Page 135 of Promises to Keep

“I will do m’best—”

“That’s not good enough, you have to promise me. He loves you, he’s a brother to you. I just, I don’t know what to do, but you always keep your word, promise me you won’t let Fraoch die.”

Magnus sat quietly then nodded, “Aye, I give ye my word.”

“Thank you.” She sat quietly. “He would do the same for you if the roles were reversed.”

“I ken he would.”

Magnus turned to me. “Ye are awfully quiet.”

I chuckled, and then doubled over with a contraction.

Everyone jumped from chairs.

Emma asked, “You want to go up to your room?”

“No, I think I ought to walk around for a bit, this is going to take hours — I am a million miles away from a hospital, I just ought to walk around, I think, get my mind off it.” Magnus put out an arm and we walked slowly from the Great Hall.

It was a little like a promenade: I, on my man’s arm, parading around for all to see, though I was not wearing finery, and the purpose was less Bridgerton and more Grey’s Anatomy. I had on the long skirts, a tartan wrapped around my shoulders. Every little while I stopped, gripped Magnus’s hand, and breathed through a contraction, then I would say, “I’m fine,” and we would walk a big circle down the long galleries, through the halls, out to the courtyard and around, back to the galleries, every now and then looking up to see Lizbeth on the upper gallery looking down, checking to see how I was. Emma occasionally walked up, casual-like. “How’s it going?”

“Not um… fine… it’s going…” I bent over, gripped Magnus’s hand, and breathed in and out in puffs.

“Maybe you ought to go up to your room now?”

“No, there are so many hours left, so many, I can’t… the kids will miss me and—”

Magnus chuckled.

Isla came up, “Mammy, you having the bairn?”

I puffed out air. “Yes, Isla, I’m having the—”

“Good because Archie said I couldn’t play with them and I need the baby now.”

“That’s not really how…” I puffed out air. “You could play with Zoe. She’s with Sophie.”

Isla rolled her eyes. “Zoe is not big enough, mammy, she does not understand how to play.”

I glanced at Emma, she said, “Zoeiskinda boring right now, but she will be your bestie, just give it time.”

She said, “I don’t want to give it time, I want baby to play with me.”

I puffed out air. “You know… I think Isla ought to go… find… um someone to hang out with….”

Emma rushed Isla away to take her to Archie and Ben. Magnus said, “I think ye are verra close, mo reul-iuil.”

We had taken two steps when I bent over again.

“Not true… this is….hours.” I waved a hand to get him to be quiet.

Lizbeth showed up a moment later. “I think ye ought tae be in yer room, Kaitlyn, tis time for Magnus tae leave ye?”

“No… Magnus… no leave… no.”

She laughed. “Magnus! She wants ye tae stay! Hae ye ever heard of such a thing?”

He said “I caught Isla when she was born.”

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