Magnus removed his vest and unbuttoned his shirt. “I canna either, I am often surprised by her reasonings.” He pushed his pants down to the floor, like a super sexy man.
I, on the other hand, unbuttoned my skirt and floundered it off, like a drunk person, kicked it to the floor, and pulled off my white frilly shirt, getting trapped in it for a moment, giggling, as he climbed into the bed. I crawled under the covers and shoved in beside him, curling up against his chest. “Remember all that stuff I said about wanting to lustfully have sex in public? I’m too drunk to have sex in private.”
“I ken ye are. Go tae sleep, mo reul-iuil.”
Thirty-one - Kaitlyn
Still dark in the room, middle of the night, or near morning, by the sounds, or lack of sounds, through the windows — the streets had finally grown quiet except for one man yodeling in the distance, and a dog barking nearby. I couldn’t figure out what woke me. But then — clattering footsteps on the stairs.
A man’s voice, Picasso, called loudly and drunkenly, something that sounded like, “Mad, let me in!”
Lady Mairead was at the door. She said something in return and then they both whispered at the top of their voices, coming into the living room while bantering with each other, and collapsing on the couch.
The sounds were unmistakably: drunk guy coming home for the night, and then, though I couldn’t make out the words, it was broken by what could only mean kissing.
I had been asleep on Magnus’s chest and raised my head to see if he was awake — yep, listening.
“Is this weird for you?”
“Och aye.”
I said, “I never would have believed this is what would make Lady Mairead happy.”
“Aye, the tiny man-child with the terrible disposition.”
Picasso’s voice from the living room rang out, “Beautiful Kaitlyn, come out come out wherever you are!” He laughed, then must have done something grabby to make Lady Mairead squeal.
Magnus asked, “I canna kill him?”
I twirled my fingers on his chest. “Of all the things we’ve done throughout time, that would be the thing that would send the whole history kerflooey. He’s only twenty-three years old he has to live to be ninety-one. He has to paint a shit ton of paintings. He has to become a cubist or else we won’t have...” I raised my head to look down on him, my eyes wide. “Uh oh — I think I just explained multiverse theory and time travel to the guy who will invent the modern age with cubism. Fuck, did I blow it all?” I nestled into Magnus’s chest. “Of course it’s already happened, too late now. It’s so hard to know what to do or say, everything is liable to change something else.”
We sat quietly for a moment. I asked, “So she’s going to live here in her happy place, give up her desire to be queen mother?”
“Aye. I have never seen her so contented. She is pleased tae protect the important man-child and provide for him and at least for a time daena want tae involve herself with us.”
“Do we like her enough to let her stay here and be happy?”
“Nae, she daena deserve it. I ken she has helped us verra much but she has also done a great deal of harm tae ye. I daena want tae let this stand.” He considered for a moment. “Tis useful though that she wants tae stay here. She is out of our way. If I could relieve her of the vessel, she would be trapped in a perfect place.”
“We could visit her once a year on a holiday.”
“Aye, tis a nice dream.”
Their voices grew louder as if Picasso had left their place together on the couch, his voice carried through the door. “Take me with you, Mad, I want to see it.”
“I will someday, I will take ye tae Scotland and—”
“No, I want the future, the limitless, boundless future. I would learn about what lies ahead, see the art I will make, my studio, and—”
“Twould be a mistake. Tae see the past is a solace, tae ken the future is tae bring a dark wanting a’grip on your soul. I canna—”
“I will force you to. You will never have another painting from me. You will be ruined.”
“Och, ye are drunk and irritatin’. Without me feeding ye, ye are nothing but a penniless street artist. You wouldna be able tae pay your prostitutes, what kind of life would ye have? I will take ye at m’own discretion wherever I care tae take ye. Daena forget yourself.”
“I want to see it, Mad.”
