“No, I think it would need the homing set and I don’t know how to do that actually. See this is the trouble with the vessels, Kaitlyn and Magnus never know how to do anything with them. There’s no one who knows.”
“Tis why I daena want to find it. I daena want tae deal with it when tis the devil’s work.”
“I get that, and you’re right. I makes me furious Kaitlyn and Magnus never taught anyone else how to use the vessels, hence why I’m stuck here, so we should probably leave them alone, right?” I sighed the sigh of someone completely irrevocably lost.
Fifteen — Magnus
Zach was preparin’ dinner and we were gathered around the kitchen island havin’ a drink and sharin’ stories and laughin’. Kaitlyn stood in the kitchen proper, smashin’ garlic cloves for the bread, havin’ been pressed to work while Emma had Ben on her lap.
Archie came tae me with his arms raised and I brought him up so he could see what Kaitlyn was workin’ on. He looked down at the rows of bread on the pan, buttered, awaiting the garlic tae be spread upon them and reached for one, hungrily, his hand opening and closing, “Mammy, I want.”
Kaitlyn stopped in mid spread. “What? I mean… Oh.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. “Oh.”
She picked up a piece of bread and put it into his waiting fist. He ate hungrily, intent on the slice, while she stood stock-still her gaze intent on his face. “He just...”
We all nodded.
“Is that okay?” Her hands shook. “I don’t know if it’s okay.” Her chin trembled and then tears spilled over.
Archie looked up at her. “Mammy cry?”
Kaitlyn said, “No, honey, I mean, kind of... I’m crying but it’s okay, I do that sometimes.” She dabbed at her face with a kitchen towel.
She met my eyes. “Is that okay? He should call me Kaitlyn, right? I don’t know the rules.” She dropped the towel to the counter.
We were all watchin’ her as she burst intae tears. “I never know the fucking rules.” She touched his arm. “I’m sorry I said the f-word honey. I know it doesn’t seem like it but I’m really okay. I’m going to my room for a minute. I’ll be right back.” She rushed from the kitchen.
“Och.”
Archie placed a butter-covered palm on my cheek and looked in m’eyes. “Mammy okay?”
“She will be okay, it means a verra great deal tae her that ye have named her Mammy, and she feels verra strong about it.”
I dinna ken how tae handle it, or what tae do, but I kent I couldna put Archie down. Not while he was worried on Kaitlyn so I followed her, carryin’ him with me.
I knocked. “Kaitlyn? Tis me and I have Archie as well. We want tae speak tae ye on it.”
Her voice called, “Come in.”
I smiled at Archie as we went through the door so he wouldna be worried.
She was sitting on the bed holdin’ the photo of us when she had been pregnant.
Archie reached for her so I passed him tae her arms.
I asked, “What are ye feelin’, mo reul-iuil?”
Archie tucked his head tae her chest.
“I’m scared. My heart hurts and it’s so full of love at the same time. I think I’ve never had so much and that means I have so much to lose, right? Too much. And do I get to be that? Can I? Do I? No one told me I get to. What if it all... ?” She was guardn’ her words tae protect him, even in fear.
I sat down beside them on the bed. “I think ye have taken him intae yer heart Kaitlyn and I daena think ye can worry about havin’ done it. Dost ye mean to love him all your days?”
She nodded.
“And we mean tae do our best tae keep him safe and healthy, daena we, wee’un?”
He nodded as if he was a part of the conversation.
She asked, “Is it fair for me to let...”
“I call ye Kaitlyn, I am the only person tae call ye by yer true full name. Dost ye let me, or is it what I call ye?”
She sniffled. “You just do.”
“I call ye mo reul-iuil, and sometimes I call ye mo ghradh, and ye answer tae all of it because ye ken tis my heart speakin’. Ye dinna let me, I canna help it.”
She nodded.
“Wee’un, what dost ye call her?”
He twirled her hair with his butter-sticky hands. “Mammy.”
Magnus shrugged. “I ken ye feel it through and ye have a million emotions about it, but he has named ye, tis naethin’ tae do but say thank ye.”
She cried while smiling and said to Archie, “Thank you sweetie, I love the name so much. I’m honored you think of me that way.”
Archie said, “Want more bread,” and dropped off her lap to run from the room.
I dropped my hand to her thigh.
“I’m sorry I got emotional.”
“I ken it, Kaitlyn, I understand it.”
“That was momentous.” She looked down at the photo still clutched in her hand and then put it away in the drawer. “I didn’t realize it would make me go so untethered, but that was really awesome.”
“When he called me Da this morning, I cried too.”
She playfully pushed my arm. “You did not.”
“I kept it all inside,” I joked.
“What happens if she comes back for him? Or what happens if I’m not that great at it? Or what happens if there’s a custody battle across the centuries?”
“What would we do, tell him he canna love us because we are worried about what might come? Och, we are braver than that — we are Kaitlyn and Magnus Campbell. We have fought against madmen and kings. I daena think we should worry on what might happen. We will raise our swords and meet what comes.”
She leaned her head against my shoulder. “So I’ve been raised from Kaitlyn to ‘Mammy’?”
I grinned, “Ye went tae bed m’randy wife and woke up on this day a mammy. Tis a verra fast alteration of yer person. I hope ye winna forget in all yer mammy-ness tae be randy for me, I do like it verra much when ye are.”
She stood. “I am Kaitlyn Campbell. I have battled madmen and kings. I can be hot for you and I can be an excellent mammy. I am all that and more.”
“Good.” Then I joked, “but first ye have tae clean the butter the wee’un wiped in yer hair.”
I followed Archie tae the kitchen while Kaitlyn straightened herself for dinner.
Sixteen - Magnus
The next mornin’ I said m’farewell tae Archie on the back deck of the house. I crouched down, “Dost ye ken I will be home on the morrow?”
He nodded.
I hugged him. “Kaitlyn will take verra good care of ye, tell her ye get an extra bowl of ice cream if ye want it, tell her that Da said it was okay.”
He asked, “What this?”
“It’s my sword strap.” I shewed him the buckle and then twisted my shoulders tae shew him the sword down m’back.
“Big.”
“Tis. And verra heavy.”
I stood. He touched the hilt of my dirk. “What this?”
“Tis my dirk, wee’un. I wear it for protection, but also tae make me look m’part, a Highlander, ready tae fight. I’m a barbarian king. From long afore ye were born I have strapped them on so that someday ye winna have tae.”
“Why?”
“Because they are too verra heavy.” I ran my fingers down his cheek. “I will see ye on the morrow.”
“On the morrow, Da.”
I smiled.
I said m’farewell tae Kaitlyn at the house. We dinna want Archie tae see the storm and we dinna want tae take Kaitlyn from him when I was leavin’, so we embraced beside the Mustang. Her arms wrapped under mine, pullin’ us close taegether.
She looked up in my face. “Tell Hayley I love her, and bring her home. Will you tell Lizbeth that I’m sorry I didn’t come. Tell her about Archie, tell her that someday I’ll bring him. I don’t know how, but somehow and she can meet him, but tell her that I miss her and...”
I smoothed back her hair. “I will tell her all that and more. I will tell Sean that
the presents are from ye and I will give Madame Greer the chocolate and I will force feed the vitamins tae Fraoch.” We both chuckled.
“Then you’ll be here tomorrow with Hayley.”
“Aye.”
We kissed and then I dropped into the car beside Quentin.
She pressed her hand to the window before she walked up the steps tae the house.
Quentin drove me tae the south end and I stood in the sand surrounded by sacks filled with gear and presents.
“I wish I was going with you, Boss.”
“I ken, but this is the easy part. Hayley came tae rescue me, I will go and rescue her. I plan tae get there afore she even needs tae be rescued though, so there will be nae difficulties. She winna even meet Fraoch. He winna have a chance tae vex her with his roguish behavior.”
“What’s the date? Just in case, you know — something?”
“The sixth day of July the year 1704 is the date Kaitlyn put in the vessel in the arena. I will go tae the fifth day tae be early enough tae meet Hayley.”
