I pinned my hair with a silver clasp Magnus had given me years ago. “Do you think she will feel better about the move if I help her feel necessary and important?”
“Aye, perhaps.”
“I’ll try that. I just want her to be okay. When she gets to the future she’ll see, she will have everything she could ever want.” I exhaled. “But you’re right, she doesn’t really want that. I’ll have to think of something else.”
I picked up the jewelry box I left here in the room. It was full of jewelry that I wouldn’t wear in any other century. From it I chose a thin strand of freshwater pearls.
“I guess I need to remember to take this jewelry with me when I leave. We won’t have much reason to come back.”
Maggie was quiet as she latched the back of the pearls and centered it on my neck.
I smoothed my hands down the front of the gown, feeling the wool’s warmth against my palms. Then a knock sounded at the door — Magnus’s low voice calling my name.
I called, “Come in!”
To Maggie, I said, “Thank you so much for helping me dress and talking to me about Lizbeth.”
Maggie said, “Ye are welcome, sister Kaitlyn.” She bowed her head then bowed her head again as she passed Magnus, saying simply, “M’laird,” as she left the room. I watched her go, thinking about what it would be like for her to see a McDonald’s for the first time and to drink a Coke. How would she feel about TV and video games? Beaty and Sophie had adapted, but they had been special cases. Both of them were in relationships with modern men. Maggie loved Sean, they had both been born in the seventeenth century, neither of them had any reason to go to the future, no desire to, the only reason why they were doing this was because we were taking them. Kinda making them.
I sighed, really hoping that we were making the right decision on this.
The future would be a shock, but there was no future for them here.
Magnus said, running his hand through his hair. “Och, ye look beautiful, mo reul-iuil, tis m’favorite color.”
“Thank you, my love, but I thought your favorite was blue.”
“I hae just changed m’mind, now tis deep green.”
“I think your favorites often coincide with my dresses.”
“Aye, tis true.”
CHAPTER 11
KAITLYN
THE GREAT HALL FOR DINNER
It took Magnus a quarter of the time to dress. He put on a deep midnight-blue wool coat that I loved. I told him, “Now that’smyfavorite color.”
The coat was tailored with cuffs turned back to reveal silver-threaded embroidery of thistles and vines along the edges, matching my dress. Beneath it, a crisp white linen shirt with a simple lace jabot at the throat, tucked into breeches of fine black wool that tucked into polished knee-high boots of soft Spanish leather. A broad leather belt cinched his waist, holding a sheathed dirk on his right side.
Over one shoulder hung the family plaid in the Breadalbane colors: dark greens and blues shot through with thin lines of red and gold.
I helped him fasten it at the shoulder with a heavy silver brooch. His hair was tied back neatly with a black ribbon, though a few strands had already escaped to frame his face. I grinned. “God, as soon as you’re in breeches I want to take them off you.”
“Do ye now?”
“I do, you know I do.”
“Aye, ye say it all the time.”
“Man, you’re hot in them, the kilt is great, but the breeches…” I fanned myself.
He chuckled and escorted me to down to dinner
I tightened my grip on Magnus’s arm as we stepped through the doorway into the Great Hall. The room was warm and inviting, already teeming with dinner guests. A fire crackled in the hearth.
