Page 34 of The Dawn (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #20)

CHAPTER 33 - KAITLYN

STIRLING CASTLE - JUNE 19, 1291

E arly the following morning, we were in the courtyard, when there was a commotion up on the walls. Magnus turned to look up. Sean looked up. Fraoch told the guard beside us, “Go see what is happenin’.”

We all watched and listened.

Then Magnus turned to me, “They are signaling a messenger has arrived, gather the bairns in the nursery tae be safe.”

I said, “Keep your radio on. Let me know what’s happening.”

Magnus, Fraoch, and Sean rushed away.

We herded all the children into the nursery and sat near the fire. The windows looked out on the wrong part of the courtyard. I hated not knowing what was going on.

My hands shook, as I held Jack on my lap, bouncing him up and down like my knees were a horsey.

Emma whispered, “What do you think it is?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think Zach knows we’re up here, he was in the kitchen.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know that either?—”

Archie said, “Mammy, what is going on?”

I jiggled Jack on my knee, he squealed with joy. “A messenger has arrived, we have to stay here until we have an all-clear from your da.”

He huffed. “You’ll tell me if it’s more?”

I nodded. Isla sat beside me, put her head on my shoulder, swinging her little legs under the chair.

“Just the mailman, Mammy?”

“Something like that.”

Archie narrowed his eyes.

I said, “Any minute now we’ll get to go back to usual.”

Archie sat down beside Ben on the ground, they leaned back on their arms. Archie said, “What is usual? This sucks.”

Ben said, “This is so boring.” Then in the next breath he said, “When it’s over, want to build a pulley on the west tower?”

Archie jumped up. “Yeah, definitely. There’s a basket with a handle on the back wall.” They both pulled out the pens Lochie had given them and asked for a piece of paper. I tore two pages from my small notebook for lists, and they both lay on their stomachs and drew their plans.

While the rest of us waited.