Epilogue
It was springtime in the Highlands, a time of renewal and subtle beauty as the rugged and windswept land shook off the cold grasp of winter and embraced the coming warmth. The days were getting longer. The sun was getting warmer. The winds were turning breezy with hints of salt and heather.
Within the stone walls of Dundale keep, life had resumed its rhythm.
Fires still burned in the hearths to keep the damp chill of night at bay.
The scent of roasted meats and fresh baked bread filled the air.
It was a time of feasting and celebration, ushering out the season of dark and ushering in the season of light.
Mead and ale flowed freely. Boisterous laughter rang out through the great hall.
Tales of the long, hard winter were shared over a trencher.
Angus Sinclar and his lady wife, Fiona, were in residence, invited by Callum.
Chloe lounged in one of the chairs, her feet propped up in Malcolm’s lap as she rested a hand on the large swell of her belly.
Her face glowed, a faint smile of contentment on her features.
Evie sat next to Callum holding their newborn son whom they named after his da, Hamish.
Brianna watched and listened to it all as it buzzed around her. She never thought she would have a sense of belonging. Until now as she sat next to Jamie, holding his hand while he talked and laughed with the others.
For a while, she’d missed her Caribbean beaches and her life of leisure.
But now things were different. She didn’t miss that life any longer.
She had come to love the wild, untamed landscape of the Highlands and the rogue who had captured her heart now and forevermore.
Her nomadic, isolated days were behind her.
She had roots. She was settled. And she would never take her sisters or her found family for granted.
Jamie lifted her hand and kissed it. “Are ye happy?”
She grinned and pressed her forehead against his. “Of course, I am. Are you?”
“Aye,” he said. “Happy to call ye my lady wife.”
“And I’m happy to call you my husband.”
He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers, his lips warm and soft and perfect. He still stole her breath and made her swoon.
“Tomorrow, we’ll take Callum and Malcolm to the ruins,” he said.
“Do you think it will work for them, too?” she asked, eyeing the men sitting on the other end of the table.
“We can only try.”
It was something she and Jamie had kept to themselves. When they’d arrived back at the keep that day, the MacDonald laird and his daughter had arrived a day early.
Rory MacDonald was less than happy to hear he broke the betrothal to his daughter. Thankfully, everything worked out when Margaret announced she was in love with the stable boy and intended to marry him. Her father, however, was less than amused by this announcement.
Then things moved quickly as Jamie announced he intended to marry Brianna. The planning was a whirlwind. It was enough to send Evie into an early labor, which put the wedding on hold until she was strong enough to attend at her insistence.
Brianna was finally living her own fairy tale. She was content and happy. She watched as Jamie eyed the baby Evie cradled with the light of hope in his eyes. And it made her happy to see that because there was one last bit of news she had yet to deliver. She squeezed his hand to get his attention.
“Jamie, there’s something I want to tell you.”
He turned her, giving her his full attention. “Aye?”
She smiled, then, her heart swelling with love for the man. She lowered her voice so only he heard. “We’re going to have a baby.”
He stared at her for a long, quiet moment, his expression unreadable. And then a slow grin spread across his face.
“A bairn?”
She nodded. Understanding dawned in his eyes, followed swiftly by joy. He barked out a laugh, then squeezed her hand as he leaned over to press a kiss on her forehead.
“A family all our own.” He whispered the words as he pressed his forehead against hers. “Aye, lass, ’tis what I’ve wanted.”
“I know.”
Warming spread through her as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Laughter and chatter filled the great hall around them. A sense of contentment went through her. This was her home now. Her life. And for the first time she felt as though she truly belonged.
Outside, the wind carried the promise of a new season, and with it, a future full of love, adventure, and endless possibilities.
THE END