“Nae, tae travel tae your own future would be a—”
“Kaitlyn said our lives were moving at the same time, side by side, our past and our future, I am only asking to visit it, no? Only as an observer. You can do this much for me, Mad. You have it in your power.”
“Nae, daena ask me anymore. I am tiring of your insistence.”
“Magnus is a thug. How can you allow him to go but I can not? He is too dim to understand philosophy and art, but you have allowed him to see the future. Let me.”
I reminded Magnus quietly, “Can’t kill him.”
Lady Mairead said, “He haena seen the full future. There are a great many terrible things about tae happen tae him. I hae sheltered him from what is coming.”
Magnus threw aside the covers and jerked on his pants.
I said, “Where are you going?”
“I am discussin’ this matter, instead of listening furtively, like a child.” He pulled a shirt over his head and stormed out of our room, booming, “What dost ye mean, Lady Mairead? What are ye hidin’ from me?”
I followed to see Picasso standing, wobbling, in the middle of the room, just before he collapsed onto the couch at Lady Mairead’s feet.
Magnus was glaring.
Lady Mairead remained lounged, seeming unperturbed. “Tis none of your concern, Magnus. I told ye nae tae change the future, but ye wouldna listen tae me. You insisted on allowing time tae pass and rescued your son, thereby setting the passage of time as permanent. I warned ye tae intervene earlier—”
“Tell me.”
Picasso stared from Magnus to his mother.
Lady Mairead sighed and flicked a piece of dust from the leg of her blue silk pajamas. “You and Kaitlyn will spend the rest of your lives on the run from Roderick and Bella. They want ye tae die so they winna stop chasin’ ye. For a long time they are only a step behind and when they catch up tae ye…” She shook her head. “You will pay for nae dealing with them from the beginning.”
Magnus dropped into the chair, his mouth resting on his hand, watching her. His expression — fury, barely held in check. “I demand tae ken what happens, and when?”
“They find ye, what does it matter how?”
“It matters because I might be able tae change course.”
“In one future they find ye because they obtained real estate documents signed by your mother-in-law’s hand. In another future they find ye because they lay in wait and meet ye at a restaurant. In case ye are wondering, the restaurant is in Los Angeles. There are many possibilities tae your hiding, but there are as many possibilities tae them finding ye. You ken this, ye ken it. I told ye I have seen the future and I dinna like it. I begged ye tae change course. You winna listen.”
“We might have changed the future, we are always overwritin’ it.”
She shrugged. “Ye haena done anything different than what ye ever do, try tae live in comfortable obscurity, but it is nae a life for ye. You were raised tae be a king. Tis your fate. You must ken denying your fate leaves a terrible destruction around ye. Tis the same for Pablo, neither of ye can change what ye are destined tae become. By forcing your will, by changing your destiny, ye have unfurled the world.”
Magnus took a deep long breath. “If they find me, do I always lose the battle? This daena sound like my fate. I hae trained my whole life tae protect m’family and take m’kingdom.”
“Even Magnus the First canna fight when his wife and son are held captive. Or should I say, especially, Magnus the First canna. You either need tae be the king or live in hiding. You will bring danger tae all the people ye hold dear. I w
ill remain here, so I winna have tae be in the middle of it, and I daena want tae live in a future where Bella has won.”
“Aye, she is a problem.”
“She winna rest until Roderick has finished ye.”
Magnus said, “Kaitlyn, we should prepare tae leave, we will need tae go for Archie.”
Magnus remained in his chair, but turned his attention to Picasso. “Master Picasso, ye are askin’ Lady Mairead tae do the impossible, shew ye the future. You canna ken of it because twould change ye, and my wife tells me ye are too verra important tae change. This is the one and only reason why I haena called ye from the room tae speak on your behavior. Because your future may well hold your true size, right now ye are behavin’ like a verra small and unimportant child.”
“Says the barbarian thug.”
“I am a barbarian, yet I have somehow managed tae control m’anger. You are pretendin’ tae be a civilized man yet ye haena shewn any self-control at all.”
