Kaitlyn and the Highlander

by Diana Knightley

  “I'm implementing a full Lights Out, and a search for Lady Mairead.”

  I had a full edge of hysterical panic now. “I don't know what that is, what is it? I don't know how to—”

  Jim said, “Just stay here, try to wake him.” He turned off the lights and left.

  I sat on the bed, in the dark, hovering over my husband, whispering. “Please wake up Magnus, something happened and I don't know what to do, should I call 911? Please wake up.”

  Zach came in, sort of stumbled to the bed, and sat on the edge. “Katie I'm sorry I'm not much help, I'm trying to get my wits about me. He'll wake up in a moment, if we have.”

  “What was in that cake?”

  “I don't know, I swear Katie, it wasn't me.”

  “I didn't think you—”

  The motorized shades buzzed closed, then the whole house powered down. Zack said, “I need to go back to Emma, so she's not scared.”

  Zach's footsteps crept up the stairs and the security guard came into the room and stealthily checked the closets and under the bed.

  I pressed my lips to the back of Magnus's hand. “Please. You're scaring me.”

  Thirty-four

  A while later, after what seemed like forever, Magnus mumbled, shifted, and mumbled again before falling back to sleep. Then a bit later he groaned, thrashed for a moment, and startled awake at the sight of me, sitting cross-legged, staring down at his face frantic with worry.

  “Kaitlyn?”

  “Magnus, oh my god, I think someone drugged the cake. We can't find Lady Mairead—”

  Magnus groaned and swept the comforter aside, but when his feet hit the floor, his head and torso weaved to the right. He collapsed back down to the bed. “How long hae I been out?”

  “Hours. Everyone was, the security guard, Emma, everyone. Magnus, who did it?”

  “Was there a storm?” He attempted to sit, holding his head in his hand.

  “A big storm, lightning, thunder, wind. I was trying to get an umbrella over Jim—”

  “You were out there? During the storm?” He stood and wobbled a bit but made it to the dresser and held on; his body weaving dangerously.

  “Should I call the nurse, ask her to drive over to check you, we should make sure you're okay.”

  “I'm fine. I hae tae talk tae security.” He left for the living room. I collapsed back on the bed in relief. That had been a freaking terrifying experience. Adrenaline coursed through me. I said to myself, “That was the scariest thing that ever happened to me.” And then I burst into tears.

  Thirty-five

  I recovered myself and went to the living room. Zach and Emma were at the table. Magnus and Jim had raced down the boardwalk to the beach searching for Lady Mairead.

  Zach said, “Katie, I would never drug you guys, I swear. I don't know what happened.”

  “I know Zach, I'll talk to Magnus about it, but I don't think he would ever suspect you. Emma, are you okay?”

  “Head hurts. I took some aspirin. But Zach promised a big healthy breakfast, so?” She looked at him expectantly.

  “Yeah, I'll make some food for everyone, yeah definitely. I just, you'll talk to him Katie? I really don't want to lose this job.”

  “No worries, I'll talk to him if I need to.”

  “Thanks.” He went to the kitchen. “How do you like your eggs?”

  Through the window I could see Magnus and Jim standing on the dunes, staring out at the ocean, and looking up and down the beach.

  I said, “Fried, but thick, like the plasticky egg they put on an English muffin at McDonalds, with American cheese? And a lot of coffee. But not the fancy kind, the regular kind of coffee.”

  Zach looked at me with his eyebrows raised. “I have eggs. I can probably pull that off. But with cheddar cheese, because seriously, American cheese? But hey, you're the boss. But I would like to add that pancakes are on the list of possibilities, fucking, excuse me, waffles, if you want them. Or crepes. With blueberries. And the coffee is fancy. I'll put your favorite on my shopping list.” He poured me a mug of coffee and brought it to me with cream and sugar.

  Magnus came to the door, slid it open, and stormed in. “Chef Zach I will need tae speak tae ye in a few minutes. Emma, I am verra sorry about this, are ye well?”

  She nodded.

  He leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. “I will be upstairs searching Lady Mairead's things.”

