Bonus Scene
It had been two years since Emma had left her home in the Highlands to live in London with Trevor.
In that time, there had been much upheaval.
It had taken some time to adjust to life in the city.
It was strange for her not to recognize everyone she encountered and to even be met with hostility from strangers, but in time, she adjusted her expectations of what was acceptable.
It was exciting to be in a new place, and even when the sheen of that excitement wore off, she still enjoyed London for the sheer variety of experiences it had to offer compared to her village.
She and Trevor became regular fixtures at social gatherings, and while at first people seemed puzzled by her accent, she soon made friends.
They were all excited to hear about her experiences in the Highlands.
Their lives had been so sheltered by the city that even the most mundane events of Emma’s life were treated with awe and reverence, and Emma was certainly not going to complain about that.
Life had changed for Trevor too. With a wife by his side, he was eager to make a success of himself and threw himself into work, although not to the detriment of his marriage.
With the social connections he made, he was able to find favor with many people, and his reputation rose to such a degree that he was eventually able to break away from his uncle’s firm and establish his own.
He decided to focus on helping people make claims who did not have legal expertise, and he received a great deal of trade.
Their lives were also blessed by the arrival of a son nine months after they were married.
Emma found it a little strange that her son would be born in a country different from the one she considered her own, and it made her closer to her parents, for she understood how her mother must have felt when she was born.
Paradoxically, her bond with the Highlands had gotten stronger the farther she traveled from it.
Speaking about it with her new friends reminded her of all the good times she had had in the Highlands and what she had loved about it.
She longed to travel back there, but so far, the two years had been so busy she had been unable.
She exchanged frequent letters with her parents, though, and her father had been so proud that Emma and Trevor had called their son Douglas in honor of him.
Emma wasn’t sure what future awaited the boy, but she hoped that he would not be bullied as she was in her youth.
He was a heavy two-year-old, rambunctious and curious, always finding his way into the nooks and crannies of the house.
“I think he’ll like the Highlands,” she remarked as they made plans to travel there for the Beltane Festival. “There are plenty of places for him tae explore.”
“I just hope he doesn’t get lost in the forest.”
Emma shot Trevor a look. “Nothing like that is gaeing tae happen. My Da will keep a close eye on him.”
Emma’s heart swelled with excitement at the thought of seeing her family again.
It had been far too long, and letters could only do so much to ease the ache in her heart.
The journey would be a long one, especially because little Douglas was restless to be shut in a carriage for such a long length of time.
They stopped off at inns on the way through and tried to take joy in the small moments that were afforded them.
Still, Emma would much rather have done away with all the traveling entirely if she could have returned to the Highlands immediately.
As their journey continued and they crossed the border to Scotland, Emma sat Douglas on her lap and pointed out everything he was seeing.
She told him about the local wildlife and the various types of flowers that were in bloom, as well as stories from her youth.
The carriage trundled toward the village, and Emma’s heart rose in excitement the closer they grew.
She hadn’t realized how much she had missed the Highlands until the beautiful landscape rose in her vision again.
A tear rolled down her cheek when the village came into view.
Its beauty was perennial, and it was as though it would always be this way.
When they arrived, she flung open the carriage and ran through the village as fast as she could, and this time, she did not care to wear a shawl.
Trevor followed with little Douglas in his arms, and she cried out to her parents.
They were in the middle of helping the village get ready for Beltane Day but dropped what they were doing when their daughter returned.
Their smiles were wide, and Emma threw herself at them, letting the emotion rush through her.
Trevor was there soon enough too, and they were eager to introduce little Douglas to his grandparents.
Douglas took his namesake into his arms and lifted him high into the air, looking as proud as any man had ever been. Little Douglas took an instant liking to his grandparents, which was only right because they were family, after all.
“I’ve missed ye sae much,” Emma said to her mother.
Lyndsay wrapped her arm around Emma’s shoulders and took Trevor’s hands in hers, walking them back to the farm, for she was eager to hear about everything that had happened in England.