Chapter 3 #2
“We were all stuffed, feeling patriotic, we walked through the moonlight, someone was singing, all three of us and three other guys.”
Quentin said, “Thomas, Cooke, and Sammy.”
I asked, “Where they Founding Fathers?”
Quentin said, “No, lesser-knowns.”
James said, “We had to go up a narrow, steep stair and then a hand-over hand ladder to the top of Christ Church steeple.”
Zach said, “It was scary as hell up there, thought we were going to die. But we could see the whole city!”
Emma was typing and said, “That steeple is 196 feet, back in 1775 it was the tallest structure in the American colonies.”
James said, “No shit? Wow. Worth the sore shoulders the next day.”
Emma said, “What else did you do?”
“Basically that and taverns every night. There were so many toasts, every time you tried to take a bite of food, someone would clear their throat and begin one.” Zach stood and raised his glass. “‘To the rights of Englishmen — and more wine!’” He sat back down.
Fraoch looked at Magnus and cleared his throat. “Och, it sounds familiar, daena it, Og Maggy!”
We laughed.
James said, “They were partying like a Florida-boy after a Gator game and the next day they were back at the Hall, arguing tariffs like nothing happened.”
Zach said, “I wonder if we’re in the history books, we didn’t miss anything fun, we were part of all of it.”
Quentin said, “We were responsible for a lot of drunk and disorderly, we kept buying them rounds. As the only sober person for miles I was worried I was going to have to lug Franklin home.”
James said, “Yet somehow they all got home, all showed up for work the next day.”
James, Zach, and Quentin raised their mugs.
I said, “These stories are just amazing, I’m so glad you went to do that. We should go visit a lot of historical moments. That would be fun.”
I looked at the kids. “What would you like to go see, anytime in history?”
Zoe said, “Disney World!”
We all groaned.
Lochinvar shrugged. “I would like tae see it, tis the one with the roller coaster ye rode, Og Maggy, ye were tellin’ me about it?”
“Aye, ye will like it.”
Isla said, “But Uncle Lochie, you can’t go without us.”
“Of course not, Isla, ye hae tae be there tae show me how tae do it.” He squeezed Ash’s hand. “When we go tae Disney World can we take all the bairns?”
“Of course.”
Isla clapped her hands. “We’re going to Disney world!”
I sighed. “That’s not entirely what I meant, yes, Disney World, sometime soon, but we have a few things to handle first. I was trying to be conversational — where in history would you like to go?”
Lochinvar said, “The old west. Ye ken, the movie we watched?”
I nodded.
James said, “All my history dreams have already come true, I’ll go where Sophie wants to go next.”
She said, “I would enjoy seein’ the launch of a space ship tae the moon.”
James said, “Hot damn, great idea! Okay, we’ll do that as soon as Junior stops being such a needy boy.”
Fraoch said, “I want tae go tae the Roman coliseum.”
Magnus’s eyes went wide. “Och nae, tis verra far in the past, we canna use the trailblazer tae do it, twould kill us, likely, but…” His eyes softened and went far away. “Twould be verra good, and we would probably survive it.”
“Twould be worth it.”
Emma asked, “Which of you ladies want to go with me to Regency London?”
I raised my hand.
Hayley said, “Hell yeah.”
Emma said, “We could get a hotel, parasols, long dresses. Oooh, we could have those little calling cards, we place them on the tray by the door.”
She pretended to put a calling card on the table and batted her eyes.
I said, “Magnus and I were close to that time and he wore these breeches and…” I glanced at the kids. “I like that time period a lot, let’s go there. We should do that.”
Magnus raised his brow. “Am I invited?”
“Perhaps, maybe we do need an escort, but it seems like it should be a girls’ trip.”
He chuckled. “Tis fine, since ye only like my breeches, I am nae worried.”
“What about you, Beaty?”
“Ye ken, I am verra happy with the time we are in, tis verra fine. I would like tae go see a farm. Could we go tae a farm?”
Isla said, “We could go to Laura’s house from the Little House on the Prairie book!”
Sophie clapped her hands.
Beaty asked, “Could we? They are m’favorite books. We read them every night.”
I said, “Yes we could, we could knock on Laura Ingall’s door and ask for a tour.”
Emma said, “And we could go see where Almanzo Wilder from Farmer Boy grew up too. You would like that, boys?”
“We’d have to see if we can get invited to breakfast, huh Ben, remember how big those meals were?” Archie rubbed his stomach. “Man, I’m hungry for pancakes.”
Zach said, “You sound just like your dad. I literally just fed you.”
Archie said, “Ya always gotta have room for pancakes.”
Magnus pretended to use a napkin to proudly wipe his eyes.