“All right then, Boss. I’ll be watching the skies for both of you tomorrow.”
He crossed the sand tae stand by the Mustang and I set the vessel tae jump.
Seventeen — Hayley
We were on a trail in the woods when we noticed the wind rise. Fraoch shifted in his saddle and looked behind us. “Tis a storm.”
“Wait, what?” I looked back behind us. Trees, nothing but trees, barely any sky showing. And I was a little turned around anyway — “Is that the direction of our...?”
“Aye. Tis. Follow me.”
He turned his horse and I turned mine to fall into line behind. We rode at a fast pace and through the trees I could see a sky full of banking clouds, a flash of lightning. “How long will it take us to get there?”
“Nae long.”
I had forgotten that he would not talk in minutes but in vague passages of time.
God I missed having a sense of passing time.
How long had I been here now? A month? At least? So long that I had forgotten to hope there would be a rescue, forgotten to watch for the storms.
And then here one was.
Gatorbelle wouldn’t go closer and I was worried about forcing her. The wind was still raging and though this horse and I worked together really well, against this storm she seemed likely to throw me off.
I yelled over the wind for Fraoch to go on without me.
Instead, ignoring my direct order, he came back. “Ye will be good here? Daena move, I will return for ye.”
“Yes, of course, just go meet them, hurry!”
He raced off to the clearing.
Eighteen - Magnus
Horse hooves were thuddin’ the ground beside me. I opened one eye, twas all I could do. “Och, Fraoch MacDonald?”
He swung down tae the ground. “Tis nae MacDonald, as ye ken, tis MacLeod now that I live on Campbell lands. And what are ye doin’ writhin’ in the dirt like a worm?”
I slung an arm over m’eyes. “I am bein’ a hero. I have come tae rescue m’friend, she will arrive on the morrow.”
“Madame Hayley? She is already—”
“Magnus Campbell!”
I looked up tae see Mistress Hayley, dressed in the clothes of the time, ride a horse intae the clearing. “Magnus Campbell, where is Kaitlyn? Oh my god, I’m so glad to see you. What took you so long?”
I sat fully up with a groan. “I daena ken, I thought ye would be here on the morrow. Kaitlyn told me ye were tae arrive on the sixth day of July.”
Mistress Hayley groaned. “I’m going to kill her. I’ve been here for a month.” She climbed from the horse, holdin’ the reins as if she was used tae the horse.
“I came the first I believed I was needed. A day early tae save ye the trouble of findin’ your way.”
She stamped a foot. “‘Save me the trouble’? I’ve had to find my way for a freaking month! I have been literally starving! I haven’t had a shower in days and days and I am at the castle to sleep but then have to leave during the day because the Campbell men are not to be trusted — ya’ll need a whole bunch of lessons on manners. And Lizbeth, who is lovely by the way—”
“She is verra—”
“She has to guard my chastity! What the fuck is up with that? I have no idea what the men here think is appropri—”
Fraoch said, “I have been lookin’ after her until her husband could come tae collect—”
Hayley interrupted, “Yes, Mags, my husband, why isn’t he here? Fraoch has been protecting me every day to keep my sex parts unviolated for my husband. How is he by the way — is Michael well?”
I wondered if she had hit her head, but guessed her lie was tae keep Fraoch from advancin’ on her. I looked from the one tae the other. “So ye have met?”
Fraoch said, “Aye, we have met.”
Hayley said, “Of course we met, he has been trying to keep me alive. I’m so furious at Kaitlyn, I want to kill her! I’m glad you survived by the way.”
“Thank ye for your part in rescuing me, Madame Hayley.” I climbed tae my feet. “I am sorry I dinna save ye the trouble of fendin’ for yourself. My deepest apologies. Kaitlyn has been verra worried on ye and she sent me as soon as she could.”
She squinted her eyes. “How long did she wait?”
“From the arena we rescued Archie and brought him tae Florida. We have nae been there long.”
“She found Archie?”
“He had been left at an orphanage, abandoned, three years auld. He has been verra afraid of bein’ alone so I had tae make him feel safe afore I could leave. Kaitlyn canna leave him or she would be here.”
