While Hammond spoke, Lady Mairead gazed on Fraoch. “Where is your mother?”
He looked surprised to be addressed. “She died when I was young.”
She scoffed. “Really, I am expected tae believe ye are this unknowledgeable about yer own history? Ye are next in line tae the throne, livin’ in the king’s house, and ye daena ken anything about your mother?”
I intervened, “His mother died when he was very young. He was never told anything else about it. Do you know something we don’t?”
“Tis nae for me tae educate an illegitimate son of Donnan. He claimed Magnus, my son.”
Quentin said, “Okay, okay, let’s just say this, in another time, when we are not so stressed out about Boss, maybe you can fill me in on what you know about Fraoch’s mother, as a matter of security?”
“I agree tae that. I would prefer nae tae speak tae Fraoch directly as I canna understand how a conspirator is allowed tae ingratiate himself with the royal family.”
“Perfect.” Quentin straightened, took a deep breath, and exhaled. “Now the task at hand. How do we use the tech to take the vessels further back in time?”
“I hae been trying tae do it.”
Quentin leaned forward. “What do you mean, trying?”
Her shaky hand smoothed her hair again. “I canna manage it. I canna go verra far back, not at once. I hae tae wait between tries. I ken we are in need of expediency but I am at it’s mercy.”
Quentin was nervously rubbing the knuckles on his fist, something he had done since grade school trying to stay on top of his anxiety. I watched him thinking about how much he still looked like that little boy and here he was the royal guard, in an impossible situation. I just had to sit and keep my mouth closed. He had to talk to lady Mairead and ultimately had to work with her to rescue Magnus and Kaitlyn. He said, “What the hell, that sounds awful, what happens?”
“Tis different from the vessels. Ye ken how the vessels will hold ye tae them?”
Quentin said, “Yeah, it grabs you.”
Lady Mairead’s eyes went distant and she shuddered.
So Hammond explained, “Colonel Quentin, the way Lady Mairead has described it to me is, this tech, I call it the Trailblazer — it won’t hold on, and it is very painful, brutally painful. She took all she could handle and let go and she had only gone further in the past by fifty-three days.”
She said, “I had tae rest afore I could return tae the kingdom. The following week I tried again, really tried, but I dropped it in agony and found myself only a couple of months beyond. I could barely move for two days.”
Quentin said, “That’s too dangerous to do alone. You need an army with you. Now that I think about it, that’s probably why there were so many people around the vessels that first time. I wonder why it’s so painful?”
Zach said, “A guess: because you’re hacking into the jungle, the time jungle, exploring for a new map. Or like you’re laying railroad track and you’re crossing the plains. Alone, anything can happen. You need more people. When you land you need safety in numbers.”
Quentin shook his head. “That didn’t help the first explorers. They were massacred by the Campbells, but I agree, alone could be way worse.”
Lady Mairead said, “Daena discount there is danger in a group, as well. Ye hae tae be able tae trust them. I daena like tae work with anyone else, I daena want anyone tae ken how far back we are takin’ the vessels. Hammond spoke of sending the military with me, but I would prefer tae keep this quiet.”
Quentin said, “We have something we needed to tell you too. Magnus isn’t at Balloch anymore, we think he is in Edinburgh. Let me run and get something.”
Zach said, “While he gets that, can I get you both a drink?”
I said, “I will, you stay here, Zach. I’ll get them a drink.”
Zach and I locked eyes, a power struggle. Who got to leave the room...? I jumped up and rushed to the kitchen. Emma was in there with Isla asleep on her side. Zoe, the baby, asleep in her arms. She asked, “What’s happening? I didn’t have time to turn a baby monitor on to eavesdrop.”
“She’s begun looking for them, it’s just a lot harder than she thought. She’s being a total bitch, but also scared — she looks dangerous because she’s a bitch plus she’s scared.” I filled two glasses of ice, popped the top of two cans of Coke, and poured both, talking the whole time. “But she’s closer, she’s close to getting them.”
“It’s taking her long enough.”
“She totally blames me for that. Katie is going to be so pissed when she hears.”
“She’ll understand. Lady Mairead is evil, Kaitlyn knows there’s no way to handle her without violence.”
“Yeah. True. But Isla.”
“I know. She thinks I’m mama, I totally know.”
I met Quentin, carrying a stack of papers and a laptop, to return to the pool house. The conversation there was strained: Zach was talking to Hammond about the limo they were in, but truth was, Zach didn’t know anything about cars. James would have been useful. You could see the agony in Zach’s eyes.
Fraoch was watching everyone at the able as if he was attempting to translate a foreign language. I would need to rehash the whole history to him, again, so he understood how diabolical she was.
I placed the drinks in front of them and returned to my chair.
Quentin placed the pile on the table, rifled through for the printout, and slapped it down in front of Lady Mairead. “We found this.”
“Tis Magnus’s signature!”
“I know. It’s on the bottom of this document.” He placed the other page in front of her.
“Who is this man, remind me?”
“Duke of Châtellerault, he was a regent to Mary Queen of Scots. In 1552.”
Lady Mairead perused the document. “Och, she is a sad story, I hae often wished I could go tae her and advise her differently. I decided long ago not tae of course, twould be too complicated tae advise a queen, but I do wish tae.” She flipped through another page and mused, “Her cousin Elizabeth dinna need tae be advised, but would nae it be fun tae shew her a time travel vessel? Tae let her see the effect of her reign?”
She added, “Now I ken the year, twill be easier tae recover Magnus. I will go tae late 1552.”
I said, “They might have been there for years though, what if they’re old and gray? We should investigate more, see if we can find the oldest document, go farther back. Shouldn’t we do our best to make their time shorter?”
Her face clouded over. “Nae, Madame Hayley, nae. Dost ye ken how much farther I will hae tae go already? Five years! I am doing enough, tis painful. I am doing enough.”
Quentin said, “Hammond said Magnus has radio frequency beacons, is this true? You will be able to find him once you get to 1552?”
“Aye, I am outfitted tae find him.”
Quentin said, “Good. But now we’re back to this — it’s worrisome that you’re going alone. You should take men.”
She looked down at the dagger in her hand. ”I canna trust men.”
Fraoch intruded on the conversation. “Lady Mairead, I ken ye daena think well of me, but I would offer tae go in yer stead. I ken Scotland, and I am strong and will be able tae...” He glanced around at us as if asking for the word.