The Bagpiper’s Ghost by Jane Yolen Read Free Book Online Page B

indefatigable. Especially American youngsters.”
    â€œNonsense,” Gran said as Da closed the front door behind the doctor. Jennifer could hear the latch click into place. “Pills and all. It’s nonsense.”
    â€œIs it magic then, Gwen?” Da’s voice asked.
    â€œAye, ’tis.”
    â€œThere’s been an awful lot of that aboot since the bairns arrived,” he added. “First Michael Scot, then that lassie from the past, and noo this.”
    Gran answered, “The twins seem to call magic to them. They dinna mean to, but it’s in the blood.”
    Hearing that, Jennifer shivered.
    â€œIt’s too much fer them,” Da said sternly. “They being Americans with no sense aboot it, no control.”
    â€œI’ll see it’s stopped,” Gran said. “Or finished.”
    Jennifer started down the stairs just as Da went out the door after the doctor. Gran looked up at her and nodded, as if giving permission for her to leave Peter for a little while.
    â€œWhat’s indefatigable? ” asked Jennifer when she got to the bottom step. “Undefeated?”
    Gran grinned. “Something like that, lass.”
    Then they went in to eat their porridge, which—as Pop liked to say—was the real magic that stuck Scotland together.

Nine
    Studying
    The porridge was nicely warm and just a bit chewy. Jennifer tackled it as if she were starving.
    â€œLosh me!” Gran said. “Yer hoovering that up instead o’ eating it. Slow down, lass, slow down. Let’s think aloud aboot first steps while we’re breakfasting. Though …” She shook her head. “Breakfast at one fair beggars the imagination.”
    Jennifer stopped shoveling the porridge into her mouth for a moment. “Well, if Peter is possessed, Gran, shouldn’t unpossessing him be our first step?” She whispered and looked hastily around in case her mother or father might overhear them.
    â€œPowers, nae!” Gran said. Carefully she set her spoon down in the bowl and whispered back. “First we must make sure he’s still possessed and not just sleeping off his exhaustion. Being possessed takes a lot of energy.”
    â€œAnd if he’s still …” Jennifer took a deep breath. “If he’s still Andrew MacFadden?”
    â€œOch—I’ve never liked the MacFaddens,” Gran said. “Uppity folk, indeed. Always looking down their lang noses at the rest of us. There’s plenty in this toon still. I made some calls while ye slept on, to find oot what I could about Andrew and Mary. The MacFaddens dinna like to give oot gossip, but I phoned a friend at the Hall of Records. Seems she died young.”
    â€œWe already knew that,” Jennifer said.
    Gran nodded. “Aye, we did. But what we didna know is that Andrew MacFadden lived to a ripe old age, married late, and had children and grandchildren, though he never got over mourning his twin. Put up a memorial to her inside the little church. Made oot a charity in her name. Och, he was the one possessed, that Andrew MacFadden. Probably had bad dreams all his life.”
    â€œWell, what if he’s still inside Peter?” Jennifer asked. “And using Peter to bring back the sister he mourned forever?”
    â€œThen we have a big problem,” Gran told her. She stood. “However, first things first, lass, and this we canna rush. If MacFadden is still here and using puir Peter, we must ken what kind o’ ghosts we’re dealing with.” She raised one finger and shook it at Jennifer. “In matters o’ magic, knowledge is the most important beginning step, as surely ye have discovered by noo.”
    â€œBut, Gran,” Jennifer whined, “we have to do something now !”
    Gran shook her head. “Rushing aboot is an American disease. We Scots ken that slow and steady in the ways o’ magic is best.” She turned toward the door and