Page 22 of The Empire and the Wolf King

I scooped roasted carrots into my mouth. “This is so delicious… wow, I was famished. And yes, it needs to be more urgent, to involve the war in some way. I am going to be quiet, for sure I will say something wrong in front of Thomas Jefferson. I feel nervous already and you know how I get.”

“Aye, ye talk a great deal when ye are nervous, as ye are doin’ now.”

“Ha ha, very funny my love, but this is nerve-wracking, our rescue depends on us getting our ‘who what and when’ written down in Thomas Jefferson’s hand in his book.”

Magnus chuckled. “If ye endlessly talk in yer modern voice he might write about meetin’ ye.”

“He would write, ‘met a crazy lady today.’”

We both glanced at Jefferson’s table. He was nearing the end of his meal.

I said, “But meeting a crazy lady isn’t good enough. He’s liable to dismiss us and not write any of it down, so I will hush. The most important thing is we have to getyourname in his records. What if you told him you were going to offer troops and… what else would be good?”

Magnus said, “Twould be hard tae offer troops, but I can get him ships and weapons.”

I nodded. “Good, ships and weapons, you could do that, right?”

“Aye, as the King of Riaghalbane I can give Tommy Jefferson a hand with a wee war in the eighteenth century. I can give him some ships if tis what he needs.”

“I think the person we really want to speak to is George Washington — but who knows where he is?” I took another bite of the meal and swallowed.

Magnus said, “I could ask him tae take a message tae George Washington.”

“Yes, and if we can get Thomas Jefferson to write the offer in his?—”

Just then, we heard the scraping of a chair.

CHAPTER 10 - KAITLYN

THE DINING ROOM OF THE COACHMAN’S REST - 1775

Ilooked up to see Thomas Jefferson, rising from his table, pulling a blue coat on, gathering his papers and a journal into a small wooden writing desk, and tucking it under his arm. My heart began to race as he made his way towards us.

Magnus squeezed my hand under the table, then rose to his feet as Jefferson approached. It was odd to see him up close, a Founding Father, after seeing him on coins and in paintings all my life. He wasn’t nearly as old and imposing as I would have thought — he was our age; thin, but Magnus’s height; his hair was red, tied back at the nape of his neck; and his complexion was fair with a few light freckles. He was dressed casually for enjoying a meal after a long day of traveling. I glanced at Magnus, he looked handsome, and carried himself well, and me, besides my bruises, I thought I looked well enough.

Alas I had not thought up a good enough excuse for my bruises. I stood, smoothed my skirts, and took a deep breath.

“Your Grace,” Jefferson said with a slight bow. “I hope I am not interrupting your meal.”

“Not at all, Mister Jefferson, and please call me Laird Magnus, and may I present my wife, the Duchess of Awe?”

I bowed my head. “It’s an honor to meet you, please call me Lady Kaitlyn.”

Jefferson said, “The honor is mine, Lady Kaitlyn.”

Magnus said, “Her Grace has tumbled from her horse.”

“Oh my, I do hope you are well, Lady Kaitlyn?”

I nodded. “Yes, Mister Jefferson, I am well enough, though the bruises seem to say otherwise.”

Jefferson turned to Magnus, “I must say, I am intrigued by your proposition, Lord Magnus. It is not every day I meet a Scottish Duke in a lowly inn with barely even a name — the Coachman’s Rest.”

I laughed. “It’s less a name and more an activity.”

Jefferson smiled. “Yes, Lady Kaitlyn, but somehow it has just what we need.”

Magnus gestured for Jefferson to sit. “Please, join us.”

---