Page 124 of Long Live the King

I said, “It bothers me greatly, she daena ken I am lookin’ for her.”

“In yer prayers today, ye could tell her — set her mind at ease, perhaps she will hear.”

I nodded.

He asked, “Did she tell ye anythin’ that might be helpful tae figuring out where she is?”

“Nae, I daena remember it clearly, naething but her voice, calling tae me.”

Magnus helped me tae stand and I glanced down at the bottle. He asked, “Did ye bring me a beer?”

“Tis mine, I found it.”

Lady Mairead raised her brow. “I found it, but ye might hae it as I daena like beer much.”

Magnus said, “Tis likely bad, it looks verra auld.”

“Ye forget we were in a place thatwasverra auld.”

“Not as auld asthisplace.”

“Och, right, I forget sometimes. The land here seems younger compared tae the tall buildings of the city and then which is young or auld? Tis all a confusing mess — when will we go?”

Magnus said, “I thought ye might want tae be fed first, unless ye went tae a fine restaurant in New York?”

Lady Mairead said, “I was given not one minute tae see my friends or do any visiting in Manhattan. Aye, we are hungry.”

I said, “Famished.” I held the bottle up. “It has a Tree of Life on the label, and that seems auspicious.”

CHAPTER 52 - KAITLYN

THE GREAT HALL - BALLOCH CASTLE

As soon as Lady Mairead arrived we had been told by messenger that the Earl was planning a large meal to welcome his sister.

We had to be presentable. The lady’s maids bustled around, grabbing clothes and jewelry from every chest, because we had to dress five women: Hayley, Beaty, Emma, and Sophie, and me, all without enough time to prepare.

I had my hair up and wore an ornately patterned pale yellow dress with embroidered flowers. Magnus was wearing a coat and kilt, very clean and handsome, and when he saw me emerge from my dressing, his eyes lit up. “Och, ye are stunning!”

He pressed close and looked down at my cleavage. “Tis a fine sight, verra fine.” His finger trailed along the edge of my dress, on the skin of my breast. “Tis goin’ tae cause me distress tae watch the draw of yer breath...”

I breathed in and sighed.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to my breast.

I tilted my head back and he drew his lips up my throat. He whispered, “May we undress ye?”

I laughed, “You are a scoundrel, Magnus, no, you will need to suffer, because it took hours to get dressed!”

He had laughed, “What if I only touched ye, right here...” He kissed my breast. “And right here...”

He grasped the front of my skirt and began pulling and bunching it up, more and more, until there was a pile of fabric at my waist. His hand found my next under-layer. “Och nae, there is more!”

I laughed.

He allowed the hem of my skirts to fall back to the ground and hung his head in joking dismay. “I canna even locate yer gardens, I am lost.”

“It was a valiant effort, King Magnus.”

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