The Wellspring (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #12) - Diana Knightley Page 0,45
happy, until suddenly tears streamed down her cheeks.
Quentin put an arm around her. “What’s up, Beaty?”
“I daena want tae go!”
“To Scotland?” He looked around the room, his eyes wide. “But we’re going tomorrow morning.”
“I ken Quenny, I ken it, but I daena want tae.”
“We have tickets, Boss went to all the trouble to get you and Fraoch passports. Don’t you want to see Scotland, twenty-first century style?”
She curled up under his arm clinging to him. “I daena ever want tae see it again! I hate it, tis cold and cruel and—”
“It’s not, babe, it’s a modern place, like here, but Scottish. I think you’ll love it, it will feel like home and—”
“I want tae be an American, like you Quenny! And I daena want tae leave Mookie.”
“It’s just a short trip it…” He looked around at us for help.
I said, “We’ll be back really soon, Beaty, we’re just going to see the sights. It’s a vacation. It will be fun, and you can post about it on Instagram. Your followers will love it.”
“But Mookie and Zoe will need me! And Ben!” She turned her red tear-streamed face to Emma. “Daena ye need me tae help ye? Why are ye sendin’ me away?”
Emma said, “Oh Beaty, it’s not like that at all. We thought you would want a vacation!”
She sobbed and tucked back into Quentin’s shoulder. “We are goin’ tae die on the airplane, twill fall from the sky and I winna be here tae take care of Mookie and…”
Emma stood and rushed Ben and Archie and Isla from the room. “She didn’t mean it, she just wants to stay here with Mookie, she didn’t mean that at all.”
Quentin said, “It’s perfectly safe, people fly all the time.”
“We arna supposed tae fly like birds, tis not for us tae go in the air.”
“Babe, I have to go, I’m Magnus’s guard…”
Magnus said, “Quentin, ye are nae required tae come unless ye and Beaty want tae. Kaitlyn believed ye needed the vacation.”
She said, “I want tae go tae New York! We can go in the car and we can take Mookie. I hae picked out a seat for him, ye strap it intae the car and he can ride like a gentleman. Quenny, hae ye seen the photos of New York? Tis a beautiful city full of shining lights and singing. We can go see a show, Quenny.”
He threw up his hands in exasperation. “They have shows in Scotland, they have lights. I guarantee someone will sing.”
“Tis too dark, there will always be evil faeries about causin’ mischief. I am nae supposed tae be there in this time, what if they ken it? What if the fae come and whisk me away? What if a changeling comes and drowns me in the river because I ran away and dinna respect m’father?”
Quentin took a long deep breath. “Boss, it looks like I can’t come to Scotland with you.”
Magnus nodded. “I ken, Colonel Quentin, tis all right. When we return from our trip ye can take Madame Beaty tae New York.”
Quentin said, “Is that okay with you, Katie?”
“Absolutely. Beaty, this is okay, how long have you been feeling this way?”
“Since we first began tae be plannin’ it.”
“Well see, you should have talked to me about it—”
“Ye were verra excited. Ye were buyin’ the tickets and makin’ the plans and twas verra hard tae tell ye.”
“Well, that does sound a lot like me. Yeah, this is fine. No worries. You can go to New York by car, that will be really fun.”
Fraoch said, “Tis a chance the plane will fall from the sky?”
Beaty said, “Aye! Twas on the news—”
Everyone else said, “No.”
Hayley said, “Fraoch, remember how I explained it to you? It’s like a boat, pushed by air currents, you’ll be totally safe.”
I said, “I’ll go see if I can get a refund on your tickets.”
Zach said, “And I know Emma will be glad you’re staying with us. We’ll have fun here.”
We were up late that night talking, Magnus and I. I was worried about not having Quentin and Beaty on our trip. ‘What ifs’ filled my head — what if bad guys came? What if I was separated from the kids? What if something happened?
“Tis a big trip. Ye are nervous. Ye travel tae the store with the kids without anyone else—”
“Once. One time. I always have a crowd of helpers. It’s dawning on me that I’m literally the worst.”
He shrugged and traced little circles on my shoulder with his finger. “Because ye are a