Chapter 10
Cohlm insisted he carry the child back to the keep. The entire way back he smiled and made cute sounds at the baby. It was adorable. Mazey rode the horse with Baile. He held on to her tight.
“Ye didn’t get as far as ye thought.”
Mazey was so exhausted, she dozed in and out while cuddled up to Baile’s chest. “What’dye mean?”
“Ye thought ye were close to the village, but ye were still a good half days walk off or more. Ye must have been walking a lot slower than ye thought.”
Mazey playfully pushed at Baile’s chest. “Ye calling me slow?” she asked.
“Nay, ah would never. Ah was just pointing out it shouldn’t take us long to get back home.”
“Well, ye made that sound better didn’t ye?” she teased.
He chuckled. “Ye’re feisty when ye’re sleepy.”
She laughed too, wincing at how sore she was. “Aye, ’tis a bad habit of mine.”
“Ye did good with the bairn, love.” Baile commented.
Mazey sighed in contentment and fell sound asleep most of the way back to the keep. Once they arrived back, Baile helped Mazey down and took her to her room. Cohlm deposited the baby with the sleepy mother and made sure both she and the baby were healthy and happy.
“Make sure she is getting rest and have her drink water. She needs it now. And ye’ll have to make sure she doesn’t get up too much,” he instructed before he left.
Baile nodded and sat near the bed. “Ah’ll make sure.”
After Cohlm left, Mazey spoke quietly. “Ye don’t have to stay. Ah know ye have business to tend to.”
Baile shook his head. “Ah have no business, except to make sure my bride to be is okay.”
She felt a flutter somewhere near the region of her stomach at the words. He really still wanted to marry her. That wasn’t a dream, or an impulse. “Are ye sure ye want to marry me?”
Baile moved over to the edge of the bed and kissed her passionately. His hand wound into her hair and his tongue caressed hers. His kiss melted every ounce of reason and reserve she had inside of her.
“Aye ah do. Ah love ye.” He repeated the phrase and Mazey felt her heart leap in joy.
She put her hand on the side of his face. Her other hand rested against her new son. “Ah love ye too, Baile.”
“Get some rest. Ye need it.”
She was home.
The sun was barely up, but Mazey had already been awake for a while.
Siusan was still rubbing her sleepy eyes.
“Ah like his cheeks. They are squishy.” She put her hands on both sides of her son’s cheeks and pushed them together.
He cooed in delight and blew a raspberry that made Siusan giggle.
She touched the tip of his nose and he grabbed at her finger and tried to shove it in his mouth.
All three of them settled into a comfortable routine over the last few months.
Every day was the same, and it brought a sense of security to both Siusan and Mazey.
The baby boy thrived off of the routine.
“Have ye thought of a name yet?” Siusan asked her, just as she did every day.
It was almost a part of the routine as well.
“Nay,” Mazey giggled. “Don’t ye think ah would tell ye immediately if ah thought of something? And if ah decided in the night, ah would wake ye up and tell ye then.”
Siusan eyed her warily. “Ah dunno, Maze. Would ye really?”
Mazey nodded and scooped up the little girl, balancing her on one hip and holding her son in the other. “Ah would like to have a name to call him. It has to be a strong name—a proud name. Something that will be with him for his whole life and lead him to do great things.”
Siusan wasn’t listening. Mazey was always going on about names for her child.
But she hadn’t figured out the right one.
In the evenings, she would spend time with Baile going over names she thought were good.
He gave her feedback, but never gave suggestions.
He said it was her decision, and he didn’t want her to feel obligated to a name he suggested.
“Maze, it’s time for ye to feed him.” Siusan was good at reminding Mazey exactly when it was time to do things. The time to do things coincided with when Siusan was feeling antsy or bored, and sometimes would extend if she were having fun.
“Aye, little’un, ah’ll feed him and then we’ll break our fast. Why don’t ye go get yer needlepoint and stitch while ye wait?”
Siusan disappeared from view, crawling on the floor to find the needlepoint she left out on the floor the previous day.
Mazey fed her baby, holding him close. She finally held a bairn of her own and it brought unfathomable joy.
