Will tugged her back against him, kissing her cheek from behind. “Aye, we do. But I’ve never regretted it for a moment. Why wait was my belief. I’d lived alone for a long time.”
Maggie reached for Cairstine’s hand and lowered her voice so she wouldn’t be overheard. “After all you’ve been through, you deserve a wonderful man. You’ve found one. I’m happy for both of you.” They stood back and stepped away to give them some privacy.
Braden hugged Cairstine to him and they turned around to greet the rest of the clan in the hall, but strangely enough, they were all involved in small groupings of lively conversations.
“You need not tell me all, but what exactly happened at the cliffs?”
He sighed, thinking of all that had transpired in a day. “Ronan and his brother were in love with the same woman. It made Keith daft. He killed Ronan and was about to kill Marta when I came upon them.”
“Oh, Braden,” she gasped. “How awful. But you and Loki and Roddy stopped him?”
“Aye. ‘Twas such a shock to me, though I was right that Ronan did not take his own life.”
“You were a good friend to him. You would have known if he were depressed.”
He took a deep breath and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Aye, ‘tis true.” He touched his forehead to hers. “Why do I like having you here so much?”
She stood back and whispered, “I surely hope it stays that way.” Her gaze scanned the hall. “You have a large clan, Braden.”
“I do,” he said, kissing the top of their head. “Do you think you’ll mind becoming a part of this group?”
Steenie and Kenzie were giggling as the older lad imitated shooting their enemies with a slinger. Moments later, Steenie was running around with his arms extended, pretending to be a falcon.
“I can think of naught I’d rather do than to marry you and become a part of your family. Look how happy Steenie is. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him laugh like that. ‘Tis hard to believe how much our lives have changed for the better since I saw you at the Drummond celebration.”
“I think he’ll be happy here. If you had a wish, what would it be?” Braden asked her, running his finger down her jawline and her neck.
“I know exactly what it would be. I’d wish that we could live the rest of our days at Muir Castle as part of Clan Grant, and that someday we’ll be exactly like that couple over there.” She tipped her head toward the couple whispering and kissing in the corner of the hall.
Braden smiled at the sight of them. “That’s our laird. Uncle Alex and Aunt Maddie. He shares the lairdship with their eldest twins, who aren’t here at the moment. I wish the exact same, because if it were to come true, we’d be happy and in love forever.”
Aunt Maddie giggled and Uncle Alex picked her up and plopped her on his lap.
Cairstine whispered, “I couldn’t ask for more than that. Well, there is one more thing I might ask…”
“If I can, ‘tis yours.”
“Release your guilt over Ronan. I could see how it bogged you down at Muir Castle. You saved Marta, which adds one more person to your list, but more importantly, Ronan didn’t take his own life. There is no blame you could possibly place on yourself. Can you let it go?”
He squeezed her shoulders as he considered her words, and then nodded with a quick, “Aye.”
He decided he could indeed let his guilt go. Ronan had been a great friend, and he would always miss him. With a surprised sense of clarity, Braden recognized that someone important had come into his life, and he wished to devote all his energy to this new relationship, because he wanted her happiness more than anything.
He kissed her forehead and whispered, “I love you, and I’m quite certain I know exactly how to define love. ‘Tis my feelings for you.”
Epilogue
Two months later…
Braden and Cairstine were in the Muir great hall. Eva and Edith were also along, and they were going to live in a hut with Aunt Fina once the place was made livable again. The three of them were in the bailey looking over the cottages, choosing their own to live in. Aunt Fina had been so overwrought when she’d come home to find them gone, but she’d been ecstatic to see the lassies again, and Cairstine had her dear aunt back. How pleased Cairstine was that she’d found someone else from her clan to inhabit their castle with them again.
Braden’s parents were upstairs with Steenie cleaning out her parents’ bedchamber. Cairstine had told his mother she couldn’t bear to go into the room until it was cleared out. It reminded her too much of Greer.
