The Guardian by Diana Knightley
Six - Kaitlyn
We held hands and went downstairs to the meal.
All the men were bright red except Quentin, but he assured us he was feeling it whether he looked beet red or not. But, he cracked up whenever he laid eyes on James, Zach, or Magnus who looked hot to the touch. Fraoch, Sean, and Liam were inflamed, as if they might spontaneously combust. I had to remember to ask for sunscreen on the next supply run.
Eamag cooked a large meal. The kids came down for food and then returned to the nursery. In the Great Hall we had celebratory grownup drinking and conversation, but perhaps the most exciting thing of all was the addition of a widow.
She was a young widow at that.
As soon as she walked through the wide carved wooden doors, we all turned, saw her, then met eyes, nodded, and all at once we turned toward James.
Who had a full-body, hot under his sunburn, totally flustered blush. He had gone poinsettia red.
He shifted, and then it was as if he gravitated to where she stood.
She was dressed well. Her mantua was made of orange silk with ornate gold details, accentuating her curly red hair, the kind that stuck out in wild wisps. Her skin was very pale, and she had a peppering of freckles across her nose.
I said, “A widow? Who invited her?”
Magnus said, “She sent a letter ahead. She was travelin’ and has asked for a place tae rest. Sean has vetted her, she was raised by cousins in Edinburgh—”
“Cousins? Uh oh.”
“Aye, but cousins on Sean’s side of the family. Nae mine, so tis fine. Sean thought James might like tae meet her”
“Ah, I see. He was right.” James glowing like a supernova, was standing right beside her, speaking directly to her. “And you said she has been vetted? How well? What do we know about her?”
“She was married verra young and is now widowed. She daena hae an army or even any servants tae speak of.”
Sophie’s eyes looked up at the ornate ceiling of the Great Hall, at the paintings of Campbell ancestors along the walls, and then a furtive glance at James, she batted her eyes.
“Sean trusts her, but I am remainin’ watchful. ”
“So heightened security?”
“Aye.”
It was odd watching James put his attention on a young woman from the eighteenth century, she had sparkling pretty green eyes, and blushed at most of what he said. The rest of what he said she found amusing — showing off a broad easy smile.
She was pretty and beside her he looked handsome, even if ridiculously sunburnt.
What the heck was this former quarterback, a good ol’ boy from the twenty-first century and the American South, saying to her anyway?
Just then Hayley walked by, “What are they talking about do you think?”
“I have no idea. I guess I’m just excited he has a young lady to talk to.”
James said something close to her ear, she laughed flirtatiously, then blushed pink.
Magnus said, “Och, I am going tae hae tae pay for another marriage tae a woman with nae fortune. The men of m’clan are costing me a fortune.”
Quentin laughed. “I think he’s been warned about the price of paying attention to young women in the eighteenth century.”
Beaty leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Was I too high a price tae pay, Quenny?”
“Never, I would have paid twice for you, three times.”
“That’s sweet, I wish I could take a photo of ye and put it up on Instagram and tell m’followers how much ye admire me.”
I asked, “How many followers do you have Beaty?”
“Thirty thousand, but they are missin’ m’posts, Queen Kaitlyn. Tis a terrible loss tae nae be able tae speak tae them. I daena mean tae be negative on it, I ken tis important tae keep the bairns safe, and I ken we must hide here for a time, but I do feel it verra much in my heart.”
I said, “I remember what it was like. When I lost my YouTube channel, it was devastating. I didn’t know what to do with myself.”
Beaty sighed. “It might be the most ‘daena ken what tae do with myself’ thing in the world.”
Magnus jokingly groaned. “All right, Madame Beaty, would ye like tae perform for us — bagpipes or poetry tonight?”
Her face brightened up. “Bagpipes, King Magnus, let me run tae get them.”
She rushed away from the table.
I leaned in to Magnus and kissed his shoulder.
* * *
The widow, Sophie Milne, was brought to meet us. She curtsied and made small talk and then James pulled out a chair for her and we returned to our seats.
James said, “Madame Sophie was just telling me something super interesting, I thought y’all might want to hear.”
She cast her eyes down.
He said, “It’s okay, you can tell them what you just told me.”
“About the weather, Master James?”
“Yes, about the weather.”
She seemed nervous, “During our travels we heard tell of terrible storms in Glencoe.”
Fraoch leaned forward. “What kind of storms?”
She said, “It was told tae me that it was a verra different sort, as if God himself had come tae force the people from the land with lightning and thunder.”
Fraoch, Quentin, and Magnus all glanced at each other with a look of recognition.
Fraoch asked, “Was it described as building upon the land, or as if the wind was pushing it?”
“The men who spoke of it said twas as if the storms built from a spot, and rumbled toward the heavens. They said the lightning was terrible tae see, they were verra afeared. M’hair stood on end as they spoke on it.”
James and Magnus nodded.
Quentin said, “All right then, that sounds familiar, right?”
Fraoch said, “Did the men say how long it had been happenin’?”
She said, “Tis why I took note of it. The men said it had been goin’ on for a fortnight, with nae signs of pause. Tis why they felt it best tae head south. Twas how I came across their band, as I left Edinburgh tae come tae Kilchurn.”
Lizbeth sat down just then.
I asked, “Have you met Sophie Milne?”
Lizbeth said, “I hae met her and heard all about her travels, but now I hae had an extra drink and was thinking she ought tae tell me more.” She grinned. “Madame Milne, my new cousin, what is interesting about ye?”
Sophie considered for a moment then said, “Master Milne taught me astronomy.”
Lizbeth’s eyes went wide. “Did he now? That is a verra interesting thing. Tis a wonder he allowed it.”
“Aye, I was the one tae write down his findings and he would allow me tae look through the telescope tae see what he found. I helped him replicate the face of the moon and the patterns of the stars. After Master Milne passed, I continued tae do his work, but after a time I was warned that the minister was speakin’ on me from the pulpit — he called me a heretic and a witch and wanted me tried for it.”
Lizbeth clucked her tongue. “Och nae, a young widow — ye had tae flee Edinburgh or else be tried as a witch? Tis a monstrous behavior of otherwise-educated men.”
Sophie’s chin trembled as she nodded.
Lizbeth patted her hand. “Tis a good thing ye found us. We are a safe harbor, Madame Sophie.”
I squinted my eyes. “But I do wonder, how did you find us?”
She said, “I was raised amidst Campbells, cousins of Sean and Lizbeth, from their father’s side, the Campbells of Lowdon. I had heard that m’cousins resided here. Twas the only thing I could think of tae do.”
“So you are here long term?”
She said, “If m’cousins will allow me tae stay.”
Lizbeth nodded. “Of course we can take in a cousin in such a dire situation.”
“And I hae brought my telescope, I might shew ye the moon and stars.”
Lizbeth said, “Wonderful! There has nae been enough witchcraft afoot in this castle, as m’mother has nae visited in ever long.”
Everyone laughed.