Grace scolded, “Kristen, ye needn’t repeat everything Da says and Bram ye do need to mind yer tongue.” Before she could tell Saundra that she would be happy to teach her to throw knives, there was a knock at the door.
“In,” called Laird Sutherland.
A messenger entered. “Laird, I bring a message from Laird MacLeod.”
Laird Sutherland held out his hand for the missive. Opening it, he scanned it and his eyebrows drew together.
“Nothing’s happened to Davy, has it?” asked Saundra, fear marring her features. Davy was her late sister’s son.
“Nay. Well, I mean, aye, he had a little accident but he is well. Apparently a MacKay lass was nearby and helped him.” Laird Sutherland read on.
“Poor lass,” said Ian.
“Is she in danger?” asked Grace.
Bram frowned. “The MacKays and the MacLeods have been feuding over their border for years.”
“If she helped the boy, they wouldn’t hurt her, would they?” asked Grace.
Laird Sutherland said, “Don’t worry so, Grace. Laird MacLeod just wants me to send a messenger on his behalf to Laird MacKay so he can arrange to return her.” He folded the missive and said to the messenger, “go down to the great hall and ask someone to get ye something to eat. I’ll send Laird MacLeod’s message on with one of my men tomorrow.”
“Aye, Laird.” The messenger bowed and left.
“Now, lass, where were we?” Eanraig asked Kristen.
“Ye were going to tell me the story about the selkie,” answered Kristen.
“Aye, the selkie. Once upon a time…”
*
Later that night, long after both children were tucked into bed, Grace lay sated in Bram’s arms.
“Grace, my love, ye delight me.”
“I know,” she said with a cheeky grin.
He laughed. “Now, lass, the polite thing to say is, thank ye, or ye delight me too.”
“Ye delight me too, Bram.”
He nuzzled her neck until she giggled. “I love that sound,” he said. He kissed her lips, eliciting a soft moan. “I love that sound too. In fact, I love everything about ye.”
“Do ye love the sound of me retching in the morning?”
“Aye, I do, because it means ye carry my bairn.” He stroked his hand over her slightly rounded belly. “When will we share the news?”
“Not for a while yet. The baby won’t come until late November. Maybe we can announce it on the Feast of St. John the Baptist.”
“Whatever ye wish, my love. I asked ye to marry me on that day, almost two years ago.”
“I won’t easily forget that. Whispers had started about us, and grandmother didn’t want me to go to the celebration for fear there would be more talk. I wanted to dance with ye again so badly. I sat in the kitchen and cried.”
“Oh, Grace, I didn’t know ye cried. I was so angry that night. Mother and Da were trying their best to keep us apart. Ye should have let me take ye to the abbey.”
“Perhaps I should have but things turned out very well anyway.”
They lay quietly for a few moments. Grace had started to drift to sleep when Bram asked, “Whatever happened to all that ribbon mother had ye weave?”
Grace laughed. “Ye really don’t know? That’s a man for ye—never notices anything.”
“What are ye talking about?”
“Yer mother and I decided to give the first ten ells to Annice. I’m surprised ye didn’t notice it on the dress she was married in. We gave the other ten ells to Saundra and it trimmed out the dress she wore to her wedding.”
Bram kissed her soundly, then grinned. “I don’t know why ye’d be surprised. I would think by now ye would have learned, when ye are in the room ye are the only woman I see.”
She laughed and returned his kiss. “I believe ye, thousands wouldn’t.”
About the Author
Ceci started her career as an oncology nurse at a leading research hospital, and eventually became a successful medical writer. In 1991 she married a young Irish carpenter who she met at a friend’s wedding. They raised their family in central New Jersey but now live with their dogs and birds in paradise, also known as southwest Florida. While she loves spending time writing “happily ever afters” she still works fulltime in the pharmaceutical industry.
The Duncurra series, Highland Solution, Highland Courage, and Highland Intrigue are available as e-books, audiobooks, and paperbacks. Ceci will be continuing this series in the near future.
Highland Echoes is the second book in The Fated Hearts series. The first in the series, Highland Revenge, tells the story of Fiona MacNicol, and Eoin MacKay. Highland Revenge is included in the collection Highland Winds – The Scrolls of Cridhe Volume One. The third book in the series, Highland Angels (Anna MacKay’s story) will be released in the summer of 2015.
The Scrolls of Cridhe, Volume 2, Highland Flames, will be released in the fall of 2015 and Ceci is diligently working on her novella for this collection.
“Few authors touch hearts so deeply.”
-Sue-Ellen Welfonder, USA Today Bestselling Author
“Ceci Giltenan tells beautiful stories with strong characters and an intriguing plots.”
-Lily Baldwin, Bestselling Author of Scottish Romance
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