Page 78 of Promises to Keep

Sean came and stood over us. “Tis for the best Magnus, ye canna hae a traitor in yer midst, and ye canna reform him, ye winna be able tae trust him.”

Magnus’s voice from near my heart. “I ken.”

“This was for the best. Tae jail him would hae meant tae always be guardin’ him.”

“I ken, he wanted tae die, his life has been at m’mercy. He had royal blood and nae way tae survive without protection from his king.” Magnus wiped his eyes and put out his hand for Sean tae heave him up. He stood, tearfully looking down on Hammond. Then he put out a hand to help me up. And he and I both solemnly regarded the remains of the man who had been Hammond.

I asked, “What did he say to you at the end?”

“General Hammond’s last words were, ‘I beg yer forgiveness, Yer Majesty.’”

I wrapped my arms around his bicep and tucked my head there. Looking down on Hammond was heartbreaking, but my heart was still racing from the chase, and the fear of having him corner us, and the chill of how he had spoken to us. It had been as if he had cut himself off from all emotion and had grown cold.

I kissed Magnus’s shoulder. “Should we pray?”

“Aye—”

A horse galloped up the path and pulled to the edge of the clearing, Lady Mairead, the younger one, shrieked, “What did ye do tae Hammond?!” She dismounted her horse and rushed toward us.

“He has died, Lady Mairead, he was a—”

She dropped to her knees and pulled Hammond’s head onto her lap and clung around his head and shoulders. “Nae Magnus, ye canna, he was my Hammond, ye canna!”

Magnus said, “He winna yers for a long time, Lady Mairead.”

She looked down into Hammond’s eyes. “Nae, Hammond, ye must nae go, ye canna leave me. Ye promised tae always look after me — ye promised!”

Magnus just stared at the trees, blinking.

Lady Mairead sobbed. “What happened?!” She closed Hammond’s eyes and hugged around his shoulders. “I daena understand what happened!”

Magnus’s mouth worked before he said, “Lady Mairead, he has made an alliance with Agnie MacLeod.”

Her hands trembled. She breathed raggedly, then she drew her hands away from Hammond’s chest. She took a deep breath and shoved his head from her lap to the dirt.

She slowly stood.

And stared down on Hammond alongside us, her expression cold, her shoulders trembling.

Magnus said, “Sean would ye go for a cart? Kaitlyn, Lady Mairead, and I will stay here and pray.”

Sean said, “Aye, Young Magnus,” and he and Liam left the clearing, leaving Lochinvar to guard us as we prayed over Hammond’s body.

* * *

Lady Mairead said, “I was about tae leave.”

Magnus said, “We hae just been tae Paris, we were looking for ye, and we hae broken the glass beside yer door, we were waiting for a glazier tae repair it when Hammond arrived.”

“What date?”

He told her the date we had been chased from Paris.

“I will oversee the repair.”

“Daena interfere with us, please, we daena need the scene tae get any more complicated.”

“Aye I ken, I will wait for the storm clouds tae clear.”

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