57. Chapter 57 - Kaitlyn
CHAPTER 57 - KAITLYN
BALLOCH CASTLE - 1710
W hen we entered the courtyard Lizbeth rushed out to meet us. “Young Magnus, ye hae brought yer whole family with ye!”
The huggings commenced. “And my mother! Lady Mairead!”
She was introduced to Wilfrey and her eyes went wide.
She came to me and Hayley and hooked her arms through ours, and whispered, “We hae a lot tae discuss about Young Wilfrey — he looks tae be younger than even my Liam!”
Sean said, “Did ye hear why they hae come, Lizbeth?”
“Nae, tae visit?”
The cousins rushed down and Archie and Ben ran off to play with them. Isla asked, “Mammy, does Zoe have to come too?”
“Yes, don’t leave anyone behind.”
She said, “Fine, come on Zoe,” and they rushed after the rest.
Lizbeth looked at Jack in my arms and said, “Master Jack, daena worry, ye will be running after them in nae time.”
He giggled and held his hands out. She leaned forward and he patted her on her cheek and kissed her chin with a full mouth wet kiss.
She said, “Och, I had forgotten how wonderful they are, ought I hae another?”
Lady Mairead said, “Och nae, my daughters will be persuaded tae hae yet more bairns tae their detriment. Tae hae a bairn, Lizbeth, ye remember, ye will need tae birth it as well.”
Lizbeth said, “Tis true, I stand corrected, the number I hae is just as I would like, but still, I do love my nieces and nephews.”
Jack leaned toward her arms, so I passed him over.
I laughed, “He’s going to try to charm you.”
She said, “Jack is verra charming, as is Noah.” She reached out and took Noah too, so that she had each baby on a hip. Then she redirected her look at Sean. “Why did they come then, Brother?”
He teased, “I thought ye would never come back tae my point.”
“Ye ought tae be more forthcoming.”
We all began walking toward the Great Hall. Sean said, “They hae come, Lizbeth, all of them, because they thought I had passed tae my great reward.”
She stopped dead in her tracks.
“What did ye say?”
“They thought I died, they came tae… are ye well, Lizbeth?”
She had gone completely pale. Beaty and I each grabbed a bairn from her arms. She said, “Och nae, tis my vision!” And though Hayley hooked her arm through Lizbeth’s for support, her knees buckled and she fainted to the ground.
Liam rushed forward and crouched beside her. “Och nae, Lizzie are ye well?” He pushed her hair back from her face, “Hae ye been harmed?”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Och nae, Liam, I told ye, dinna I tell ye?”
“Aye, ye told me.” He put his arms under her, hoisted her up, and carried her up the steps along the gallery into the Great Hall.
Emma and I rushed ahead to get a chair ready for her. She was helped into a chair, a drink was brought, and we all took our seats around her. Liam’s chair was facing hers and he held her hand.
She said, “I am sorry I frightened ye.” She reached out and smoothed his cheek.
“Tis all right, Lizzie, I ken ye had this vision just the other day.”
“And every day since, I couldna get it tae stop.”
She put a shaking hand out for her glass and sipped some wine. “Och, that will help.”
Then she laughed, “I am embarrassed. I almost dropped yer bairns, och nae, I wouldna forgive myself.”
Jack said, seriously, “Ba!”
Beaty said, “Daena ye worry on it, Lizbeth, Noah and Jack will bounce.” She said to me, “I will take the boys up tae the nursery.”
I said, “If you see the big kids tell them we’re in the Great Hall.”
She left and Lady Mairead said, “Lizbeth, ye must tell me, what is this vision ye are speaking on?”
Lizbeth said, “I hae seen Sean murdered. When my eyes are closed, it plays again and again, here.” She held her fingertips on the front of her forehead.
Sean was sitting on her other side, he had his elbows on his knees. “I told ye Lizbeth tis just a nightmare, tis not true?—”
“But they saw it, dinna ye see it?” She looked around at all of us, “Tis why ye came tae see tae him, because ye thought twas true.”
She dropped her head back on the chair. “Ye saw the vision, what does it mean?”
Magnus said, “We haena seen it, Lizbeth, none of us hae.”
“But, ye hae the look in yer eyes as if ye hae seen it — I was standing in a courtyard, I was not certain where, but twas familiar tae me. Then men on horses were rushing through the gates and a war was happening and I was sent underground, and Magnus was beside me, yelling, ‘Sean has been murdered!’ I daena remember much until I was here, and ye came tae see me, Mother, alone. Ye told me that Sean had been murdered, but I dinna ken it, ye told it tae me, and Maggie was crying and I was desperately sad. Ye told me that we had tae come tae live with ye because I couldna be here anymore without Sean… why do I hae these visions?”
Lady Mairead said, quietly, “Because they are true. Sean time traveled with Magnus tae the year 1291 and he was murdered there?—”
Magnus said, “By Edward the First.”
