Mary stood in the center of the abbey courtyard with a large turnip on her head.

“Wife, take that off your head,” Philip demanded, marching toward the quickly growing gathering of people.

Mary shook her head adamantly, signing to him that she would most definitely not be following his orders. Bella bit her lip to keep from laughing at the determined hand gestures that accompanied her decline of his insistence.

“My lady,” Philip begged, turning pleading eyes on Bella.

“I willna harm her,” Bella said with a laugh. “Mary and I have done this trick many times. Sometimes, I’m even blindfolded. Do ye think I’d want to hurt my dear friend?”

“Nay…” Philip mused his worried gaze on his wife. He put his hands on his hips, and she could see from his expression that he was contemplating perhaps picking his wife up and absconding with her.

“Let me do it.” Niall sauntered forward with his bow, a grin on his face that said he also wanted to add to his friend’s torment.

Philip blanched. “My laird…” But what could he say?

Niall was now the chief of the Oliphant clan after the passing of his father two months before.

Mary was nodding again, and Bella stepped aside, pleased to have her husband show off his skill to everyone at Scone. They’d arrived the day before for the wedding of Sir Walter and Princess Elizabeth. It seemed like the entire country was now gathered in this one place in celebration.

The wedding vows had taken place that morning, and now everyone was celebrating, including the bride and groom. From what Bella could see, the couple looked to be mostly happy. They had been smiling and whispering every since, and when the priest had said Walter could kiss his bride, he’d done so lingeringly, enough so that the king had stepped forward and would have likely separated them had the priest not given a slight shake of his head.

Even now, they stood close together near the courtyard, chatting as though they shared a secret. Bella could not have been happier for Walter, who had expressed much concern about his upcoming vows.

“He can do it,” Bella said cheerfully to Philip, putting her arrow back in the quiver and taking a step back. “There is only one archer in Scotland who can best me, and that is my husband.”

Philip nodded, his face pale, but Mary had a wide smile on her face. She placed her hands on her hips and stood tall, keeping herself very still so that the turnip on her head did not move an inch.

The bailey was a rush of whispers as people worried about whether or not Niall would be able to make the shot.

“Silence!” Bella shouted. “Go on, my love, show them.”

Niall grinned and winked at her as he nocked the arrow, slung the strap over his shoulder and bit down on the corded rope. The bailey was silent, the air crackling with tension, but Bella was proud and confident in her husband’s skill. He drew back the bowstring, took aim and fired.

The arrow shot through the air, cutting every doubt from those in attendance as its point obliterated the turnip atop Mary’s head, raining pieces over her hair and splattering its juice onto her face. Bella laughed and whooped, hugging her husband while Philip rushed forward to grab his wife up into his arms. He would likely not let go of her until they were all safely back at Dupplin.

The silence in the bailey quickly to exploded into a roar of cheers. No one here had ever seen Niall use the modified bow. Bella had wanted him to show everyone for more than one reason. Not just to prove to all that her husband was still a capable warrior—everyone knew that—but to show them that any man who had to go through the difficulties her husband had could heal and have options available to him. No one should have to suffer.

“Ye make me so proud,” Bella said, grasping his cheeks between her hands and kissing him.

“I have ye to thank,” Niall murmured against her lips and then bent her backwards, claiming her in a deliciously potent kiss that before now had only been experienced in their bedchamber.

Forgetting where they were, Bella wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him and ready to strip herself bare to claim the prize his kiss promised. When he finally ended the kiss, she could have fallen to the ground for all the strength she had left in her legs.

The sound of clapping slowly broke through the cobwebs of her mind. Niall righted her to face their king, who grinned and came forward.

Niall bowed low, while Bella curtsied.

“Incredible.”

“My wife’s design,” Niall said, taking no credit.

“Truly?” The king raised a brow, swinging his gaze toward hers.

Bella blushed but straightened her shoulders with pride. “Aye.”

