Page 131 of Long Live the King

Magnus said, “I trust him, twill be in good hands.”

Lady Mairead thrust the book forward and Archie clutched it to his chest.

Lady Mairead pulled a small book and a pen from her pocket. She opened the book at a ribbon bookmark on a clean page. “What is the exact date ye are going tae?”

“We are goin’ tae start at January first of the year and begin tae check from there.”

She said, “That is a senseless idea, ye will waste time and energy, ye ken as well as I that the easiest twist of the vessel is tae change the year, keeping the month and day intact. I always assume, unless I hae been given information tae the contrary, that the person will go tae the same date that they hae left. What was the date she was absconded from?”

Magnus looked at me.

I said, “May nineteenth.”

Lady Mairead said, “Then I would add three days for the buffer and go on May twenty-third.”

I said, “Do they really need the three days?”

“We always need at least the three days, tis sensible.”

Magnus said, “Alright, Lady Mairead, I will do as ye suggest.”

“If I am wrong ye can begin on January first, but I am never wrong.”

Magnus looked at me with a bit of a smile, we just allowed her declaration to stand without argument. Fraoch said, “And withthatI will go and say another proper goodbye tae m’wife.” He strolled away.

I asked Magnus, “You have everything you need?”

“Aye, we hae been packed, we are ready tae go.” He put his arm around me and pressed his lips to my ear. “Be cautious not tae frighten Archie, he is on the edge of overwrought.”

“I know, I will. Please promise me you’ll come home, highlander.”

“I promise, I will be home in four days, ye will barely miss me.”

He looked down at Haggis, wagging his tail. “Ye stay with Archibald.”

Haggis sat down.

The three men climbed on their horses, Magnus on Dràgon, Fraoch on Thor, and Lochie on Cookie, and turned them toward the gates. Magnus said, “Goodbye, bairns, see ye in four days.”

Jack raised a hand, “Ba-ba!”

Magnus smiled. And then their horses thundered away, into the pale dusk of the summer night.

After saying goodbye, we all headed to our rooms.

It took a long time to get out of the fine dress, and to take my hair down to sleep. It was still fairly early, and barely dark, but it had been a long day and I was tired, overwhelmed by Magnus leaving again, and unsettled by the look on Archie’s face.

He was terrified.

He was still clutching the book. He had put it down briefly while he undressed for bed, but clutched it again now. He was haunting my room. I had to pointedly ask him to leave so I could pee and change out of my dress, but he waited right outside the door, and came back as soon as I gave him the all clear.

Jack was already asleep on the wee bed by the fire, Isla was looking at a picture book with a flashlight on her bed. She often slept in the nursery these days, but because Archie couldn’t let me out of his sight she was going to sleep here too; anxiety was spreading.

We climbed into bed, and Archie held the book on his chest.

I lay on my side, watching his pensive face, not unlike his father’s sometimes.

Isla sat up in bed and looked across the room at us, then climbed out of her bed to come toward us. I called, “Bring your pillow, Isla.”

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