Sean raised his glass toward her, “And the bonny daughters as well.”
Lochie raised his mug. “Tae my wife, thank ye for takin’ me on. I am not always the best man, nor the wisest of men, but I am yers tae my final day and I am verra grateful tae ye for the taste of yer pie.”
The kids cheered, we all said, “Slàinte!”
Ash had tears rolling down her face.
He put his arm around her and they kissed.
Once we had calmed, Chef Zach leaned back and patted his stomach, “Nowwhat do we do?”
Lochie stood and pulled up a plastic bag from near his feet. The kind of bag that came from a convenience store. “First, I hae presents for all.”
He went around passing out a pen to each person at the table, including Jack.
Then he said, “Tis a pen! And a weapon, and a light!” He began unscrewing it to show everyone and the entire table went quiet as we were investigating, and the kids were excitedly opening theirs up and then they cheered when they found all the parts.
Then the kids stood on their chairs and gave a round of applause.
Lochie said, “Och, tis verra grand, I hoped ye would love it.”
He looked at Ash proudly. Then he said, “Ash and I are going tae return tae Balloch.”
Magnus raised his brow. “When — now?”
Lochie said, “Aye, Ash and I discussed it, we regret not bringing the weapons, we will return tae Balloch and help Quentin bring them on the morrow.”
Magnus nodded. “Aye, Lochinvar, thank ye.”
“Ye’re welcome.”
I said, “Ash, you want to go? You don’t want to stay here with us?”
She said, “No, I’m going to go with him, I’m on my honeymoon. We need to stick together while we run the king’s guns.”
Magnus asked, “Dost anyone else want tae return tae more modern days?”
Archie said, “Not me!” All the kids yelled, “Not me too!”
I said, “I think we’re decided, we’re happy, English scouts or not, to be together.”
Zach looked at Emma, “We’re staying too. We’ll leave if shit goes down, but for now we’ll stick together. It’s like Kilchurn, back in 1707, except even fewer comforts.”
Magnus joked, “Och nae, Chef Zach, ye calling my castle uncomfortable?”
Zach leaned forward with a fork in his fist. “We had to bring our own utensils.”
Magnus nodded. “Aye, I canna deny it, we want for some basic comforts.” He grinned, “Tis theroyalwe.”
CHAPTER 30 - LOCHINVAR
THE FIELD IN THE KING’S PARK - JUNE 18, 1291
We had many guards around us as we rode tae the field in King’s Park.
Magnus put his hands on m’shoulders, looked about tae say somethin’, then patted m’shoulders, and dinna say a word.
Fraoch said, “What happened, Og Maggy, ye speechless for once?”