His parents had said it was a wedding gift from them and they’d brought a couple of servants along to assist with the cleanup. They would take care of the chamber upstairs and make it as beautiful as it had once been. Cairstine had agreed, but he could tell she’d struggled to contain her tears.
“I love your parents, Braden. They remind me of my own. How I miss them.” She was on her knees by the hearth, cleaning the floor around it. She and Braden had already cleaned what they could of the interior. She was quite certain it hadn’t been cleaned since her parents had passed. When she finished with the floor, she moved to the mantle above the hearth, finding a fresh cloth to wipe the dirt and dust from the shelf above the stone and the soot that seemed to be everywhere.
They’d married quietly, with just the immediate Grant family and her cousins and Aunt Fina in attendance because Cairstine had been embarrassed about having a child of five winters without being married. As Braden had promised her, no one had cared.
His parents came down the stairs carrying a great big coverlet. “Cairstine, did your mother do this work?” Celestina asked. “‘Tis quite beautiful.”
“I know,” she said, her face falling. “How it saddens me to have to throw it away.”
“Throw it away? Why would you want to do that?”
“Gr…” she stopped herself, glancing over her shoulder at Braden, who quirked his brow at her. She’d asked him to never mention the bastart’s name again, and he’d agreed. “I feared ‘twas ruined.”
“I wished to ask you about it. Each of these patches appears to be a different plant. Was your mother into gardening?”
“Aye,” she replied, doing her best to keep the tears from misting in her eyes. “She planted many herbs, and she had a beautiful garden near the side wall at one time. It smelled so sweet that I used to love to go there with her. I have many fond memories of her garden, though there’s naught left of it now.”
“Her needlework is exquisite,” she murmured as she studied the fine stitches. “If you’d like, I’d be happy to take a look at the garden, see if we could restore it.”
“Do you think ‘tis possible?” She couldn’t help but be hopeful about such an undertaking. Bringing her mother’s garden back to life would be wonderful. She wished to have her mother’s beautiful touches back in the castle, both inside and out.
“We can take a look at it on the morrow. Many plants reseed themselves.”
Braden said, “Mama makes fragrant oils from lavender and other plants. She’s quite skilled at it.”
“That sounds lovely. I’d love to learn how you do that, and I’ve often wished for a garden of my own.”
“Then ‘tis settled. Steenie can help us dig in the dirt when we get started on it. But for now, we’ll finish restoring the inside, and I think this coverlet will be stunning again.” Celestina stopped and held it up. “I think it needs a good beating outside to get rid of the surface dirt, but I think we can wash it and get rid of nearly all the stains. I just need a large tub and my husband’s help so I don’t fall inside.” She giggled like a young lass when she glanced up at Braden’s sire. “If there are any stains left, your mother sewed it in pieces, so you could easily replace just one piece of fabric if need be. Maddie has plenty of extra fabric. In fact, she’d love to help you restore it once we wash it.”
“I would love that,” she said, her eyes lighting up.
“I hope we don’t
impose,” Braden’s sire said, “but the tower is in beautiful shape. It looks as if it hasn’t been used in quite a while.”
“It has not been used in several years,” Cairstine said. Once again, Braden could hear the note of sadness in her voice, and he reached out and took her hand.
“If you don’t agree, please say so,” his sire said, “but Celestina and I have been talking, and the Grants have outgrown the keep, even with all the additions we’ve made. Would you consider allowing us to move here? We could live in the tower room as we do at Clan Grant. Our moving would free up space for some of the younger couples. This tower also has three levels so your sisters could have their own rooms, Braden.”
Braden’s mother glanced at Cairstine and said, “You know how we adore Steenie. We’d miss him terribly.”
As if on cue, Steenie came barreling down the staircase shouting, “Grandmama, Grandpapa, you should see all the dirt I swept up! I filled the bucket all by myself.” He rushed over to his mother and hugged her. “Everything looks better, Mama. We’re fixing it just for you.”
