46. Chapter 46 - Kaitlyn

When I woke up, Sean was standing above me. Beside me Magnus was sitting up, still dazed, looking up at his brother.

Sean said, "I ken I always say this, Young Magnus, but ye are lyin' in the dirt like a mucag, and ye hae an actual mucag with ye this time, or is that Fraoch?"

Magnus laughed and put out a hand. "Help me up."

Fraoch said, "I ken I say this every time, but must we awaken tae the ridicule of Sean Campbell every time we visit the cousins?"

"If ye want me tae haul ye and all yer things tae the castle, then aye, I get tae mock ye. Och, tis a good thing ye hae come in summer, we hae just passed the coldest winter I hae ever seen."

Magnus brushed off his kilt. "We brought more food, did everyone fare well?"

"Aye, mother has been sendin' supplies from yer kingdom, we survived."

Magnus said, "Ye might say that if the supplies were from my kingdom, I was the one sending it."

"The cards were signed, Lady Mairead."

"Of course they were."

"And we are already grateful for the food and drink ye brought with ye."

"I dinna mention drink!"

"Och, ye ken ye never come without sodas and whisky and chocolate. The cousins are goin' tae be desperate for the sour candies."

"Then I am verra glad we brought them along."

Sean and Liam helped us all up and then we rode to the castle on horses and in carts with the men making trips with our gear and supplies for the rest of the day.

I remembered the last time we were here, though the details were fuzzy — Sean had dragged Magnus into the dungeon. I remembered the haze of looking down on Magnus wheeled in the back of a cart, the loss of people I loved, somehow... though now the memory seemed so far back that I couldn't remember why or how, just that keeping people you loved near was the most important thing.

I kissed Jack's head as I carried him in the sling on the path towards Balloch, relieved that the haze of memories were inside my mind only, and everyone else seemed blissfully unaware.

Sean had said, "Och, Jack is near full grown!"

I had laughed. "He's only ten months or so!"

"Has it been so long?" He turned to Magnus, "Ye must come more often, Young Magnus, the boys need their cousins!"

"Och aye, tis why we are here, Archibald needed the fine Scottish summer air."

Lizbeth was in the courtyard, her arms out. "Och, tis Kaitlyn and Madame Hayley and Sophie and Beaty and all the bairns! Sophie! Tis a new bairn?" She peeked in Sophie's sling.

She said, "He is just born."

"Aye, we ought tae get ye both tae bed. But what a handsome bairn, what is his name?"

"James Cook, but we call him Junior."

To James she said, "He is the spitting image of ye, Master Cook, ye must be verra proud!" Then she turned to Magnus, put a hand on each of his upper arms. "I am so verra pleased ye hae come. We hae had a long winter, we needed this blessing, Young Magnus. Tae see yer family has been blessed with a new bairn is enough tae brush away the cold."

He said, "It seems warm enough taeday."

"Aye, but this is August, Magnus, the first warm day of the year, och, it has been dreich and dire."

"Thank God ye made it through, Lizbeth."

She patted the side of his face. "If it haena been for the warm clothes and boots ye hae brought us through the years, and the supplies Lady Mairead sent from yer kingdom, we would hae been lost."

He said, under his breath, "Ye would never consider movin'? Comin' tae live in our kingdom? The weather is kept at bay by our machines, Lizbeth."

She shook her head. "Nae, Magnus, I winna consider it. This is my family, my home, the land of m'heart... nae." She turned, "We need tae get the bairns tae the nursery and the cousins tae?—"

Her son and Sean's sons rushed by with Ben and Archie in chase.

"I see they hae found each other, good!"

Her eyes settled on the baby in Beaty's arms. "Och, Noah has grown big, strong and healthy, Beaty, ye must be verra proud."

She dabbed at her eyes. "Och, this is all so heartwarming."

Sean said, "And where is Young Lochinvar, has he finally driven ye away with his incessant braggin'?"

"Our Lochinvar has fallen for a maiden who has been absconded with by a villain, this is why we are here."

Sean said, "Och nae, Young Magnus, are ye bringing a villain tae our castle walls again?"

Magnus groaned. "I truly pray not, Sean — this is a new villain, we daena ken what he is capable of. Lochinvar and Lady Mairead hae gone on an errand tae see if they can find where he is hiding her, then Fraoch and I will be traveling with Lochinvar tae rescue her. We brought the family tae keep them under yer protection while we are away."

"Aye, tis a relief ye will leave, we prefer the company of yer family tae ye, anyway."

Magnus laughed. "Och I missed ye, I needed the humility."

"Tis why older brothers are born, Magnus, tae teach their younger brothers their place."