The Angel and the Highlander

by Donna Fletcher

  Chapter 36

  Lachlan sat by his wife’s bedside waiting for her to wake up. He had so much to say to her and he was anxious to say it. When he had seen her collapsing, he had bolted off his horse and ran to her, leaving his brothers to protect him as he ran through the melee to his wife.

  He had caught her just as her eyes fluttered closed, but he thought—he hoped—she had seen him, for he believed she had smiled at him before she passed out. Zia had tended her, assuring him the wound was nothing to worry about. And when she hadn’t revived, Zia explained that it sometimes happened, but she would awaken soon enough. She suggested it would be good to get her back to the keep where she could rest in familiar surroundings.

  He had followed her advice and had been sitting by her bed for over an hour now, worried that she wouldn’t wake up, that he would never have the chance to tell her how sorry he was.

  He took hold of her hand. It was warm and soft but also branded with a callous or two from hard work. She always worked hard and never complained and she was always there for her friends and adopted family, and for him, though he was foolish enough to believe otherwise. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back and then the palm and then he gently nipped at each fingertip, a playfulness of his that never failed to delight her. He hoped and prayed it would rouse her from her sleep, but she didn’t move.

  He hung his head and gently brought her hand to rest against his chest over his heart.

  “My heart belongs to you, Alyce,” he said softly. “It always will. I wanted you to be happy. I wanted you to know you were free with me and what did I do? I failed you and why?”

  “You’re a fool.”

  His head shot up to see his wife’s eyes open, and he smiled. “You’re right.”

  She broke into a wide grin and tapped his chest. “But you’re my fool.”

  He took hold of her hand, kissed it again, and then leaned over to gently kiss her lips. “I’m sorry.”

  She pressed her cheek to his. “I am too.”

  “You have no need to be.”

  “But I do,” she said, taking hold of his arm to help her sit up.

  He lifted her up with a supportive arm while his other hand stacked pillows behind her back.

  She grabbed hold of his hand. “You’re everything I wished for in a husband.”

  “You wanted a fool for a husband?” he teased.

  She smiled and her blue eyes twinkled. “I wanted a good man with a good heart and I found him, only it took me awhile longer to realize just how good his heart truly is.”

  He shook his head. “I promised you I would never judge or—”

  She pressed her fingers to his lips. “I should have told you my suspicions right away. I should have trusted your reaction.”

  He tried to disagree, she objected with a shake of her head, but he gently pried her fingers away. “How could you fully trust me when I never gave you a choice in marrying me?”

  “It doesn’t matter any—”

  “It does matter,” Lachlan insisted. “You had a right to that choice and if I had trusted our love enough, I would have given it to you. I feared you would deny me, yet I was confident I could make you see my decision was the best for us.”

  “It was best.”

  “Of course it was,” he said with a smile.

  “Then there is no need to discuss it any longer,” she said. “What is done, is done. We start anew and bury the past—”

  The door opened and Zia walked in along with Artair, Honora, and Cavan following soon after. Lachlan reluctantly gave them time to have their say, when he would have much preferred to continue talking with his wife.

  He couldn’t get her words out of his head.

  Bury the past.

  She was burying the past as she once buried her identity, to escape an unpleasant situation. He didn’t want the past buried. He would rather resolve it so that it could never again hurt them.

  A sprinkle of laughter broke through his musing and he was glad to see that all was well with his family again.

  Addie rushed in breathless, her face smeared with sweat and dirt, a dirk sheathed at her waist and her green eyes bright. “Are you all right?” she asked, rushing over to Alyce.

  “I’m fine,” Alyce assured her.

  “I knew you would be,” Addie said proudly. “You’re a Sinclare woman and today I finally remembered just what that meant. Bless you for reminding me, I finally feel alive again.”

  Lachlan could see the difference in his mother. She even looked younger than her fifty-three years. They all could see the difference, and it was good to see her…happy.

  Zia finally chased everyone from the room, insisting that Alyce needed to rest, though she remained to speak with them.

  “You suffered a minor wound that will barely scar, though I would recommend you curtail your strenuous activities from here on.”

  “Is there a problem?” Lachlan asked, taking hold of his wife’s hand with worry.

  “None that I foresee,” Zia assured them both. “It’s a precaution, after all your time is just two months away and I prefer you reserve your strength for that battle.”

  “I understand,” Alyce said, “and will heed your advice.”

  “Good, then I will see you later for supper,” she said and left.

  Alyce yawned as Lachlan tucked the blanket around her. “There is something I must tell you, but I don’t recall what it is.”

  “Don’t worry,” he said with a kiss. “You’ll remember sooner or later. Now you must rest. We can talk later.”

  “You’ll stay until I fall asleep?” she asked, reaching out to grab hold of his arm while her eyes started drifting closed.

  “I’ll stay as long as you want,” he promised, pleased she wanted him there, though annoyed with himself for being the cause of her worries and injury. If he had kept his word and had not judged her, she would have never left with Septimus and she would have never been wounded.

