Chapter 21 #2
“That does sound good. But that could have easily happened later in the week.”
“And then the children are here.”
“What? The children are here!”
“Aye, when I was distractin’ ye, the kids were goin’ tae come from behind the trees tae surprise ye.”
“What — really? That’s so sweet, Magnus, truly.” I got kind of overwhelmed and tears welled up. “Wow. I love it, but wait, they traveled all by themselves?”
“Nae, Hayley and Fraoch are bringin’ them—”
“We should go to the clearing and meet them!”
He said, “We could, but I think the kids are countin’ on surprising ye, we need tae wait here so we daena ruin it.”
“Is this why we paused for so long, is this why we didn’t go all the way to the woods and we didn’t go to the clearing?”
He nodded.
“I had no idea what you were up to!”
“I ken, I am a master. Ye dinna see the storm as they arrived, I hae been distracting ye with my discussion of the rain and the landscape.”
“Master Magnus, you are going to get such a nice bedding from me for this, of course you invited the kids to come, so we won’t be able to.”
He groaned. “My plan was well laid but has led nae where good.”
His radio squawked again. He pushed the button and said, “Here. At the Boulder by the Twisted Pine.”
Then he said, “Sean is bringing them.”
“I ought to get off the horse and just act natural, pretend to be surprised?”
“Aye.” He climbed from Dràgon and helped me down from Osna, which was no small feat because my skirts were sodden and heavy.
“I hope the kids aren’t too wet.”
“Likely they will be wet through but winna mind.”
“True.” I stood there, hands on hips waiting. “What are we doing? I want to get my story straight.”
“I brought ye tae the woods tae shew ye the trees, the kids will believe ye, ye daena hae tae worry on it, and tomorrow or the next day we will come back for the wood, and twill be—”
“It’ll be perfect. And yet today was also perfect, in its own entirely waterlogged way. I absolutely love that you worked so hard to surprise me. And if it had worked with wonderful weather I might have been kind of irritated if we were in the woods and the kids walked out from behind a tree.”
“Ye would hae been?”
“Yes, Magnus, anything could have happened to them! How are they in the woods, what has happened! I’m shocked and scared and my heart drops and I think, oh man, someone has chased them here.”
“Ye would hae thought all of that?”
“Yes, it happens all the time, so this is why it’s always better to tell me the surprise, I really will enjoy it so much more.”
He pressed his finger to his lips. Then whispered, “Ye hear…?”
I nodded.
He looked around at the trees, rain drizzling down, and said loudly so his voice would travel down the path, “Ye see it, Kaitlyn? The tree that I meant tae shew ye? It is much like our family, roots tae the ground and branches tae the sky!”
I said, loudly, “I do see it, Magnus, wow! And I really wish the kids were here to see it!”
Just then the horses came from behind us, Haggis bounded up, and Isla yelled, “Ma! Surpise!”
And all my bairns were reaching for me, Jack held by Hayley, Isla held by Fraoch, leading their horses, Gatorbelle and Thor, and Archie on his horse, Mario. Jack yelled, “Mama!”
And I really did burst into happy tears from the surprise. Then he said, his baby face, very serious, “Wet.”
Magnus said, “Jack, this is called dreich.”
Jack said, “Da.”
“Nae, Jack, ye hae tae say it like this: dreich.” He contorted his face when he spoke the Gaelic word and Jack giggled and said, “Da-da!”
I pulled Jack close and wrapped my raincoat around him.
Haggis jumped on Magnus giving him wet muddy paws on his coat and Magnus said, “I am so glad you all came early, Fraoch, the rain was making it difficult tae keep the surprise. I couldna come up with reasons tae stay here all day.”
Fraoch put his arms out, looking absolutely drenched, like a drowned rat. “Why nae? This is perfect Scottish weather! Tis good tae stay out in it all day, there is nothing at all tae make us go inside. Right, Isla?”
“I am cold.”
“Then as good Scots, we ought tae go in for food, a smart Scot will trade wonderful weather for a meal.”
We began the slow walk in the rain back to the castle, Haggis frolicking as if eighteenth century rain and mud were the best things in the world. Fraoch leaned back and looked up at the sky. “Och, Og Maggy, ye were right, this was worth the trip.”
Magnus chuckled. “Ye are teasin’ me, I dinna ken the weather. I was tryin’ tae be romantic.”
“Scottish rain makes everything romantic, daena it, Hayley? It rained a deluge on our wedding day.”
“I almost drowned on a runaway horse.”
“But I rescued ye, right by the wall of the castle, twas heroic.”
“Well, let’s put it this way, you were trying to be romantic, just like Magnus is trying to be romantic now.” The sky opened up and rain poured down even more.
Magnus said, “Yet failin’ miserably.”
In the courtyard of the castle we gave the horses to the stable boys and rushed into the main door, dripping puddles on the stone floor. Hayley said, “Dry off or someone is going to catch a cold!”
Fraoch said, “Och nae, that is just an auld wive’s tale!”
“I am an old wife! And I say you need to dry off, don’t argue.”
Fraoch said, “I will, but I am famished, when dost the feast happen?”
I said, “It’s just after the morning meal, I don’t think there will be food for hours yet.”
Fraoch looked crestfallen, “And Chef Zach only packed us this wee cooler.” He sighed dramatically.
Sean said, “I will hae Lizbeth ask for some food tae be put out in the Great Hall, but ye must be dry tae come, she will be furious if ye drip on the good rugs.”