I spun around, headed to our room to get dressed for travel. Magnus followed me. I hugged him briefly, and then we readied to leave.
Thirty-two - Kaitlyn
It was just before dawn, the light barely breaking. The vessels and other gear were in our bag, Magnus’s sword wrapped in it.
We entered the living room to find Lady Mairead leaning against the arm of the couch, Picasso passed out, face down on her chest. Her arm was draped protectively around him.
“We are leavin’. I canna continue tae leave Kaitlyn’s grandparents in danger.”
She whispered, “True,” and waved her arm to the wall of the living room. “Take those paintings with you, have them appraised.”
I said, “Are you sure?”
“Of course, they are never before seen — very important. Tell Jason at the London Appraisers that I gave them tae ye.”
I pulled one off the wall, “This one is of you.”
“Pablo paints me often. He is as in love with me as Pablo can be. He will find someone new, verra soon, but until then I will have a verra extensive collection of his work. He has friends as well, of course, who are artists. Not nearly as troubled, rather boring actually.”
Picasso spoke in his sleep, “No no...” He said something in Spanish, then passed out again.
Lady Mairead smiled fondly down on him.
Magnus huffed. “We shall leave then.”
Lady Mairead said, “Oh, there are some papers in the top drawer, a deed and some patents. I have a safe deposit box at Coutts, I will continue to add tae it.” She sighed. “Take care, Magnus, remain guarded.”
“I ken. We have tae go.”
I put the last stack of papers from her drawer into our bag and Magnus swung it to his shoulder.
We left Lady Mairead in her upper-story apartment on the edge of Montmartre, in the middle of Belle Époque Paris.
We didn’t talk as we walked through the dawn streets of Paris. Merchants opened doors, lifted shades, carts pushed through streets, in many ways not a lot different from London a hundred fifty years earlier, but also different in so many ways — more, faster, louder. The noises surpassed man-made, they were machine noises — iron, steel. The air was smoky and thick, but through it, like through clouds of coal fire, would be ladies in finery and men in suits, but not right now. Now, most everyone in the city was still sleeping, probably sleeping off their hangovers if that party last night was any indication, not yet busy at the work of the morning. Now was dawn for the lower classes, their labor building the day.
We came to the park where we would jump to get to Archie, but what next?
I pulled Magnus’s hand to a stop. “I need to rest before we jump.”
We sat on a park bench, Magnus’s bag beside him, his arm resting on it. A bag of paintings at our feet. His hand on the hilt of his sword. We faced ahead — the wide avenue, a crossroads. “What are we going to do?”
We held hands, loosely between us. Magnus’s eyes watched a man on a tricycle pulling a cart piled high with fabrics, jiggling up and down as he maneuvered the cobblestone streets.
“We are goin’ tae get Archie and then... I daena ken.”
I watched the workers pass busily before us, then I climbed over, pulling my skirts aside, and straddled Magnus’s lap, nestling my face against that warm spot between his shoulder and his throat — the steady thrum of his heartbeat beside my lips.
He chuckled. “Ye are randy in the dawn on the busy streets of Paris?”
“No,” I whispered against his skin. “But we need to plan to jump and I need to concentrate. It will be easier if I’m holding onto you. Everything is easier when I’m holding onto you.”
“Aye,” he said. His hand went firm and tight and comfortingly around my back.
I whispered again, “What are we going to do?”
“We are going tae get Archie and keep him near tae protect him.”
“We can’t stay at Barb and Jack’s?”
“Nae, twas lackin’ in judgement of me tae take ye there. There is a chance of changin’ your history and I like ye the way ye are.”
“Thank you. And you did what you had to do, the only thing you could think of to do.”
“Well, we ken we are a danger tae them. I daena want tae take a chance.”
