Chapter 19
“Your maither is dead and buried because of ye, me boy. Never forget that. She would still be here today if it werenae for ye.”
Magnus jolted awake as the morning sun filtered through the drapes on either side of his bed. He rubbed his chest, slowly pulling himself from the clutches of a nightmare.
It had been many years since he had dreamt of his father this often, and he felt aggravated by the unpleasant return of his bad dreams.
He could well imagine why the nightmares had returned. He was still astounded that Leah had been so bold as to mention them having bairns at all, let alone her openness at having them with him.
All his life, his father had blamed him for his mother’s death because she had died in childbirth. With Elizabeth dying when she too was with child, Magnus’s feelings toward pregnancy were filled with horrors and half-forgotten fears.
He was terrified that Leah would go through the same thing and he would lose the light she had brought into his life.
What might me life have been like if me maither had survived? Who might I have been?
His mind skipped forward to a future where Leah was giving birth, which led to visions of her dying before she even held the baby. His mind skipped furiously from one terrible scenario to another.
He pictured a future where he became a mirror image of his father.
He imagined his resentment at losing his wife transferring to his child, just as his father’s resentment had done to him.
He thought of his future self abusing the bairn, hating its existence, and living an isolated life of misery on his island, alone until his death.
In exasperation, he threw off the covers and leaped from his bed, stepping onto the frigid flagstones of his room and welcoming the chill of the morning air. He needed to go outside and release some of the tension thrumming in his blood.
Once he was dressed, Magnus made his way to Kenneth’s chambers, unsure if his man-at-arms would be awake yet, but he was greeted by the door opening, with Kenneth fully dressed and looking at him expectantly.
“Let’s hunt,” Magnus grunted, and Kenneth grinned with glee.
They had not gone on an early morning hunt in a long while.
As they traveled out of the castle, the morning sun was just rising, trying to burn off the mist that shrouded the ground all around them. The copper rays fell over the trees ahead of them, the perfect weather for hunting with hardly any breeze.
Kenneth laughed joyfully, his white teeth flashing as they kicked their horses into a gallop. Magnus felt the weight on his shoulders lift slightly as he lost himself in physical activity.
It was not until noon that he returned to the castle, three rabbits slung over his horse’s saddle, his léine sticking to his back from the heat of the ride, his muscles aching pleasantly.
As they approached the castle gates, he felt a swell of excitement in his chest as he saw a familiar figure standing by the edge of the water. Kenneth took one look at his expression and chuckled, spurring his horse inside, leaving Magnus to go and speak to his bride.
Magnus dismounted, pulling the reins over his horse’s head and walking slowly toward her. Leah was standing quite still, her gaze on the water’s edge, watching something he could not yet see.
He came up beside her. She was clearly aware he had been approaching but was too entranced to look back at him.
“Can you see them?” she whispered, intense excitement in her voice.
Magnus smiled at the tiny black dots that he could now see flitting in and out of the water some feet away from them.
There had been a family of otters here ever since he had been a boy, and they were such a familiar sight that he barely noticed them anymore.
Leah, on the other hand, was fascinated, her face bright with excitement.
“Aye, lass, they’ve lived here longer than I, and will be here for a long time after, I’ll wager. There’s about twenty of them from memory—I’ve seen them havin’ babies most years as well.”
She gave him that rare smile again, her hair fluttering behind her in the breeze that had picked up through the morning. “They’re wonderful,” she said.
“There are some cats that frequent the castles, too,” he added, chuckling as she looked up at him with pure delight. “Maybe we can leave some of these rabbits for them to feast on. Perhaps we can catch one for ye to have as a pet.”
He frowned when he noticed the look of displeasure on her face upon seeing the rabbits hanging on either side of the horse’s saddle.
“Ye dinnae like rabbits?” he asked, intrigued.
She sniffed. “I’m sure you’ll think me a typical Englishwoman, but I try not to eat meat,” she said primly.
Magnus had to hide his smile. “What do ye eat then, M’Lady? Carrots and grains like chickens?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll have you know that many lovely foods are entirely made of vegetables. I shall show them to you some time.”
“And there was me lookin’ forward to introducin’ ye to haggis,” he drawled.
“Haggis? Isn’t that a sheep’s bladder?” she asked, looking horrified.
“Nay, nae the bladder.” She appeared momentarily relieved. “But the stomach.”
She grimaced, and he laughed heartily as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“I would be most willing to feed the cats if someone else could prepare the meat for me. I imagine they must be freezing in the winter, and we have plenty of fires for them to sleep in front of. Particularly given all the wood you have a habit of chopping late into the night.”
“Are ye spyin’ on yer husband, Lady MacWatt?” he teased.
“I did perhaps see you when I first arrived, yes. I was surprised by how many fires you have in your halls until I realized you must chop down a forest every evening.”
He chuckled, pulling the horse alongside her as they returned to the castle. He did not remember when he had felt so diverted by anyone. She certainly had a wicked wit that he was enjoying becoming familiar with.
