Chapter 23
The nuns were overjoyed to see Reid arrive at the convent the next day with Clara on his arm. They’d planned to remain in Dumbarton until Reid was properly healed but wanted to ensure the nuns had remained safe in light of the attack.
The nuns waved off his and Clara’s concern and instead focused all their attention on the newlywed couple.
“Ye married yer sister?” Sister Agnes asked incredulously before loosing a cackling laugh. “Ach, I jest, lad. No’ a one of us ever believed that falsehood ye tried to pass off.” Her mirth smoothed with sincerity. “We’re verra happy for ye.”
“I’m sorry I am unable to assist yer abbey,” Clara said to Sister Seraphina.
No one knew the depth of authenticity in Clara’s apology as well as Reid. She’d paced the floor that morning before their departure, uncertain how to tell the older nun that she would not be returning to the abbey.
Seraphina smiled and took one of Clara’s hands in hers. “My child, not all of us have a calling for this life. Seeing how ye look at yer husband and how he gazes at ye tells me well enough ye made the correct decision.” She turned her attention to Reid. “And how have ye been healing?”
He shrugged rather than lie to a nun.
Sister Agnes wasn’t fooled. “I bet he tore himself open again.” She tsked with chastisement.
He smirked.
“I imagine the lives of three bairns are worth more than another injury.” The older nun winked at him.
Reid lifted a brow, uncertain how Sister Agnes could possibly know about the little ones Clara had saved.
“Finlay was here earlier,” Sister Seraphina explained. “Like ye, he wanted to ensure we were safe. We are so fortunate to have so many caring souls.”
“He told us how ye saved those bairns,” Sister Agnes added. “And apparently, he saved their mother.” She clasped her hands to her chest. “Ach, and when he spoke of her, he had quite a blush under all those whiskers.”
“Mayhap, ’twill no’ be the only marriage we are congratulating soon.” Sister Seraphina’s sparkling brown eyes said everything about how she felt about the idea of another happy union.
After the pleasant visit with the nuns had reassured them, Clara and Reid returned to the castle and remained there for a sennight until Reid’s back was healed enough for travel.
It was perhaps the greatest sennight of his life.
There was no mission to accomplish, no battle to fight, no urgent location to which he must travel.
Nay, he spent those glorious days at Clara’s side, sharing stories of their lives, building plans for a future together and exploring all the ways he could make her blush.
It was too easy to forget in such bliss how ephemeral their tranquility might be.
After all, he still needed the king’s permission to be removed from the crown’s service.
After several inquiries, they learned that the king was at the monastery of Kinross. A necessary journey for Reid to free himself from his duties to the king.
Ross came to see them prior to their departure, the chieftain’s hard eyes going soft when they settled on Clara. She had a way of melting even the coldest of hearts.
“I know ye said ye dinna want a dowry,” Ross said. “But I canna have ye go without something. No’ when yer sisters both had small fortunes to help them into their marriage, aye?”
“Grandda.” Clara shook her head.
In truth, any coin they could acquire would be of help. Reid had nothing for them to use in funding the creation of their new life.
Ross put his hand up. “I’ll no’ take nay for an answer, and only want the best for ye both.”
Clara rushed to him and wrapped him in a warm embrace that made the old man’s face glow.
“And dinna forget to speak with yer mum for me, aye?” He winked at Clara as he let her go.
She nodded, chuckling. “Aye, of course.”
After that, Ross clasped Reid’s forearms. “And ye stay out of battle until that back of yers is healed.”
“I’ve no’ plans to fight for a good long time,” Reid replied earnestly. “No’ with such a better option.”
Ross nodded with approval. “If the king gives ye any trouble, ye come to see me.”
Clara’s eyes widened briefly, but Reid discreetly shook his head at her. The last person they would seek help from with matters of the king would be the Chieftain of the Ross clan, whose methods could be questionable.
Travel to Kinross took two days, and Clara was to remain at the inn while Reid went alone to meet with the king. When Reid arrived, King David II was in the grand chapel, the monarch’s gaze lost in thought, hands clasped behind his back.
He turned upon Reid’s approach. “Ye did well, MacLeod,” the king said in his smooth voice. “Ye saved many innocent lives by getting the message to the people in time. We only regret we couldna travel there in time to help.”
Reid inclined his head gratefully at the king’s praise.
“How did ye secure the Ross Chieftain’s aid?” the king asked. “The man’s as stubborn as they come.”
Reid hid his smile. “My wife is his granddaughter and can be verra convincing.”
“She must be quite the lass.” The king nodded. “We assume that is why ye wished to speak with us, as we understand it. Ye wish to leave our service?”
Reid’s heartbeat kicked up in his chest. The king could deny him this request, and he would have no choice but to stay at his side. “I’ve spent my whole life fighting and have no’ had a home since the English burned it down. Now that I’m wed, I’d like to have a peaceful life. With my lass.”
The king gave a sad smile. “We know well how hard it is to spend so much time away and never to have any true semblance of a home.” He nodded to himself.
“We give ye permission to return to yer wife and reside wherever ye like. But know that we will always be honored to have ye at our side should ye change yer mind and may have cause to call on ye in the future.”
Reid discreetly exhaled a breath he’d been holding. It was as close to an opportunity to be free as was possible. “Thank ye, sire.”
“Take this.” The king reached into his pocket and withdrew a leather purse that clinked with coin. He settled it into Reid’s hand, its heft considerable. “For the start of yer future.”
Reid bowed low, humbled by the gift. “Thank ye, my liege.”
After years of being an orphan and struggling each day to eat, to live, finally, all the pieces were starting to fall into place to build a real life.
And all it had taken was trusting himself to love.
He only hoped the meeting with Clara’s mother would go as well for her sake.