  “Do you think we've been robbed?”

  “Nae, I think Lady Mairead has been involved.” He jogged up the steps.

  I turned to Emma, my eyes wide. She said, “Well, he told us not to trust her.”

  “Oh man, what the—” I followed Magnus up to Lady Mairead's rooms. I found him on his knees yanking a drawer from her dresser and pouring it out on the floor. The room was full of art — paintings, sculptures, plates and candlesticks all around the edges, some leaning layers deep.

  He sifted through the pile then poured out the next drawer and shoved his hand around through the pile. “What are you looking for?”

  “I dinna ken, anythin', paperwork, trinkets, artifacts. If I think tis important —” He finished with the last drawer and sat back on his heels with a sigh.

  “Let's go tae the office.”

  The office had already been searched by the guard. Magnus rubbed a hand down his face and collapsed in Lady Mairead's desk chair, a pile of papers and effects in front of him, all the drawers open.

  I pulled a chair up beside the desk.

  “It looks as if Lady Mairead is gone, nae, tis nae exactly right. I know Lady Mairead is gone, and she hae made it so I canna follow her.”

  “Why not, like your passport or the ticket or something?”

  “Aye.”

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “I will hae tae wait.” He put his forearms on the desk. “The trouble is, I daena hae any idea what is happenin'. I canna help.”

  “Maybe she doesn't need help. Maybe she's right, maybe she can handle this, and you're better off here.”

  He sat quietly for a moment. “Lady Mairead's husband is a verra dangerous man. He would like tae know where tae find me. I am worried he may convince her tae tell him where I am and how tae get tae me.”

  “Why does he want you so badly?” I was twisting my shirt, worried.

  “Because he wants revenge, but also greed. And evil spite.”

  “Lady Mairead sounded like she wanted to protect you. Just because she went back doesn't mean she'll tell him where you are.”

  “You hae seen her face. He can be verra persuasive.”

  I sighed. “You could buy a new ticket, get a new passport, you have the money...”

  “I hae much tae tell ye about, but — my head is verra pained, and I hae pressing problems. I need tae hire a new security man. Jim is leaving.”

  “Really?” My heart sank.

  “He has been here temporarily anyway.”

  “He doesn't like it here?”

  “I think Lady Mairead poisoning him hae changed his mind on it.”

  “I can't believe she did that.”

  He shrugged. “Tis her way. I need ye tae call Mistress Hayley and tell her tae hire Master Peters for my security.”

  “Master Peters, who, Quentin? Why?”

  “I hae been thinking on it for a while now. He is military trained and—”

  “But Quentin? He's never been that smart and he—”

  “He has been tae war. He knows a great deal about weapons and battle. You daena think he is a good pick?” He squinted his eyes.

  “I don't know, he's just kind of a troublemaker.”

  “Aye, he hae trouble with the law, but he also has a fighting spirit. I believed him tae be your friend?”

  “Kind of, he's in the same friend group, but he's more James's friend.” I huffed. “I'm not being very fair I guess. I'm still kind of pissed because he hid that James was sleeping with other girls from me, because of the bro-code. He's a big believer in t
he bro-code.”

  “Ah, he is loyal. Tis also a good trait in a guard.”

  “Loyal to James though, I don't think it will be a good idea.”

  He leaned back in his chair and looked at me for a moment. “Tis how ye see it? Because I am grateful tae him for the service he did ye the other night. If you remember it was Master Peters who helped ye discover Master Cook's true nature. He told me he was nae comfortable with Master Cook's behavior tae ye.”

  “He did?”

  Magnus nodded. “Tis enough for me tae trust him. I would like him tae start today.”

  “Okay, that makes sense.”

  We sat quietly for a moment. He was sprawled in the desk chair. I was staring down at my folded hands. “That was our first discussion about running the household,” I said. “I think it went pretty well.”

  “Aye.”

  “We've had a lot of firsts in the past twenty-four hours.” I was trying to be calm, matter-of-fact, grown up, but my chin was beginning to tremble. “I just — It's been less than a day since I married you, and already I don't know if I can — what if something happens to you? It was so scary, I thought you died.” I sobbed into my hands.

