The Highlander’s Promise by Mary Wine
Epilogue
Spring…
The wind blew warm.
Terin stretched and found a reason to leave her workroom. The fresh air smelled wonderful, and everywhere trees had buds on them. She could smell the scent of newly turned fields as everyone finally emerged from winter’s grip.
The bells on the walls began to toil.
Terin hurried out to see who their first visitor would be. She wasn’t alone. Half the house turned out to watch as a group of Retainers rode into the yard. Terin gasped as she recognized the Campbell plaid and her brother Kendric.
“Oh no,” Terin exclaimed as she went running down the passageway.
“Jasper Chattan!” Kendric roared. “What is this I hear about ye wedding me sister without permission?”
Jasper was in the yard, facing off with Kendric. Normally Jasper towered above the other men, but Kendric was an even match for him.
“I had her permission,” Jasper informed Kendric arrogantly. “What can I say? Yer sister likes me, lad. A whole lot.”
“Jasper,” Terin gasped in horror. Her face flamed as half the yard sounded like it chuckled at her expense.
Jasper turned to wink at her.
Kendric landed a solid punch on the side of his jaw.
Jasper snapped around. “So ye want to play, do ye?”
“Do nae fight!” Terin exclaimed as she launched forward.
Fallis caught her and held her back as more of Jasper’s men made a wall in front of her.
Kendric and Jasper continued their fight, much to the delight of those watching.
“Make them stop,” Terin ordered.
She might as well have saved her breath.
No one interfered, and Jasper and Kendric didn’t stop until they were both heaving and bleeding. When Fallis and the others finally allowed her to go past them, Terin found Jasper sitting on a step as he grinned at Kendric.
“The pair of ye are no better than boys,” Terin declared with her hands on her hips.
Jasper sent her a wink. “Ye enjoy the fact that I am a full-grown man, wife.”
“That’s my sister,” Kendric growled. “Mind how ye talk about her.”
Jasper sent Kendric a hard look. “Ye can mind how ye tell me to care for yer sister. I found her walking here because the Campbell do nae seem to have any notion as to who a decent match for their daughter is.”
Kendric wanted to argue, but he shut his mouth.
“Aye,” Jasper continued. “Terin is in good hands with me as her husband.”
Terin couldn’t really argue, even if she wanted to. She shook her head, her anger dissipating as the crowd around them began to disperse.
“I do nae understand why men enjoy fighting so much,” Terin remarked.
Jasper grinned at her. There was blood in his teeth.
Terin suddenly stiffened. Her belly was heaving. She slapped a hand over her mouth and ran. She didn’t make it very far, though. She ended up leaning over a small wheelbarrow that was used to clean the chicken coops.
“Well now,” Davonna suddenly appeared. “It would seem it was a good choice to have the wedding.”
Terin was wiping the sweat off her forehead as the women around her laughed. Aife was suddenly arriving with a cup of water for Terin to rinse her mouth out with.
“Terin,” Jasper was on his feet and coming toward her.
But the scent of his blood hit her first, and her belly heaved again.
“Come along to the bathhouse.” Orla and Meghan were suddenly there on either side of him. A rush of matrons all clustered around Kendric.
“What are ye women about?” Kendric demanded.
“The mistress is with child,” Orla declared. “We can nae have filth in the house!”
Jasper stared at his wife with love in his eyes. “Is it true?”
She could not keep herself from smiling and nodded. “Yes. I wanted to tell ye…”
“Lass…” He kissed her lovingly and drew her into a tight embrace. “I am the happiest man alive.”
Terin hugged him back, knowing no one could ever take the love she felt for her new family and home.
