Brathanead Castle
April 26, 1368

As the minstrels came to the end of the song and the dance ended, Lucas lifted Ailsa into his arms and spun her around. She threw her head back and laughed with the abandon he loved. Initially, neither he nor Ailsa had been overly excited about the huge celebration that both families had insisted on throwing in honor of their wedding and the new alliance between the MacLennans and Grants. But after the two of them had taken matters into their own hands six months ago and married at the abbey, there was no way to avoid it. And now he was glad they hadn’t.

“I love ye, Ailsa Grant.”

As he lowered her feet to the floor, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I love ye too, Lucas. And I love dancing with ye.”

“I do too, but ye need to take a wee break.”

“Nonsense, I’m fine.”

He lowered his lips to her ears. “And I’d like ye to save a bit of that exuberance for when we’re alone.”

She laughed softly and whispered back, “Ye needn’t worry about that. I’m sure I’ll be able to pluck up enough energy when the time comes.”

He threw his head back and laughed, leading her away from the dancing anyway. He thought back now to what he had told William about preferring a crofter’s daughter or maidservant to a noblewoman and smiled. Ailsa had clearly not been taught that all the delightful things men and women did were sinful. His brother had also been right about joy that could be found teaching all those things to the right women. And Ailsa was, without a doubt, the right woman. She was passionate and responsive. She made love with an abandon he’d never experienced before, holding nothing back. The last six months had been pure heaven.

He took two tankards of ale from a passing servant and, gripping both in one hand, he put the other in the small of Ailsa’s back, guiding her to the laird’s table where his brothers and their wives were resting from the dancing too. He put the tankards on the table and flopped into a chair, pulling Ailsa onto his lap and kissing her again.

William frowned at him. “Lucas, a little decorum.”

Nina slapped playfully at his arm. “Oh, William, give it a rest. This is the celebration of their wedding after all.”

“Aye, but they’ve been married for six months now.”

“Brother, ye’re the one who told me—”

William put up a hand to cut him off. “Enough. Ye’ve thrown what I told ye in my face often enough now.”

Robert chuckled. “I don’t recall ye ever having any sort of chat like that with me.”

“By God’s holy bones, Robert, I didn’t need to. Ye aren’t half as hard-headed as Lucas.”

“Aye, he is,” said Emily. “I haven’t been able to get him to dance with me at all this evening.”

A stern look crossed his countenance. “Nay, and ye won’t.” He rested a hand on her very pregnant belly. “That bairn is due any day now.”

She put her hands on her hips. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“It could bring on labor.”

“So what? I understand Katherine MacIan is a skilled healer and midwife and so is Tira MacBain. There’s more than enough help here, should that happen.”

“Nevertheless, ye aren’t dancing.”

Emily huffed in frustration.

Fingal and Gillian joined them, flushed from dancing.

Gillian frowned at her. “Ailsa, really, ye needn’t sit on Lucas’s lap. A little decorum.”

Ailsa rolled her eyes and both Nina and Emily laughed.

“I said the same thing,” grumbled William.

Lucas stood, lifting Ailsa in his arms as he did, causing her to giggle. “Well, if decorum is called for, I believe it’s time for me to slip away with my bride.”

Before anyone could argue, he was away from the table and heading to the tower stairs. The crowd parted for them, and ribald comments followed in their wake.

When they reached the stairs, Lucas turned and addressed the crowd. “Thank ye all for joining with us in celebrating our wedding. And thanks too for all the helpful suggestions.”

Laughter erupted from the crowd.

When they had quieted again, Lucas said, “Given yer enthusiasm, even though Ailsa and I have been married for six months now, I’m certain you’ll forgive me if I spirit my bride away now.”

He entered the stairwell and practically ran up them with his beloved in his arms. He didn’t put her down until they had reached the seclusion of their chamber and then he took his time kissing her and removing her clothes.

Duff looked up from his bed on the hearth momentarily. Unimpressed, he repositioned and went back to sleep.

When he pulled away, Ailsa grinned at him, loosening his belt as she said, “It’s a good thing ye didn’t kiss me like that downstairs. William might have had an apoplexy.”

Lucas chuckled. “I don’t doubt it.”

Continuing to undress him, she asked, “Did ye enjoy the celebration?”

He gave her a gentle kiss. “Aye, pet, I did.”

“I did too.” She took his hands and let him to the bed.

“And all things considered, it was a small price to pay to soothe the minor upset that occurred when we returned from the abbey.”

She arched a brow at him. “Minor upset? By all the saints, I was convinced Fingal and Quinn were going to kill ye when we returned from the abbey.”

He chuckled. “Aye, I’ve never thought of William as the voice of reason, but I’m certain ’twas only his intervention that stopped them. And he was so bloody angry with me too, I’m still not sure why he did it.”

She scoffed, slapping at his chest. “Because he loves ye, ye big eejit.”

He put a finger to her lips. “Mind yer wee, sharp tongue, lassie, or I’ll keep it busy doing something else.”

She giggled and hopped onto the bed, turned on her side and pulled him down beside her. “But ye know it’s true. He does love ye. And ye should count yer blessings. My ears rang for days from the tongue lashing I got from my sisters.”

He leaned up on his elbow. “They love ye too.”

“Aye, they do. But ye know, it took reminding Gillie of how it felt when she had no control over her future to soften her a bit. Then I told them about Father Giles and the rings.”

“And ye think that was the key to them to support our decision?”

“Are ye jesting? Ye do remember that story don’t ye?”

He gave her backside a playful swat. “Aye, lass, I do.”

“Fallon was sobbing and apologizing for standing in our way at all by the time I was done.”

He laughed. “Aye, your sisters are formidable foes, and even better allies. When Gillian suggested holding the wedding celebration as planned and William jumped on the idea, there was no sense arguing.”

“Well, that was all they wanted really. To be able to make a clear statement to all of the Highland clans that the MacLennans and Grants had united.”

“Aye. I suppose so.”

She looked him in the eye. “And, of course, since we were married in the Church instead of handfasting, no one really cared that the bride was pregnant by the day of the celebration.”

“Nay, I don’t suppose so.”

She continued to look at him, mischief dancing in her eyes.

“Wait. Are ye saying…”

She nodded.

“A bairn? We’re having a bairn?”

A brilliant smile spread across her face. “Aye. October, I think.”

“Nay ye’re jesting.”

“I’m not jesting. God willing, we’re going to have a bairn after the harvest.”

He pulled her onto his chest, hugging her close and kissing her. “I’m going to be a father. Ailsa, that’s amazing.”

She laughed. “Considering yer fondness for the activity that caused it, it’s not all that amazing, ye big eejit.”

He growled, rolling her to her back. “Now that’s the second time in the last few minutes ye’ve called me a big eejit, and I think my naughty lass needs to be reminded to show a little respect.”

“Mmmm. That sounds like fun.”