EPILOGUE
Joanna smiled as she stood on the turret, looking out over the fields beyond. The village of Lochlann slumbered between its walls, restored and raised by the team of masons from Edinburgh.
The wind was warm, scented with fresh grass and the distant hint of flowers. It ruffled Joanna's hair and brought a soft smile to her face. It was springtime, she was in love. She was home.
“Dearest?”
She turned, feeling a slow smile cross her face.
“Yes?”
“Come within. I have something to show you.”
Joanna walked languidly behind Dougal, watching the way his walk was so fluid, so lithe. She smiled. She had learned to love every inch of his body, coming to take as much pleasure in it as she did in the slow, lazy smile, the sparkle of his eyes. His moodiness. She loved him so much it hurt.
Inside, he went to the solar. Stood back, waving a hand in some proprietary pride.
“What say you?”
Joanna frowned, pretending to consider. The thing he showed her was a set of carved wooden seats in polished oak. Pale and shining, the wood was a warm ocher brown that glowed in the light from the windows and gave it back, muted and warmed. There was a table, too, she noticed. A long one, capable of seating perhaps ten per side. She felt a warm joy spread through her.
“What do you think?” she asked, a frown on her brow.
“Well,” Dougal said, tapping a long, tapered finger to his lips. “I think the workman is quite talented. Do you concur?”
Joanna tipped her head back, letting out the laugh that had been lurking inside since he brought her here.
“Dougal, I love it! Why even ask?” She laughed. “My only concern is that you'll beggar the castle savings if you purchase this! The craftsman must be a true master!”
Dougal smiled, a small, proud smile. “He is from Holland. A talented man. Though this is oak, carved here in the lowlands where the wood grows best.”
“I can see that!” Joanna laughed. “Dougal! You madman. It will be the most beautiful addition to the place. I love it.”
Dougal smiled. He put his arms around her.
“My dear,” he said, “you have brought light to my life. You've set this whole castle aflame with joy and new life. I want to celebrate it. May I?”
Joanna laughed. She pressed her body to his, wrapping her arms around him to hold him close. She could not quite believe how much she loved him sometimes.
He held her close and she rested her head on his chest, breathing in the scent of leather and warmth. She felt safe here, held against him. Warm and loved.
“Well, we need a large table,” Dougal was saying as he released her from his close embrace. “We'll have many visitors.”
“Indeed!” Joanna nodded. Already, Alina had said she would visit, bringing Leona and Duncan – and Conn and Alf too, because they must go where Leona was. Her parents visited every three months – that was as Amabel loved the castle, and spending time with her eldest daughter was a healing balm to her energetic soul. Chrissie and Blaine visited less often, but Joanna looked forward to the happy laughter they brought with them every time.
In addition, Joanna thought with a gentle smile, one day our own children will sit here.
As a seer, it was granted her to see short glimpses of the future and, as she glanced down the table, she saw, suddenly, a small boy, fair-haired and blue eyed. He caught her eye and looked at her with a strange curiosity, as if he knew her, but did not expect to see her here and now. Across the table was a small girl with red hair, a soft face and dark eyes with a solemn, inward look. Beside the boy, there was another girl, merry and fair haired like him, with a ready smile.
Joanna nodded. These were their children – at least the boy and the first girl she was sure were hers and Dougal's, for she could see both their features strong in their faces. She blinked.
“Sorry, dear?” she turned to Dougal, who was looking at her as if he had just said something.
“I just wanted to ask if you think we should move it in now. I'm not sure if we need time to make some space for it or not?”
Joanna smiled. “We can move it in now, dear. I'll ask Bet if she can send some men to help. We can rearrange it in no time at all, I'm sure.”
The castle was alive with servants and guardsmen, cooks, traders and artisans. It was a place of joy. A place of harmony.
The shadows were gone, burned away by the fire of joy. Because there is no fear, no darkness, that can stand in the face of love.
Joanna turned to Dougal, and he smiled.
“Well, then. Let's go inside.”
She linked her arm to his and followed him into the dining area of the solar, where the new table would go.
“I do love you, dear,” she whispered. She leaned up to kiss his cheek.
“I love you, too, my treasure.”
They walked across to the arched windows, hand in hand and moved the drapes back from the windows and the room filled with light.