Page 98 of Promises to Keep

Quentin said, “Fine, Beaty,” and then he moaned, “Don’t leave me!” He stretched out a hand, acting desperate.

She folded her hands together and looked on him lovingly. “This is why I love ye, because yeneedme.” Then she said, “But Imustgo see tae Lady Mairead.” She asked Emma, “Will ye put hair dye on yer list for her? She will be verra anxious about how she looks.”

I said, “How long do you think she was there? She looks so much older.”

Zach said, “I don’t know, my guess is, over a year.”

Beaty said, “Och nae!”

Emma passed Beaty an armful of shampoo, conditioner, and soap, and Beaty padded down the hall toward the guest room.

Magnus stomped up the front steps after his trip to the stable, Haggis at his feet, children swarming around.

As he came through the door he asked, “Where is Lady Mairead?”

“In the guest room down the hall.”

“She will need tae be fed.” His eyes fell on Quentin lying on the sofa, his shoulder bandaged. “Och nae, what happened tae ye?”

Quentin noisily slurped some juice through a straw then said, “Some asswipe decided to sneak up from behind, he’s dead, but he shot me first, luckily he didn’t have good aim.”

“Ye were unconscious?”

“I think I hit my head, it hurts like shit.”

James said, “His helmet has a dent.”

Quentin called into the other room. “Zachie! Can I get something to eat?”

Magnus was still wet.

I asked, “Want to go get changed?”

“Aye.”

* * *

That night we ate a large meal while the men told us about their mission.

We needed to make plans, but Magnus shook his head. “Nae, we will wait, Lady Mairead is restin’, and we want her tae be a part of the discussion, until then we need a good night sleep and, of course, guards on the walls.”

Lochie took first guard, with Fraoch sleeping early then waking and taking second watch.

CHAPTER 47 - KAITLYN

In the middle of the night we heard Lady Mairead wailing from the end of the hall. “Naeeeeee, NNNNNaaaaeeeeee! Nae!!”

Magnus’s eyes were open, but he seemed frozen as if he were worried about what he might see if he went.

“Stay here, I’ll call if we need you.” I jumped up and dutifully left.

Lady Mairead was in the living room, and looked lost, “Nae! Nae!” She was reaching around as if she couldn’t see what was in front of her. “Nae!” The oversized nightshirt she was wearing made her look too thin, and her bare legs looked spindly. She was more wrinkled, looking much older. “Lady Mairead, are you okay?”

She shrieked, “Nae! Where am I? Daena kill me!” and swung at me. I backed toward the wall.

Lady Mairead screeched, “They took everything from me!”

Sophie rushed into the room and put her arms around Lady Mairead as she struggled. “Lady Mairead, please calm yerself, ye hae tae still yer mind, love,” she drew her toward the couch, sat down beside her, and held and soothed her.

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