Page 57 of Entangled With You

“Now ye begin and I will direct ye on it if I feel ye needs be directed.”

She began wiping out a large pot with a grimy towel. She waved her hand at me, “Go on then.”

I started with “Dear God...”

She chimed in with “Good good, an excellent beginnin’.”

I asked for forgiveness and she chirped about how my soul would surely receive it. She prompted, “Your Young Magnus will be wantin’ guidance leadin’ the men against this evil.”

I prayed for guidance and for God to use Magnus as a tool for his good works and Madame Greer nodded sagely. She added, “Magnus will need wisdom to deal with this mess, tis family against itself, he will need God tae protect him.” She wiped at the counter while I prayed for guidance and protection for Magnus and when I included Lizbeth’s coming birth, I asked that she be delivered of the baby safely and Madame Greer said, “Amen, Madame Kaitlyn, include my sister, Morag, she has a tendency tae seein’ the worst in people. She may need ye tae show her a bit of kindness. She does feel the winter weather in her bones.”

I prayed for her sister’s pains and included Madame Greer, without being asked, and her husband Ailbeart for good measure; for Lizbeth’s husband, Liam, and Uncle Baldie, and I included the Earl and especially Sean, that he would be guided to come to peace with the rest of his family. And when I ended and looked up, Madame Greer beamed at me. “Now see, ye are just as Lizbeth has said. I will remind the others that Lizbeth does ken the measure of ye.” She thrust a bowl toward me with some mealy substance at the bottom. “Eat your fill and up the steps tae Lizbeth’s room, she has been waitin’ on ye.”

While I ate she carried on with her chatting. “Ye also haena complained once about the beddin’ in your room, I will be addin’ that tae my list of yer fine qualities.” She twittered like a bird, then said, “Aye, have ye seen Young Magnus this mornin? The men were up verra late, with the guard. We haena had this much activity in a long time.” She huffed. “Trouble is the men are all in an uproar and haena had the good sense tae work the fields the way they ought. I think we will be havin’ a few years of trouble for it. But I said tae my Ailbeart, twould happen when the trouble started on Lughnasadh. I said, ‘Ye canna wage war during a harvest festival and expect the crops tae flourish.’ Och, we will be feelin’ it.” She stopped hustling around the kitchen to turn to me with a sigh. “Have ye a bairn, Madame Kaitlyn?”

“I lost my first.”

“Och.” She shook her head sadly. “Well, ye are young yet.” She cleared my empty bowl. “I am afeared for Lizbeth, tis a troublin’ time tae be bringin’ a bairn tae the world.”

“I hope to help her. I have had some training with a midwife from back home.”

“Good. Lizbeth trusts you, and the bairn will come on the morrow, ye mark m’words. I have been meanin’ tae call the physician but I daena want him in m’house. I will continue tae mean tae call for him. Now get ye upstairs. The men will be wantin’ tae eat next.”

29 - KAITLYN

“Lizbeth?”

I crept into her room, but I didn’t need to. Her smile was wide and she looked fresh and rested like she was about to bound from her bed. “Kaitlyn!” She gestured for me to come to her and hugged me happily.

I said, “I have been so worried about you, but you look great.”

Her rounded stomach jutted under the sheets. Her bed was big and comfortable.

“Have ye met Madame Greer? She has sent me here tae rest though I daena need tae. But she is wise on everythin’ and whatever she tells me tae do, I do.”

“She made me pray this morning.”

She leveled her gaze on me. “Good,” she brushed her covers. “Ye listened tae her on it, she seemed pleased?”

I nodded.

“Good. She is on your side, Kaitlyn, she will protect ye as she can, but daena cross her. There are rumblings about ye. That Young Magnus is bein’ controlled by ye and ye are the cause of the Campbell war. But I am doin’ my best tae keep ye safe.”

“Thank you.” My mind was rolling with the trouble of it, what did they mean? Were people calling me a witch? I couldn’t even imagine what that meant – like a witch witch? But I was grateful to Lizbeth and Greer for their protection.

Lizbeth said, “Tell me what ye know of the weapons?”

I moved off the edge of her bed and pulled up a chair. “They’re from Donnan’s kingdom. Magnus’s father. I don’t know anything about them. He doesn’t know anything about them. I knew how to drive them only because my father taught me to ride a vehicle similar to that. It wasn’t a weapon, it was something to ride. It’s hard to explain. In the islands, where I’m from, they use something like that — teaching me to ride was like teaching your daughter to ride a horse. But the weapons, the men, I didn’t know them, and I didn’t know they would follow us with so much destruction. I am so sorry about it.”

Her hand went up to my cheek. “I imagine ye are, sweet Kaitlyn. I imagine ye are. I have seen ye chased with horrors that I couldna imagine and now I have seen them with m’own eyes. Tis terrible what they can do. And this is the same history Black Mac has told us, he was greatly missin’ ye both. How is Young Magnus?”

“His ribs are healed, but he is very worried about his family, especially Sean.”

She sighed. “I am worried about him too. He sent me from the castle though I begged him tae leave with us. He would nae listen tae me, twas the first time he wouldna listen tae me.”

“Magnus was wondering if he sent you away to protect you?”

She sighed again. “It has crossed my mind, but his place is with us, nae with the Earl and his aspirations, nae with this man, Commander Davis. His place is with us.”