Page 79 of Promises to Keep

She walked to the middle of the clearing.

“Ye are certain, Magnus, that Hammond had turned a traitor?”

“Aye, he admitted it, and he begged m’forgiveness, he has risked the lives of yer grandchildren.”

“Ye are in hiding?”

“Aye, we hae a safe place now, but...”

She said, “Daena tell me. Ye ought tae hae some secrets from me, and if I am tae be captured and held by Agnie tis better for me nae tae ken the truth. I hae never relinquished secrets, but I also daena ken how much I can bear. I hae been tested, but everyone has a breaking point, even me.”

Magnus said, “I agree, I winna tell ye.”

“Good, but keep Archie safe—”

“And Isla.”

“Of course and Isla and the rest. I forgot the timeline.” She pulled the vessel from her pocket. “Magnus, thank ye for lookin’ for me, ye are keepin’ yer promise, I appreciate that ye are honorable.”

“Ye are welcome.”

We huddled together while the storm rose, until Lady Mairead had disappeared.

Magnus and I remained, quiet, praying for Hammond.

It dawned on me slowly, that night was on us. The woods around us turned dark as the sun went down, shadows slid across the clearing, occasionally Magnus wiped his eyes.

Finally, coming from the castle, we saw a small procession of riders, footmen carrying torches, and a cart. The bodies of the traitor, Hammond, and his soldier were loaded onto the cart without ceremony. Magnus and I held hands as we walked in the flaring torchlight, back to Balloch.

CHAPTER 39 - KAITLYN

There he said, “I hae a great deal tae see tae, but, and I ken tis something I say much too often, but I am verra hungry.”

“It makes sense, a full day has gone.”

“Aye, if we were in the present day we would hae been fed three times a’ready, with treats tae get us through the turmoil.”

I nodded, “Shall we go to the Great Hall?”

“Aye.”

We sat at the long table, our plates piled with the remains of an earlier meal.

Lizbeth sat down first. “He was a very close alliance of yours, Young Magnus?”

“Aye, he has been... for how long, mo reul-iuil?”

“It’s been about six years for me, maybe seven. I don’t know, it’s hard to keep the years straight.”

“I canna count the years that he has been m’commander, my ally, or m’friend, it has been—”

Sean, Liam, and Lochinvar crossed toward us. Sean looked heated, and sat down in a chair with a huff, “What are ye talkin’ on Young Magnus?”

“I was telling Lizbeth about m’long history of alliance with General Hammond, I hae fought alongside him for a many years. I trusted him implicitly.”

Lizbeth said, “And yet he turned on ye?”

“Aye, he turned.”

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