“You know, Mary of Guise told me that Magnus was within his rights to send you off to live somewhere else, but he hasn’t, and he is too cool for that, but seriously, you need to get a grip. I have been perfectly pious enough. If you knew me in Florida you’d understand just how hard I’m working at this.”
She looked terrified. I huffed. “I‘ll leave Mary in charge of you.”
I put my hand on the door just as Magnus rushed it open. “Mo reul-iuil, there is a storm.”
I threw my arms around him. “I know! I saw it!”
“Is Lady Fleming a’right?”
I glanced over my shoulder. “Yeah, yeah, she’s a moment away from starting a witch trial, but fuck that, there’s a storm!"
“Aye, grab yer things. Twas centered over the woods behind Holyroodhouse.”
We raced to our room and began shoving what we had left from our chest into our bags: Magnus’s weapons, the last of the lamps, the transmitter from our window sill. He put the last of the gold into a bag and put it inside the chest. “She’ll find it. I give her two days afore she is lookin’ through our things.”
“Are we really going home? Really?”
“Aye, either tis a friend or an enemy, but a vessel has carried them here and we are ridin’ it home if I hae tae kill them tae do it.”
We rushed to the stables, mounted our horses, and we were off. Though we tried to be quick it had taken and hour to accomplish it and sadly the storm had dissipated. We followed the high road through town toward Holyroodhouse. Magnus was watching the sky, the road, the woods. “Och, I canna ken where they are.”
“We have the transmitter though, right?"
“Aye, tis on and whoever tis will hae tae pass along this road. We will go see Mary of Guise.” He turned his horse and led me through the gates to the palace and to the stable. He talked the boy about putting my horse in the stall.
“Are you coming inside, too?”
“Nae, I’m going to go check the woods. Go inside, visit with Her Majesty. I will return verra soon.”
“Magnus Campbell, don’t you dare leave me back here, okay? You promise?”
“I am goin’ tae desert ye in the past?”
“You might get so excited to go home that you forget me. I wouldn’t blame you, I am a huge pain in the ass. I’m kind of surprised we’ve lasted this long.”
He chuckled and raised his brow. “Aye, the lady is surprised I am still her husband? Alas, it has been a good marriage but I hae decided tae forget her and return tae Florida without her...” His horse stamped to the left. “But if I did, Madame Campbell, who would shew me how tae fly in an airplane tae Scotland? Ye hae promised tae shew me.”
“God, I think any number of women would be happy to show you, but please don’t.”
“I winna. I hae promised God. We are stuck tae each other. Though I am verra excited tae be goin’ home. I winna forget tae take ye with me.”
“I’m afraid we’re going to jinx it. We’re touchdown celebrating without knowing what the storm actually means.”
He grinned. “Kaitlyn Campbell, ye are usually the one with the hope, and I am usually the one with m’heart full of worry, but I can see ten different ways tae get home from here.”
“Ten?”
“Aye, perhaps tis because I am on the horse.” He shaded his eyes and looked out over the woods. “Aye, ten different ways.” He added, “Check that the transmitter is set. I will return verra soon.”
I was led upstairs to Mary of Guise’s quarters. She hadn’t expected me but was bored, so was happy to see me. She offered me a chair and told me all about a letter she had received from France. She had wanted one from her daughter, but instead this was from an advisor, sent to discuss affairs of state, so she was disappointed, but also reading and rereading trying to understand every detail of what it meant.
She translated it for me, and then wanted my opinion. “Does not it seem, Lady Campbell, that it must mean she is not well? That he puts it like this?”
“It might mean she is well though too, there are two meanings to the word, as you yourself just said.”
I was anxious and excited, and too distracted for this kind of conversation: complex, foreign, trivial. I had to be patient. I had to wait for Magnus without letting it be known. Without jumping around excitedly. Without running the fuck out of here and headed into the woods. There was a storm!
Eighty-four - Kaitlyn
An hour later, they were announced, “Lord Campbell and the Lady Mairead.”
My heart soared, not because she was here, but because: Oh my God, someone was here!
Mary of Guise asked me, “Who is Lady Mairead?”
“My mother-in-law.” We both stood to receive them.
In Magnus’s expression I could see he was thrilled. He introduced the two women. We stood idly by while Lady Mairead and Mary of Guise spoke niceties to each other. I noticed Magnus’s foot tapping — we were so ready to get the hell out of here.
But it took forever to quit the conversation once started — Lady Mairead expertly steered the conversation, sounding almost pleasant. Breaking out a great deal of French. She was indifferent to anything but Mary, the queen mother, but I watched her — her eyes flitted from painting, to tapestry, to sculpture. Sizing up the room, pricing the antiquities, measuring the rugs.
I wondered, if I had the patience, if it might be fun to watch, to see how long before she procured some art to take home. But I had no patience, I just wanted Isla, Archie, home, food.
Finally, Magnus said, “Your Majesty, Lady Mairead has come tae call us away. We are expected tae be gone for some time.”
Marie of Guise was terribly sad and held both my hands in hers. “Will you be able to see your children, Lady Kaitlyn?”
I nodded. “I will, I am so excited.”
“Good. I will miss your company, but it is a solace that you will no longer be separated from your children. May God protect you as you travel home to them, Lady Kaitlyn.”
“Thank you, your highness.”
Magnus said, “I hae taken leave from Lord Châtellerault just this morn, but he winna ken that I will be gone long. Would ye explain my departure, your highness? Tis a circumstance most dire. Would ye offer him my apologies for leaving his company without word?”
A smile spread across her face, “I will certainly pass along your message, Lord Magnus, but as it means I will know something he does not, I might hold on to it for a time, and tell him when it pleases me.”
“Of course,” said Magnus.
A few moments later we were bowing from the room.
We bustled down the stairs to get our horses. “Is Isla okay? Is Archie?”
Lady Mairead said, “Aye, they are thriving.”
Then we were out the gates and down the lane to the woods. Magnus led the horses while we walked.
Lady Mairead asked, “You could leave these horses here?”
“Nae, I hae grown accustomed tae him, I canna leave him, and Kaitlyn learned tae ride her. We must add tae our stable.”
“If you ask me tis ridiculous tae keep horses in Florida.”