Page 84 of Promises to Keep

“Aunt Emma thinks the boat races are very fun.”

“Good, then I know I will love them.”

After paying our respects to the dock and giving appreciative compliments to the wide view, a big lake with a forest, our house on a peninsula jutting into the lake, a suspension bridge at the narrow end, we made it back to the living room and hugged everyone else hello. Zach gestured toward the kitchen doors, and asked, right away, if Magnus was hungry. I didn’t need to be asked, because of course Magnus was, so we were both promised food.

Sophie and Emma came in from the gardens, followed by Zoe carrying a bucket with about a half cup of blueberries in it. Her face and hands were covered in purple stains. We hugged and Zoe said, “Booberries, AyWee?”

“Is that my name now?”

She nodded.

“Are you picking them, Zoe, or eating them?”

She nodded and pushed the bucket toward my face.

I took and ate a booberry. “Delicious!”

Isla said, “We can go pick, Mammy?”

“As soon as I change my clothes and eat something, right? I looked around. What time is it?”

“High noon, Ben was out helping James and Fraoch bring in the fish.”

“So what do you think of the place?” Hayley pointed out a taxidermy deer head hung on the wall. “I call this dead-animal-country style.” She looked around with her hands on her hips. “Isn’t it lovely? It’s a dying art, you know.”

I asked, “Where’s Beaty?”

There was a small side room beyond the main sitting room, like a separate smaller area for intimate conversations. A hand came up from behind a couch there, and waved its fingers. I heard the familiar snuffling of Mookie. I walked over and looked down. “How are you doing, Beaty?” Mookie had his head on her chest and looked up at me dolefully.

Beaty looked green. “Och, nae good, Queen Kaitlyn, the sickness of the morn is a lie, tis the whole day. I am full of gratitude for the blessin’ of the coming bairn but...” She moaned and her hand went to her stomach. “Och nae.”

I said, “Have you been eating marshmallows?”

She called, “Chef Zach! Can I hae another batch of treats?”

He stuck his head through the large double doors to what, I could see over his shoulder, was a restaurant-sized kitchen. “Treats?” He disappeared back through the swinging doors, and returned a moment later, carrying a tray of rice crispy treats and a spatula. He wordlessly pried up three treats, placed them on the plate beside her, then jogged back to the kitchen “Don’t forget, it’s hard for me to hear so if you talk about something important you need to talk loud or I miss out.” He propped the kitchen door open when he went back in.

I patted Beaty on the arm. “Do you need anything else?”

“Nae, Queen Kaitlyn, I believe I will survive as long as I hae the treats.”

CHAPTER 41 - MAGNUS

Imade sure all the kids were out of the room, then said, “I hae somethin’ I need tae tell ye: General Hammond is dead.”

Their faces all expressed shock.

Colonel Quentin’s eyes wide, he asked, “What happened?”

I considered telling him how Hammond had betrayed me, how he tried tae capture me, and I had escaped, draggin’ him tae Balloch, and when confronted he had killed himself. But I dinna want tae ruin the history of Hammond’s life, because he had been an ally and a friend for many long years. I took a slow, ragged breath, and exhaled. “He died tryin’ tae survive. He had been forced tae take sides and, during a confrontation with me, he... he passed away.” I shifted my feet and gestured into the distance. “I had him buried in the churchyard in Balloch. I will put a monument upon the spot when we are back in my kingdom of Riaghalbane.”

Colonel Quentin said, “That sounds very complicated, are you okay, Boss?”

“Aye, twas verra complicated. I daena ken how tae feel about it, but I ken I mean tae honor him for the years of service he shewed me.”

“Is there still a ‘my kingdom’?”

I chewed my lip. “I daena ken.”

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