I said, “Holy shit, did you just say that?”
“Aye, ye ken, ye can see it.”
“I only have eyes for my husband, yourson’s,arse.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, ye daena ken what ye are missing, Kaitlyn, in taking a young man tae bed. But this one is more trouble than he is worth. I prefer my lovers tae be kept at a distance so I daena hae tae hide them. Also, I want tae tell them tae go home after, I daena like them tae stink up my sheets.”
“There is so much there to unpack, but firstly, Lady Mairead, Lochinvar saved your son’s life! You ought to show some gratitude.”
“I am grateful, I just am nae taking him as a lover because of the aforementioned stench.”
“Hammond doesn’t stink up your bedding?”
“Hammond is a fine man, he is a willing, capable lover, and we hae a relationship. He kens I am allowing him tae share my bed as afavorfor as long as he stays within my good graces. Now he is upset, I hae never kent him tae put his foot down, but Lochinvar is a man too close. Hammond has warned me that he will leave the castle if he finds Lochinvar in my quarters, so I brought him here tae put him in Magnus’s care.” She said, “He just needs some land, tell Magnus he will need tae clean him up, educate him, and take him tae a time period where he will sensibly fit, and drop him off.”
“Fine, Magnus and I will take care of him.”
“Good, I wash my hands of it.”
“What is that box he’s got in his lap?”
“Tis the Bridge.”
“The Bridge! Is it dangerous? He’s just carrying it around?”
“Aye, likely, but I canna open it, I canna work it, I wash my hands of it as well. Tell Magnus tae keep it safe.”
“You have another one, right? I’ve never known you to give something up like that.”
She chuckled. “Tis likely, ye are right, it daena sound like me tae give away m’power.”
“I’ve wanted to ask, who do you think dragged us here?”
She said, “I hae nae idea, but tis at the top of my list of things I need tae understand, as well as findingallof the sons of Donnan.”
She looked at her bag. “Tell yer husband that I want my pocket watch returned and if he daena ken where it is, I want a new one, or an old one, rather. That one was built by Thomas Wagstaffe and belonged tae Benjamin Franklin, given tae me personally. There is a long history behind it. I expect it replaced with a timepiece of a similar pedigree.”
“What about the one you keep in your apartment, I never see you carry that?”
“The Supercomplication? Because tis verra precious, twas given tae me by Donnan, when he was promising me the whole world. I canna use it, I must keep it special.”
I said, “Do you think it might have been Fraoch’s mother, Agnie MacLeod, who is messing with us?”
“If twas I am sure she is enraged that I hae seen tae the death of two of her sons, Domnall and Ormr, I imagine she will be driven tae avenge them.”
“The two of you have been locked in this avenge battle for a long time, huh?”
“Nae, not a battle, Kaitlyn, it has beenme, the rightful consort of Donnan, and her, a verra deceitful bitch who beguiled him intae siring her son. I am nae locked in a vengeful thing with her, she is trying tae steal what is rightfully mine. I winna allow it.”
“My apologies, I misspoke.”
“The thing is, Kaitlyn, imagine if ye had Bella still, trying tae ingratiate herself in the kingdom and intae yer husband’s good graces. Would ye be ‘locked in a vengeful thing’? Nae, ye would be the wife and she would be the bitch and she would deserve the death ye brought tae her.”
“Yes, you’re right, I won’t say that kind of thing again, you’re right about it.”
“Good, tis the first time ye hae properly taken my side; I hae taken yer side for a verra long time.”
I bit my lips because I wanted to mention all themillionsof times she hadnottaken my side, but decided that as Magnus had said about Lochinvar, after a long time of fighting he swooped in at the end, for Lady Mairead after a long life of being adversaries, she was only going to count the last few adventures when she had somehow been on my side.
