Page 6 of Promises to Keep

“Aye, she is a masterful negotiator. I am thinking I want tae hae a proper good morn with m’wife, yet m’daughter is trying tae talk tae me about donuts and how do I get her away from the door—?” He raised his voice, “Tell Chef Zach that now I think on it I would like some donuts.”

She squealed, “Yay! Archie! Ben, Zoe! Dada said, ‘Yes donuts’!”

Four kids were celebrating outside our door. Isla said, “Come, Da! We hae tae go get donuts. We need you go with us!”

I rested my chin on his chest.

He said, “I think we hae lost our moment, mo reul-iuil, apparently I am now takin’ the bairns tae get donuts somewhere in Manhattan.”

“Yep, I think we have lost it, and what an adventure for you.” I climbed from the bed.

CHAPTER 5 - KAITLYN

Icame downstairs as Magnus, Lochinvar, Fraoch, and Zach were headed out with all the bairns to get donuts from a bakery a few blocks down. I poured a cup of coffee and said, “Man, it is nice to have such a big huge kitchen after the tiny lake house.”

We were left with a nice companionable quiet over coffee: me, Emma, Hayley, Sophie, James, Beaty, and Quentin, until soon enough the men and kids returned. They spread boxes full of donuts down the counter, the kids stuffed their faces with sugar-sprinkled, frosted, and glazed fried dough, then they ran off to explore the attic.

Magnus, sitting on a stool in front of a box of donuts, said, “As we discovered last night, we need tae mount a rescue.” He rubbed his hands together then plucked a glazed donut up.

Hayley, clutching a chocolate donut, said, “Do we have to? I mean, itisLady Mairead.”

“Aye, we hae tae save her. I made a promise.” Magnus put the glazed donut back.

I helpfully explained, “But it sounds very complicated because we don’t really know what’s happened, plus,” I whispered, “bloodstain.”

Magnus shrugged. “The bloodstain daena complicate it, nae really, tis more of a sign: we must always remember there are dangerous things afoot.” He eyed a cake donut with pink frosting and sprinkles. “But we already ken this, there are always dangerous things happenin’. Lady Mairead must be rescued; we are the ones who must do it. Tis simple. We will approach it as if tis the easiest thing in the world.”

I chuckled. “Highlander, are you going to tutor me on positive thinking?”

He took a large bite of the donut and with a bit of pink frosting on his upper lip said, “Aye, ye are too negative, mo reul-iuil. Ye hae seen me fight in an arena, makin’ easy work of m’opponents. Ye hae seen me rule over more than one kingdom as if I were an emperor, tae cross the ocean like an explorer, tae settle myself…” He looked around at everyone. “Cover yer ears.”

Everyone chuckled and covered their ears.

Magnus whispered, “Tae settle m’self between yer legs like a conqueror.”

Fraoch took his hands down and joked, “Twas all ye meant tae say? We ken ye are married, we hae heard it comin’ from yer bedroom.”

Everyone laughed.

I said, “Very funny.”

Magnus said, “I hae heard all of ye, the castle halls ring with all yer sounds.” He took another bite of donut and with his mouth full said, “I am makin’ italllook verra verra easy, this will be easy as well.”

I said, “Banter aside, you really think this rescue is going to be easy?”

“Och aye.” He finished the donut, and wiped his hands on a napkin.

Quentin pointed at the frosting on his lip, and Magnus dabbed at his mouth. “Because Agnie is losin’. I hae killed her sons, Fraoch is on my side, she daena hae any connection tae Riaghalbane, she has naething—”

“Nothing except your mom.”

Fraoch said, “If ye think on it, Lady Mairead has probably already escaped. Hae ye ever kent her nae tae rescue herself?”

I said, “She almost always does, and she rarely involves us, but then again, this time she asked for our help. She only asks when it’s necessary.”

Fraoch said, “True, but even so, likely she grew tired of waitin’. I bet she figured out how tae save herself long ago. She is verra good at what she does. I agree with Og Maggy, this will be easy.”

Magnus said, “If what she ‘does’ is survivin’ and bein’ triumphant on it, and lordin’ it over us, then I agree, she is verra good — so here we are, I am usually thinking from a historical point of view: we ought tae take up arms, rush in, and fight, but we canna loop, and we daena ken what awaits us.”

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