seen ye two days ago — dost ye remember when I introduced ye tae Marie of Guise?”
“Och, I...” She clutched her robe closed and looked from our faces, assembled around the dining room table and then back at her friends, Flora and Cully. She asked Flora, “What were we doing last night?”
“We were at Hank’s, remember, for the Spring Soiree?”
Lady Mairead said, “Of course I remember, I mean after...”
“Then we went to Tiny’s for more dancing and I was...” Flora began swaying to the memory. “I do not remember after that dance, do you, Cully?”
He shook his head. He was looking at the ceilings as if he was sizing them up and found them wanting.
Flora said, “I usually love your capers, Lady Mairead, you are a one in a thousand, and I do not want to seem like a wet blanket, but this is a very odd morning.” She began to whisper. “We do have a meeting with Gertie. Have you forgotten? I wanted to talk to her about Kay’s latest piece?”
“Aye... tis a verra important meeting. Allow me tae change intae my travel clothes and we will depart.” Lady Mairead stalked down the hall toward the guest rooms with Flora and Cully trailing behind.
I looked at Magnus. “She’s looping on herself.”
“Aye, and we daena ken when she arrived so she must be alterin’ our timeline as well.”
He shivered. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
***
Magnus and Quentin accompanied Lady Mairead and her guests to the South end to jump.
Later Magnus stalked in irritated and also amused. “Can ye believe it? She daena ken how she got here?”
I said, “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her so confused.”
Emma said, “I looked them up, Flora Whitney, she’s got a Wikipedia page.”
“Och it was bound tae catch up tae her, she has been jumpin’ all over without care.”
I asked, “How did she explain Florida to her guests?”
“She dinna, she led them out intae the sand holdin’ her vessel, grasped their arms and then jumped. Twas quite the sight, the looks on their faces.”
I shook my head. “I remember ‘accidentally’ jumping, that is not fun.” I looked around at everyone. “We’re in agreement though, this is not okay, right?”
Quentin said, “Yep, not okay, from a security standpoint it’s a hot mess of fucked-upped-ness.”
Magnus said, “Aye, we will hae tae strength—”
Zach said, “Strengthen security. Man, it would be nice, just once, to get through breakfast without having to say that.”
We all laughed, mostly because it was true.
Nine - Kaitlyn
Through the rest of the day, Magnus and Quentin slowly and methodically prepared for their trip. I did some awful things, like made sure his will was up to date, something we talked about doing while we were in the sixteenth century. It was important. It had to include his children.
While I was at it I made a list, including — adopt Archie. Officially adopt I meant, because in my heart he was already my son. But it scared me. It felt like a theft, like ethically problematic, so I scratched a line through that entry. There would be time enough. Archie didn’t even know his mother was really gone.
Plus I killed her.
But then I wrote it again, because I loved him too much not to and then I ripped out that page, wadded it up, and threw it away. I started a new list: get paperwork done ie. birth certificates, passports, and other things…
Magnus came to me, midday. “Dost ye ken what I want tae do?”
Isla had just woken from a nap and we were sitting in the sand, watching Ben and Archie run around on the beach like little whirlwinds.
“What?”
“I want tae go get some ice cream.”
I squinted my eyes. “I bet Zach has ice cream.”
“I ken.” His eyes went far away. “I ken, but I want tae go get the cup, with the choices and the toppings, and the spoon. I want tae take the wee’uns.”
“Is it safe? Lady Mairead waltzed in this morning.” We were surrounded by guards, all over the house, and stationed on the dunes. They were a constant reminder that there was danger eminent.
“We can take men, we can make it safe. I want tae hae the fun of it with the kids, please Kaitlyn.”
The ‘please’, like magic, got me up brushing sand off my legs. “Of course, let’s do it.”
We told the kids we were going to get ice cream, and Isla yelled, “Kee-bo!” Which I guessed meant ‘ice cream’ and the boys yelled, “Kee-bo!