The Wellspring (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #12) - Diana Knightley Page 0,31
rather lookin’ forward tae enjoyin’ the time instead of guardedly watchin’ the horizon.”
“Well, Lady Mairead might handle it. She returns the Trailblazer, fulfills the deal, ends the trouble. There might be no danger at all once she returns tomorrow.”
“Aye, or I could be forced tae decide whether I will rescue her or nae. Twould take a full day of accountin’ tae decide if I like her enough.” I stared out at the distance. “What dost ye think she traded for the Trailblazer?”
“Who knows? Art? Weapons? Maybe it was a straight trade, the vessels for the Trailblazer?”
“I think she would hae told me. It must be something more. Perhaps I should reinstate the use of the rack.”
Quentin chuckled. “I feel I should plead mercy for her. I mean I know she’s hiding the details, it’s tantamount to treason, but she did do me a solid.”
“She brought ye a letter from yer mother?”
“Yeah, she visited Mama in hospice. She told her she knew me from the future and that I turned out okay. I don’t know if Mama believed her, but… Lady Mairead offered to deliver a letter to me once I was a grown man... she said they prayed together.” He wiped his face and took another sip of soda. “Yeah, so no talking shit about Lady Mairead, not anymore. I’m on her side.”
I chuckled. “Tis unfortunate as ye are m’guard and she is usually the one I need guardin’ from.”
Quentin laughed, “I’m just kidding about taking her side. I’ve been around long enough to know she’s not the side to be on. Though I am grateful for the letter.”
“Twas a good gift, Lady Mairead has her moments of kindness.”
He said, “She’ll be back tomorrow, hopefully she’ll give us more information.”
“I daena believe our troubles will end there. Whatever she traded for the Trailblazer, Sir Paddy has a taste for it now. Tis hard tae believe he will retreat, he has power, and weapons.”
“Yeah, I don’t like this situation at all. What if he keeps coming back, demanding more?”
“Tae use yer phrasin’, ‘that would suck.’”
“To use your phrasing, ‘aye.’”
I turned my glass, watching the brown liquid as it swirled. Twas a miracle tae drink a three-hundred-year-old whisky, the distillery long gone, and just a few bottles remaining, all in my possession.
I said, “On nights such as this I think, what if I went back and took all of the vessels? What if they were in my possession?”
Quentin said, “I think it would be great, in theory — a relief, sure, but in reality I think it would be a real shit show. The night they appeared in 1557, that was a massacre. I was there, I saw it. It was awful.” He added, “But I could see how in theory it would be tempting. You’d have control of time travel. You’d be a lot safer.”
I looked out at the night sky. “I could leave just a few, enough for the kings, put the rest into hiding…”
“I don’t think that’s how it would work, do you? Wouldn’t you just as likely disappear?”
I smiled. “Tis why I haena done it.”
Twenty-one - Magnus
I spent the day with my commanders, discussin’ the post-war de-escalation and the withdrawal from the west, and planning the next stage, rebuilding. Also, because of the heightened alert, there would be meetings on the morrow with the top brass from every region.
Lady Mairead had nae returned.
In the evening Quentin and I sat down tae dinner and discussed the issues that had cropped up during the day. He was verra helpful tae m’thinking, his advice modern, different from the advice of Lady Mairead who wanted m’strength and a brutal fist tae keep the kingdom in line. When I told him of a decision, he often asked me ‘why?’ If I couldna come up with a reason beyond tradition, we would talk it through, tae come tae the best solution. If a remedy was impossible, he advised me tae deliberate afore acting. Lady Mairead’s advice was tae proclaim it tae be true and beat them tae submission.
I leaned back. “It has been a long day and she haena returned yet.”
“Hell yeah, it’s been brutally long. I hate meetings. But there’s still time, right, she’s not late?” He pushed his cleared plate away.
Just then my steward entered, and leaned tae my ear. “Lady Mairead has arrived, Your Highness, she said to expect her in a few moments.”
After he left, I shrugged. “I must decide tae be relieved she haena died.”