The Wellspring (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #12) - Diana Knightley Page 0,90

He has had a taste of unlimited power, and he thirsts for cruelty. Even if we returned the Trailblazer, he winna stop, he will continue on.”

Magnus turned tae Lady Mairead again, “I suppose he will eventually ken where this house is?”

“I suspect he will, if nae already.”

I said, “Great, we have to leave again?”

“Aye,” said Magnus.

Lady Mairead said, “Magnus, ye let me handle this—”

“Ye daena remember crucial details of the past months. I daena ken if it is because ye are in a new timeline or an auld timeline, but I canna trust yer actions on this.”

Quentin walked in. “I need to tell you something.”

“Of course, Colonel Quentin.”

“I just checked the chests, we’re down to seven vessels.”

I gasped. “In all?”

Quentin said, “In all. One chest is completely empty, the other has two, we hae five between us, if my calculations are right.”

“How many are we supposed tae hae?” asked Lady Mairead.

Quentin and I said together, “Twenty-three.”

Lady Mairead said, “That canna be right.”

Magnus said, “Tis. I hae told ye more than once that the true number is twenty-three.”

Her mouth opened and closed before she said, “Well this is a verra dangerous situation. I hae lost control.”

Magnus said, “We hae lost control.”

Zach called from the kitchen, “Um, storm, on the monitor.”

We rushed in and gathered around the screen. “What’s happening?”

Magnus said, “Another storm, tis Hammond’s vessel.”

Lady Mairead said, “Hammond, good.” She patted her hair to put it in place.

Quentin pulled on his raincoat. “At the south end, who wants to go? Better bring arms.”

Most of the men went to check with Quentin. Magnus was made to stay and guard the house. He did not like to do that, but submitted because there wasn’t time to argue.

I sat with him on the deck, under the roof to shelter from the rain. Through the glass doors inside the house, we could see Lady Mairead, sitting on one of the chairs that faced the foyer.

“What do you think?” I tightened my arms around myself because of the chill.

He smiled, though his brow was drawn. “I think I am tired. I think I am at the end of m’rope with this. I am furious at m’mother and I feel sorry for her as well. I am worried on ye and Isla and Archie, and I daena like that there is nae clear way tae swing m’sword. I daena like tae lose. And I also…” He looked out at the rain pouring down on the sand dunes and dripping down from the upper decks. “I think tis lovely weather.”

We both laughed, our eyes on the south end of the island. We couldn’t see what was happening down there, but we watched that way all the same.

James pulled his truck up to the front door, but Quentin pulled his truck all the way into the garage and closed the door after it. We met him in the garage as he climbed from the seat. “We have a situation, Boss.”

When I started to follow Magnus to the back of the truck, Quentin said, “Probably just Magnus. Lady Mairead, can you come too?”

Magnus and Lady Mairead walked to the back of the truck to look inside. I stood on the steps up to the kitchen trying not to be curious. James walked up.

I asked, “What is it?”

James shook his head. “A dead messenger bringing news from Hammond, not good news.”

“Crap.”

Fraoch stalked out to the deck to guard the house.

Fifty - Kaitlyn

A few minutes later Magnus entered the house. “Everyone grab yer bags, we are takin’ the bairn tae the hotel.”

Behind him, Emma was on the phone, she announced. “They have four rooms, but wait — we need five.” She counted heads again. “Six, let’s get six rooms.” She paused and started snapping her fingers at Zach, whispering, “Grab the diaper bag,” then to the receptionist, she said, “Thank you, we’ll be there in about thirty minutes.” She hung up the phone. “Man, I’ve never been this exhausted, moving all day, now this.”

Hayley said, “At least there’s a hotel at the end of it, I can finish my cut-short vacation. Fraoch! I’m going upstairs to pack our bags, need anything special?”

“Nae, I hae all I need.” As she was headed up the steps he yelled, “Daena forget m’pillow, tis m’favorite.”

I buzzed around tossing my stuff into a backpack, then Magnus’s clothes into a duffel bag, toiletries into a makeup bag. I grabbed the kids’s bug-out bags, and rummaged through to make sure it was all we needed. Nope, needed more pants