Chapter 44
KAITLYN
GATHERED TO SLEEP IN THE GREAT HALL
We were huddled under a roof on the side of the courtyard, waiting to be told we could go inside. Hayley had stuffed my nose with white gauze and I had taken a ibuprofen for the headache.
Even though it was late, the kids were wide awake watching the top floor, the fire, then the smoke, then we were waiting impatiently watching as men came from the stairwell one by one.
Then Archie yelled, “Da!” letting go of Haggis and they both ran to Magnus, Isla only a few steps behind. Magnus hugged them, petted Haggis, and then came to pick up Jack who was standing on my midriff, holding my knees, bouncing up and down, excitedly.
Magnus picked him up and Isla said, “Da, you look like a smoke monster.”
“I feel like a piece of burnt log, Isla. I imagine I do look like a monster, though, and likely smell like a smoke monster, too.”
Archie said, “You smell like you were on fire.”
“I feel it, Archibald, but the good news is the fire is out. Yer uncle Sean is free of the dungeon and—”
Archie’s eyes went wide. “Uncle Sean was in the dungeon?”
Magnus chuckled. “Aye, but he is out now, and Wilfrey is out, yer Da has done some masterful negotiatin’ and now we are going tae go intae the Great Hall tae sleep. All of us in one pile.”
Isla said, “Yay!” for some inexplicable reason.
Then his eyes rested on something to the side and I followed his gaze. “What...? Oh.”
The Earl’s fine stained-glass from the chapel had been shattered, glass everywhere. He said, “Och, this is distressing.”
Isla said, “It’s okay, Da, we can fix it.”
He nodded. “That’s what I needed, Isla, a reminder that this too shall pass. Tonight we grieve, and get some sleep, tomorrow we will sweep up.”
Magnus hefted me to my feet.
I said, “I wonder if the register book is safe in the chapel?”
“I daena think I can bear tae look. That will need tae wait for the morrow too.”
We skirted the courtyard trying to stay dry, and ducked into the interior of the castle.
The Great Hall, now pulsing with excited servants, was a cacophony.
Lizbeth stood in the middle of it, directing bedding to spots along the walls.
The whole place smelled like thick smoke and wet filthy humans.
Everyone was damp from being in the courtyard, and almost everyone looked black with soot and slightly singed from battling the fire.
Damp cloths were passed around. Magnus got his face washed and a bit of his hands and arms clean. I was able to get the blood off my chin, which was nice.
Magnus helped me get into a comfortable spot leaning against the wall, with Jack in my arms. Isla was buzzing around the Great Hall talking to her cousins, Archie and the boys were standing near the men listening to the stories about fighting the blaze.
It was a marvel that the fire had taken minds off the fact that the Earl had died in a duel just hours before, killed, or so they believed, by Lady Mairead’s young handsome husband. A lot of terrible things had happened and somehow it had protected Lizbeth.
She was safe.
John and Henrietta were nowhere to be seen. They must have been hiding up in their rooms, ignoring the request for everyone to sleep here for safety.
Hayley was buzzing around passing out blankets, helping Lizbeth, and finally she came and sat down beside me.
One of the servants had come around earlier, offering oatcakes and wine, as they were the easiest bits of a meal to put together.
I nibbled a bit of the oatcake, and sipped on a glass of wine.
Hayley asked, “Self-medicating?”
“Ayup.”
“What a day, huh?”
“It started a billion hours ago with a ride in the woods in the rain, and here we are.”
“Magnus had such a plan.”
We both looked across the hall at Magnus sitting on the table, watching in rapt attention as Sean described being taken down to the dungeons.
Hayley asked, “How’s your face?”
“I think, now that the ibuprofen kicked in, that it looks worse than it feels.”
“Looks like hell. You’re going to have so much fun on your date with your guy tomorrow.”
“I wonder why he wanted to do it so badly, I mean I know he was feeling really sad about leaving Balloch, but why was it about us?”
She shrugged. “You guys are the most loving couple I know, you also hardly ever go out, maybe he just thought you deserved a gesture.”
“He is so romantic.”
John and Henrietta walked into the dining room, as if they were lording it over the place.
They were not wet. They were not smoke covered.
They gestured that they wanted to speak to Magnus.
He glared, and then he nodded to a corner, and the three of them came together there.
They began a quiet conversation, but at one point Magnus looked furious.
Then John’s face grew red. Henrietta stood defiantly, arms crossed, her eyebrows occasionally rising as if in alarm.
Then, finally, Magnus and John shook hands.
Magnus came to sit next to me. Fraoch sat with Hayley. Sean and Lizbeth and Liam came and joined us, forming a large sprawling circle. Magnus put out an arm, I leaned on him.
