Life went on as usual for a few months. Davina, looking at her mother, agreed with the old saying that pregnant women glowed. Una, pink-cheeked and lively, looked in the peak of health and happiness. She had conquered her early fears and misgivings about the pregnancy and was taking life one day at a time. The sickness stopped, and Mungo made sure that she hired the best cook in Greanoch to satisfy her appetite and give her the best nourishment at all times. And if it could be said that men glowed, then Mungo certainly did. He was bursting with pride, and rarely to be seen without a big foolish grin on his face.

The one unhappy person among them was Grant. Since Maura's death, his life had been utterly without purpose or love. Davina and Athol adored each other. So, did Mungo and Una, Lyle and Mary. He missed Maura. He knew what kind of woman she had been but when he looked back all he could see in his mind's eye were good memories. He remembered the way she talked, laughed and teased him. But most of all he remembered the way she surrendered to him and her soft moans of pleasure when they loved.

It hurt him to see a pregnant, healthy woman like Una walking around, perfectly content, with no other aim in life but to give birth to her baby and look after it and her husband for the rest of her life. He began to drink again and Davina started to worry about him.

"He feels useless," she said to Athol. Grant was standing looking over the battlements toward the sea with a glass of whiskey in his hand. "Is there nothing we can give him to do?"

Athol thought for a moment. It was a pleasant enough evening in early October and the days were shortening fast. Soon it would be winter, then Yule and New Year. He wondered how Grant would cope with the freezing days of winter. It often happened that as the temperature dropped, so did a person's spirits. And worst of all, he had been looking forward to becoming a father, the sole purpose of most men's lives, and now that had gone, he felt he had nothing to live for. He must be feeling absolutely wretched, Athol thought, looking at Grant's slumped shoulders.

"He is selling the property in Fort Augustus anyway," Athol told her. "He says it's useless to him now."

"He needs to find another wife," Davina observed. "Looking at all these newlyweds and pregnant ladies cannot be good for a man who has just lost his love."

Just then, Una and Mungo came upstairs. Mungo had his arm around her waist and he was smiling, as he always seemed to be these days.

Una looked at Grant and frowned. "Grant," she said slowly, "I have been thinking about your future."

Grant nodded his head slowly. "I can leave forthwith if you want me to," he said glumly. "I have some money and farming experience."

"That is exactly what Laird Shaw needs now," Una smiled, "he has been elevated, his estate manager has retired, and he needs a new one. I recommended you."

Grant shook his head, unable to believe what Una had just said. "Why would you do that for me?" he asked, incredulous.

"Blame my husband," Una sighed. "He is a most forgiving man, and he made me realize that yes, you were weak, and perhaps you should have told us about Maura's true nature, but I think you would have told us if you had known what she was planning. So, I could either spend my life hating you, which would make us both feel bad, or forgive you so that we can feel better. I choose to forgive. So, go and see Laird Shaw!"

"Thank you, Auntie!" He gasped, smiling from ear to ear. He could scarcely believe it. Laird Shaw was rumored to be one of the best lairds to work for, and his staff loved him. And best of all, he had been forgiven.

"Another problem solved!" Una said happily. Suddenly she thought of Ruaridh. She was sure he was smiling.

Davina had been standing beside Athol, who had his arm around her waist. All of a sudden, her knees felt weak and she clutched him to stop herself from falling. "Athol…" she moaned, then the world spun around her as she collapsed in a dead faint.

Athol caught her just before she hit the ground, then he cradled her in his arms, patting her cheeks to wake her up. "Davina, sweetheart!" His voice was panicky and as he looked up at Una, he experienced a feeling of utter helplessness. He could do nothing to help his beloved wife if anything was badly wrong with her.

"Mother, shall we send for Elisaid?" he asked urgently.

"Wait," she answered. "I have seen this before."

Then, just as Elisaid had done, she pressed her hand onto Davina's stomach and kept it there for a few seconds. Then she took Athol's hand and placed it where her own had been. He felt under his palms a little series of faint tap-taps and frowned in puzzlement.

"What is that?" he asked. His heart was hammering so hard he thought it might burst out of his chest.

"It's called 'the quickening,' darling," Una smiled. "It's the first time a mother feels her baby kick, and sometimes it affects them this way. Congratulations Athol. You're going to be a father."

Davina moaned a little and her eyelids fluttered open. "What happened?" she asked dazedly, "I don't feel well."

Athol helped her to sit up, then held her close. Davina relaxed into the warmth of his arms, then gasped as she felt the movements inside her.

"It's real," she breathed and the smile she bestowed on Athol was rapturous.

"Why did you not tell me?" he asked, kissing her forehead.

"When I missed my flux the first time I thought it might be all the stress of Maura's death," she explained. "Then the second time I did not want to give you false hope. You have wanted me to give you a child so much. After Maura, I did not want you to worry." She looked down at her stomach again, where the first faint bulge had already appeared.

"This has been a wonderful day!" Grant stooped down to kiss Davina then helped Athol to lift her up.

Una and Mungo had gone downstairs, and Grant did so too, leaving Athol and Davina alone. "Thank you," Athol murmured. His heart was overflowing with love and joy.

Davina looked up at him, smiled, then put her head on his shoulder. "Don't thank me, sweetheart," she said and laughed. "I couldn't have done it without you!