Clara had not even made it up the walkway to the manor house on the outskirts of Castleton when the door flew open, and her mother ran out, her skirts flying around her ankles, white hair streaming behind her.
“Clara! Clara! Is that ye, my lass?” Her mother met her halfway and caught her in an embrace where she held her for a long while, soft whimpers indicative of her tears. “I was so worried about ye, my sweet lass. We searched all the abbeys and convents, but no’ a soul had seen ye.”
Clara looked up guiltily to find Drake striding toward them, his back straight and proud. His gaze went first to Reid, then to Clara. The stern expression set on his face melted as he pulled her into a hug as soon as their mother released her.
“I’m glad to see ye safe,” he said, his hug fierce but gentle. “We were worried…”
“Forgive me,” Clara said. “I…I didn’t want to be a burden.”
Drake shook his head. “Nay, ye’re never a burden, Clara. Ye’re the kindest of us all. We shouldna have excluded ye from deciding yer own future.”
Once more, his gaze wandered to Reid and his eyes narrowed.
Aye, so it was time.
“This is Reid MacLeod.” Her pulse ticked a little faster. “My husband.” Despite the nerves dancing in her stomach, a smile pulled at her lips as she straightened a little taller in her pride to show him off to her family.
Mum’s blue gaze returned to Clara. “I thought ye were to join an abbey.”
“I took a different type of vow, it appears.” Clara’s face warmed.
“I know him,” Drake said.
Reid inclined his head respectfully. “Aye, we fought the English together with Sir William.”
“Ye’re a strong warrior and a good man.” Drake nodded in approval before turning his gaze to Clara. “Are ye happy?”
She beamed at her brother. “Very.”
“Then that is all that matters.” Mum flushed with pleasure as she strode toward Reid to wrap him in her slender arms and welcome him to the family. When she was done, Drake clasped arms with Clara’s husband. And just like that, Reid was immediately accepted as one of their own.
They had stew for supper, one filled with snap beans from the garden and salted beef, with freshly baked bread. It was a familiar meal that warmed Clara’s heart.
“Where will ye be settling down?” Mum asked.
The bread Clara had been about to swallow stuck fast in her throat.
“We mean to go to Skye to live near Dunscaith,” Reid answered for her. “’Twill be safer for raising a family, and I will be able to find a secure job at the castle after years of serving with Sir William.”
The response gave the exact reasons they wanted to go, which were also the exact reasons they should go. Yet still, Clara’s stomach knotted around the food she’d just eaten. This was the very argument that had caused such unrest in her home before.
Mum nodded as she chewed a bit of bread.
“Please come with us,” Clara said.
Mum gave a tight smile. “I suppose we dinna need to worry about yer grandda marrying ye off.”
Ah, and here was the second piece of news Clara had been dreading speaking to her mother about.
But Clara had made a vow, one she meant to honor.
Even if her grandda had not offered her a dowry, she still would have told her mother about his good deeds in foregoing a raid to help save innocent lives.
“He was there with us, in Dumbarton,” Clara admitted.
Her mother stiffened. “Was he?”
“Aye, at my request,” Clara said. “He was intending to raid the northern part of England when we were on our way to deliver a message about an attack on Dumbarton. I asked him to reconsider and join us to help save the people. He declined but later still came.”
“His support brought that of the neighboring clans,” Reid added. “Without him, Dumbarton would have fallen.”
Mum sat back in her seat, her brow pinched with thought.
“What happened between ye two, Mum?” Clara asked. “We only know ye’ve told us he was terrible and cruel. And, aye, what he did to Faye canna be forgiven. But what did he do to ye?”
“Ye should ask him,” Mum said in a hard voice.
“I did,” Clara replied. “He said ’twas yer story to tell.”
“I see.” Mum reached into her pocket and pulled out a small item bound in a bit of linen. She unwrapped it slowly, her hands slightly shaking to reveal the delicate rose brooch Clara’s grandda had given Mum at Kinsey’s wedding.
“I was in love once.” Mum pressed her lips together.
“Before yer da. His name was Duncan, a man who belonged to the MacKenzies, our greatest rival clan.” Her fingertip traced over the rose.
“Duncan had asked me to run away and marry him. He wanted to be free of the hate festering between our clans, to go on our own and live out our days with love and happiness. He said if I agreed, then I was to leave this brooch in the hollowed-out log near the place we always met, and he would be ready to leave by nightfall.”
Clara’s mind reeled. Her mother had loved another man? Before Da?
“What happened?” Reid asked.
“I left the brooch to let Duncan know to be ready that night,” Mum replied.
“And when I went to the place, ’twas no’ him there, but my da.
He told me I’d no’ ever see Duncan again, and if I wanted a marriage, he would arrange a more suitable match.
I dinna believe him, but when I chanced an encounter with Duncan’s mum, she told me…
” Mum paused and drew in a long, quiet breath.
“She told me he was gone and ’twas my fault.
” Mum folded her hand over the brooch. “My da had him killed to keep him from being with me. I left home and dinna look back. That’s when I met yer da. He saved me.”
Drake and Clara locked eyes with the shock of this story, of their mother loving another man. Of their father being there when she had no one.
Reid put his hand in Clara’s and squeezed. Supportive when she needed it the most.
Mum sighed softly. “If ye’re going to Dunscaith, then I will too.
I stayed here to avoid my da for as long as possible, but if all my children are in the depths of the Highlands, ’tis where I will be too.
” She wagged a finger at Clara. “But dinna expect me ever to welcome yer grandda with open arms.”
Clara nodded in understanding, willing to accept anything for her mother to join them in the Highlands. Finally, after so much strife, their family would be together once more.
Truly, life could not bring her any more joy than it already had.
Soon, they would be on Skye with Faye only two days’ ride from them, and Clara and Reid would be building their home and starting a family of their own.