  He had to smile; knowing his wife she would have argued, telling him that the situation would have been worse since help would have come too late to the Connors. He was proud of his wife’s courage and tenacity, both made her a remarkable woman…his woman, his love, his life.

  He waited until she slept soundly and then he left. He had plans to make before she woke and he wanted everything perfect, since tonight his wife would finally have her chance to choose.

  Alyce was famished and ate heartily, though no one knew she silently struggled to recall what it was she had to tell her husband. She knew it was important, very important and it troubled her that she could not recall it.

  The great hall was filled with revelry, everyone celebrating the victory at the Connors farm and the news that the last of the rogue warrior band had been found and disposed of with haste. Caithness was safe once again and many paid homage to Alyce for her bravery.

  She smiled and graciously accepted the many thanks bestowed on her and while Septimus’s visit had stirred memories of her home and family, he had also made her appreciate her new home and family. She had been angry when she first arrived here and had little interest in the Sinclares, but she learned fast enough they were good and generous people, and it was hard not to like them.

  A roar from the middle of the room got hers and everyone’s attention. She was surprised to see her husband standing there and she smiled. He was devilishly handsome and she swelled with pride, for he belonged to her.

  “I have something to say and I want all to hear me.”

  He walked toward his wife, his smile as charming as ever and his dark eyes aglow with what surprisingly looked like mischief. And Alyce smiled, prepared for whatever challenge he intended to throw at her.

  However he startled her when he began with…

  “Alyce Bunnock, I intended when the time was right to search for a wife, one that would fit my needs and plans for the future. I never considered love and then I met you and tasted true love for the first time. I knew
from the start I didn’t want to live life without you, and I knew one life would never be enough time for us to love, but it is what I have to offer you.”

  Alyce remained stunned when he took her hand in his.

  “Alyce Bunnock. It sometimes frightens me how very much I love you, and how my world would crumble without you, but I give you a choice here and now. Marry me, Alyce. I love you and always will. If you choose not to accept my proposal, as hard as it would be for me, I will set you free.”

  Alyce struggled to get up and Lachlan quickly helped her stand. Tears glistened in her blue eyes and she shook her head.

  “You don’t wish to marry me?”

  Loud gasps echoed in the great hall.

  “No, you fool,” she said aloud. “I just can’t believe you offer me a choice. I can’t believe you would free me from our vows.”

  “It is what I should have offered you from the beginning. And it is the only way we can ever truly be free to love one another.”

  “Good lord, I love you so much!”

  “Does that mean you’ll wed me?” he asked with an eager grin.

  “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I will wed you,” she cried and let her tears of joy flow.

  Cavan stood and offered the first toast and told everyone to prepare for a wedding celebration to remember. Artair’s toast followed and more after his.

  “You truly mean to wed me all over again?” she whispered to her husband, surprised.

  “Of course,” he said. “I want it done right this time. We will be wed by a cleric, you will sign the document, and there will be a feast.”

  Alyce brushed her tears away. “You have given me what I always wanted. You have made my dreams come true.”

  He leaned close and whispered in her ear, “I will always make your dreams come true.”

  She pressed her cheek to his. “That you do whenever you kiss me, touch me, love me.”

  Addie’s joyous voice broke them apart as they watched her raise her tankard. “I toast my daughters.”

  The three Sinclare brothers raised their goblets to their wives.

  “To three strong, courageous, beautiful women I am proud to call my daughters and that my three sons were wise enough to love.”

  Alyce’s loud gasp startled everyone.

  “What’s wrong?” Lachlan asked, dropping his tankard to the table when he saw his wife’s hand grab her stomach.

  “I remember,” she said excited. “I remember what it is that was so important to tell you.”

  “What?” Lachlan asked anxiously.

  Alyce smiled. “Ronan is on his way home.”

  Chapter 37

  Alyce was exhausted and the wedding festivities had just begun. Even though snow fell heavily outside, the whole village was warm and joyous as they helped celebrate the wedding of Lachlan and Alyce Sinclare.

  It had taken a couple of months from Lachlan’s proposal to arrange the exchange of vows and obtain new documents with the help of Bishop Aleatus, a close friend of the Sinclares, who had insisted on performing the ceremony. And all had hoped that Ronan would return before it and share in the grand day, but he still hadn’t appeared.

  Addie had seen to a feast fit for a king and queen while Honora and Zia had transformed the great hall into a magical woodland with winter greenery, pinecones, and berries everywhere; and numerous white candles flickered like dozens of bright stars throughout the room.

  Her father even attended and gave his blessings and told her how proud he was that she did her duty like a true leader. It was enough to let Alyce know that in his own way he loved her.

  She sighed, resting in a high-back chair that Zia had made certain to provide for her, insisting it would be much more comfortable than the usual bench. And she was glad she hadn’t protested, since the chair helped ease the pain that had started in her back this morning.

  Lachlan was busy talking with everyone, though he glanced her way often enough. He knew she was tired and he had wanted her to rest for an hour or so and then join the celebration, but she didn’t want to miss a minute. It was all too exciting.

