I said, “Damn, that was stressful.”
“Aye, I need tae find Sean, and Lady Mairead, they need tae be warned.”
We walked fast down the corridor toward the stairs.
“I need to grab a wrap, it’s cold. And I need to check on Jack and Isla again, my nerves are jangled.”
“Aye, do that.”
His eyes were on the floor ahead of his feet. He was deep in thought already, I had seen this look, his battle-ready mood.
He turned left and walked me to our chamber to grab a wrap, and then he walked me down the corridor to the stairs to meet Hayley.
He and Fraoch nodded.
Fraoch asked, “Ye saw him?”
“Aye, I think he will be trouble.”
And they both walked away, with Magnus saying, “Meet us there!”
Hayley put her hands on her hips and watched them go. “I was trying to argue that I didn’t want to go, but now I need to see what’s happening, their mood turned fast.”
I said, “Yep, I agree. I don’t really know what happened, but something about John freaked me out. Magnus took it as a threat, I think.”
“Fraoch said it was the man who was with him, something about him put Fraoch on edge.”
“So, we’ve got our shawls, because it’s getting cold as a witch’s nut as James would say, and we’ll check on Jack and Isla and then head up there?”
“Yep, you couldn’t keep me away.”
CHAPTER 37
KAITLYN
THE MEETING WITH THE EARL’S SON...
The Great Chamber looked a lot like a conference room. It was not often used, as there were other places, the Great Hall, the Gallery, the Earl’s solar, and private sitting areas, to converse. This room had been closed for a while — so it was cold and stuffy.
One of the servants was hurriedly starting a fire in the hearth and another was running a cloth over the chairs to dust them.
We gathered around a long oak table.
Sean and Magnus leaned against it.
Fraoch paced. “Tis not a good sign that he inna here.”
Sean said, “Aye, makin’ us wait inna respectful, but he is in charge now.”
Hayley and I stood at one end of the table, near Lizbeth. She asked if we wanted a chair.
I said, “No, I’m going to stand.”
She went back to sitting, staring at her hands folded before her on the table, well practiced at waiting quietly.
Hayley and I were antsy and having a hard time figuring out what to do with ourselves.
This was the most important family meeting I’d ever been in.
