Page 26 of The Empire and the Wolf King

Jefferson said, “Of course, absolutely.” He passed the pen back to Magnus, placed all his things into the writing desk, closed the lid, and stood.

Magnus stood and they both bowed. Jefferson said, “It was a pleasure meeting you, Lady Kaitlyn, Lord Magnus,” and then he left the tavern for his room.

CHAPTER 11 - KAITLYN

SECOND BEST ROOM IN THE COACHMAN’S REST - 1775

Magnus sank into his chair with a look of exuberance on his face. “Och aye, Kaitlyn, we hae done it!”

“I’m literally thrilled, that was a miracle, and we got him to put our names in his book! Thomas Jefferson wrote our names down, and the date, and he wrote about the pen, didn’t you see him write about the pen?”

“Och aye, he wrote with a modern pen about the modern pen. The scholars will be writin’ about the meeting here taenight for years.”

“That they will!” I raised my cup and we clinked and finished our drinks.

We smiled at each other merrily, then sighed.

We stood up and Magnus took me by the arm.

“I desperately need to piss, where do you suppose a flushing toilet is in this fine establishment?”

“There is certain tae be an outhouse outside.”

We went out the back door and there was a small shack of an outhouse a distance away with two men standing at it.

“Och nae.”

I said, “I don’t want to stand in line.”

“Aye and I will hae tae block yer door as ye go and then what, leave ye outside tae fend for yerself while I go?” He huffed. “Can ye wait until we get tae our room? I will ask the host tae direct us.”

“Yeah, I can wait, but what a pain in the ass, just to go take a piss. I’ll be glad when this is over, we’re so much closer now.”

We found the host and followed him upstairs, down a narrow corridor to our room. When he opened the door I first noted the simple rope bed with a lumpy straw mattress and rough woolen blankets. Second, I saw the washstand with a chipped ceramic basin and pitcher. Beyond it, the beckoning piss pot.

Using the flame from his lantern, the host lit the single tallow candle that stood in a battered tin holder, and I thought,oh no, that is not enough light.The light flickered feebly against the darkness. There was no fireplace, alas, fine, it was hot outside, butstill.

The host whispered, “My apologies, sire, there is no hearth. I have given away our finest room, but this one is our next finest, I assure you. As you saw, sire, we have been blessed with the presence of Thomas Jefferson, he considers our lowly inn to be a favorite. You spoke with him?”

Magnus said, “Aye, I met Mister Jefferson, a fine fellow.”

“Good good, I pray you will also favor the Coachman’s Rest, and that the rooms are to your satisfaction.”

“Tis a fine room. The Lady Kaitlyn and I winna want for the fireplace, thank ye.”

The host bowed out of the room.

Magnus stood with his hands on his hips and huffed, and joked, “Tommy has taken our room with the hearth, we are goin’ tae want it, and I definitely outrank him. I might never forgive him the slight. Maybe he daena get my ships for his wee revolution.”

I pulled up all my skirts, squatted over the bowl, and urinated in a rush. I was in a good mood so I groaned happily. “Wow, I needed to pee.”

I wriggled dry. “My kingdom for a square of toilet paper!”

Magnus took his turn pissing into the pot, a loud rushing stream. “We traded our kingdom for a land with nae toilet paper, I question all my choices.”

I removed my bonnet and washed up in the basin with soap, lathering up around my hands, and then splashed a little on my face, but not too much. It was another stinging soap, and was likely to make my skin raw.

He dropped his kilt and washed his hands and face with rough swiping movements while I dried my hands on a linen cloth and then took off my apron and shawl and dropped onto the bed. I had been right, it was a lumpy awful sack mattress on ropes stretched across a frame. It creaked, the joints straining under my weight. “I wonder if Tommy got a better bed too?” I bounced up and down — creak, creak. “I hope it holds you, it’s straining to hold me up off the floor.”

---