“The English king?”
Lady Mairead said, “Aye, and I think ye are havin’ memories, perhaps ye were there, we are doing this part over, did we do it over more than once? How can we tell…?”
“So it was true, I am nae out of my mind?”
“Tis true, I hae believed him tae be gone for long days, I was desperately sad.”
Sean raised his brow. “In the beginnin’ I thought twas a blessin’ tae hear the ladies mourn for me, but I hae changed my mind on it. I am right here, flesh and blood, livin’ and breathing. Lizbeth, ye had a vision and it scared ye senseless, and ye arna allowed tae be senseless. We need ye tae keep yer sense about ye.”
Magnus said, “I hae had visions before of things that dinna happen, Lizbeth, it can weigh heavily, but they will lesson over time.”
“Will they?”
He shrugged. “I think they will. Ye will forget the realness of them first and then they will be foggy memories. Soon enough ye winna remember at all.”
Sean said, “I will stay near and speak tae ye endlessly on matters of running the guard and ye will forget tae be fearing my death and begin wishing for it again. All will be well in the world.”
She frowned, “Tis not a good jest, Sean, ye are needed here. Yer sons need ye and Maggie and I… ye canna leave us.”
“I winna.”
Magnus said, “I hae been thinking of a new castle for ye. I daena want ye tae always live here as the cousins of the Earl’s son. Maybe we ought tae look for land, would ye begin tae consider which loch ye would like?”
Fraoch said, “It must hae good fishin’, as ye ken, Leven is the best loch in Scotland.”
Lochinvar rolled his eyes. “Tis not true! Awe is the best of them.”
Sean said, “I think I ken a good place, I will consider it.”
Magnus said, “I will speak with Edinburgh about a tract and a new title for ye.”
Sean said, “I daena think Edinburgh thinks that highly of us.”
Magnus said, “I dinna mean the government in this time period. Lady Mairead usually goes a few centuries earlier so that the title has longevity. She has a contact in Queen Elizabeth’s court, it gives the title more stature.”
Lady Mairead was sitting with her face set, as if she had something to say but wouldn’t.
Magnus said, “Did ye want tae add tae it, Lady Mairead?”
“Whatever ye need me tae do tae make my children hae better lives, I will do.” She looked away.
Sean said, “I canna understand how this time travel works, maybe I ought tae do it once...”
Lizbeth said, “Ye arna allowed! Tis too dangerous — my heart canna take it. Tis bad enough that our brother and his wife and all our nieces and nephews are off doing it, but now that I hae these visions…”
She straightened in her seat and smoothed the sides of her hair. “But that is enough of this — did ye bring presents, Young Magnus?”
He smiled. “We came in a hurry, I dinna bring as many as I did in the past, but we hae some?—”
Zach pulled two giant ziplock bags from a duffle bag. “Cookies! Chocolate chip and Snickerdoodle!”
Fraoch passed around bottled sodas, always a hit. Lizbeth said, “Ought we save some for the bairns?”
Zach patted the bags, “I kept theirs in here. There’s plenty, eat up.”
She took a sip of her Coke. “I feel better already, thank ye.”
Magnus said, “I am verra sorry, Lizbeth, that we hae caused ye fear and worry.”
She smiled, “I would like a few more visits during the year. Whenever yer absence grows long my mind wanders.”
He nodded. “Done.”
Lady Mairead huffed. “I canna remain silent. I would like tae say, once more, that if ye and yer families, Sean and Lizbeth, would come tae Riaghalbane, ye would hae all the cookies and sodas ye want. In your brother’s kingdom we hae more than enough comforts and luxury, and Magnus could visit all of us in one place.”
Lizbeth said, “But this is our home.”
Sean was looking at his drink, thoughtfully. “What would we do, how would we occupy ourselves?”
Lady Mairead said, “Well, ye wouldna spend yer days taking care of the Earl’s castle and lands! Ye would hae yer own castle, our family’s castle! I hae been listening tae ye tell me ‘nae’ for long years, always refusing my offers. Now ye are finally considering and discussing that I will procure ye an eighteenth century title and yer brother will build ye a castle, but we already hae this! I can give ye a title, a castle, all the wealth ye could want! Lizbeth, yer sons and daughters would hae medicine tae cure their ills. Sean, ye could lead an army of men if ye wanted, or ye could do naething but hunt. Liam, yer bairns would hae a future as great lairds and ladies!” She waved her hands. “But even now I see there is nae convincing ye. I beg and beg for ye tae leave this past and join us in our future.”
Magnus said, quietly, “… and ye could visit here in the summers just as we used tae visit Kilchurn castle on Loch Awe.”
Sean said, “Our mother is offering us a place in your castle, Magnus, ye hear her?”
