Page 53 of Promises to Keep

“It seems almost as if ye are seeing him for the first time...”

“Who, I? Nae, I hae seen him before, but tae see him again.... Now that is something.”

Magnus asked, “Where are ye comin’ from?”

She waved her hand.

He squinted his eyes, “Because I hae seen ye verra recently.”

“Of course, I ken, we were just taegether.” She turned tae Sean, “Would ye please refill m’mug?”

Sean jumped up and crossed the room.

She said, while her eyes looked out over the crowd, “Magnus, we ought not tae talk on our adventures when there are those listening who might not understand.”

Magnus’s brow turned down. “True.”

I decided to help. “Didn’t you tell me, months ago, that you had a Museum of Modern Art opening in New York coming up — have you been?” To put her off guard I added, “And was it lovely? I know you were looking forward to it.”

She narrowed her eyes, then Sean placed the mug in front of her and returned to his seat. She said, “I hae had many art openings in New York — what are ye insinuating Kaitlyn? Nae one likes when a true meaning is hidden. Ye ought tae be truthful and forthcoming in yer word and deed.”

My eyes went wide.

Magnus squeezed my hand under the table, meaning to support me — how many times had he needed to do that because of things his mother had uttered, insinuated, threatened?

Lizbeth said, with her eyes wide, “Lady Mairead, ye are in rare form this evening. Ye canna accuseanyoneelse of prevarication when ye are the prime example of it. I heard Kaitlyn ask ye a question, verra politely. Ye are the one nae being forthcoming!”

Lady Mairead turned on me. “Do ye think I hae been tae a certain art opening?”

“I do, I saw you there. I’m wondering if you, the woman in front of me, were actually there?”

Sean said, “What are ye talking on, Kaitlyn?” He laughed. “Lady Mairead was there, ye were there, tis enough of it — Magnus! Would ye hae more cookies?”

Magnus called Lochinvar over from his place at the end of the table.

Lochinvar bowed to Lady Mairead and said, “Lady Mairead tis a pleasure tae see ye again.”

She nodded with a flirtatious smile.

Magnus asked, “Lochinvar, can ye retrieve a box of Oreos from our gear?”

Lochinvar left the room.

Lady Mairead turned to Magnus and said, “So ye are trying tae understand what I ken about the timeline?”

Magnus said, “Sean, Liam, and Lizbeth, could ye leave me alone with Lady Mairead for a moment?”

They nodded and rose from the table.

Magnus said, “We made contact with ye in New York, at a museum, Agnie was there...”

“I daena…” Her eyes narrowed. “I haena done it.” She sipped from a glass of wine.

“Good, we can stop it from happenin’, right here, right now. Daena go tae the opening.”

“What happens tae me?”

“Agnie absconds with ye.”

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