52. Chapter 52 - Kaitlyn

As soon as Lady Mairead arrived we had been told by messenger that the Earl was planning a large meal to welcome his sister.

We had to be presentable. The lady's maids bustled around, grabbing clothes and jewelry from every chest, because we had to dress five women: Hayley, Beaty, Emma, and Sophie, and me, all without enough time to prepare.

I had my hair up and wore an ornately patterned pale yellow dress with embroidered flowers. Magnus was wearing a coat and kilt, very clean and handsome, and when he saw me emerge from my dressing, his eyes lit up. "Och, ye are stunning!"

He pressed close and looked down at my cleavage. "Tis a fine sight, verra fine." His finger trailed along the edge of my dress, on the skin of my breast. "Tis goin' tae cause me distress tae watch the draw of yer breath..."

I breathed in and sighed.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to my breast.

I tilted my head back and he drew his lips up my throat. He whispered, "May we undress ye?"

I laughed, "You are a scoundrel, Magnus, no, you will need to suffer, because it took hours to get dressed!"

He had laughed, "What if I only touched ye, right here..." He kissed my breast. "And right here..."

He grasped the front of my skirt and began pulling and bunching it up, more and more, until there was a pile of fabric at my waist. His hand found my next under-layer. "Och nae, there is more!"

I laughed.

He allowed the hem of my skirts to fall back to the ground and hung his head in joking dismay. "I canna even locate yer gardens, I am lost."

"It was a valiant effort, King Magnus."

"I hae been foiled by the queen's undergarmies."

"It's just as well, we are expected downstairs."

He put out his arm to escort me down.

We were all collected down in the Great Hall, having a drink, milling about, dressed in our finery, waiting for the Earl and his son, John, to arrive. Sean had whispered to Magnus, "It has been many visits since ye and John hae been here at the same time. He is afraid of ye?—"

I chuckled. "Afraid of me? I am the nicest person in the world."

Sean laughed.

Fraoch said, "Og Maggy looks at him the wrong way and he scurries off."

Sean said, "If ye bow out yer chest and tower over him, perhaps he will depart for Edinburgh and leave us in peace."

Fraoch laughed. "Och, good plan, I would like tae see it."

Sean said, "Aye, me as well, his current visit has lasted for a month or more; tis time for him tae share his temper with the good people of Edinburgh, we hae had enough of his charms."

Lizbeth sipped from her wine. "While this is a good and entertaining thought, please be on yer best behavior, Young Magnus, and daena upset John or we will all hae tae endure his temper. We are going tae put ye at one end of the table, John at the other, well away. Tis not out of disrespect for ye, but tae keep ye out of harm's way."

She patted his arm, "Daena let it bother ye, I hae been told that he and the Earl hae been called verra early tae Edinburgh, so we will soon hae Balloch tae ourselves. The rest of yer visit will be less fraught."

Magnus said, "I could just buy the place, throw the Earl and John from it."

Lizbeth raised her brow. "I doubt the Queen would agree tae a peer, even a Scottish peer, being so rudely treated."

Magnus asked, "Lady Mairead, what dost ye think?"

She raised her chin. "I winna answer. Tae air it would be tae sound conniving."

"Ye want tae worry on yer reputation now?"

She said, "Leave me from yer conspiring, Magnus. Although, I am rather put out that I am standing here waiting while John inconsiderately takes his time." The corner of her mouth went up. "I hae always thought that Sean would look verra fine at the head of the table."

Magnus jokingly shrugged. "I could buy the whole country, throw the Queen from the throne."

Lizbeth's eyes went wide. She batted his arm. "Tis treasonous!"

Magnus winked, "Tis only treasonous if I meant it. Nae, I would never." He spoke loudly, "I daena want any extra thrones, nae more kingdoms tae rule, I want tae go on the record, twas a joke. I daena want tae overthrow any more crowns."

James and Quentin and Fraoch laughed.

Magnus clapped Sean on the back. "But what if we found ye a title, what if I bought one for ye? We are Campbells, there must be three castles within a day's ride that are empty and need a laird tae rule over the lands."

Sean said, "Ye could do it?"

"Aye, let me see what I can do."

Lady Mairead said, "We daena want tae alter history, we hae long considered that all ought tae remain in their place."

Magnus's brow went up. "But it is becomin' near impossible tae bear the Earl and his son, and m'family's place under them, and twill only get worse. Tae continue on like this means my place is tae be disrespected by my uncle — is it my place tae be seated below the salt in the Great Hall?"

Lady Mairead scowled. "That is unconscionable."

I admired them all. Lady Mairead was stunning, in the finest dress of deep red, ornately decorated, her hair up, a very expensive diamond necklace ornamenting her neck, with pale makeup and dramatic rouge.

Lizbeth was beautiful, her dress was a shimmery silver. Hayley, Beaty, Emma, and Sophie were wearing dresses that were more simple, but their hair was up, decorated with fancy pins, and they were wearing makeup. Emma and Sophie both had fine lace wraps around their shoulders, with elegant brooches securing them.

They all looked really gorgeous.

The men were wearing dress coats and kilts, their hair natural, combed and curled. Fraoch had his slicked back from his face. They all were looking very handsome.

The tables were set with fine tablecloths and napkins, china, silver tableware, and wine glasses. Finally, the Earl entered with his son beside him, steadying his arm as the Earl was quite old by now.

They were both wearing wigs. The Earl's was very high. They both had rouged cheeks and looked ridiculous beside the natural faces and hair of Sean and Liam and the men traveling with Magnus.

It took a long time for introductions and welcomes. The Earl and John moved and spoke slowly, used to taking their time, methodical and stately, and expecting all around them to hang on their words. They went around the circle, meeting all. We were very hungry, but had to listen to John say, "Lord James, ye are an architect, ye say?"

"Yes, a builder."

John nodded. "Good, good." A long breath. "Hae ye seen the cathedral in Edinburgh?"

"No, is it grand?"

"Verra." Then he asked, "Hae ye seen the shipyard in Glasgow?"

"No, is it big?"

James had a look on his face, ‘rescue me!'

Lizbeth deftly diverted John's attention to Zach and then Zach found himself nodding while John said, "Lord Zach, ye are a chef, hae ye studied in Paris?"

Zach said, "No, never been."

John said, "Good, good." And opened his mouth to ask another question, when Lizbeth intervened, "Should we sit?"

We all moved to the very long table, the men all stood behind their chairs while the ladies were seated. Then the Earl sat at the head, and all the men sat down. John sat beside his father, and they both immediately began comparing the table to their settings and fine dinners in Edinburgh.

Lizbeth, sitting near them, rolled her eyes.

The Earl and his immediate family sat at the high end of the table, then Lady Mairead; Sean and his wife, Maggie; Liam and Lizbeth, with Magnus beside her, sat across from Lady Mairead. All the rest of us were positioned down the table by social standing. James whispered, as he moved down the chairs to sit with Zach, Emma, Quentin, Beaty, and Sophie, "We're the fun end."

I whispered, "I'm jealous."

Lochie, Fraoch, and Hayley sat between us and the fun end.

Lady Mairead gazed up and down with her chin raised, a wee bit of a sneer.

I could tell she was irritated at the affront to her son, Magnus, the king, sitting so far away from the Earl.

But Magnus shook his head. "Tis fine, Lady Mairead, nae worries. Ye daena need tae mention it."

She huffed and whispered, "The more and more I think of it, the more I want tae buy Sean a title. A small barony would be well done, I think."

Magnus said, "Aye, we ought tae do it first thing, his sons are growin', they need a placement."