Ceci Giltenan

by Highland Solution

  Tadhg arrived at Niall’s side just as Niall gathered Katherine’s small limp body into his arms.

  Enraged, Niall said, “The bastard caused the horse to throw Katherine to save his own worthless skin.”

  “I’ll take a few men and go after him. Get her to safety.”

  By this time, Laird Chisholm had joined them and said to Tadhg, “I’ll go with ye.”

  “Nay, Feargas,” Tadhg said. “Malcolm has laid so many traps in the bid to win Duncurra, there is no telling what might await on the way back to Duncurra. Niall needs as many men as possible riding escort.”

  “Aye, Feargas. I have to get her home,” Niall said as he wrapped his plaid around his unconscious wife and rose with her from the ground. “I cannot lose her,” he said, his voice raw with emotion.

  Thirty One

  Vaguely aware she finally felt warm, Katherine had trouble remembering why she had been so cold in the first place. As she struggled to emerge from oblivion, she also realized she had a terrible headache. She fought to open her eyes, but the light only intensified her pain, causing her to moan and retch. Gentle hands rolled her to her side, yet her retching brought nothing up.

  She heard her husband’s anxious voice say, “Effie, she is waking.”

  She tried again to open her eyes. For a moment, the light sent another wave of searing pain through her head, but she kept them open this time, and saw her husband’s worried face. He was kneeling by her bed. Effie moved into view behind him, saying “Ye’ve come back to us, have ye? Do ye know where ye are?”

  Katherine blinked and tried to look around. The movement caused her head to swim and she wanted to retch again, but she said, “Home.”

  “Aye, lass, ye’re home,” Niall said, his voice husky.

  Katherine closed her eyes for a moment. Why was the midwife here? She opened her eyes again and managed to ask, “The baby?”

  “Is fine,” answered Effie. “But ye have a nasty bump on your head from the fall.”

  “I fell?” asked Katherine. She closed her eyes again, trying to remember. Images began to flood her mind as her memory returned. She moaned again. “Malcolm slashed my mount’s side and the poor thing threw me.”

  “That’s right, sweetling, but ye will be fine now,” said Niall, with a hint of desperation in his voice.

  Effie brought her a bowl with some broth in it. “Try to drink some of this, my lady.”

  Katherine swallowed a few sips before, overcome with exhaustion, she slipped back into oblivion.

  ~ * ~

  When she awoke later, the room was dark save for the light from the fire. Niall held her in his arms, but he was not asleep. “Back again?” he asked, his voice still think with concern.

  “Aye,” Katherine answered. Her head hurt less than it had earlier and she felt hungry. “Is there any more broth?”

  Visibly relieved, Niall answered, “Aye, sweetling, there is.” He helped her drink a little more, and she ate a few bites of bread as well before giving in once again to the powerful urge to sleep.

  ~ * ~

  The next time she woke, sunlight streamed in through the window, and she felt considerably better. Niall slept beside her, but woke instantly as she stirred. “Good morning, love,” he said, and kissed her gently.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  “Ye were thrown from a horse.”

  “I remember that. What happened here? What happened with Malcolm and Eithne? And how did I get back here?”

  “Whoa, sweetling, there is plenty of time to tell ye everything. For now, I will tell ye Fingal arrived at the same conclusions ye and Matheson did. He brought Laird Chisholm here to defend Duncurra, and was holding Malcolm off when we arrived. Malcolm fled, as ye are aware, because he managed to get his clutches on ye. After ye were thrown from the horse, I brought ye back here. Ye slept for almost a full day, waking for the first time yesterday afternoon.”

  “But what about—”

  “That is enough for now,” he said firmly.

  For the next couple of days, Niall refused to let Katherine leave their chamber and do little more than rest and eat. He gave her very sketchy details of events prior to her capture and none of what had happened since. Finally, on the third evening, she insisted on dining in the great hall. She wanted to hear the full story before she did, and, grudgingly, Niall agreed. He told her what Fingal had learned from Eithne and Malcolm.

  “Sweet Mary,” she said, “What a shock for Fingal.”

