I admired the blue at the top and the green at the bottom, and had oft stared in awe at the glow of it during the sermons. Twas blue above green, the landscape of Scotland, inspiring the colors of m’royal banner.
I said, “He paid a fortune for it. Had the glass brought from Flanders, said twould remind God and neighbors alike, who truly held these shores.”
Kaitlyn tilted her head. “I don’t know if I’ve ever noticed this before, but he looks a little like you. Around the jaw. But I guessit’s a Campbell trait, right? So you’re definitely one, through and through.”
I laughed. “Aye, we are a long line of men, ancestors spreadin’ behind me, brothers beside me, sons comin’ on the regular, we all hae a look and are of a mind.”
“By sons ‘coming on the regular’ you mean…?”
“We arna talking on it, ye daena agree, so I am waitin’ tae prove m’self right. Tis the Campbell way.”
She chuckled. “Very funny, I’m not pregnant.”
We stood in silence for a moment, then I turned my focus tae the altar — a plain oak slab covered with a linen cloth and the open leather-bound register. The book lay open to the middle, its pages yellowed and ink-faded, entries stretching back generations: baptisms, burials, marriages scrawled in a careful hand.
Kaitlyn asked, “Remember when we married here?”
“Aye, tis why we hae come.” I flipped back a few leaves, stopping at a date. There, in my own hand was the record:
Magnus Archibald Caelhin Campbell
On the line below it:
Kaitlyn Maude Sheffield Campbell
Then:
Married on this day, anno 1705
And under it:
Archibald Colin Campbell, of the age three, son of Magnus
And:
Isla Peace Barbara Campbell, newly born, Daughter of Magnus and Kaitlyn Campbell.
She nodded, “That was a beautiful moment, and then when we added Jack…” Her voice trembled, “I think every time I stand here beside you I’m weeping.”
“Aye, tis true. Dost ye remember what ye said that day, yer plight and troth?”
“I said that I love you, and wanted to spend the very rest of my life with you. And you said you loved me and wanted to spend the rest of your life with me. And then Archie said, so sweetly, he loved me too. I will never forget it.”
“I winna either, I remember tellin’ ye twas a verra complicated life tae tie yers tae mine, as I was a time-traveler and a king, and that I was grateful ye did. I promised tae love ye forever, till all m’days were ended, and onward tae eternity, forever and ever.”
“And then you kissed me.”
I leaned forward and kissed her.
She said, “Just like that. I’ll never forget it.”
I ran my hand along the page. “Twill be a loss tae not see this anymore.”
“Yeah.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “But we can buy a book, record it just like this, and put it in a chapel in the kingdom.”
I nodded. “Aye, we can.”
“I suppose it’s not really the same, but it will be good.”
