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I said, “By Leo, you mean...?”

“Of course,” she smoothed the front of her jacket. “Now, Chef Zach, can ye leave us tae our discussion?”

“Sure, um,” he was still investigating the paper. “Thank you, Lady Mairead. Um, Magnus, need me to stay?”

“Nae need for it, ye can return tae your wedding.”

“Okay, sure.” He rolled the gift and departed while retying the twine around its middle.

Lady Mairead said, “Remind me, I have some art for you as well, Magnus. You should call the head of collections at the National Gallery to have them appraised.”

I asked, “Do you have the provenance for the paintings? I was told I need the history to get them appraised and confirmed, I⁠—”

Lady Mairead curtly said, “I’ve got letters from the artists, giving the works to me. Will that help?”

“Yes, maybe, yeah.”

Lady Mairead crossed her arms and tapped her chin, appraising me.

I looked away, but decided that made me seem weak, so I looked back.

I asked again, “How did you find us?”

She looked at me pointedly. “It was easy enough tae, as you know, Kaitlyn, ye art oft in the news stories this week.”

I huffed.

She watched my face and Magnus’s in turns.

I was feeling squirmy under her gaze. Now I wished I had pulled Magnus aside and told him as soon as I heard.

Her smile widened. “Ye haena told him the truth of it I see. I imagine ye daena want him tae ken it. Tis sordid the way ye have carried on with other men⁠—”

Magnus’s jaw set. “She has told me of it.” His eyes cut to me quickly. “We daena have secrets, she tells me everythin’.”

She made a humphing noise. “Well, I believe your trust is misplaced, but how you run your household and keep your wives is your own business I suppose, Magnus, though divorce is an option. It wasn’t in 1703, but ye could now.”

“What is your business here then, if ye arna involved in mine?” His chest was rising and falling fast with his breaths. He stood at one side of the room, I stood two feet away.

Lady Mairead stood across the space.

She said, “We should sit, I have come tae see ye from a great distance and I am feelin’ the pain of it. I daena mean tae disquiet ye, but tis time tae speak on the matter. We have much tae discuss.” She dropped to the couch and gestured toward the chairs across from her.

I glanced at Magnus. He shook his head. I stepped closer to his side.

“There has been much disorder in your kingdom, Magnus. Twas quite a predicament ye left. I have been feeling the misfortune a great deal. Your ribs have healed?”

“Aye.”

“Losing Donnan was a true blow.” Her eyes fell on me. “Kaitlyn has told you the full story of it? How she ended up and where?”

Magnus sat down in the chair opposite her and leaned his elbows on his knees. “I said we have nae secrets.”

I didn’t want to sit in the other chair, it felt too gosh darn far away. I perched on the arm of Magnus’s chair.

She nodded. “I see. I will get on with it. Your Uncle Samuel has decided tae take your throne. He is lobbyin’ the governors tae allow him tae ascend and without ye tae argue against him, they may well allow him tae take power. He is formidable. He has killed or dismissed most everyone that was favorable tae ye. When ye return twill be quite⁠—”

“I daena intend tae return.”