  She watched with pleasure the younger children laughing while running after each other, and caressed her stomach thinking how in no time she and Lachlan’s babe would be one of them. The twins certainly wanted to join in the revelry, one bouncing to get free from his mother’s arms and the other trying to walk with his father’s help, while Blythe sat contented in her father’s arms.

  She shook her head as she watched her father try desperately to gain Addie’s favor, but surprisingly she spent much time with Hagen, who had yet to rejoin Septimus. There was a sparkle in both their eyes when they looked at each other, which was often. Whatever would her sons think?

  A stabbing pain caused her to double over with a moan and Lachlan was at her side in a second, as was Zia. She could barely breathe let alone speak.

  Addie appeared, Hagen at her side, and Alyce had to smile, for if she were right about the pair, it would no doubt create a problem, though she would side with Addie.

  “She’s in labor?” Addie asked.

  “I believe so,” Zia said. “We need to get her upstairs.”

  Lachlan scooped her up and everyone cheered as he carried her out of the room and up the stairs.

  Once Alyce was in bed, Zia attempted to chase Lachlan from the room.

  “No, I won’t leave her.”

  He turned when he heard his brother’s laughter.

  Cavan entered the room. “I recall saying the same, but you’ll be coming with me just as I went with you, though I didn’t want to.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Alyce assured him. “And if I should want you, I will send for you.”

  Lachlan nodded and kissed her cheek. “That’s good enough for me, since I know nothing would stop you from getting me here even if you had to come get me yourself.”

  “You truly do know me,” she laughed.

  He nuzzled at her ear. “Every inch and breath of you, wife.”

  Alyce gasped startled, and Zia hurried over and with one look said, “The sack broke, the pains will be close soon enough.”

  Cavan rushed Lachlan out of the room and hurried him back to the festivities.

  After an hour Lachlan snuck upstairs to check on his wife and his mother chased him away.

  “She has no time for you now,” she said, shutting the door in his face.

  By the third time, Addie had stationed Hagen in front of the door with orders that Lachlan was not allowed to disturb them. Surprisingly, the large man was sympathetic to Lachlan’s plight and took time to speak with him before convincing him it was better he waited downstairs.

  It was just before midnight, the celebration worn down, a few stragglers remaining, mostly warriors with no women to go home to and a snowstorm raging outside.

  “It could take the whole night,” Artair said. “It’s just the way of things.”

  “That makes me feel good,” Lachlan said.

  Cavan laughed. “He wasn’t that reasonable when Zia gave birth.”

  Lachlan chuckled. “He wasn’t?”

  “Not a bit,” Cavan said. “I remember that I had to hold him down from running to her near the end when her screams got bad.”

  Lachlan cringed. “Damn, why did you tell me that?”

  “It’s just the way of things,” Artair insisted.

  “I don’t want to hear it,” Lachlan said, covering his ears for a moment, though his eyes turned wide and his hands fell to his sides when he saw Hagen enter the hall.

  “I was told to fetch you,” he said to Lachlan.

  Cavan stood. “Is there a problem?”

  “Don’t know,” Hagen said. “Addie just told me to bring Lachlan.”

  Cavan placed a strong hand on Lachlan’s shoulder.

  “I haven’t heard a scream from her,” Lachlan said, worried as they climbed the stairs. “Why hasn’t she screamed?”

  Artair followed but offered no sensible advice and that worr
ied Lachlan all the more. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Why hadn’t he heard his wife scream while trying to deliver their child?

  Hagen lead them down the hall to the bedchamber, Lachlan behind him and Cavan and Artair following. Hagen rapped on the door and when it opened he stepped aside.

  Lachlan stood in the doorway afraid to enter, afraid to hear that he had lost his beloved wife or child or both.

  “Mother?” he said as if begging her to tell him.

  Addie broke into a grin. “Alyce delivered your son without so much as a peep.”

  Lachlan near cried out with relief and joy, and he hurried to his wife’s side, stopping abruptly when he saw the bundle in her arms and peered over the blanket at his newborn son.

  “He’s handsome like you,” Alyce said with pride. “And didn’t give me a bit of trouble birthing, and he smiled just like you when Zia placed him in my arms.”

  “Just like you,” Zia confirmed with a soft laugh.

  Lachlan was speechless. His wife looked radiant, not at all weary, and his son was a good size with a thatch of dark hair just like his own. He felt blessed, so very blessed.

  Alyce held the babe out to him. “Hold your son.”

  Lachlan didn’t hesitate. He cradled the tiny bundle in his arms for all to see. “My son, Roark Sinclare.” He announced proudly the name he and Alyce had decided upon.

  Everyone took turns looking at the sleeping babe who in turn favored them with a smile just like his father’s, and they all laughed claiming like father like son.

  Once Alyce yawned, Zia chased everyone from the room and ordered her to rest for the babe would soon wake wanting to suckle.

  Zia instructed Lachlan to fetch her if need be, even if it were just to ask a question.

  Lachlan thanked her profusely as he walked her to the door.

  “I’ve never seen such an easy birth,” Zia said at the open door. “Your wife was remarkable, not a scream or a protest. She simply focused on her task and birthed her son so easily that she truly didn’t need my help.”