As they passed through the main gate, they were greeted by two carriages in the courtyard.
It appeared Lord Burton and Oskar were departing at the same time, and Leah instantly lost her easy manner as she noticed her father directing Magnus’s servants rather abruptly.
His overbearing ways never wavered, it seemed, even with servants who were not his own.
“Thank heavens he will be gone soon,” she muttered.
“Aye, lass, I cannae say I’ll be sorry to see the back of him,” Magnus replied, unsure whether he should agree with her, but he felt relieved as she gave him a grateful smile.
The Earl saw them enter the keep and approached them quickly, his usual pompous demeanor firmly in place. Magnus half expected Leah to shun him, but in true English fashion, she took his hands and kissed his cheek like a dutiful daughter. Her manners were impeccable.
“Goodbye, Papa,” she said, letting go of him quickly and stepping back to Magnus. He had to suppress the urge to take her into his arms immediately.
“You will write to your mother,” the Earl commanded. It was not a question.
“I have already written her a letter,” she said evenly, handing him a slim envelope. “And please take these for Timothy,” she added, handing him three much thicker envelopes.
Her father looked down at them in distaste. “What is this?” he asked.
“They are some more short stories for him to read. Perhaps Mama will read them to him, or he can read them himself as part of his lessons. I have written more on the dragon and the knight for him.”
The Earl sneered. “More fanciful nonsense. You realize you are a married lady now. You should have your head in the business of organizing your household and your staff, not writing frivolous stories.”
“Leah will be doin’ both while she is here,” Magnus stated, glaring at him.
“She is a talented writer and will continue to write her stories alongside her other duties. She has me full support in this. I am surprised ye would rather disparage yer daughter’s natural talents rather than celebrate them. ”
The Earl’s skin turned a deep red as he looked up at him, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. “How dare you—”
“As her husband, I dinnae need to justify me defense of me wife, Lord Burton.”
Leah looked back at her husband, her eyes sparkling with mischief as the Earl tucked the envelopes she had given him under his arm and nodded.
“Very well. I will not argue with you about something so trivial. Goodbye, Leah. Send your mother word of your situation regularly. I know she will wish to hear from you.”
“Yes, Papa,” she replied, and they both watched as the Earl got into his carriage and rode away.
Oskar approached them, also watching the retreating carriage, his eyebrows raised. “Ye dinnae resemble yer faither lass,” he remarked, shaking his head. “He isnae an easy man to spend time with.”
“He wasn’t always like that,” Leah replied softly.
“I didnae ken ye had a braither,” Magnus said, feeling guilty that he had not taken the time to ask about her family.
She grinned. “His name is Timothy, and he is wonderful. He is only eight years old. I just hope my father does not ruin him while I am away.”
Oskar shook his head. “If he is anythin’ like ye, I think he will turn out alright, lass,” he reassured her.
He bent down, taking her hand and kissing it reverently.
Magnus felt his jaw clench at the sight, and MacIrvin backed away, giving him a knowing look as he did so.
“I wish ye every happiness. I shall try to control some of Daphne’s ire before she comes to visit. Perhaps we can pretend the weddin’ hasnae happened and have a false one when she arrives.”
Leah laughed and handed over another sealed letter. “Please give her this for me—it explains everything. I would not wish for you to be on the receiving end of her wrath.”
Oskar winked at her as he took the letter. “I have me ways of placating the lass, dinnae worry.”
He turned to Magnus then, holding out a hand, and Magnus shook it quickly.
“I remember yer invitation to visit yer castle, but I didnae expect to do so under such circumstances. Daphne and I, and our son, will come back when we can to spend time here as friends, and our alliance will be stronger for it.”
“Ye are welcome any time,” Magnus said.
MacIrvin bowed to them both before he took his leave.
Leah seemed rather pensive upon their departure and said that she would go inside to get acquainted with her duties as the lady of the castle.
Magnus watched her go even as Kenneth came to stand at his right elbow.
“Who would have thought an English lass would be the solution to all our problems?” Kenneth mused.
“What do ye mean?” Magnus asked, turning to face him.
“The council are content, ye have a bride. The clans are content, ye have an alliance. Laird Gibson has left yer wedding without a suspicious move. It seems we have come to peace, at last.”
Magnus nodded, looking out the gated entrance to the castle at the lands beyond. They seemed rather greener and more beautiful this morning. Perhaps he was seeing them through the eyes of his new bride—she did tend to see beauty in everything.
“Aye. So the council is content?” Magnus asked skeptically. “I take it I will be able to avoid another meetin’ where I must explain every second of me day to them, then?”
Kenneth clapped him heartily on the shoulder. “Whatever gave ye that idea, M’Laird? They are waitin’ for ye as we speak.”
Magnus sighed. “Of course, they are.”
They made their way back inside, even as Magnus wished he could face his councilmen alongside his new bride.