“To jump?” I said. “Are you offering to do it for her?”
“Aye, I will be able tae jump. I will go.”
Lady Mairead scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. How many times have you even traveled?”
“Two, but I am a verra good at it.” He smiled his best, most disarming grin. “I will take weapons and equipment. I winna jump back and forth. I will rest and then use the... What was it called?”
Hammond said, “The Trailblazer.”
“I can use it and rest and use it and rest until I hae gotten tae the date.”
“I work alone.”
“Ye canna, nae this time. Look at ye, ye’re exhausted and frightened of the effort. I only just met ye and I can tell twill kill ye tae continue. Best let a big strappin’ man do it. I am stronger and more suited tae the task.”
Lady Mairead’s face turned furious.
Quentin, looking from Fraoch to Lady Mairead, intervened, ”I should probably do it. Lady Mairead and I go way back. She knows me and trusts me.”
Fraoch shook his head incredulously. “The black man wants tae go tae Scotland of long ago? Black Mac, ye canna survive it without endin’ up on the wrong side of a sword.”
Quentin said, “What the hell, man? I’m a soldier. I can handle myself. Especially against a bunch of medieval men. I’ll be better armed.”
“I ken ye are capable, but I ken the landscape. I hae been livin’ in the woods. I ken tae speak tae the men. I ken how tae get tae Edinburgh.”
Lady Mairead’s eyes squinted. “You expect me tae give you one of the most important machines in the history of the world and a vessel as well? Tae the man who haena ever used them before? How can I trust ye?”
“How can I trust ye?”
Her eyes squinted even more and she spun the knife between her fingers. She said, “Explain yourself.”
“The way I see it, ye daena trust me. Ye believe I am after the throne though I hae never even heard of the kingdom and I daena plan tae ever lay eyes upon it. So how will I prove it tae ye? I canna, because the king has written a paper sayin’ he will abdicate the throne tae me. I am next in line for the throne if King Magnus daena return. But if I help ye rescue the king I will hae proven I am nae comfortable with that outcome.”
She continued to glare at him.
“Comes tae me that if I help ye, and if I help Og Maggy, I will hae proven myself as nae a threat.”
“Og Maggy.” She huffed. “What if... what if, Master Fraoch, I allow ye the trailblazer, but then I turn yer vessel off? This sounds verra much like something I might do. It might serve me well tae leave ye there.”
Fraoch shrugged. “Once ye rescue Og Maggy he winna stand for it. He would come tae get me. And I imagine he would be nae too happy about it either. And if he is gone, and I am gone, and there inna a grown man tae be king, then who is next in line for the throne, wee Archie? I daena think he is ready tae rule.” He leaned back in his chair. “Ye need me.”
She rolled her eyes. “I hae never needed anyone, nae since Magnus’s father, Donnan, told me, ‘Protect my son, Magnus, and he will be the next king.’ I hae taken his words tae heart and I hae succeeded in the aim. I will agree that ye, with brawn being yer most defining characteristic, might be well-suited tae this task. I will allow ye tae go, but I assure ye Fraoch, if ye daena finish what ye are promising tae do, if ye arna trustworthy, I will end ye.”
Quentin said, “Okay, okay, how about this, Fraoch and I do it together? We’ll need to make a solid plan. We’ll need supplies: camping equipment, weapons, rations. Emma will need to make us some go-go juice. I’ll make sure the tech is returned. Fraoch will make sure I survive the dark ages.”
Lady Mairead said, “I agree tae this arrangement. Though once ye hae used the Trailblazer, tis up tae me tae rescue them with the vessel. If they are in court, if they are in the company of Mary of Guise, they will need a more nuanced rescue than ye can give them.”
Quentin said, “Deal.”
“I warn ye though, Colonel Quentin, tis verra grueling. I canna guarantee that ye will survive it.”
Eighty-one - Hayley
It took the rest of the day to pack for their trip. Lady Mairead and Hammond had to get Quentin and Fraoch up to speed on using the new tech. They were going to leave that night.
We were all so busy I didn’t really get to speak to Fraoch until after dinner, when Quentin took some time to say goodbye to Beaty and Fraoch came to me in our bedroom.
I was siting on the edge of the bed. He stood before me and looked down on me. “Och, I am nae wantin’ tae say goodbye.”
I nodded. “The plan though is that you’ll be back tomorrow, one day, barely anything.”
He knelt down between my legs and wrapped his arms around me. His face against my stomach. “I daena want tae go back tae Scotland.”
“Really? You like it here?”
“I do.”
“What do you like?”
“The food for one, tis verra good.”
“What is your favorite?”
“I like burgers.”
“Then I’ll make sure that’s what’s on the menu tomorrow night when you get home.” I ran my fingers through his hair. “How long do you think you’ll actually be gone?”
“I daena ken. Quentin and I are strong. We can ride the machine. I daena see how it can beat us.”
“The vessels hurt like shit though, and Lady Mairead says this is worse.”
“Aye, she says tis worse.” His face nestled into my stomach more. “I can bear it. I am nae afraid.”
“If it’s too bad, will you come home?”
He looked up at me. “If I canna get the machine back tae the time they are livin’ in, they will hae tae keep livin’ in it.”
His smile spread, his missing tooth, once a jarring blight on his hotness, now a comforting reminder of his imperfections, proof of his vulnerability, causing shyness and humility in this otherwise cocky man. “And ye hae shewn me, m’bhean ghlan, Florida, with the marvels of a... what dost ye call it?”
“What?”
“The box with the food inside?”
“The refrigerator?”
“Aye, they are livin’ in a world without a refrigerator. Can ye even call it livin’?”
I chuckled. “No, Fraoch, you really can’t.”
“Aye, so I will get the machine tae go back tae where they are, and it will take as long as it takes me. I winna quit until Og Maggy and Kaitlyn hae a path tae return home. I will do it because I owe him as a brother.”
“Well, if anyone can do it, you can. And Quentin, he’s driven and loyal. He won’t give up.”
“Aye, we will get the path set tae bring them home. We hae tae, I hae learned tae drive the boat. I hae tae shew Og Maggy that I can go fishin’ and catch the biggest fish.”
“I don’t think Magnus ever even got to go fishing. In his defense he hasn’t had time, but I can see you’d have a lot of fun showing him that.”
He nestled his face back to my stomach. “And his bairn need him.”
“It’s so true. It breaks my heart that they are without Katie. Isla is almost a year old.”