  Magnus knelt in front of me and wrapped me in his arms. His head bowed beside mine. He dried my eyes with his fingers and tucked some of my hair behind my ears.

  “I don't know how I went from getting married to you, barely knowing you, to this, so scared something might happen to you.”

  “We art bound, mo reul-iuiel, tis a magic.”

  I nodded. “I didn't know Lady Mairead wasn't to be trusted. You never told me. I'm really sorry I signed a contract with her, that I sided with her against you. I didn't know.”

  “I dinna tell ye. Tis nae your fault. And Lady Mairead is wrong about many things, but marrying ye was nae one of them.”

  He climbed back to his chair looking tired and worried. “I haena lied tae ye though, tis dangerous for ye tae be Kaitlyn Campbell. And tis likely I will nae survive—”

  “Magnus, please don't.”

  The worried look had grown heavier, his face wore a pained expression. “I know ye are strong enough, ye must be ready for what comes.”

  I chewed my lip. Ready for what? How could I possibly be ready for something dangerous?

  “Will ye be?”

  “No.”

  He watched me quietly.

  I felt like a petulant child, so I said, “I can try.”

  “Tis all I can ask.”

  The clock on the wall ticked, it was familiar from the day I was here signing the marriage contract with Lady Mairead.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “My head hurts, I am verra hungry, but I suspect Chef Zach will remedy that in a moment. First, I want tae show ye this.”

  He twisted in his chair and leaned low to a cabinet and opened the door revealing a safe. I kneeled beside him and he showed me the combination and how to open it. Inside were more jewels and some gold. There were rolled up papers on top, yellow, legal pad pages.

  “Is that…”

  “Tis your contract with Lady Mairead.”

  “Oh. And you have more gold, more jewels?”

  “Aye, we hae kept some for emergencies.”

  He closed the door of the safe and asked me to open it. Then he locked it and asked me to open it again and then again. “Will you remember the numbers?”

  ”I will.”

  “Good.” He seemed relieved. “Let's go for breakfast.”

  At breakfast Magnus explained to Zach and Emma that Lady Mairead had put a sleeping potion in the wedding cake so she could steal away unnoticed.

  Zach remembered hearing footsteps earlier in the night but they weren't Magnus's so he assumed they were Jim's and didn't get up to check.

  “I dinna believe she would do this. She hae returned tae Scotland. I thought we were still discussing the plans, but she apparently believed we were done with the discussion.”

  Emma asked, “Will she be back?”

  “I daena believe she plans tae return, and we should behave as if she will remain in Scotland. We should begin, after breakfast, which is delicious, Chef Zach, with running through our morning exercises and the house security drills.”

  He turned to me. “Kaitlyn, will ye call Mistress Hayley? Also we will nae longer need the services of Lady Mairead's nurse.”

  Thirty-six

  Forty-five minutes later we were all standing on the beach. I had called Hayley already. She had answered with, “Hello, married chick, how's it going, still flat on your back exchanging vows?” She giggled merrily.

  I said, “We took a break for sustenance before the next round, and oh my god, it's — whoa.”

  Her giggle grew to a cackle. “Awesome, I can't wait to hear stories.”

  I told her we no longer needed the nurse, but I wanted her to call Quentin and offer him a job and ask him to start right now.

  “Quentin?”

  “Yep.”

  “The guy who rarely takes anything seriously and is always a piece of work?”

  “Is going to be the head of my husband's security team. If he wants the job.”

  “He is out of work, has been for months. Okay, I'm calling him now. He's going to be psyched. Today?”

  “Yep.”

  “I'll call you later after I figure this out.”

  Then I asked Emma what exactly this “security drills” thing would entail. She told me to wear yoga pants, because it would be, “kinda excercisey and swordfighty.” So I put on yoga pants and a crop-top tank.