“Well done.” Robert the Bruce ran his hand over the polished wood. “Ye’ll be hearing from my Master Fletcher.”

Bella’s belly did a flop, and instead of shouting with excitement, she managed to say in a calm tone, “I would be honored.”

After that, they were drawn into the abbey where tables and benches had been set up in the refectory and a great feast laid out. On the dais with the royal family sat Walter and his new wife.

Bella’s heart lightened at the conspiratorial wink Walter flashed his bride. Thank goodness Walter had not consigned himself to a lifetime of unhappiness.

Niall caught her staring at the table. “They look happy,” he said.

“Aye.”

“I’m verra happy for my brother.”

“I am, too. Everyone should experience love.”

Niall stroked her spine as they approached her parents’ table where they would dine. “I’m not certain they’ll feel half the happiness we do, my love, but even still, half of it would be a good place.”

She grinned up at him, about to tug him to her for another kiss when her mother and father interrupted them.

Her father grabbed her up in a tight hug. “The castle has not been quite the same without ye, but we see ye’ve been verra busy, and we’re more than proud.”

Bella blushed again. “I have missed ye both. Everyone.”

When Bella hugged her mother, Lady Arbella glanced down at her middle, a broad grin covering her face. “Oh, my darling, ye’ve done it.”

“What?” Bella glanced down to where her mother was looking at the small bulge of her belly. The one she’d been trying to forget she had.

“Ye’re with child.”

Bella whitened. “Nay, Mama.” She looked back at Niall, making certain he wasn’t listening. He was engaged with her father at the moment, so she whispered. “I fear I have…a tumor. I have been unwell, and there is a swelling in my abdomen. I didna want to tell Niall. I’ve been…living day to day and trying to make the most of everything.”

Arbella laughed. “Oh, my love, I dinna think so.” She listed off all of the symptoms Bella had been having—nausea in the morning, sore breasts, insatiable hunger and aversion to some of her favorite foods, exhaustion. “Ye’re with child, several months if I were to guess.”

“How is this possible?” Bella glanced at Niall, completely perplexed.

Arbella shrugged. “I dinna know. I sometimes only have a tiny amount of bleeding, insignificant enough that I have thought to have missed my monthly. Perhaps that has something to do with it.”

Bella touched the small bump in her belly that she’d thought would be the death of her up until now. “A bairn.”

“Aye.”

She hugged her mother tightly. “I have to tell him.”

Turning to Niall, she grabbed hold of his hand and tugged him toward an alcove. She couldn’t keep the news from him, and if she didn’t get him into the semi-private area, she’d shout it to the entire great hall.

“What is it?” Niall looked worried as he searched her face for answers.

“I’ve just discovered the most amazing news, and while I know I should wait until we were alone tonight, I couldna keep it from ye.” She spoke fast, feeling flushed with excitement.

“Aye, tell me.” He grabbed hold of her hand.

Bella met his gaze, locking her eyes with his. She licked her lips and then burst out with it, “I am with child.”

“What?” Niall blinked as though he’d not heard her.

“My mother has just confirmed it. I am with child. We’re going to have a bairn.” She pressed his hand to her belly, and he splayed his palm over the ever-growing bulge. “Do ye feel that? It is our child.”

Niall’s eyes widened, a smile forming on his face as what she told him dawned.

“Together we make miracles, husband.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and hauled her up against him, kissing her tenderly. “God, I love ye.”

“Am I dreaming?” Bella asked. “Is this real?”

“Och, aye, sweetheart. This is real.”

“Never in all my dreams,” she mused against his mouth, kissing him again and again.

“Och, but ye see,” Niall said, his emerald eyes locking on hers. “That is where I did see it. In my dreams.”

Bella laughed, and Niall let out a triumphant shout.

Those who stood on the outside of the curtain did not know exactly what was going on behind it, but what they guessed at left no question that Laird Niall Oliphant was indeed a whole man, and that his wife was heartily satisfied.