Cairstine glanced at Braden, nodding her head just a touch. Braden assumed it meant that she heartily approved of the plan. He knew how much she’d enjoyed being a part of a family again these last months, and he had to admit he’d prefer to have the castle fuller.
“I think it sounds wonderful,” he said. “We’d love to have you stay with us. ‘Tis a good-sized hall and keep. Not the same as Uncle Alex’s, but we’ll be lonely if we don’t have family close.”
“Steenie, what do you think?” Cairstine asked with a big smile on her face. “Would you like Grandmama and Grandpapa to stay here with us?”
Steenie jumped with joy and hugged his grandparents. “Aye. Can I sleep in the tower sometimes and then in my own chamber sometimes?”
“Aye, your aunts will come along, too.”
The door opened and Loki came in with his family—his wife Bella, his sons Kenzie and Lucas, and their newly adopted daughter Ami. “Did I hear you correctly, Papa? You’re moving here?”
“Aye, we’ll be closer to your land from here, too.”
Bella hugged Cairstine and set Ami down. “We came to help restore the keep.”
“Nay, Bella!” Loki bellowed. “Kenzie, Lucas, and I came to help. You’re to sit in that chair right by the hearth. Your only job is to keep an eye on Ami, though she has plenty of room to run in here.”
“As you wish, Loki. We brought some bread, cheese, and mead, enough for the group.” Bella grinned, rubbing her slightly rounded belly. “I cannot wait to see if this will be a lassie or a laddie.”
The chatter continued as they helped Bella settle her gifts on the table, so Loki said, “Roddy is outside, Braden. He wished to speak to both of us, if you don’t mind.”
Braden kissed Cairstine’s cheek and headed to the door. “I’ll be right back.”
“You like that Mama and Papa will be here?” Loki asked, once they were far enough away not to be overheard.
Braden hunched his shoulders up against the winds. Autumn was on its way and a chill had already entered the air. “I do. ‘Twill make the place more of a home, and if I have to leave on patrol or go off with the Band of Cousins, I don’t want Cairstine to be alone.”
Loki grinned at him. “She’s tough enough.”
“She is, but I hope someday we’ll have a bairn of our own. I’ll be glad to have Mama around to help if that day comes.”
“Good point.”
“What does Roddy want?”
Loki just shrugged his shoulders in response.
They approached the stables where Roddy waited for them. Once he saw them, he stepped inside, taking cover from the cold Highland wind.
“Something wrong, Roddy?” Braden asked. “You’re standing out here like a lost soul who can’t decide what to do next.”
Roddy scrubbed the stubble of his beard before he spoke. “I’ve got news, Braden. Maggie and Will were just at Grant Castle.”
“You should have contacted me,” Braden said. “We could have come over to visit.”
Roddy shook his head. “They were in too much of a hurry. They needed to get a message to us.”
“What is it?”
“They’ve learned of two more branches of the Channel of Dubh. One of them runs to Edinburgh and the other connects to the loch where we found Steenie. She and Will are going to handle the Edinburgh one. She wondered if we would learn aught we could about this one. There are three or possibly four of us. What do you think?”
“Did you speak with Connor?”
“Aye, he’ll go along with whatever we decide.”
Loki said, “I can assist if it’s close to this area, but Bella’s expecting again. With Lucas and wee Ami still so young, I don’t wish to leave her for long, especially after what happened last Christmas. After we lost the last one, I think my place is home until she gives birth.”
Braden said, “Understood. I’ll speak with Cairstine, but I know what she’ll say. After nearly losing Steenie and the girls to those bastards, she’ll send me with her blessings. Will we have enough men? I hope to have some guards soon. I’ve already talked with my parents and Cairstine. We just have to speak with Uncle Alex. We thought of inviting one family to join us.”
“Who?” Loki asked.
“I thought to invite Ronan’s family. Mayhap Moray would consider being my second in charge and could bring his mother here, settle in one of our cottages.”
