The Guardian by Diana Knightley

Thirty-three - Magnus

Kaitlyn followed me out tae the hall and pulled my hand tae the side tae speak. ”So do you think she’s related to you?”

I considered for a moment. “Aye. I believe she must be… I daena ken how, but we should move forward with that idea in mind.”

“I agree. What if she’s a... what if... could it have been Isla?”

“Perhaps. Or even farther along, we daena ken... or she could be a cousin five times removed. We hae nae way to ken.” I added, “But I think we ought tae be quiet on our suspicions. Until we ken who she is, tae talk of it would be a mistake.”

I climbed the stairs tae the walls tae commence m’guarding. It had begun tae rain so Fraoch and I stood beside each other with our raincoat hoods pulled over our heads. “Ye think we must be vigilant?”

“Aye, dost ye feel it? I feel a charge in the air, something is comin’ this way.”

Fraoch said, “Somethin’ has been comin’ for ten months.”

I said, “Somethin’ is always comin’, but this time tis serious.” I asked, “What dost ye think of this, about yer mother sidin’ with Sir Paddy, frightenin’ the young Sophie?”

“Och, I daena ken, if she is spendin’ time with Sir Paddy she sounds a terrible person. I do appreciate that she has proven me right. Hayley thought she might be a fine woman, and that I would need tae rescue her from troubles caused by Lady Mairead.”

“She sounds more trouble than Lady Mairead.”

Fraoch laughed. “Hayley daena like the idea of it.”

“Ye can tell her what I hae heard Quentin say before, that, ‘both those things may be true.’ Tis possible that Lady Mairead is a verra troublesome person and that Agnie MacLeod is also a verra troublesome person, and tis extremely possible that Donnan was pure evil.”

Fraoch chuckled. “How did we turn out so fine?”

“I daena ken, I hae tae give a whole lot of credit tae m’sister, Lizbeth.”

“She is a fine woman, another example of a fine person comin’ from a suspect lineage. I notice ye dinna mention Sean?”

I joked, “Och, Sean, he is nae needing credit. Tis more likely he was tryin’ tae help me turn out wrong than right.”

“When do they come for the summer?”

“They should arrive in the next couple of weeks.”

The downpour became torrential, so twas difficult tae hear over it. I pulled m’hood farther down over my face.

Fraoch cupped his hands out in the rain and they quickly filled with water. He drank from his hands. “Scottish rain, tis spicier than Florida rain.”

I said, “Aye, Florida rain has a sweetness tae it.”

I watched the drips sliding down the front edge of my rubber coat. “Ye hae been a good friend tae me Fraoch, I am relieved our families haena gotten in the way.”

“I feel the same, yet I had grown used tae thinkin’ of m’family as being gone and away from m’mind. Tae discover m’mother has been conspiring with yer enemies sets m’teeth on edge.”

“Och, especially with Sir Padraig, the man is vile, but we will deal with him soon enough and then perhaps she will come around.”

“I winna count on it.”

“Why nae?”

“I daena, I am fiercely loyal and I daena give up on things once I hae decided they are worth doin’. I probably got the trait from someone, and m’father, the one I was raised by, was kent for bein’ a changeable mind. Did I tell ye he could be headed tae the field, needin’ the crop tae come in for the day, and all ye would hae tae say is, ‘Auld John, want tae fish?’ And he would change his mind on it.”

I laughed. “Ye daena sound that far from him, Fraoch!”

“Och, nae at all — I winna allow m’self tae be turned tae go fishing, I go fishin’ first.” He tapped the side of his head. “I will never give up on fishin’.”

“Tis why ye winna give up on Master Cook?”

“Aye, because he has a verra fine boat.”

Later, after the rain had passed, I left the walls, passin’ Madame Sophie in a walkway. She was with Master Cook, headed tae the Great Hall.

I bowed. “Madame Sophie, it has turned intae a fine day outside, ye might want a turn on the grounds after yer meal.”

“Thank ye king Magnus, tis lovely tae see the rain has passed.”

I nodded and they passed and continued on their way.

* * *

That evening, Madame Sophie set her telescope up on the walls and once more invited us all tae come look at the skies.

We stayed long, talking tae her about the moon and stars, twas a truce we had called, one of tentative steps intae the world of trusting again.

We drank a great deal and long stories were told. Fraoch sang a sea shanty and James and Sophie sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and we all sang along as a way of saying we are all taegether in this family.

I kent I had made the right decision, Madame Sophie was one of our own, whatever her past had been. Her connection tae Agnie MacLeod and Sir Padraig gave me pause, but her connection tae James was a stronger one. And I couldna shake the feelin’ that she had a stronger connection tae m’own family, nae just through marriage tae a friend, but that she might be an ancestor, needin’ harbor from a storm.

At the end of the night we carried the sleepin’ bairns down tae the nursery and then climbed the stair tae our rooms.

Near the top of the last stair I became verra breathless, my heart pounding — I gripped the rail and held on for a moment. Kaitlyn’s voice comin’ through the fog tae my ears, “Magnus, are you okay?”

I managed an, “Aye,” and gained m’senses enough tae pull myself tae the next step and then up tae our floor, one step more, then I was able tae walk tae our rooms.

I smiled. “Tis naething, mo reul-iuil, the food disagreed with me.”

“That seems to happen a lot,” she said, “must be Eamag’s fault.” Her voice was curt and clipped as if she was upset.