  “Aye. Apparently many MacLennans either knew or suspected Malcolm was his father. It is easy to see the similarities now we know, but no one here ever suspected.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me, because he is so much like ye.”

  “Katherine, my sweet, other than our height, Fingal looks nothing like me. Everyone always assumed his looks came from Eithne.”

  “I didn’t say he looked like ye, I said he is like ye. He is a strong, competent warrior, but he is also gentle and tolerant. He is fair and kind, and protects those who need him. He is proud, unfailingly loyal, and he would sacrifice his life for this clan. He is so much like ye that no one who truly knows ye both would ever deny he is your brother.”

  Her pronouncement took Niall aback. Everything she said about Fingal was true. He found it endearing that she also applied those traits to him. However, the fact that she believed others drew the same comparisons was, quite frankly, humbling. Furthermore, she had referred to Fingal as his brother in the present tense. He certainly still considered Fingal his brother, and was glad she did as well.

  “How is he handling all of this?” Katherine asked after a moment.

  “He is upset, as ye can imagine, but worse, he feels guilty.”

  “Over what?” Katherine demanded.

  “Over the fact that Malcolm and Eithne told him they did all of this for him.”

  “What a load of nonsense. Malcolm and Eithne are the two most self-serving people I have ever met, even surpassing my Uncle Ambrose. Having Fingal as a son was a convenient excuse, but that is all.”

  “I’m sure ye are right, but Fingal is determined to return to Chisholm. It is one of the reasons I have kept ye secreted away up here. He will not leave until he has apologized to ye, and I keep telling him ye are too weak to have visitors.” Niall added sheepishly, “I had hoped after a few days he would change his mind about leaving.”

  “What’s the matter with ye? He has sworn fealty to ye, hasn’t he?”

  “Aye, he has, but—”

  “But nothing, ye must simply refuse to release him. Ye have no problem commanding other people and expecting your commands to be followed without question.”

  By “other people,” Niall assumed she referred not so subtly to herself, and he laughed for what felt like the first time in weeks. “As ye wish, my lady,” he said, bowing to her. “Ye still haven’t forgiven me for sending ye away—twice?”

  “Well, I forgive ye for the first time, had ye not done that, we never would have learned Tadhg wasn’t behind the raids.”

  “True,” Niall agreed.

  “So have ye forgiven him for abducting me?”

  He realized she had cornered him and glared at her. “I suppose I have,” he acknowledged grudgingly.

  “Good. Then, I will consider forgiving both of ye for sending me back to Cnocreidh.”

  “My lady, ye will do more than consider forgiving us. I command it,” he said, capturing her in his arms and kissing all thoughts from her head.

  Soon the memories of last few days fled and all that remained was their deep love and need for each other. Niall lowered her to the bed, intending to make sweet, unhurried love to her, but his good intentions fled as her passion fanned his desire for her. After they had reached a soul shattering release together, they lay in each other’s arms, feeling sated and basking in the afterglow.

  Before either of them was ready to leave this haven, a knock sounded at the door. Diarmad called, “Laird, I am sorry to bother ye, b
ut I have just received word from the watch that Laird Matheson approaches.”

  Niall called, “I will be down shortly.” Reluctantly he rose from bed and dressed and Katherine did as well.

  “Ye didn’t finish telling me all that happened,” she said. “Where has Tadhg been?”

  Niall sighed. “Ye remember Malcolm put ye on Eithne’s palfrey wearing her mantle?”

  “Aye, he was trying to buy time for his escape. He believed ye would not harm Eithne when ye discovered it was her.”

  “Aye, I wouldn’t have, but evidently Eithne didn’t believe that. As Malcolm’s men surrendered, she stabbed Duncan in the gut and tried to push him off his horse. I think she intended to run, but as Duncan fell, she was pulled off the horse with him. In the confusion, they were both trampled.”

  “Poor Duncan, what a terrible way to die.”

  “Katherine, he was Malcolm’s commander and clearly a big part of this whole plan.”