“Aye, and I concur. I spend a great deal of time tryin’ tae think of how tae get ye a proper place where ye would be the laird, instead of overseein’ our uncle’s lands. Soon he will pass and then ye winna be the nieces and nephews, but the cousins of the new earl.” He scowled. “We deserve a better outcome than this. And by that I mean the ‘royal we’, I am a royal, ye are a royal, as well.”
Lizbeth said, “I feel as if everyone is lecturing against my decisions.”
Lady Mairead said, “Simply because ye hae decided something, Lizbeth, daena make it right, and it daena mean that changing yer mind is a weakness.”
Lizbeth and Sean met eyes.
He said, “I think that Lizbeth, Liam, and I need tae speak about this in private. Dost we hae time tae discuss?”
Magnus said, “Aye, Sean, ye can take yer time.”
Sean nodded, he was looking intently at the bottle of Coke he was drinking.
Magnus took a long sip of his Dr Pepper then said, “As long as we are discussing our futures, Lady Mairead, ye hae been complaining of loneliness?—”
She said, “I am rattling around in that castle all alone!” She looked pointedly at her daughter, then added, “And the help is not performing their tasks, Magnus. They daena listen.”
He said, “Ye can go on the journey ye hae been wantin’ tae take. I haena given ye a good break in a while. I hae been just showing up for meetings and quickly leavin’. I will cease it. Kaitlyn and I will take over the runnin’ of Riaghalbane for a time.”
Lady Mairead said, “This is verra kind of ye, Magnus, Wilfrey and I were planning on visiting Hollywood and Manhattan. There’s a great deal I want tae show him, but, I truly daena need ye tae come take over. I ken I complain but I really just want ye tae be aware that I am doing it alone and…” She glanced at Wilfrey who was holding her hand. “I am not going tae be alone anymore.”
Then she said, “But tis good tae hear ye admit it. I do a great deal for ye, ye ought tae appreciate me more.”
“I am aware,” and then Magnus teased, “Dost everyone need me tae tell them I am aware of all they do? Fine,” he took another Snickerdoodle, “Lady Mairead, I am aware ye run m’kingdom at great cost tae yer own pleasures. Lizbeth, I am aware I hae given ye a great deal tae worry on. Sean, I ken ye are trying yer best tae take care of yer family as the son of the sister of the Earl, and ye and Lizbeth are making decisions trying tae keep yer families safe — anyone else?”
Fraoch said, “Ye haena done me yet, Og Maggy.”
“I am aware that in another lifetime ye cared for m’bairns as if they were yer own, ye are a good brother.”
Zach grinned and held forth a cookie.
Magnus held a cookie in each hand. “I am aware that Chef Zach bakes the best cookies. I canna even begin tae tell him how much he means tae me.” He jokingly dabbed at his eyes with his wrist, then took a bite of a cookie. “And Colonel Quentin is always willing tae drop everything tae help, and James, who inna here because his bairn will be born verra soon, is a good man. And finally, m’wife kens how I feel.”
I raised my bottle of Sprite. “You don’t have to tell me, I know.”
Then he said, “Madame Hayley daena need me tae say a thing, because she is too chill, she kens her worth.”
Hayley held up her orange soda. “Hear hear!”
“And Madame Emma who runs all m’books, while helpin’ me care for Chef Zach, who as I mentioned, provides us with cookies, is irreplaceable. And Madame Beaty, who is in the nursery, carin’ for the bairns, has m’most enthusiastic respect. She also delights us regularly with music at all hours.”
He raised his soda. “There, tis everyone.”
Lochinvar said, “Hey, ye forgot yer brother, Lochinvar!”
Fraoch said, “If ye daena say something nice about Og Lochie he is likely tae recite a long poem about himself. Again. ”
Lochinvar said, “If ye daena say something nice about me, Og Maggy, tis clear that ye need tae hear the poem again, ye haena learned it.”
Magnus laughed. “I am aware Lochinvar, that ye hae put yer desires away tae come see if Sean was still here, yer selfless acts?—”
Lochie said, “And heroic!”
Magnus said, “Yer selfless and heroic acts are oft overlooked.”
Fraoch raised his soda. “And I am aware that if ye overlook his acts ye will be reminded by long-winded poetry.”
Lochie drank from his bottle. “I winna need tae recite it, it seems as if ye hae taken the meanin’ tae heart.”
Fraoch leaned forward and looked at Lady Mairead and Wilfrey. “Tae change the subject, how about we go down tae the chapel and get ye two lovers married?”
Lady Mairead said, “What…? But… we were going tae?—”
“Yer whole family is here, ye ready? Ye signed the forms, Wilfrey?”
Wilfrey nodded.
Fraoch said, “Then we should do it now, I canna see a reason tae wait. Call me an ol’ softy, I love love. We thought we might be here for a funeral, let us turn it intae a wedding.”
Magnus slapped his hands on his knees, “Excellent idea.” He stood up and put out his hand for his mother to help her rise.