Zach said, “We have dessert, but the grownups are still eating, so you’ll have to run off and do something else until we’re done.” The big kids all ran off with Haggis loping behind. Jack began banging on his highchair tray like he wanted to go too, his face screwing up like he might cry.
Zach tossed a piece of crusty bread to both Jack and Noah and they began gumming and chewing it and banging it on their trays, suddenly distracted and happy once more.
Magnus said, “Now we are alone we can speak freely — Kaitlyn and I are plannin’ a trip tae Balloch tae deliver some chests tae Sean and Lizbeth.”
Zach said, “But we’re not all going? The boys will really want to visit.”
“We still hae time tae visit later, but for now we will take the chests. Twill be a quiet visit, then when Sean and Lizbeth are ready tae move, we will go with the whole family. We will fill the castle with our raucous excitement at their moving.”
Emma said, “So you’re not taking the kids? Will you tell them you’re going or is this a secret getaway?”
Magnus said, “Nae, we will tell them, and they winna worry. They will ken this is an ordinary visit, the world is calm. We are goin’ tae go tomorrow night after they hae gone tae sleep, we will forgo the three day turn-around rule and return the next day instead.”
I asked, “How long do you think we will be there?”
He grinned. “As long as we need tae get a proper vacation.”
“This is a new side of you, Magnus, a vacation! You’re usually all about duties and responsibilities.”
He chuckled.
Quentin said, “Boss, I’ve never once heard you say you wanted a vacation.”
Fraoch said, “Ye hae wanted a ‘Time of Calm’ perhaps.”
James said, “You’ve wanted your mother to stay far away and give you some peace and quiet, but a vacation? Seems out of character.”
Lochinvar said, “I give ye two days before ye will be on guard duty.”
Magnus chuckled, swigging some beer. “Och, who said anything about givin’ up guard duty?
Even on vacation I think ye hae tae go on guard duty.
” He began making a list, using his fingers to keep track.
“And ye hae tae take care of yer horses. Ye might need tae hunt. Fetch the firewood. Ye canna hae a good vacation if ye daena hae ale, ye will need tae bring the barrels up from the cellar.”
“Other than that you’re ‘resting’?”
Magnus nodded with a big grin. “Tis resting! Tis not resting?” He screwed up his face.
“Maybe I daena ken what vacation means. I think we will go tae Balloch and see m’family, and we do all the normal things, we just arna fleeing danger, that is the part I am lookin’ forward tae — a visit without fleein’ danger. ”
He raised his glass and we raised ours too.
“Hear hear!”
I excused myself to go get a notebook and pen and when I got back I overheard whispers.
“What?”
Everyone at the table looked shifty.
“Honestly, what? Are you talking about… me?”
Hayley leaned forward, jabbing her finger on the table. “Why’s it always gotta be about you? Maybe I was talking about my husband’s clicking joints? Maybe I just want to talk about it without you overhearing it?”
Fraoch said, “M’knees are verra loud, hae ye heard them?”
We all said, “Yes.”
I said, “So you’re talking to a hundred people about Fraoch’s clicking knees that we’ve all heard click—”
“A hundred people can’t fit at this table!”
“And you won’t repeat it in front of the one person who was out of the room?” I narrowed my eyes. “What are you up to?”
She scoffed. “The queen of Riaghalbane thinks it’s all about her.”
“It is, right? I mean, as queen, aren’t I the…” I sighed. “I don’t even want to argue, let’s talk about my list of what we’re taking to the past.”
I started on a clean sheet. “Chests. Numerous.”
Quentin said, “We only have two actual chests, the rest are boxes. Put packing tape on your list. Sharpie. Boxcutters.”
Magnus was staring out at space, looking thoughtful. “We hae been through difficult times, I think we hae made a good decision in moving Sean and Lizbeth.”
I patted his hand. “You’re still trying to convince yourself?”
“I am convinced, I just daena like big changes. Everything is always shifting, I wish I had more control.”
“Moving Lizbeth and Sean is about control.”
He nodded again, looking at his glass.
I picked the pen back up. “What else do we want to take?”
Magnus said, “I think that is it.”
Emma said, “It’s been a while since we’ve taken toothpaste and toiletries. I’ll grab that from the store tomorrow.”
I wrote down a few more things. “I guess that’s it, but if you think of anything to put on the list, add it. I’ll leave it here on the counter.”
I leaned back in my chair and put my feet up on Magnus’s knee. “Should we tell the kids together?”
“Nae, ye talk tae them, I will also tell them. We will do it separately.”
“Then I won’t overhear you making promises to Isla?”
“Och, she exacts a high price when I go away. I ought tae start thinkin’ on her present now, or twill never be good enough for her.”
I raised my brow. “It will never be good enough for her.”
“Aye, tis true.”