The Empire and the Wolf King (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #21)

41. Chapter 41 - Lady Mairead

CHAPTER 41 - LADY MAIREAD

THE KINGDOM OF RIAGHALBANE - 2391

I drained my glass and asked for the video tae change tae a party scene from a museum opening in New York in 1926. I liked the shifting interplay of the light with the sight of the men in their fine tuxedos and the women in their evening gowns, murmuring together with a backdrop of paintings and sculptures. There was a four piece band playing in the corner. The scene felt immersive, as if I were back there. It calmed my nerves.

Och, how I missed New York.

Wilfrey looked dumbfounded, leaning closer and concentrating on the details. “You have been here, Mairead?”

“Aye, this is a recording of Abby Rockefeller’s party, I was there, see…?” I pointed at myself as I walked through the crowd. I felt a small pang of shame at having been so much younger, I hoped he wouldna notice?—

He said, “You look beautiful, Mairead.”

“Thank ye, I love this video.”

He walked closer, holding his champagne flute, mesmerized. “You could take me there?”

“I hae already promised ye, aye, we canna go tae that one, but I will take ye tae another…”

He turned around. “Mairead, this is astonishing, you will — you are not in jest?”

“Aye, as soon as this current drama has finished…” I looked at him intently. Then asked, “Ye would accompany me there, ye would wear a dinner jacket and black tie if asked?”

“Yes, in a minute.”

“What about your career, daena ye hae a movie coming up?”

“No… not on the horizon.”

“Ye spoke of one last night, I thought?”

“I was not entirely truthful, I did not get that part, but there will be another.” He drank and dinna meet my eyes.

“Ye used tae hae movies lined up, when we went tae the opening together ye had three movies planned.”

He looked down at the glass. “Things change quickly, Mairead, but I am wondering if I even want to do those big budget films anymore, perhaps I am wasting my talent. I was considering directing my own film.”

I watched him for a moment. “What happened tae yer career, Wilfrey?”

He frowned. “I do not wish to tell you, you might think poorly on your new lover, Wilfrey. You might think that I do not deserve you. You might not want to be seen with me.”

I leveled my eyes. “Wilfrey, I am Queen Mother, I run a kingdom. Ye are an actor , ye already daena deserve me.”

He chuckled. “Ouch, that stung, Mairead.”

“Ye look verra handsome on my arm, tis what is important, and ye bed me well. One thing ye must remember is that I daena care one whit what anyone outside of my family circle thinks about me, and I barely care what my family thinks?—”

I said, with a softer tone, “But I hae also had my own share of scandals, I ken it can be difficult. Tell me what happened.”

He took in a deep breath. “The director of the last movie did not appreciate that I… I had an affair with his wife.”

“As the Queen Mother, I already kent this, twas all anyone talked about. Please note: I still invited ye tae come tae the castle last night.”

He shrugged. “Noted. I did not think about that.”

“Twas verra poor reasoning, tae hae an affair with her, yer career might never recover.”

“I know, it was not very wise. But… if you think about it, Mairead, she is the one who had an affair — I was not married. She maybe should have been more prudent.”

I laughed. “Ye, the handsome, sexy Wilfred Weaver, take nae responsibility?”

“Not for their marriage, no, but I did destroy my career, I… yes, I am responsible for that. I went from having everything, drawing large crowds, to nothing. People gawk, but not in the good way.”

His handsome face grew dark.

I watched him for a moment. “Tis why ye came when ye were called, ye need me tae help resurrect yer career.”

He nodded. “It cannot hurt.”

I said, “See that painting over there?”

He looked at it. “The Picasso?”

“Aye, that one is of my likeness. I was his lover and his muse for many years, but now…” I shook my head. “I used tae attend parties all the time, but I keep aging, the time travel is unwieldy, my friends mention that I seem… older. I spend a great deal of time alone now.”

He said, “We are a pair, two fabulous people with all we could want and yet we find ourselves, alone. At least we are together.” He raised his glass and added, “Age is just a state of mind.”

I chuckled. “Ye would say that, ye are considerably younger than I.”

He said, “I think you are hot, Mairead, rich as hell, powerful, and kind of frightening. You are the Queen Mother and you were the muse to one of the greatest artists in the history of?—”

“ The greatest artist.”

“…making you one of the greatest women in the history of the world.”

I looked him over and said, “Ye are verra busy ingratiating yerself with me, I daena like tae be lied tae.”

He said, “I am not lying, I might be over complimenting you, Mairead, but… can I be perfectly honest?”

“Of course, I prefer it.”

“I like your money and your power, I’d like to keep you company. You have divulged some secrets and shared your bed with me, I think you would like to keep my company too. I mean, why not, with me on your arm you raise your own desirability — we can be a mutual help to each other. I will look good on your arm, and you will bring me more fame.” He grinned as he leaned nonchalantly on my desk and opened another chocolate. He aimed it at me as I opened my mouth, he tossed it in, and I chewed.

He grinned. “We will both be less friendless.”

I watched him, cocky and sure of himself.

I leaned beside him on the desk and looked down on my fine shoes. “Perhaps we ought tae marry, Wilfrey.”

He raised his brow again. “You are full of surprises, Mairead. I thought you would never marry again.”