The sweet boy’s soft brown curls and bright blue eyes stole her heart.
His little button nose was second only to the perfect cupid’s bow of his lips.
He was a sweet cherub and the most well-behaved baby she had ever known.
He rarely cried, slept through the night and loved to cuddle up to her.
She thought through all the wonderful things that had happened to her over the past year and sorted through them repeatedly.
She tried to memorize his face, like she did every day.
She didn’t want to forget his little hands, or his feet.
She knew just like every other child, he would grow every day.
Siusan found her needlepoint and sat next to Mazey in her chair. She worked on the little square of fabric, carefully pushing the needle in and pulling it out again. She rarely tied up the fabric in knots. She could create little shapes with her stitches.
“Those are great, wee’un. Ye’re doing well.” Mazey commended. She liked to compliment her more than criticize. Baile did it too, always trying to find things she was doing right.
“Thank ye,” she said sweetly.
Mazey burped the baby, careful to use a cloth, so he didn’t make a mess. When they headed off to the dining hall, they ran into Baile, also leaving his room.
“Mazey, ah was just going to see if ah could find ye.” He looked remarkably handsome in his kilt and linen shirt. She always admired how his muscles rippled when he walked and because of how large his arms were, they were visible under the fabric.
“G’morning. What did ye need?” Mazey asked with a smile.
“Ah’d like to take ye for a picnic tonight at the loch and ah wanted to make sure ye were free. Garia will watch the bairns tonight if ye don’t mind.”
A ripple of excitement passed through her. An evening alone with him. They had little time to themselves since she returned. Baile was mysteriously distant from Mazey since her child was born. She wasn’t brave enough to ask him why. He asked her to marry him and since then barely kissed her.
She thought tonight would be a good time to ask him about it. “Aye, ah’d love to spend some time with ye.”
He knelt down and kissed his daughter on the cheek. “How’s yer needlepoint coming along?”
Siusan grinned and held out the square she finished. “Look!”
Baile took the scrap in his hands and looked it over carefully as if examining a jewel. “Ah think ye did well. Ye’ve gotten a lot better at needlepoint, little’un.”
Siusan blushed and looked bashfully at the floor. “Mazey helped me a little.”
“I’m proud of ye.”
Siusan threw her arms around her father’s neck, kissed his cheek and then ran off in search of breakfast.
Mazey sighed and followed.
“Not so fast,” Baile said quickly. He grabbed her around the waist, gently pulled her over to him and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Her son wiggled in between them and cooed. They both laughed, and the moment was over. Mazey couldn’t wait for their picnic tonight.
Her nerves were high throughout the rest of the day and into the evening.
She rummaged through her wardrobe to find the dress she made last week.
It fit her well. A new dress was necessary after having her son.
Engorged breasts and fuller hips made her feel more confident, but also required a new dress.
It was light blue and complimented her eyes.
Baile hadn’t seen it yet, so she hoped he noticed.
She waited on her bed, tapping her fingers together impatiently.
Garia picked up both children and planned to put them to bed.
They weren’t ready for sleep yet, so she took them to play and rock them for a while.
Garia loved to spoil Siusan with sweets whenever she got the chance.
She would probably have at least a small slice of cake.
Mazey took a minute to appreciate the people in her life who loved on her and her son.
She would never think it possible to be surrounded by so many people who cared what happened to her.
There was a knock at the door and Baile walked in, handsome as ever. He carried a sack thrown over his shoulder. His hair was lightly tousled.
“Ah’m ready if ye are.” She followed him out to the stables where Bailed helped her atop a large horse.
When he climbed up behind her, he looped his arm around her waist. She wished there were no clothes between them.
That would have been awkward for the stable boy.
She laughed aloud at her thoughts and Baile gave her a weird look.
Both were silent on the way. Mazey pressed up against Baile and put her arms around him.
There was a niggling worry in the back of her mind as they rode to the loch.
What if Baile was taking her out so he could talk to her about marriage?
What if he changed his mind? She knew he loved her.
He showed her repeatedly. What if the nature of their relationship changed?