Page 134 of Only a Breath Away

I received a call as we were busying to go, from Karrie, my half-sister-in-law. “Hi, I wanted you to know, after our talk, I took an interest in your public relations, so I set up some alerts… I know it’s weird, but I know you and Magnus want your privacy — I get that, believe me, Finch and I are so protective of our privacy, but anyway, you’re a little viral on Instagram.”

“What… what do you mean?”

“Some local bar has photos of you, calling you King Magnus and Queen Kaitlyn and Prince Lochinvar. It’s all a little silly but I wanted you to know, it’s got a lot of views and comments and a few of the comments mentioned your past YouTube channel…”

“I guess it will always follow me. Thank you so much for paying attention to it for us.”

“No worries, it’s what I do. Will you be around there much longer?”

“We’re leaving this morning actually, headed to Florida.”

She said, “It was a pleasure meeting you, hope to get the brothers together again someday.”

“Me too.”

Piling into the van was not easy. We put kids along the back row, then Emma, me, then Sophie, James, Hayley, Fraoch, and Lochinvar with Magnus riding in the front. Quentin was driving. Everyone else offered but he said, “No, I’ll drive, it’s only seven hours to New York City, and now that I see you all packed in there I am happy with the front seat.” Beaty rode between Quentin and Magnus, and Mookie sat between the first and second rows. Haggis went to the all-the-way back and sat awkwardly on Archie’s lap, looking very happy to be in a van for his first time, and occasionally licking a kid’s face.

Quentin got in the van and started the engine. He pulled us down the driveway. We rolled down the windows and everyone waved goodbye to Tracy. Lochinvar twisted all the way around in his seat to watch her as long as he could.

Then Quentin pulled us out onto the main road. “Next stop, New York City!”

He joked, “Finally, Boss is going to prove that he has the safe house he’s promised me he has ‘always had’.”

Magnus chuckled. “I hae always had it, I just canna remember when I got it.”

We all laughed.

CHAPTER 84 - LADY MAIREAD

Abby Rockefeller was having a soiree at the museum for the opening of her new show. It was 1929 and all the most important people would be there. I had been living at my favorite house, Elmwood, one of the stately manors along the park, but I was so busy helping Abby plan the party that I was rarely home, instead staying in Abby’s guest room.

But today was the day and I was home. I had a bath drawn, then I dried off and my hair was brushed and styled intae elegant waves. My makeup was applied, my gown pulled on. I wore stockings and the final touch was my jewelry, a necklace given tae me for the occasion by my new lover, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney.

His mother, Gertrude, had introduced us. She was an accomplished sculptor who studied in Paris under Auguste Rodin, and we were great friends. Cornelius would accompany me tae the party, which was a lovely thing, as he was gorgeous and looked verra good on m’arm.

I was so looking forward tae the party that I was ready early, with my sable wrap folded on the stair rail, my purse waiting for me over my butler’s arm. I had tae wait impatiently at the window for the car as I couldna think of much else tae do. Twas hard tae keep the dress straight and pressed and m’makeup perfect while in motion, so I stood, and thought.

I hadn’t had much time tae think on all that had happened. The excitement of the time twists — how m’son in his irresponsibility had allowed one of his group tae loop and put us all in peril. I sighed. He had fixed it in the end, but the Bridge was a verra powerful mechanism.

I regretted allowing Lochinvar and Magnus tae take it with them. It weighed on my mind.

But, Lochinvar had helped Magnus kill Domnall and Ormr.

I spoke the words out loud: “Ye are welcome for finding him.” Because Ihadfound him.

I had found Lochinvar years before, when his mother begged me tae locate him — I had. He had been held captive at Dunscaith, where that bitch Agnie MacLeod had left him.

She was a terrible person.

She was also Fraoch’s mother.

And Fraoch had been a help tae me. Lochinvar had been a help as well.

I wondered if I might get Lochinvar tae kill Agnie, twould be the last thing I needed done.

Then we would be mostly alone on the timeline. Not all alone, but alone enough tae be the most powerful.

I pulled my book from my purse and turned tae the page where I had listed the challengers tae Magnus’s throne. Domnall and Ormr had their names scratched through. Then there were Samuel and Roderick, their names scratched through as well. A few other men, the three challengers that we haena met afore, Scot Hepburn, Aodh Menzies, and Ian the Troublesome. I had visited them, though, tae see their merit. They were nae a true threat, I felt sure, but there were more men, I kent, I just hadna located them yet. There was a woman in the year 1890 who received payments from Donnan. She concerned me. I had looked at past accounts but found that Samuel and Roderick hadna kept records of their mistresses and their sons. Twas a terrible mess. The world would be a much better place if the men would simply keep their pants on.

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