  “I know,” she said sadly. “It is hard to feel much pity for Eithne, her death was the direct result of her own cowardice, but he had a wife and daughters who will have to go on without him.”

  “Tadhg suffered a moment of panic trying to save her, thinking it was ye. I knew ye were with Malcolm as soon as I saw him riding away, I saw your kertch.”

  “Well then, I guess it was worth freezing over,” Katherine said, and confessed she had shaken her hood off on purpose. “So Eithne caused her own death, but what happened to Malcolm?”

  “Malcolm’s little trick worked. By causing your mount to throw ye, he bought enough time to elude us. Tadhg and his men followed Malcolm that night, but I am not sure what happened after that. Perhaps we’ll learn more when he arrives.”

  “Then I suppose we should join our guests,” said Katherine as she pulled a plaid around her shoulders.

  “Ye might need this,” Niall said, producing the brooch she had dropped in the snow.

  “Ye did find it,” she said, giving him the brilliant smile that made his knees weak.

  “Aye,” he said, pinning her plaid together at her neck, “I am going to have to keep ye firmly rooted by my side to make sure ye don’t lose it again.” He kissed her, and reluctantly breaking the kiss, he said, “Ye really need to stop distracting me.”

  ~ * ~

  When they reached the great hall, Tomas barreled toward her, throwing his arms around her waist yelling, “Mama, ye are all right!”

  Everyone there greeted Katherine with nearly as much enthusiasm. It filled Niall with pride to see the firm place Katherine held in the hearts of his clan. Looking up at the front doors, he saw Tadhg and his men enter the hall just as Fingal approached Katherine and bowed, “My lady, please accept my apologies for everything that has happened.”

  Katherine looked him squarely in the eyes. “I will not.”

  Fingal appeared stunned and the room fell silent.

  “Fingal, there is nothing to forgive. Ye are Niall’s brother, and nothing that has happened is your fault. Well, nothing other than ye saving Duncurra by bringing Laird Chisholm here.”

  Fingal glanced at Niall. “Didn’t ye tell her?”

  “Aye, I told her.”

  “Then, my lady, ye know I am not Niall’s brother.”

  “Fingal, I would have thought by now ye would know blood ties mean very little to me. Given enough time, my father’s brother would probably have beaten me to death.”

  “That’s different.”

  “Is it? Do ye think I could possibly love Tomas any more if I had given birth to him?”

  Fingal didn’t answer.

  “Regardless of who your parents were, Fingal, ye have been a better brother to Niall and to me than anyone could hope for. Ye are Fingal MacIan because Alastair MacIan was your father in the truest sense of the word.” Then taking his hands in hers, she said earnestly, “Ye will always be my brother, and ye have my eternal gratitude for saving my home.”

  With that she kissed him on the cheek. Then breaking the silence in the room, clearly trying to imitate Niall’s commanding voice, she said, “This discussion is over. I will hear no more of this nonsense.”

  Niall laughed until tears ran down his face to see his little wife render his brother speechless. “No more arguments, brother, I couldn’t allow ye to return to Laird Chisholm now if I wanted to, and I don’t.”

  Fingal grinned.

  Tadhg also appeared to have trouble containing his amusement. He crossed the room to greet Niall and said with a smirk, “Ye deserve her, Niall. I, for one, intend on having a quiet life married to a sweet, biddable lass.”

  “Don’t tempt fate, my friend,” responded Niall, gripping his forearm “I swore never to marry at all, but I will be eternally grateful to our king for this match. Join us for our evening meal, I will hear of your travels later.” As much as Niall wanted to know what had happened with Malcolm, he did not want to risk upsetting Katherine before the meal. Tadhg took the hint.

  There was a festive feel to dinner that evening and Niall did not want to spoil it. However, after the meal was finished and they moved to sit by the hearth, he could delay no longer and finally asked, “What did ye find when ye searched for Malcolm?”

  “Initially we found nothing. It was snowing heavily by then and we thought it must have covered his tracks completely. We took shelter in the caves until the storm blew out, assuming he did the same thing. Then we searched for several days but found no sign of him. We finally found him after we turned back. It looked as if his horse lost its footing and stumbled where the track skirted the edge of a deep gulley, not far beyond the place where we thought we lost his trail in the heavy snow. Both he and the horse were dead at the bottom of the gulley.”

