The Wellspring (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #12) - Diana Knightley Page 0,36

her throat.”

“Oh no, that’s awful.” My hand went to my neck, as if I could remember its awful press there so many years ago.

“I ken. I let her from jail and she returned the Trailblazer tae Sir Paddy. We hoped that would end the troubles.”

“Did it end it?”

“Nae, just the other day I was tae meet with her for breakfast and instead I found her sleeping in Hammie’s rooms.”

“They’re doing the nasty again? Really?” I teased, “I mean, that could be a timeline discrepancy, but it could just be your mom was horny.”

“Ugh, tae think on it I will need tae arrest them both.”

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. “I’m so sorry you had to deal with all of that.”

“Hae ye noticed any discrepancies here?”

“It’s only been four days since we returned from the sixteenth century, and already Lady Mairead appeared in our guest room with her friends, but besides that, no.”

“I think that the discrepancies are centered on Lady Mairead. They winna affect us much here.”

“Good.”

He pushed the hair back from my face and kissed my forehead.

“So when you left it was good?”

“There was more, but I think it should wait for the morrow. This night is for celebrating.”

Twenty-four - Kaitlyn

Day Four

Hammond and the troops hadn’t left so they made an overly large guard once more. I put us into the Mustang, Isla and Archie in the back, and all of us rode in a long train of cars, creeping up Sadler Road to the restaurant.

It was a weeknight so we were able to find parking across the street and Zach had called ahead to talk to the owner, his friend, to reserve us a table. He had one for thirteen seats, and James was waiting for us as we arrived.

Fraoch was blown away. He hadn’t eaten in any restaurants, because it was a hassle with all the kids, and Zach was willing to cook every night anyway. Plus this was one of those restaurants that had so freaking much to look at. His mouth was wide open at the signs and posters, the people, the noise, and the loud music.

Our drinks arrived. We passed them down the table with everyone laughing and ordering, “One more,” and, “Wait, I wanted this one too...”

Isla had a sippy cup and learned pretty quickly that smacking the tray made a bang bang noise, so eventually I got up and danced with her on the dance floor to an Adele song, holding her on my hip and spinning and rocking just to get some peace and quiet. Emma met me carrying Zoe in the sling and we rocked and danced together to the song, Lonely Tonight, and I was thinking Hayley was going to join us but when I looked at the table I heard Fraoch say, “Och, tis loud.”

Hayley ripped up napkins to stuff in his ears, like I had done for Magnus years ago when I hadn’t known he was a time traveler and that coming to the future ached your ears and almost blinded your eyes.

The waitress arrived at the table to take orders and made her rounds of the table. Then Magnus stood, “I wanted tae say some words—”

Quentin laughed. “Boss, ya gonna make another speech, haven’t you had enough of it?”

Magnus laughed. “Colonel Quentin has had tae be in the audience verra regularly while we were away, but this one will be different.” He smiled. “I will probably make it short.”

Quentin laughed.

“Quentin and I went away and hae been gone for over a month. I ken ye dinna notice as it was less than a day for ye, but twas—”

Fraoch said, “We noticed, I had tae sit on the back deck through most of it watching for ye in the cold and wind.”

“Are ye now a Florida boy? Tis cold tae ye? The winter here is the same as a summer day in Scotland.”

Fraoch grinned. “But in Scotland we would hae the sense tae build a roarin’ fire. Hayley told me I canna build a fire on the deck.”

Magnus laughed. “Tis true, this town has a great many rules. I canna even ride m’horse across the island. I canna carry a sword intae a bar, even when I ken I will be needin’ it tae battle. Ye canna build a fire in yer house without a chimney… “

I said, “If you want to change the rules you have to join the city council.”

“Och, I would hae tae go tae more meetings? Nae, tae rule one kingdom is