“When did I tell ye that?”

“When we went to the movie premiere for the Shadow of Nothingness you mentioned it. You were married before, you would ‘never marry again’ is, I believe, how you put it.”

“I hae grown, perhaps.”

“That was mere months ago, what changed?”

I picked up a chocolate and turned it around with my fingers watching it. “I hae been pondering my lot, spending, some might argue, too much time alone, and I could use the company, but… I ken I could just take a lover, but I rather think I would like, for once, tae feel someone is devoted.”

He nodded solemnly.

I said, “I ken tis a great deal tae ask that someone such as yerself might be ‘devoted’ tae me. Tis not something ye request, tis usually offered, but I was speaking tae Archibald and… he told me he was concerned about my wellbeing… He is young, why would it affect me how he thinks? What does he ken on anything? But also, twas dispiriting tae see that perhaps he pitied me.”

“I am certain he meant to be helpful.”

“Aye, but I still dinna like it, tis one thing tae be powerful and alone by choice, another tae be seen as lonely… but more than that, it changed my mind. Somewhere along the way I stopped choosing it, and instead I was at loneliness’s mercy.”

He placed his hand on mine. It reminded me of when Archibald had patted my hand.

I said, “I winna see that Auld Archibald again, likely, but as a request when he left, he asked, almost as if it were a final deathbed request, that I marry, for him. Hae ye ever heard anything so ridiculous!”

I took a deep staggering breath.

“So I am asking if ye would marry me and if ye thought ye might become devoted tae me if ye tried and if we might hae an alliance of a kind?—”

“You are truly offering to… marry me, Mairead?”

I took a deep breath and looked away. “Would ye be willing tae sign a prenuptial contract? I hae of course done a thorough background check, but we would need tae sign something… especially as ye would be gaining a title.”

He gulped. “I would have a title?”

“Aye, ye would be a… duke, perhaps. Aye, a duke, the Duke of Stirling would fit.”

“Oh my, Mairead, I?—”

I said, “Ye canna hae an affair. Ye must be dutiful, and in exchange I will give ye wealth and power. But I warn ye, that if ye cross m’son and his family I will end ye.”

His eyes went wide. “Consider me warned…” He shook his head, then said, “I would live here in the castle?”

“Aye, I will need yer answer by the end of the day.”

He narrowed his eyes and said, “This is how you want it to go?”

“What do ye mean? I dinna plan it at all, it just came tae me so I daena ken how I want it tae go. Tis a business arrangement. Tis all it is.”

“Mairead, you just said that you wanted someone to be devoted! That is not a business arrangement.”

“Devotion is a great deal too much to ask, I am not that naive, Wilfrey.”

He shook his head again, sadly, watching my face. “Your grandson is right, you are a sad case, Mairead?—”

“You take that back, how dare ye? I will not be pitied!”

“Allow me to finish.”

I huffed and raised my chin. “Please forget that I asked ye. Tis not something we need tae mention again.”

“Mairead you are the most powerful woman in the world and your Grandson is correct, you should…”

I crossed my arms.

He reached out for my hand and pulled it toward him, then he put the champagne flute down.

“Tis fine, Wilfrey, twas a moment of weakness?—”

He got down on both knees in front of me.

I was too shocked tae speak. “What are ye doing, Wilfrey?”

“Mairead, you deserve someone who is devoted to you. Someone who will support you when you are feeling weak, someone who will listen when you prattle on about insanities like ‘time travel’ as if it is a thing that one can do. Someone who will clink their champagne flute to yours when you are celebrating the ‘death of your enemies’ and someone who will keep you company in this giant luxurious castle. Someone who is one of the most celebrated actors in the world, a little down on his luck, but still, someone who looks good, as you say, ‘on your arm’.”

I ran my hand through his hair as he spoke, tucking it behind his ear. His hair was blond, his cheek chiseled, his jaw square, he had the look of a leading man… a young Robert Redford. A younger woman with less power, might swoon tae hae him kneeling before her, but I was not so weak. I had had men in this position before, powerful men…

But I did like it a great deal.

I said, “Are ye offering tae be that someone?”

“Yes.”

I smiled. “I do verra much like a man who will get down on his knees for the important conversations, begging me for my favor is the most important of them… Ye daena want tae consider?”

“No, Mairead, you might change your mind. It is unlikely that I will ever have an offer this good again. A castle and a title in exchange for my devotion? I was already becoming devoted, you might have saved yourself the offer.”

“You were already becoming devoted? But we have only spent a few days together, ye hae shared my bed a handful of times. I think ye might be devoted tae my power.”

“Can the woman above me be separated from her power?”

“I suppose not.”

“You have spent your life gaining power — am I to pretend that I would want you without it? You would not be the same person. When I share your bed I am sharing it with Lady Mairead, the most powerful woman in the world. I am a subject of the king, you are the king’s mother, it would be impossible to separate out how I feel about the woman, separate from her power. Would you truly want me to?”

“Nae, ye are correct. This is my power, rightfully gained, for the entire purpose of increasing my worth as a woman.”

“As is right. We ought to marry.”

I said, “Then we are decided.”

He kissed the back of my hand and then stood and kissed me on the lips. He poured more champagne.