  All was quiet for a moment, and finally Father Colm said, “Malcolm was responsible for his own destruction. I hope the poor horse didn’t suffer.”

  Epilogue

  It had been an unusually hot summer, or so Katherine thought. Perhaps she only felt it more keenly because she was heavy with child, but this August morning felt particularly stifling. Hot and edgy, she hadn’t slept well that night, waking up often with her back aching. She must have worked too hard the previous day, she reasoned. After the fitful night, she woke earlier than usual, tired and with her back still aching. She tried to do the things she normally did, but had trouble focusing on even the simplest task. Finally, she gave up and walked out of the keep and across the courtyard. She reached the wall circling the steep crag and looked out across Loch Craos. The water glittered in the bright morning sun. It looked cool and refreshing, and right then she wanted nothing more than to take a swim in it, or at least to wade at its edge.

  She decided she would find Niall and ask him to go with her when a pain gripped her, taking her breath away. She braced herself against the wall with one hand and put the other hand on her swollen belly, it felt rock hard. After a minute or so the pain receded. Maybe she wouldn’t go swimming. Instead, she would walk down to the village and find Effie. She hadn’t walked very far when another pain gripped her, forcing her to stop once again and hold onto the wall of a nearby cottage.

  After the second pain had receded, she decided it might be better to return to the keep and send someone for Effie. Before she made it all the way back, yet another pain struck. She bent over, clutching her abdomen. Sweat beaded her face. She saw Father Colm step out of the chapel. He was at her side in an instant. He lifted her into his arms, carried her into the keep, and began shouting orders. Katherine smiled briefly, thinking the old priest sounded much like Niall at that moment. Her smile disappeared when yet another pain gripped her.

  Within minutes, Edna had Katherine settled in bed and someone had gone to fetch Effie. When she arrived, Effie asked, “Why did ye not call me sooner, my lady?”

  “The pains only just started a little while ago,” said Katherine.

  “Ye’ve had no other pain?” asked Effie, looking worried.

  “Well, I wouldn’t say I’ve had no other pai
n,” snapped Katherine. “My back has hurt since last night, but I have only had a few birthing pains.”

  Effie relaxed and smiled. “My lady, it is likely ye have been in labor since last night. Birthing pains for some women begin as a back ache.”

  Even well into labor, several hours passed before the bairn made her appearance. When she did, Katherine suspected the whole castle could hear her lusty cries. Effie allowed Niall in the room after she had bathed Katherine and tucked her into a clean bed, holding her sleeping baby in her arms. Clearly in awe of his tiny daughter, Niall looked almost frightened.

  “Would ye like to hold her,” asked Katherine, lifting the swaddled bundle to him.

  “Nay, I might break her.”

  “Nonsense,” said Katherine. “Take her.”

  He gingerly took the bairn in his huge hands. She nearly fit in the palm of one hand and he cradled her head in the other. She squirmed and fussed a little. He jiggled her gently. “Wheesht, lass.” She settled and Niall grinned, looking overly pleased with himself.

  He still held her some time later when a quiet knock came at the door. Katherine called, “Come in,” and Tomas slipped into the room.

  “Come see your new sister,” Niall said. Tomas came cautiously forward and stood by Niall.

  “She’s just a wee thing,” said Tomas, sounding surprised. “By the noise she was making, I thought she’d be bigger.”

  Katherine chuckled and Niall winked at her. “It’s the wee ones ye have to be careful of, lad.”

  Tomas wasn’t sure what his parents were laughing at, so he ignored it and asked, “Does she have a name?”

  “Not yet,” said Katherine.

  “Can we name her Mab?”

  “Mab is your pony’s name,” said Niall.

  “I know,” said Tomas, “I like that name.”

  “Well, maybe since ye have already given it to your pony, we can pick another name for your sister,” said Katherine gently. “What do ye think about the name Beitris? It was your grandmother’s name.”