“I’m sure ye’ve heard it before, lass, but life isnae fair. We all have to learn to deal with it. And until yer Aunt Edna gives us clearance to tell everyone what’s really happening, we must do as she asks and keep your business here a secret. We must trust that Edna knows what she’s doing.”
Maggie nodded grudgingly. “Okay. I don’t like it, but I’ll do as she said.”
“And dinnae worry yerself, yer time to find love will come. I promise ye.” Angus patted her on the back. She guessed he had gone with that more manly gesture, because he couldn’t hug her without drawing suspicion to them. He had to treat her as if she was a lad, but Maggie needed a hug more than anything else right now.
“I dinnae think so, Uncle. I dinnae believe love is possible in the twenty first century.” She knew she sounded pathetic, but it was how she really felt.
“Why on earth would ye say a thing like that?” Angus appeared completely bewildered by her statement.
“Look around ye. Jenna and Ashley had to come to the sixteenth century to find love.” That was a fact and it merely proved her point. “Everyone I know is in love with someone from the past.”
“That pout yer wearing is most appealing,” Angus teased. She thought it was sweet that he was trying to lighten her mood. “’Tis simply nae true. What of yer Mum and Da?”
“They arenae in love anymore. They’re divorced, you know that.”
“Aye. They are, but that doesnae mean they dinnae love each other. They still work together every day and I believe that if they stopped being so stubborn, they’d be back together again in no time.”
“Do ye really think so?” Maggie looked hopefully at Angus. Her parents did work at the teashop together. She had alwaysthought it was just because they both owned it and had to be there. Now that she thought on it though, they were always very sweet with each other, except for those times when they werenae and then they wouldnae speak with each other and aye, their stubborn ways kept them like that fer days.
“Aye. I do. So dinnae give up on love just yet. There may be some surprises in store for ye just around the corner.”
Maggie loved Angus. He was one of the best men she knew and his words had weight to them. When he said something, it was good to listen, because he always knew exactly what he was talking about and when he chose to speak, it was usually important.
As they made their way back to the inner bailey, they saw workmen carrying charred pieces of furniture from the kitchen. Every available person seemed to be congregating in the area. Some were going inside to help and others stood around outside, speculating about what had happened. Maggie knew that she had put the fire out completely and before leaving the kitchen, she had done her best to fix the worst of the damage, leaving only a charred table and benches among the ashes.
“The damage doesnae appear to be too bad,” Cormac was saying to his brother Cailin. “We should count ourselves lucky that it didnae spread outside of the kitchen itself.”
“Aye. What do ye think caused it?” Cailin asked. He was surveying the charred remains of the kitchen table and other, unidentifiable wooden objects.
“From the sounds of it, I’d almost believe magick was involved. Jenna said that the flames seemed to be leaping out of the fireplace towards anything made of wood.” Cormac shook his head as if he were trying to come to terms with the thought of it. “We have Maggie to thank for putting it out.” The immediate family were well aware that Maggie was a witch and were not inthe least surprised by this information, after all, her Aunt Edna was a witch.
Maggie, who was standing nearby with Angus got some satisfaction from knowing that they realized she had put the fire out and then just as quickly, she recalled that Brielle was the one they thought responsible for saving them from a disaster because they thoughtshewas Maggie. The next words she heard set her teeth on edge and had her balling her hands into fists.
“Maggie thinks that young Alec is the one who made the fire go out of control.” Cormac said.
“Alec… how would he do a thing like that?” Cailin asked.
Maggie looked up at her uncle, panic in her eyes. “They think I did it!”
“Calm yerself, lad. We’ll straighten this out.” Angus assured her. “Cormac, Cailin could I have a moment of yer time?”
“Aye. Of course, Angus,” Cormac said. The brothers eyed Alec warily as they approached.
“I heard what ye had to say about Alec and I believe Maggie was mistaken. Alec arrived after the fire started. He was right behind you and Latharn. You recall that, dinnae ye, Cormac?”
“He was,” Cormac pondered that information for a moment and then laughed. “I be sorry for accusing ye, Alec, I forgot ye were not even in the room at the time.”
Maggie nodded her acceptance of his apology.
“I wonder was there a wind blowing at the time?” Angus questioned. “Mayhap it blew into the hearth and sent the flames flying through the kitchen.”
“I don’t recall,” Cormac said. “But I wasnae paying attention to the weather. Ye could be right, Angus. Magick, for better or worse, is always the answer when one doesnae ken how something has happened. Maggie is the only one of us who is capable of magick and she’s the one who put the fire out. Shewasvery suspicious of Alec, though.”
“I will speak with her. She doesnae know Alec and so I understand why she might suspect him. I will set her straight.” Angus assured them. Cormac and Cailin went back to helping with the kitchen and Angus winked at Alec. “Ye see? We’ve averted their suspicion.”
“Thank ye, Uncle.” Maggie was grateful to have Angus with her. He was the voice of reason in this whole crazy mess.
“I believe it would be a good use of yer time to head out to the practice field and work on the things I’ve been teaching ye, so ye don’t get rusty.” Angus nodded towards the area where the men of Clan MacKenzie could be seen sparring with one another.
