Page 171 of Long Live the King

“What do you mean, storm?”

“Och, I forget ye are new tae it. When ye time travel there is a storm. A storm means someone is coming.”

“Weird.”

“Aye, unless tis an actual storm. If ye hae been time traveling long enough ye begin tae see the difference.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Ye look verra beautiful.”

I blushed. “Thank you, Lochie.”

“We’ll go ahead and go down tae breakfast.”

He walked me along the corridor, and down the steps and through the doors into a large room he called the gallery.Wow.One wall had large windows, the other wall was lined with paintings, there were marble sculptures along the wall, and a few sitting areas, with lovely antique furniture in intimately arranged circles for conversations. It was really fancy and expensive looking, I was gawking at it all. “It’s like a museum.”

“Wait until ye see Lady Mairead’s collections! This gallery belongs tae her brother, her collection is many times more grand. But I warn ye, she is a conniving, deceitful, ornery auld broad, daena trust her generally. We are on Magnus’s side though, which means she will do anything she can tae help us. As long as ye never cross her.”

I said, “Wow she sounds like trouble...”

“Madame Hayley will barely speak tae her, ye must be cautious.”

“Okay, anyone else I need to worry about?”

“Nae, everyone else are good people, she is the only one ye must watch.”

Guards drew open double doors and we entered a large Great Hall. I was awestruck by the soaring ornately carved and painted wood ceiling, and the intricate tapestries adorning the walls. At one end of the room the morning light was shimmering through large, arched windows. And there was a long table down the room, with smaller more intimate tables along the side.

There was a fire in the large fireplace, and the scent of smoke filled the air, competing with the smell of baked bread — I was famished.

We made our way to seats but had to stop first near the head of the table. Lochie said, “Lady Mairead, I would like ye tae meet Ash McNeil. Ash McNeil, the Lady Mairead.”

I bobbed my head. “Pleased to meet you.”

She pushed back her chair, stood in front of me, and looked me over. “So ye are the maiden who has been the cause of all this turmoil...?”

“Um, not really, I... it wasn’t my fault. I...” I glanced at Lochie, he sort of winced and shook his head.

“Did three Campbells, including a king, hae tae rescue ye?”

“Yes, but in my defense, I had no idea about time travel, I?—”

“Were ye armed?”

“Yes, I had a gun, I was just caught unaware. I had no idea I was in danger until?—”

She interrupted me and turned her attention to Lochie. “Lochinvar, heed this, if ye daena give a woman enough information, how is she tae protect herself?”

“Aye, Lady Mairead, I hae learned a lesson.”

“Good. We winna hold this againstanyonebut Asgall.” She asked me, “Ye met him?”

“I did, briefly.” My stomach growled, loudly. “My apologies.”

The woman named Lizbeth said, “Mother, Mistress Ash has been injured and unable tae come tae meals since she arrived. Let her sit, we can ask her questions once we hae properly fed her.”

Lady Mairead said, “Fine.” And sat down in her seat.

More people were filing through the doors, I recognized many of them as members of Lochie’s family, and then a plate was placed in front of me. A poached egg with a piece of bacon, a slice of heavy bread, and a bowl to the side of my plate with oatmeal in it, swimming in fresh milk.

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