“Me neither.” I kissed his neck, lingering my lips there. His skin up-close. “So where do we take Archie? The past? The castle could be a good place, it—”
“If Roderick brings an army there, they canna fight against him. They daena have the weapons, and I canna arm them. You remember how it changed their lives. And there winna be ice cream. What kind of life would there be without ice cream?”
While he spoke his face was close to my cheek, his breath by my ear. I could feel his warmth. We were in public, outdoors, crowded streets, energetic work all around, but this was just me and him, mouth to ear to mouth to ear, only our words from me to him and back again...
“We can’t go to the future-future. Roderick is king, everyone recognizes you. The drones... we don’t have an army, it...”
“Aye we have tae go tae your time. Tis our only option.” I could feel his fingers rubbing back and forth on the fabric of my skirt, a thinking move, while he worked through all the angles.
A large crash sounded behind me. I twisted to look. One of the cart pushers had tilted his load, dumping scrap iron onto the street. Three men rushed over to use shovels to scrape it back to the cart.
I nestled back against him and whispered, “Will we be safe there? Do we need to move to a different town? A different state or country, I mean, we should, right? Go into deep hiding?”
He paused for a few moments. “Nae, we have the monitor, you have the book with the codes for the markings, we can create a master list of vessels and begin tae track them. We have most of the vessels in the world, we have an advantage. Where dost ye have the book?”
“It’s in our safe.”
“Good, and Quentin kens the island, he has men tae work as guards. He can hear when things are amiss. We will tighten security. We need a house, much more like a fortress. Dost ye think we can find one such as this?”
“Yes, there are some on the south end, secluded and big. We’ll get mom on it — or better yet, Hayley can get us one. Do you think Zach will come back?”
“I daena ken. I will ask him tae, but I will understand if tis too much of a concern for him.”
“We’ll have to turn off all our computers, our phones, go dark. Maybe I can hire a consulting company that shuts down trails of money, we need offshore accounts and maybe aliases — this is a lot to handle.” I rested my chin on his shoulder and sighed.
“Dost ye agree on it?”
“Yes, I agree. But how do we move Archie there?”
“We will take him and then after we will tell him we are sorry on the pain of the jump and that we love him.”
“I love you so much,” I said into his skin.
“After that we will give him a cookie and he will begin to forgi
ve us for it. He will miss Baba but he will have the memory of her.”
And then grief welled up from inside me, grief for my grandmother and my grandfather — they were gone. I was walking around inside their lives, a place I wasn’t supposed to be, living with them as a stranger, and I hadn’t had time to consider it yet, how awful it was to play with my memories of them, their memories of me, and they were both going to die and...
Archie would miss them.
I wrapped my arms around Magnus’s neck and cried, for loss and fear and despair, and all the dangerous things we were afraid of, and the people we were in charge of and all the things we didn’t know how to do and overwhelmed by it all.
Magnus didn’t even need to ask me about it. He just knew, and he held on while I cried in his lap on a park bench in Paris.
She said three lives, she knew him...
I ken, she knew him, she knew you.
God, I wish I could talk to her about it.
He held me tighter and I cried more.
Finally I calmed and he wiped my face with his fingertips. “We have only left tae jump.”
“Yes, that’s all, except for the million other things we have to do.”
I climbed off his lap and he took my hand and led me to the park, a quiet place, a private spot, so that we could jump.
Thirty-three - Kaitlyn
The jump this time, from Parisian park to Maine backcountry was painful, and awful, and so bad, but also uneventful.
This time we landed in a field in a pile together, surrounded by wildflowers and buzzing insects, dappled light splashing and twinkling on my eyelids. I batted a little flying thing away and opened my eyes to see Magnus sitting above me, his hand on my hip, guarding me the way I loved.
“Hello love.”
“Good morn, mo reul-iuil. Are ye ready tae see Archie?”
“So ready, I missed him.” I pushed the hair from my eyes and got groggily to my feet and then we walked up the road to the lake house.
Again My Love (Kaitlyn and the Highlander Book 9) Page 14