The Guardian by Diana Knightley
Seventy - Kaitlyn
James clapped his hands down on his knees. “So I suppose I will head that way.”
Quentin said, “I’ll suit up, you’ll want a man.”
James said, “Sorry, but I’m going to be out of my element, I think I want a not so black man.”
Quentin joked, “Are you saying I’m black?”
“Yeah, dude, I hate to tell you, I don’t think... what year was it?”
“Dunscaith castle, Isle of Skye, the year 1589,” said Lady Mairead, drinking some more. “Ye daena need tae worry much on the blackness of Quentin, tis the women who arna safe. King James will begin the witch hunts that year and nae women will be free from the accusations.” Her eyes went distant, “Ye said Sophie was an astronomer?”
Magnus chuckled, “James dinna say it, ye kent it because of some foreknowledge.”
She waved her hand at him.
James said, “Yeah, she’s an astronomer.”
“Och, ye might want tae get her then, she winna be safe.”
She drank the last of her wine and then checked her gold watch. “Hammond, will ye escort me tae my rooms?”
“Yes, Lady Mairead.” He stood and put out an arm, she was unsteady as she was led to the door.
Then she turned.
“Two things, Magnus. I brought the Trailblazer with me, tis in the vault with the vessels. And James, Dunscaith will be heavily fortified, daena risk your life on walking right up tae the door. My spy is an auld cook in the kitchen.”
Zach said, “The kitchen?”
Lady Mairead said, “All the best spies work in the kitchen, tis how they ken all that is going on. Auld Eamag told me everything going on at Kilchurn, tis how I kent ye had returned here.”
They left the room.
Zach squinted his eyes. “Eamag was a spy for Lady Mairead? What the hell did she tell her?”
Emma said, “Ugh, can you imagine the stories Lady M has about all of us?”
We all laughed.
I said, “I suppose the ball is over since the king left?”
Magnus said, “Och, I think so, and I am in nae mood tae dance.” He added, “Well, Master James, ye hae somewhere tae look, daena ye?”
“I do, I’ll get some sleep and go in the morning. I’ll need some supplies, weapons, perhaps a vehicle... a drone might be useful in a castle like that.”
We passed out a round of whisky.
Fraoch said, “What if Hayley and I went with you?”
James said, “Are you in perfect health? Physician approved?”
Hayley looked at Fraoch. “The physician said he is not in perfect health. He is not approved to time jump into the sixteenth century.”
Fraoch said, “But what does he ken? He probably daena want anyone tae jump intae the sixteenth century. He should nae get tae decide military strategy, tis right, Og Maggy?”
“Tis exactly right.”
Hayley’s eyes went wide. “Fraoch was just a few days ago at death’s door. He literally shouldn’t drink whisky probably. He is not cleared to go, period.”
“Nae, I am goin’, but ye can come as well, m’bhean ghlan. I would like ye tae, we can go help Master Cook rescue his wife, twill be fun.”
Hayley said, “Fine. But I want to go on the record and say, really? Just rescuing people all the time? Total danger — this is what I do? Am I a danger junkie?”
James said, “It won’t be dangerous because we won’t engage the enemy. I learned last time that I am not great at sword fighting. We’ll take all the guns I can carry, and keep it safe. I’ll jump back if I need more men.”
I said, “You’ll literally jump back and forth, seven hundred years? You’ll wear yourself out.”
“It’s okay, I can do it. She’s been taken into the past, right? So far back, she doesn’t know I’m coming for her. She’s probably frightened and alone. I can do it.”
I said, “Yeah, I remember that feeling, happened to me more than once.” I drank from my glass. “I will go with you, if you need me to hold the keys in my pocketbooks, if you need me to drive the getaway car, if you need me to... anything.”
Magnus said, “I will go as well. M’mother says nae, but though she believes it, she inna the boss of me.” He burped from his drink, and everyone laughed.
James said, “Thank you for the offer, both of you, but I don’t think I need the king and queen to help me on this quest. I got this with Fraoch and Hayley and Quentin.”
I said, “Man, we needed this drink, this dance, this food, this party, didn’t we?”
The whole room said, “Aye.”
Magnus said, “I hae been thinking on it, we should return tae Florida. Tis our home, we hae been away long enough.”
Beaty clapped her hands, “Yay!”
Zach moaned happily. “I could get back in the kitchen?”
I laughed, “You’re literally the only person in the world who can’t wait to cook for fourteen people or however many of us there are.”
He said, “You don’t understand — in Florida I can go shopping, do a few hours prep, cook, then I’m done. Everyone’s fed. In Kilchurn I was cooking all fucking day, it was a nightmare. Here I’m not cooking at all but there’s nothing else to do. Have you seen the shows? They’re so crappy. It’s mostly gameshows and soap operas. Weird culture you got here in your kingdom, Magnus.”
Magnus shrugged. “I daena ken, tis all the same tae me, hae ye seen the show with the lady with the verra large lips sellin’ the cars?”
Quentin said, “Boss, are you talking about a commercial? Advertising?”
“She was stretched out upon the car and then drivin’ it on the hills, tis nae a show?”
Everyone laughed.
He shrugged again, “I watched it in the hospital, twas verra boring.” Then he grinned. “So are we in agreement? We can go tae Florida?”
I asked, “Can we? Is it time?”
“Aye, m’mother is here. The kids are a wee bit older, let us take a break and go home. Things have gained a kind of normalcy in the kingdom of Riaghalbane. I can do what I want.”
Fraoch said, “Och, tis good news, we will go get Sophie and meet ye there.”