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“Yes, I know,” I sighed. “He’s just too good, right?”
“Finally, you’ve picked a man worthy of you,” Lottie decided, her gaze still on where Lachlan posed for photos with a tourist. “If I was thirty years younger, I’d buy a ticket for his ride.”
“Lottie!” I gasped.
“I’m old, Sophie, but not dead. I’ve eyes in my head, don’t I?” Lottie threaded her arm through mine. “Now, introduce me and I’ll try not to giggle and blush.”
“I don’t think you’ve blushed a day in your life,” I snorted. Tugging her through the crowd, I waited while Lachlan finished and then turned to us, a smile on his handsome face.
“You must be the infamous Lottie,” Lachlan said, the Highlands whispering through his voice, and Lottie turned to me, her eyebrows raised.
“Maybe I will giggle, just a bit…” she said.
“It’s the accent. It gets you every time, I swear.” I laughed. “Lachlan, this is Lottie. I’m so excited she’s here. I can’t wait to show her the castle. Can she join your tour? I’ll pay the fee, I promise.”
“There’s no fee for family, lass.” Lachlan threaded his arm through Lottie’s, who looked like a cat who’d just lapped a bowl of cream, and dragged her away. I waved, not following, as I had other duties to attend to before we met with Agnes in an hour. Hurrying across the lawn, I gathered up the swords and returned them to the storage closet by the stables and stopped to poke my head in by Archie’s workshop.
“Lottie’s just arrived, and she’s on tour with Lachlan.”
“Aye, that’s grand. I’ll be in at half past. I’m just finishing up here.” Archie didn’t look up from where he hammered a nail into a shelving unit. “Sir Buster’s with Hilda around front.”
“Perfect. We have record numbers so far today. I think the ad campaign is working.”
“It was bloody brilliant, it was. It’s about time those two loafers did some work around here,” Archie griped.
“Lachlan pretends to hate it, as does Graham, but I think their egos have inflated quite a bit. Collateral damage, I suppose, but well worth it. I don’t mind taking them down a peg or two when they get too big for their britches,” I said with a smile.
“Och, that’s the Scottish way, lass.” Archie grinned.
An hour later, we were gathered in the library, Lachlan having passed his tour duties off to some of the staff we’d been able to hire back. He’d kept his kilt on, likely to drive me mad, and now I was torn between paying attention to Agnes and where his hand toyed lightly at my knee.
Hilda and Lottie sat next to each other, both sipping on a cup of tea. The two had sized each other up and had become instant best friends. Already, Hilda was talking about where they could set up an artist studio for Lottie to paint, and Lottie was asking how she could help around the castle. Sir Buster had also taken to Lottie immediately, and eschewing his usual growly greeting, he now clambered at her leg for more attention. Lottie bent and before I could warn her, she absentmindedly picked Sir Buster up and put him on her lap while continuing her conversation with Hilda.
“Unbelievable,” Lachlan muttered. After his traumatic rescue, Sir Buster had been kind to Lachlan for about a week before falling back into his usual grumbly routine with him. It seemed to suit the both of them just fine.
“Lottie, are you up to speed on what we’re here to talk about today?” Agnes asked, sounding more formal than she looked in her faded jeans with rips in the knees and Ramone’s T-shirt.
“Mostly, though I’d like clarification on what comprises the Order of Caledonia. Are we looking to recruit another Knight then?” Lottie asked, snapping to attention as she stroked Sir Buster’s back.
“No, that role has been filled.” Agnes shook her head. “It’s an interesting thing, the way this Order was designed. From what I’ve been able to translate, it seems the Order is meant to be filled with people who embody the roles that you would find in a traditional medieval castle or village. The Stone of Truth seems to think that a holistic approach to fulfilling the Order is the wisest one, where differing viewpoints and talents will make a complete and well-functioning group. Until the Order is complete, we will still be under threat of the Kelpies, as well as any other ways that the Stone feels it needs to protect itself.”
“The Stone likes diversification.” Lottie nodded. “I can understand that. It’s like when an entire boardroom is full of men who are designing a product for a woman. It makes no sense.”
“Exactly,” Hilda said. “Remember when they came out with those pens designed just for women? Silly.”
“Well, I, for one, had never been able to write until a man designed a pen for me. Thank goodness. I was saved,” Lottie quipped, and we all laughed.
“In the interests of diversification, I made a list of past members of the Order, and some of the varying roles they filled. Then, from there, I started tracing down the line to see if any of their descendants were around.” Agnes held up a spreadsheet, and my heart did a little dance in my chest.
“Oh, spreadsheets. Gimme,” I exclaimed, and Agnes passed it over so I could scan the papers. I had to hand it to her, she’d done an extensive amount of research. “Agnes, you should have asked for help with this. I would have been happy to give you my time. This is a lot of work.”
“I don’t mind it. You’ve had other things on your mind.” Agnes laughed. “It’s not like I’m dating anyone either. My free time is dedicated to the cause.”
“We can change that,” Hilda piped up and Lottie leaned forward, a gleam in her eyes.
“Back off, matchmakers.” Agnes held out a hand. “We are not here to discuss my love life.”
“Or lack thereof.” Lachlan smiled sweetly.