“What did John want?”
“Now that Balloch has been on fire, he was concerned our deal might not stand. He wanted tae put this terrible trouble behind us, and was concerned that I might back out of m’deal tae fill his coffers in exchange for a burnt down castle.
I told him I dinna think I ought tae anymore, as he brought that man, Birk, intae our home and let him steal from us. ”
Fraoch said, “I want tae go on the record as saying that yer family were verra poorly done by John.”
“Aye, he is an arse.” They all raised their tankards.
Magnus said, “Yet still, we ought tae hae known better than all of us havin’ our vessels in the same room at the same time. I canna believe he has stolen three vessels from us, twill take a long time tae get them back.”
I said, “And Lady Mairead’s book, she must be outraged. I hope there wasn’t anything too important in it.”
Magnus said, “Likely it has all the instructions tae rule the world. He will be much smarter and stronger now.” He sipped from his mug, then said, “Ye ken he is on the list of kings…”
Fraoch dropped his head back against the wall. “Och nae, is that how I recognize the name?”
Magnus nodded. “He inna a relative though, he must be a usurper. I wonder who he usurped, I canna remember, with everything shiftin’ and changin’. Might hae been Artair.”
Fraoch sighed. “Dost ye think we gave him the tools tae do it?”
Magnus said, “Where was your vessel set tae travel tae? Mine was goin’ back tae Florida. I am glad Quentin is there and on guard.”
Fraoch said, “I hadna set mine, twas still set tae come here.”
Magnus said, “Lady Mairead’s was probably set for the kingdom — och nae, he is goin’ tae cause a great deal of trouble. I hope she gets there afore him.”
Hayley said, “We’re not worried that he took three of our vessels? We can get out of here, right?”
Haggis plopped down by Magnus and put his head in his lap.
Magnus said, “Well, Lady Mairead has taken the most convenient one, but by the Grace of God, we had one buried near the stone circle. When we go tae the woods on the morrow we will dig it up.”
Fraoch teased, “Och, ye are always wanting tae go tae the woods!”
Magnus joked, “I am trying tae be romantic!”
Fraoch chuckled, “I ken, ye keep saying it, but look what ye did, ye broke the world.”
Lizbeth said, “Young Magnus, ye really bought Balloch?”
He nodded quietly. “Aye, I really bought Balloch. I just affirmed it with John, tis our castle now.”
Sean said, “The roof was on fire, a wall has fallen, and now tis rainin’ indoors.”
Fraoch said, “But tis all yers!”
We raised our tankards again.
Magnus said, “I suppose ye daena want tae move tae my kingdom now, Lizbeth? Ye will be content tae stay here in this broken down castle?”
Lizbeth looked at Liam and they nodded. She said, “Aye, I would like tae stay here, if I am allowed, tis my home.”
Magnus raised his brow. “Twill be good, Lady Mairead can leave her things here, she winna need tae move the art, and now that we hae broken the place, she will get tae redecorate and order new glass. This has worked out verra well for ye all. And for Lady Mairead, she can come here whenever she wants without havin’ tae see the Earl, tis almost as if she planned it. ”
Lizbeth scoffed. “I think if Mother had planned it, the day wouldna hae been so perilous.”
Magnus said, “This is true. Twas death-defying, her plans are usually more careful in their treachery.” Everyone raised their tankards.
Magnus said, “Speaking of, where did ye get the poison? Nae, daena answer, tis better for me not tae ken the ease in which the women of m’family can accomplish their dark mischief.”
Lizbeth raised her chin. “Says a man who carries a sword with him wherever he goes.”
Magnus raised his tankard. “The important thing, nae one will go tae the gallows, we get tae keep Balloch — what of ye, Sean, will ye come with me or stay here?”
“I will stay here, if it is possible, Young Magnus, as Maggie would prefer it. Twill be good for my family and Lizbeth’s family tae be raised taegether. Will there be a title and… who will hae it?”
Magnus said, “Lady Mairead will give ye a title, she has some extras lying around. She collects them for emergencies…” He exhaled.
“We hae had a change of fortunes, we thought that we were goin’ tae move tae the future, but my brother and sister are going tae stay rooted here, in the past. Tis a relief now that it has been settled.
We will be the better for it, stronger, and I am glad tae hae a home tae come back tae. ”
Everyone said, “Slàinte!”
The night was winding down. The kids returned and curled up on our pallet of blankets, which were uncomfortably thin. I really wanted tae go upstairs to our room, but the fire had been so frightening that I was sure we’d all sleep better if we stayed together this night.