17. Chapter 17 - Kaitlyn

The following morning, I came downstairs for breakfast carrying Jack in a sling. He had woken up as soon as I had hit the bed last night and needed me desperately so I had brought him to our room.

Magnus, Fraoch and Lochie were animatedly talking around the kitchen island with mugs of coffee in hand. I said, "Good morning!"

Jack started leaning out trying to get a spoon off the counter. Then he tried to get a dishtowel. Then he wanted a mug. I handed it to him, and he swung it almost hitting me in the face. I passed him the spoon. He threw it down, then he wanted the salt shaker. I passed him the candlestick.

Zach said, "It's crystal!"

I pouted. "I don't know what else to do! I've been up for ten minutes and I'm already at my wits end."

Fraoch said, "He just wants his Uncle Frookie, tis clear." He put his hands over his eyes and then drew them away. "Keeky-bo!"

Jack giggled.

Fraoch ducked behind the counter, then hid behind the door, saying, "Keeky-bo!"

Jack laughed and laughed and reached out for Uncle Frookie who drew him into his arms with much more patience than I had that morning.

I had been handed a cup of coffee but hadn't had a chance to sip yet.

It was cold. I drew some more from the BrewStation and added sugar and cream.

"How are you doing now in the light of the morning, Lochie?"

He said, "We hae come tae an idea."

"Good! What is it?"

Magnus said, "We are in need of a trip tae Riaghalbane, I need tae speak tae m'mother, so I am takin' Lochinvar away on urgent business."

I narrowed my eyes, "But, how does this help the situation with Ash?"

Magnus tapped his temple. "Because absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"I don't understand." I said to Hayley, "Do you get what's going on?"

"No, I just woke up, but the boys have been planning for hours."

Lochie said, "I daena think ye realize, Queen Kaitlyn, I will be wearin' my uniform. Twill be handsome."

I chuckled. "With the kilt?"

"Aye, my dress coat, m'finest kilt, with m'sword."

Beaty had come in with Noah and so now Fraoch had Noah on one elbow, Jack on the other, and was playing loud Keeky-bo with both, not hiding, but just saying it loudly, while the boys squealed with laughter.

He stopped playing long enough to say, "A uniform and a kilt, ye see, Kaitlyn, we hae thought of everything."

I bit my lips.

Hayley said, "So Lochie will be in a uniform with a kilt, what's that got to do with that waitress?"

Lochie said, "I will go tae the Palace Saloon wearing the uniform, this evening. Then she will see me bein' handsome in it. She winna be able tae resist me."

"This is the plan you came up with?"

Magnus said, "Aye, tis a perfectly well-laid plan, she winna be able tae resist him."

Zach slammed the oven. "Man in a uniform wins the girl."

Fraoch sat down on the floor with the boys, Noah began toddling around. Jack climbed onto Fraoch's lap.

I sipped my coffee and watched Fraoch and the boys play, then said, "You know, it actually is a good plan. If she's trying to decide if you're dangerous or a protector?—"

Zach said, "Like all women, right baby?" He kissed Emma good morning.

She said, "I have missed all the conversation, who's the protector?"

"Me! Want a bagel before you go to the hospital to see the baby?"

"Absolutely." Then she asked, "How did your meet with the girl go, Lochie?"

"Not well, but I hae a plan, I will flash m'knees at her under m'uniform."

Emma nodded. "That will do it. Though I only have eyes for Zach's knees."

He laughed. "My knees? Mine look like bird knees — I know you're just trying to be nice, but even I know my knees aren't my best quality."

She said, "What do you think is your best quality?"

He grinned, "My winning personality and my tushie." He wiggled his butt, which was hilarious on such a tall, gangly guy.

I laughed, "So knees, huh? Are we women really so single minded?"

Most of the men in the room said, "Aye." Except Fraoch who said, "Nae, ye are verra complicated, but we can wheesht yer mind and direct yer thoughts with a glimpse of knee, tis not meant tae offend, tis true, right m'bean ghlan?"

"So true, no offense taken, the same can be said of you guys."

I said, "You can be directed and calmed with a glimpse of the flesh of a bosom peeking over a bodice."

Magnus joked, "Aye, tis why the men of earlier centuries are so calm and wise." We all laughed.

I said, "So you will go into the Palace and give her a glimpse of your knee and the sight of your shoulders in uniform and then what?"

Zach said, "Then he tells her he's been called away on urgent, important, dangerous business for Magnus, he's crucial and he must go now, he wished he didn't need to go, he would stay with her, but he must, because duty calls and the fate of the world rests in the balance."

Emma said, "Oh babe, you should write romance! But I totally get the idea now, he flashes his knee. She swoons. She says she is counting the days until he returns. He says, ‘If I return,' because it is so dangerous and she swoons again, but says, ‘Thank you for keeping us all safe.' He says, ‘I do it for the bairns.' Make sure your voice is very low, Lochie. She swoons yet again?—"

Zach said, "I think she might have a blood sugar issue. Better give that girl a cookie."

Lochie said, "I will carry some in m'pocket."

We all laughed again.

I said, "But Emma is right, this is a very good plan. She will rethink the whole conversation you had last night under this new information, you're a soldier, you have urgent duties. She will admire that. She will probably think she was overreacting. I know that's what I would think."

"Ye think twill work?"

"I think it's likely to, it can't hurt. She might not be interested in seeing you again, but then you can go move to your sixteenth century hovel."

Zach said, "Or find a different girl."

"I like Mistress Ash, I could live m'life making her smile. I hae tae try tae win her."

I said, "Then this seems like your best shot."

Lochie said, "So, tis time tae get dressed?"

Fraoch said, "Og Lochie, tis afore we hae even eaten our breakfast! Ye canna put on a uniform now, ye will hae it mussed afore the evening."

Lochie said, "I could just not move, stand verra still in the middle of the room."

Fraoch groaned. "We canna hae another full day of Lochie waitin' tae speak tae the maiden, he needs a chore. If he is idle he will drive me tae distraction."

Magnus said, "The horse stables need tendin', then ye hae liftin' tae do. Ye were goin' tae work on yer shoulders tae day." He raised his coffee mug. "And muckin' the stables was goin' tae by my chore, but I will give it over so that Fraoch inna driven tae distraction."

Fraoch said, from his seat on the floor, a baby boy sitting on each arm. "Then I will do this today, winna I boys? Wanna go tae the beach?" Fraoch stood and left the kitchen carrying babies, leading all the children down the walkway toward the beach.

Emma asked, "Have any of them eaten yet?"

Zach said, "Nope, not yet, there will be melt-downs in twenty minutes."

Emma grabbed a bagel with a smear of cream cheese. "Then this is the perfect time to go, who's ready to go see the new baby? He comes home today!"