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She looks at me. "Is your plane really loud?"
"Of course not. Torcall likes to exaggerate, and he's never even taken a ride in Marilyn. So he doesnae have a clue what he's on about."
Torcall snorts again. "I have ears, Errol. Your plane makes a bloody awful racket every time ye take off. It's no wonder they wouldn't let you park your monstrosity at the Glencoe Airfield."
No, that's not why I was, ah, sort of banned. They didn't like it when I buzzed the airfield and scared a school group who were having a tour of the facility. I thought they would appreciate it, and the children did. The adults… Well, they lacked the sense of humor required to appreciate a low flyover. They thought I was going to crash, but I've never missed a landing.
Don't think I'll tell Ashley about that. Not yet. Maybe once we're in the air, and she's recovered from takeoff.
Torcall folds his arms over his chest. "Did ye ever tell anyone at the Glencoe Airfield about your security system? They would've had you arrested if you did, so you must not have."
"Haud yer wheesht, Torcall." I take hold of Ashley's hand. "Let's go."
We stride a third of the way down the clearing to where I'd parked Marilyn after my last flight. I haven't flown much lately. Ever since Istanbul, I just can't muster any excitement for anything.
"Didn't you say you flew this thing to Istanbul?" Ashley asks. "That means you must've flown it all the way back to Scotland, huh?"
"Aye. It took about sixteen hours, with three stops along the way to refuel—Marilyn and me. She's easier to feed."
"Were you flying alone?"
"That's right." I release her hand as we reach the aircraft. "Stay here. I need to open the door."
"What did Torcall mean about your security system?"
"It's nothing. I don't even use it anymore."
No, I will not explain that. Well, maybe once we're in the air and she can't escape.
I open one side of the large cargo door and grab the ladder, leaning it against the plane. Then I wave to Ashley. "Come on. I'll help you up."
She approaches the plane and stops at the ladder, chewing on the inside of her lip. "You're sure this is safe."
"Aye. If you trust me, then trust Marilyn too."
"Might help if you stopped referring to it by a woman's name. Why Marilyn, anyway?"
"Because I like Marilyn Monroe movies. Would you rather I rename this thing Magnus?"
"No. Can't you just call it 'the plane'?"
I shake my head and sigh, then offer her my hand. "Time to get in, lass. You can criticize the name I gave my aircraft later."
She accepts my hand, climbing up the ladder. I give her erse a wee push to help her make the last step into the plane. Maybe I do that because I enjoy touching her erse, but I also have a legitimate reason for doing it.
She glances back at me. "Do I get to put my hands on your ass too?"
"Anytime ye like. But I don't need help getting into the plane." I reach up to grasp the top of the rail on the ladder and hoist myself up and into the plane. Then I pull the ladder inside and sigh with satisfaction. "See? No problem at all."
Her jaw has fallen open a touch. "I can't believe you did that. The door must be six feet off the ground."
"Not quite. But I'll accept your compliment anyway."
"I didn't give you a compliment."
"Of course you did." I pat her erse. "Your gaping jaw told me so."
"Can we get going now?"
