Torin said, “Ye just... what?”
“I keep doing that, it’s like I don’t trust my memories anymore.”
He nodded. “Tis as if somethin’ has shifted.”
I pulled one of the last few things from the chest, a dried lavender sachet and some ribbon. “We had our handfasting with that old yarn and we could have used this ribbon that I stored away for my wedding day.” I laughed. “Ironically,thatwill make a good story. This ribbon is likely three quarters of a century old and…”
He was still looking through the Bible and prayer book with his brow drawn down. “What was yer great-grandmother’s name?”
“Mildred, they called her Millie.” He was looking over the page near the front. “But it might have been passed down to her, let me think… her mom was named Nancy, I think?”
I leaned over, making sure I didn’t dislodge anything piled in my lap. “What are you seeing?”
“This prayer book is verra auld, it looks much like the ones the ladies carry at Glume. The front page reads…”
I said, “You can read Latin?”
“Aye, I can speak it and read some, I was tutored alongside Max.”
Reading over his shoulder the plate on the front page looked like this:
Ex Bibliotheca
Dominae Gailae, Ducissae de Awe,
in Castro Kilchurn,
Anno Domini MDCLVIII
And under it this:
Ora pro anima mea et pro Regali Domo Awe,
ut lux aeterna nobis in aeternum fulgeat,
et ab omni tempestate semper tuti ac protecti maneamus.
He read, translating, “The year is 1658. It means, tis from the library of Lady Gail, the Duchess of Awe. Here it says she is livin’ at Kilchurn Castle. Tis their stronghold. I hae been tae that castle, sent with a message tae the laird, Sir Colin of Glenorchy, all call him Grey Colin. Hae ye heard of him?”
I shook my head.
“But this book is from a hundred years after my time.” He frowned, “Tis unsettling.”
I asked, “What does the bottom say?”
“It says: Pray for my soul, and for the Royal House of Awe, that eternal light may shine upon us for ever and ever, and that we may remain safe and protected from every storm.”
“Oh.”
“Ye haena ever heard yer connection tae the Duke and Duchess of Awe?”
I shook my head again. “Never. And because I didn’t know how to read Latin I never really even thought about it. Do you think this might be from my real,royalancestors?”
He nodded. “Aye, I ken it, Princess. Max told me often of his connection tae Kilchurn castle, yer father was once the Duke of Awe. Twas a hard thing for him tae visit the place, walkin’ the halls of his own birthright and nae bein’ able tae claim it as laird.”
“So, what are you saying, she’s...?”
“I think this Lady Gail might be Max’s ancestor and therefore yers.”
