I poured more wine in my glass and took a sip.
The computer responded:
The discrepancies in historical time periods.
One: the siege of Stirling Castle. There are conflicting dates, it is listed as taking place in the years 1291, 1292, and 1304. There is a mention of a trebuchet used called the Warwolf, but in only one record. Contemporaneous records do not call the weapon a trebuchet. In most of the records the weapon is called a War Machine.
Two: In the year 1775, at Staunton, Virginia, there is a battle that took place, that has only one?—
I waved my hand. “All of that is unimportant, I daena want tae hear of unimportant things or we will be here all night. Only tell me of what is directly related tae Magnus and Scotland. Tell me about the discrepancies with the historical figures.”
The computer voice said:
One, The King of England, Edward the First, had an advisor by the name of Asgall. He was present at the negotiation at Kippen where Sean Campbell was slain.
I nodded. “Then there is proof. He is the one who has done it. Do we ken anything else about Asgall?”
The computer responded:
The alert you set for ‘Asgall’ has listed him as a frequenter of brothels in Staunton, Virginia.
I said, “Och nae…” I sighed. “Is this all? Hae ye told me?—”
An alert appeared, projected on the wall, warning me that I had a message on my secure channel. I answered it with my code and a letter appeared. It read:
Dear Lady Mairead,
You do not know me, I am Liam Campbell, a direct descendant of Sean Campbell, born in 1675.
I believe you and I are somehow cousins. I am the caretaker of Taymouth Castle. I found a book in the library here with two letters. There were instructions to send the letters to you, so I am including them.
I hope this helps and my apologies for the interruption.
Yours sincerely,
Liam Campbell
I opened and read the attached letters, then read all of them again — Lochinvar was stranded in 1683. Quentin and James were stranded in 1710. I was stranded in the twenty-fourth century. Magnus had surrendered in 1291. Sean was dead.Och nae.
My eyes settled on Asgall’s name in the letter from Master James Cook and Colonel Quentin.
Asgall was winning.
He was building an empire by conquering ours.
The bottom of the letter gave me a phone number tae call. Twas for Liam Campbell’s wife, Blakely.
I asked the room tae shew me their files and read through the information. Liam Campbell was my great-great-great-great-grandson through Sean. I asked for the computer tae shew me a photo of him. It came tae me, a photo of Liam in his rugby uniform, young and handsome. I marveled at the likeness, he looked much like Fionn, his great-great-great-great-great-grandfather.
I felt comforted by finding him, after discovering that Sean was dead.
It seemed like a miracle.
Then I wondered who they thought I was... did they know about time travel?
Liam was living at Balloch. I read through the titles and leases of Taymouth Castle. Then I asked the computer, “Is this true? A consortium called the Riaghalbane Royal Company bought Balloch and gave it tae Liam Campbell?”
The computer voice said:
