27. Chapter 27 - Kaitlyn

Emma and Hayley and I were milling around the living room with a view of the front door, so we would see Lochie as soon as he got back.

I had a million questions, starting with, where did you sleep last night, with Ash? And ending with: How did you win her over?

But he waved from the door and went straight to his room.

We all looked at each other. "What was that?"

Emma shrugged, "I have no idea."

Magnus and Fraoch entered and Magnus made his eyes big and chuckled. He came up to us and spoke low. "Lochinvar spent the night. He is smitten, verra desperately. And has assured me that I ought not be concerned as he has married her."

Fraoch said, "As good as married her."

"Uh oh." I said, "What are the odds she knows she has married him?"

Hayley nodded.

Emma said, "Yeah... poor Lochie."

Fraoch said, "Why wouldna she ken? She allowed him tae bed her! Either he is goin' tae marry her or he would run out on her, and she canna take him for a scoundrel. She ought tae be certain he inna a scoundrel!"

Hayley said, "Fraoch, remember she's modern. She likely doesn't think about it that way."

"I feel certain we ought tae always ken it that way, or the world daena make sense."

Magnus checked his watch. "I ought tae go, I planned tae leave after breakfast. Quentin has the security shifts planned around our departure."

Fraoch said, "And I will be here, I hae it all under control."

Magnus said, "Kaitlyn, tis a fine day, can the kids come out tae say goodbye on the deck?"

I picked up Jack from where he was playing with blocks and asked Archie and Isla to follow us out, and we joined Magnus on the deck, looking out over the beach.

It wasn't until we stopped at the end of the deck, with a slight breeze against the seagrass, the small waves lapping, the high blue sky, that I looked at Magnus and that now familiar feeling hit me — he was leaving, again.

His face was beset with solemnity, Jack sitting on his arm — Isla had scaled the railing and sat on the top, with her head on Magnus's shoulder. Archie, being more grown up, stood stoically beside him.

Magnus saying goodbye to his children made my chin tremble and so I rolled into his arms hugging around him and Jack, and adding Archie and Isla so we were one big huddle, holding on.

Magnus murmured in our ears. "Tis a time of peace... ye daena hae tae worry on me... I ken I hae been having dreams, but nothing has come of them... I am goin' tae check on the kingdom, see if Lady Mairead needs anything, and then I will return... in a week, I ken it seems like a long time, but ye ken, twill be over afore ye realize it."

Archie said, "Uncle Lochie said he would be gone for two weeks."

Magnus said, "Aye, he will be, because he needs tae take more time afore he returns. I need tae get home tae ye sooner, because Jack still counts his life in days and weeks. I canna miss too many moments."

I kissed his cheek and then he kissed my lips. "I will see ye in seven days, mo reul-iuil."

"Goodbye my love, see you next week."

Isla said, "Da, do not forget my present."

"What will ye be getting for me?"

"Da, I am not going anywhere!"

"Ye will still hae a fine time — what I want for m'gift is a story. While I am gone I want ye tae decide what is the best thing ye did this week and when I return I want ye tae tell me the story of it. Good?"

She said, "Good, I already know what it will be, I am going on a surprise shopping trip with Beaty today."

"What are ye getting on the surprise shopping trip?"

"I can't tell you Da, because you won't like it."

He chuckled and muttered, "Och nae, Madame Beaty is getting another animal?"

Isla said, "Da, how did you guess?"

He sighed. Then said, "That might be yer best story, but ye never ken perhaps something even better will happen along."

She hugged his head. "Good Da, I will tell you the best story." Then she climbed down from the rail. But stopped on the bottom rung and lowered her brow. "But I want something better than a story."

"Of course, Isla, it goes without saying."

"What does that mean?"

"That means, I ken ye verra well, ye like a present."

"Yep, you know me perfectly." She jumped to the deck and bounded up the deck toward the house.

Archie gave his father a last long hug. Magnus pushed Archie's hair from his forehead and gazed into his eyes, nodding, telepathically conveying something like, "I'm proud of you."

Then he kissed his head and Archie stepped aside so that Magnus could kiss Jack, who patted the side of his beard with a very wet slobber hand. "Da!"

Magnus said, "Aye, Jack, I will see ye in a week."

He passed Jack to me, and kissed me one last time and then turned and strode toward the house with Haggis at his heels, to go.

I looked up at the guard on the roof, stationed there because Magnus, Lochie, and Quentin were leaving to go check on the kingdom.

We had had calm for a long time, I was growing used to it, it... it frightened me a little, to be so at ease.