Chapter Forty-Three
Logan
The festival started right after the wedding with tables and tables of food. Pheasant, boar, and lamb meat pies, venison stew, fruit tarts, bread, and baked apples filled the tables. The hall was decorated with greenery, pinecones, and ribbons, and everyone from Mull was there.
Logan sat near the hearth, Gwyneth next to him. “Do you feel bad we’re not at Clan Ramsay, Gwynie?”
“Nay, we have enough friends here. But aye, I do miss our bairns and our clan. We see Simone often enough, and Eli is here, plus your special guest whom I adore is outside. It’s always good to see him again. This was a special year. Look at all the weddings.”
“Too many to count,” he said.
“I’m not sure who I think is the happiest. Who do you think is?”
Logan snorted. “Lennox and Meg because he’s always staring at her arse, Gwynie. Have you noticed? And Sloan couldn’t be happier to be married and to have his sister married and his father.”
“Rut and Dermot look verra happy. I hear Lennox and Taskill were overjoyed when Rut moved out to live with Dermot.”
Logan laughed. “But then Rut went home. Every time they argue she goes home, so Lennox says.”
Gwynie said, “I know who I think is the happiest—Thane and Tamsin. Their story is the best of all. He’s so happy with her, and he found his parents again. Plus, they caught those cruel bastards who abandoned those children on the shore. What a terrible story that was.”
“Merryn’s story is something too. Broc adores her.” Logan took his wife’s hand and kissed her fingers. “I just thank the Lord above that Connor made it through.”
The door opened and someone motioned to Logan.
“I’m up, Gwynie. I shall return.”
“Go ahead, you big softie.”
Logan nodded to Dyna who had Maitland whistle to quiet everyone.
Dyna and Maitland stood in front of the crowd and called all the bairns up front, seating them before everyone.
The crowd moved back to make room. Up came Alana with Magni, Shealee with Sylvi, Tora, and Sandor, Rowan with Tenney, and Maeve holding Grant.
Logan said, “After all you bairns have been through this year, you deserve some special gifts for Yule. Dyna, Sela, and Gwynie have worked hard to create new fabric animals for you. Dyna? Go ahead and hand these out.”
Dyna, Eli, and Sela handed out the various handmade bunnies, squirrels, and puppies, letting each child select their favorite. The wee ones giggled and hugged their gifts, faces glowing.
Then Logan said, “But this year, you all get a second gift and it’s a special one. I had my special friend bring your gifts across the water.” He turned around and opened the door, two tall men entering, one clearly older than the other, carrying a big crate between them.
“This is my nephew and Chieftain Torrian Ramsay for those of you who don’t know him. He’s here with his son Lucas, the new chieftain, and they brought you special gifts.”
Torrian took the top off the big crate, one too tall for the bairns to peek inside.
“I know what it’s like to have a difficult time, and I hear you bairns suffered too much this year.
So, I offer you something that helped me forget about the bad parts of the world.
Mine was named Growley, and not only did he help me grow, he also protected me many times when I was young. ”
Magni asked, “What could protect you that is small and sits in a box?”
“You’ll see, lad. Be patient.”
The lads and lassies waited, odd squeaks coming from the crate. Torrian played with whatever was inside, then said, “Magni, Lia tells me you need something warm and large. It’s not large yet, but it will grow. Magni, would you like to come up and be first?”
Magni crept up to Torrian and said, “Aye, my lord, if you please.”
Torrian pulled out a basket with a gray puppy and handed it to Magni.
Logan said, “His name is Liam, Magni. So when Lia has to leave for a while, you have another protector, Liam.”
“My verra own?” he cried, looking from Torrian to Logan. “I can keep him?” Both men nodded as Lucas lifted the puppy out of the basket and handed it to him, the furry beast promptly licking his cheek. Magni giggled and spun around to Thane and asked, “Can we keep him?”
“Aye, because Alana is getting one too.” Thane squeezed Tamsin’s hand while she patted her growing belly.
Torrian said, “Every home needs two dogs. They like to sleep together.”
Torrian and Lucas handed out the puppies, the bairns all ecstatic with their gifts. Once they finished and joined the group, Logan said, “Wait. One more surprise. And this one is for Gwynie.”
Someone knocked on the door and Logan opened it. In came two of their bairns, Sorcha with her husband Cailean, and Gavin with Merewen. Some of their grandbairns followed with squeals of excitement, and they all surrounded Gwyneth: Ysenda and Lewis, Ceit and Brin Cameron, Cadyn and Tryana.
Just when they thought everyone was here, the door opened and a tall, fair-haired lad came in, slamming the door behind him—Errol, Gavin and Merewen’s youngest son. Eli hurried over to give her youngest brother a hug.
Connor stared at the lad. “He’s the exact image of you, Logan.”
Logan nodded and beamed. “Aye, he is.”
“Happy Yule to all,” Logan said.
***
Hagen and Brynja watched from the back while the bairns received their gifts. “Can you believe we’re married, lass?”
“Nay, but I’m happy. So happy. I understand what you and your sire were trying to tell me.”
“About?”
“Vengeance. I’m still sad and angry about losing my mother and my aunt, and I’ll never forget Sholto or Dugan, but I won’t let them take over my mind. They really did do exactly that.”
“What?”
“Vengeance consumed me. But that hate, that anger, is replaced with something else.”
He tipped his head at her, then nuzzled her neck.
“Love. For you, Hildi, your clan, the people of Mull, even the nuns. They were only trying to help us.”
“I love you too.”
She scowled, her gaze scanning the hall. “Speaking of Hildi, where is she? Have you seen her since the ceremony?”
He shook his head, frowning with her. “Now that you mention it, have you seen Jowell? Paden is over there flirting with Mora, but I haven’t seen him.”
Brynja broke into a grin and took his hand. “Hush, I think I know where they are.”
“They? You mean together?”
She nodded and held her finger to her lips to shush him, then led him over to the healer’s chamber. A small candle flickered inside, but not enough to light up the entire space. She cracked the door open and heard a gasp.
“Hildi?”
Hagen peered over her shoulder. “Jowell, you scoundrel. What are you two doing in here?”
The two were kissing and jumped apart, both a bit short of breath.
“Naught,” Jowell said. “Hildi was feeling light-headed, so I brought her in here.”
“Of course,” Hagen drawled. “I’m sure holding her that tightly kept her from dropping. Try seating her next time, Jowell.”
His cousin shrugged, grinned, then sat down and hauled Hildi onto his lap. “I was just convincing Hildi to stay at Clan Grantham now that you’re married.”
“And?” Brynja’s whisper ended in a light squeal.
“And I agreed.” Hildi’s face glowed.
“Hildi, I’m so happy. We belong together.”
“I know. I’ll never leave you, Brynja.”
Hagen tugged his wife over, took a seat across from Jowell, and settled Brynja on his lap. “The priest is here for the night.” He tipped his head at his cousin.
Jowell shook his head and said, “Nay, we’ve discussed it. We’re not ready yet. We wish to wait a while. Mayhap next Yule.”
“That sounds perfect,” Brynja said. “And I promise to show you where I hid the treasure left by our mothers so we can both enjoy it.”