Page 40 of Promises to Keep

“I do verra much, a full castle is a blessin’ — did ye hear that Black Mac is expectin’ his first bairn?”

Sean raised his glass, “Tae Black MacMagnus, a good man, a brave warrior, and soon tae be a father — a proper Scottish son!”

We all drank. By this time I was feeling pretty tipsy.

Magnus said, “But for us, we hae seen a great deal of danger and… we arna comfortable bringing a new bairn intae it.”

Lizbeth patted the back of my hand.

Sean said, “Well, I am sorry tae hear it, brother, ye are a king of a distant land, ye ought tae rule it well enough tae keep yer bairns safe. Dost ye need me tae go? Dost ye need me tae take control of yer guard, help ye keep the castle fortified?”

“Nae. I daena need yer help in the kingdom, Sean, but if I do I will ask. I will hae ye come, brother, if I need ye.” Magnus spun his glass, then he slammed down the last of his bourbon and Coke. “But we hae been talking on these dire issues for far too long.”

Sean said, “We ought tae hae some frivolity. Some dancing!” He looked around, “Ian-Dubh! Where is the music?”

The young man named Ian-Dubh, rushed off and returned a moment later with a modern guitar.

I said, “Did James leave that?”

Sean said, “Aye, and he taught Ian-Dubh, tis verra fine when he plays.”

Magnus said, “Och, this ought tae be weird.”

Ian-Dubh began to play a song that was a little familiar, but odd, and he sang, “Will ye be comin’ as ye are…?”

I said, “Uh oh, that sounds like Nirvana.”

Lizbeth said, “Aye, tis heavenly tae hear his voice lifted in song.”

Lochinvar shoved his end of the bench from the table and stood so abruptly he almost caused Sean to tip over backwards. Lochie staggered toward the man playing the lute in the corner.

Sean righted himself, laughing, and called after him, “Are ye goin’ tae dance, Young Lochie?”

“Aye!” Lochie waved his arms clearing a spot and beginning a comical looking jig, his leg kicking in and out, an arm up, spinning, then putting his arms out, then wiggling his hips like he must have seen someone in present day do, jerking around, kick kick kick, wiggle wiggle wiggle. He was not in-time to the music, but then I realized… I turned my head to the side. “Is he doing Isla’s favorite dance, the Duck dance?”

Magnus said, “I thought I had seen it afore.”

Lochinvar yelled, “I hae a poem! A poem in exchange for a warm place tae stay tonight.”

Lizbeth said, “Dear God, he is a poet? I dinna ken it when ye asked if he could stay.”

I said, “You love poetry!”

“True, but when poets come tae stay, they insist on reciting their poems, Kaitlyn. They must keep reciting them, endlessly, sometimes residing for months at a time, all the while reciting!”

Lochinvar announced, “This is a poem I ken, about a flower, and it begins...” He held his arms out, “Oh how I love ye, yer flower, m’love, tis pink as a night sky, and O m’love in the springtime, I wish tae sing ye a song... and kiss ye long — in all the world I miss ye, out of time I yearn for ye, yer flower calls tae me…”

He wiped his eyes, “Och, it turned sad.”

He continued, “But I would fight for yer flower, how dare he… Och nae! Tis only for me, the yearning, quivering petals,” he clutched his chest, “yer sweet sweet fragrance and I would battle—”

Lizbeth’s eyes went wide. “Och nae! I will hae tae watch him like a hawk, all the girls will be wantin’ him.”

Lochinvar was swinging a pretend sword. “…tae protect ye from the scoundrels and the thieves, wantin’ tae steal yer glory, m’sweet flower.” He bowed, having finished.

Sean chuckled. “We need tae find the young’un a woman or he is goin’ tae disrupt the peace of the castle with all his yearnin’ and quiverin’.”

Magnus said, “I am relieved it is yer problem instead of mine.”

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