She humphed. “Well, thank god he’s out of the baby years. Is he cute?”
“Aye, but when we found him he had verra many bruises on him. Twas verra heartrendin’. We have been worryin’ over him but if Kaitlyn kent ye were alone she wouldna have left ye waitin’. Ye ken she loves ye.”
She sighed. “I wasn’t alone actually. Fraoch and Lizbeth have taken very good care of me.”
“I thank ye, Fraoch, for the care and attention.” He nodded while looking at the ground. I asked, “Madame Hayley, dost ye have a bag of vessels?”
“Yes, Lizbeth has hidden the bag in the castle.”
We all stood together in the clearing. Hayley stared at the ground, then huffed. “Fine, I’m happy for Kaitlyn that she found Archie and now she can be a mommy like she’s dreamed of, without suffering the babyhood part. Yeah. Fine, so I forgive her.”
“Thank ye, Madame Hayley.”
Then tae Fraoch I asked, “Why dost ye smell like an overripe rose garden?”
Nineteen - Hayley
Being in the castle sitting between Magnus and Fraoch, with Sean and Liam around us, Lizbeth across from me, it was like belonging, like being safe. I enjoyed drinking ale while listening to their stories. I could relax. Magnus told the men all about his arena battle and Sean was angry he wasn’t done battling for his crown. “Brother, what became of yer mighty fightin’ skills? You hae been trained in the warfare of a Campbell. Has yer wife made ye soft? You have allowed a usurper tae take yer kingdom?”
“Aye, it has fallen, Sean. I wasna soft on it, but I wanna there, I had another battle and while I was away I couldna keep it from fallin’ tae Roderick.” Magnus shook his head.
Sean waved his hands. “This is nae the Young Magnus I ken. You are a king and a warrior, what are ye speakin’ on? Ye were away and yer kingdom fell? Ye should raise an army and win it back.” The men all raised their mugs and yelled in agreement, a giant cacophony of manly men words.
While Magnus talked, I peeled oranges and passed slices around the table. Many of the Scots acted as if they’d never tasted orange before, grimacing and smacking their lips. Magnus also had a few cartons of orange juice and sparkling water, so I mixed up orange sodas and passed them around, making sure Fraoch received extra.
He and I sat shoulder to shoulder and he was attentive to me, I hadn�
�t noticed how much before. He was polite and considerate, then when he returned his attention to Magnus and the other men he was loud and funny and like the worst, most eye-rolling example of All-Man. Or the best kind. Depending on my mood.
Magnus passed around chocolate and meat and cheese. There were a great many people circling our table for the next taste and the next. Magnus presented it. I would serve it up.
For some it was as if I had just arrived. “Who is this then?”
“Tis Madame Hayley, a sister tae my Kaitlyn Campbell.” I was offered drinks and women smiled at me, conversations included me.
It was shocking, really, how much I needed a man to introduce me or I wasn’t even seen. Even Lizbeth, one of the important members of the family, wasn’t able to truly provide me the proper introduction I had needed.
With Sean and Liam and Magnus together, beside him, Fraoch was treated with more consideration too.
It was an odd thing, but on deeper reflection, not much different from a party in Fernandina. If someone was vacationing and found their way to an island party, there would be locals — if they knew James or Quentin or Michael, they’d be in the in-crowd. If they knew me or Katie, they’d want an introduction to James. It was odd how much the world kept being the same.
The night wore on and the Great Hall got wild. Magnus being in town was a big event. His stories were exciting and it had been boring around here. He told Lizbeth about finding his son — Kaitlyn picking Archie up in the tent city of the orphanage and bringing him to Florida, and I did fully forgive her then.
The look in Magnus’s eyes when he spoke about it, he loved her so much, it reminded me how great she was.
We heard some stories from Sean too while the chocolate was passed around.
And then late in the night we all headed to our rooms. I was in Lizbeth’s for one last night. Liam and Fraoch and Magnus and all the other men slept somewhere else.
Again My Love (Kaitlyn and the Highlander Book 9) Page 7