  Magnus had a small pile of bamboo training swords. He and the other security guard, who arrived for the morning shift, went first, sparring in a circle. It was thrilling and cool and a little dangerous to watch. Magnus was good, and he was well matched with the guard, who from the looks of it was the best of us all. I rooted for Magnus. Then Zach and Magnus fought. Finally, the guard returned to the house to keep watch, and Zack and Emma ran through some forms together. Magnus gave me a real, heavy blade. “Tis a dirk, Kaitlyn, I want ye to wear it under your—” He raised a brow and grinned. “You haena a place for it.”

  “I can keep it in my bag. Show me how to use it.”

  He taught me to grab it, pull back, and thrust forward. It was exciting to thrust toward him, and have him deftly push my blade away. Then he'd ask me to do it again.

  I was exhausted. I hadn't exercised in a while, and it was aerobic and repetitive. “Again, Kaitlyn!” I would grab my blade, swing, and thrust. He would deflect and tell me to try again.

  Zach and Emma returned to the house, and it was our turn to swordfight. He showed me how to do a basic attack swing and a defending stance, and then had me do it over and over and on...

  Finally, out of breath and with wiggly arms, I collapsed on the sand in a sprawl.

  He stood over me, casting a shadow across my stomach. “Twas verra good, Kaitlyn.”

  I grinned up at him, squinting in the sun. “Am I ready to defend myself?”

  He chuckled sadly and shook his head. “Nae, you arna close.”

  “Really? Because my arms are really tired. I'm super sweaty, and I think I tried really hard.”

  “You tried, but if someone comes at ye consider runnin' instead of fightin'. You need more lessons.” He offered a hand to help me up and slung the bag of gear over his shoulder.

  I walked ahead of him, then turned, and walked backwards. “What or who exactly am I fighting?”

  “Nae body, you arna fightin' anybody, because I shall be right there tae protect ye.

  “You know, here on Amelia island there isn't a lot of need for swords and drills and grandiose statements like 'I'll protect you.' Back in LA even, I had a pepper spray canister in my bag, but soon forgot where I put it, and it doesn't matter. People are mostly good, you know.”

  “Mostly. Some are nae so. Twill be good for ye tae know how tae fight so you can if needs be.”

  “You look like you can use a shower. Want
to shower with me?”

  “Och aye, verra much.”

  Thirty-seven

  Our master bathroom was really large. There was a spa-style tub with jets, a double shower, and a closet that was almost as big as my kitchen back in LA. I turned the water to steaming hot and stripped off my clothes. “Coming in?”

  He watched the steam pour into the air. “How did you do this?”

  “You don't know how to work your shower?”

  “When you shewed me tae use the room ye dinna explain this part. My showers hae been freezin', or hot as a cauldron at full boil. I heard Zach and Emma talkin' about how perfectly warm the water is in the third bathroom, and I guessed I dinna ken tae work it right.”

  “You could have asked Chef Zach to show you?”

  “Aye, but I am asking them tae live here on my lands, under my protection. I dinna want tae tell them I dinna ken tae do it.”

  I said, “You push this handle down. When you push it up you aim it for here and let it run until it's warm. This direction is cold. This one hot.”

  While I taught, he pushed his kilt to the ground, pulled his shirt over his head, and stepped in after me with a large hand on my hip. He spun me around and we kissed, steam rising around us. “Or I could just ask ye tae turn it on for me every time.” He grinned and pulled my hips close to his.

  I squirted shampoo into my hand and gestured for him to lean forward. I rested my elbows on his shoulders and massaged the shampoo into his hair. “Who bought you the shampoo?”

  “Emma. She purchased all these ointments for me.” He closed his eyes and moaned. I ran my sudsy hands down and around his rear, feeling his form, rounded and taught and slippery and — I lathered up my own hair while his hands were busy up and down my back and sides and then I pulled the shower head from its holder and sprayed his hair and then my own. I arched back to get mine perfectly rinsed and he folded toward me, “I want ye, mo reul-iuiel.”

  I teased, “I can tell. Here's the hard part though. Showers have the potential to be awesome, but are also notoriously diffi—”