Roddy said, “I think ‘tis a great idea. Moray appears lost, and in a sense, he is. Losing two brothers within a few months is difficult. I think he would enjoy settling somewhere new.”
Loki said, “And she must be struggling with all the memories. She used to be a cook in the kitchens, and a great one, if my memory serves me well.”
Braden snorted. “You would know with your appetite. You ate everything you could the first few months you joined us. Uncle Alex used to watch to see if you’d ever stop.”
Loki gave him a sideways glance. “Still haven’t stopped. Never mind that. You have plenty of room, true?”
“Aye. We have five plus the stables and a building for an armorer or blacksmith. Corc and Hilda are in the smallest one near the stables. Cairstine’s aunt will take one to live in with Edith and Eva, so we still have three more.”
“Corc and Hilda? Are they happy here now that they’ve married?” Roddy asked.
“Aye. They love it now that the Lamonts are gone, and they dote on Steenie. They were delighted to have their own place. Steenie is finally getting the attention he deserves between my parents and Hilda and Corc, though he still lacks a friend his own age.”
“Sounds like you’ll have some privacy on occasion, Braden.” Roddy waggled his brow at his cousin. “Send Steenie to your parents, then to Hilda and Corc.”
Braden chuckled. “I think we may take advantage of that.”
Roddy added, “Maggie said to tell you that they found the parents of the other three lassies. She said ‘twas quite touching to watch the reunions. They’d been stolen in the middle of the night.”
“Bastards. By the Lamonts?” Braden asked.
“They actually never saw the thieves so they have no idea.”
A comfortable silence settled between them as they considered all that had transpired. Braden said, “I know not how you two feel, but ‘tis a blight we must fix if we can.”
Loki said, “And we will, but now I’m hoping you’ll tell me that I can eat while I’m helping you get this place in shape. How are the kitchens?”
“Aye, Cairstine’s sire built one of the biggest hearths for cooking I’ve ever seen. The kitchens need cleaning like any other area of the keep, but with a good scrubbing, they’ll be operating. Hilda and Corc have been working in there. Hilda said she would cook, but I’d be glad to have another to help her. She’s promised us a rabbit stew for this eve.”
Roddy said, “You’ve got your own castle, cousin.” He slapped him on the back with a
grin.
Braden nodded, pleased with how everything had unfolded. “I need more here to join us. Think on it when you return, Roddy. Talk to Uncle Alex, but I’ll travel back to speak with Ronan’s family. Moray could stay back as protection, and his mother could be a help to Hilda.” Things were coming together, just as he and Cairstine had dreamed. One day their keep would be vibrant and full. “Aye, if Moray moves here, I’ll definitely go with you. In fact, I have an idea about who might have taken up the trade. I’d like to find him before he comes after me.”
“Who?” Loki asked.
“Blair Lamont. No one has seen or heard from him. He could have resurfaced, but if he has, he should be easy to track. He’s not the smartest.”
“It could be any number of fools out there,” Roddy said. “But let’s find them before they steal any more bairns.”
Braden nodded. “I’m happy to join you.”
Roddy had an expression on his face Braden had seen before, and it only meant one thing.
Nothing would stop him. Roddy was on the hunt.
Cairstine came out to join them, walking into Braden’s arms as he kissed her cheek. He told her what they’d discussed. “We’d bring two more to join us. I’d feel better having a few more guards here with us. Mayhap we can convince a couple more to come along with Moray.”
She nodded. “I’d feel better, too. It’s a great idea, but…”
“What?”
“I feel as though something is missing. I can’t say what, but something…” Her voice stopped midsentence because they were interrupted.
A ruckus out by the gates stunted their conversation. The portcullis had been dropped after Loki came in apparently. Something banged again and again, but it was too loud to be a knock from a person.
“What in hellfire could that be?” Braden asked, glancing at Loki and Roddy. “Did you see aught unusual when you arrived?”
Highland Retribution Page 20
