Binding Vows(82)

“No more sickness then?”

“I could only hope. But my guess is I’ll have to deal with that for a little longer.” She smiled, leading him to the dining hall.

“Deal with what? You’d tell me if you were ill, wouldn’t you, Tara?”

“I’m not ill.” She turned to him now. “In fact, I’ve never felt better.” She made a show of holding both his hands and gazed up at him with misty eyes. “I have a surprise for you.”

“What surprise, my playful wife?”

Her body wiggled closer, her mind and thoughts slipped in as well. We’re going to have a baby!

Duncan’s eyes flew open wide. He skimmed over her thin waist. His jaw dropped.

He stared, and said nothing, bending his head to study her. “Are you certain?”

She nodded, and did a little happy dance.

Duncan’s heart burst with happiness. He crushed her into his arms. A primal howl escaped as he twirled her in circles.

Every maid, servant, knight, and family member within earshot ran to the room. “What happened?” several voices asked.

He seared her lips with a soulful kiss.

She stumbled backward.

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He caught her at the elbows, heart still soaring with gaiety.

“God’s teeth, son. Take it to your chambers,” Ian bellowed. “You had us all worried.” Ian stood surrounded by faces, all saying the same thing.

Can I tell him? Tara asked bouncing with excitement.

Be my guest.

“Sorry, ‘Grandpa’, we got carried away.” Tara put her head down in mock shame. “We won’t do it again.”

“As well you should be. Such displays are...

‘Grandpa’?” Ian stopped speaking, his voice lowered with suppressed happiness.

Tara looked up through strands of hair, which had fallen, in front of her eyes, obviously trying hard to keep a straight face. She failed miserably.

Duncan applauded her efforts.

“Grandpa?” Ian asked with a robust laugh.

Tara did the happy dance again.

Ian swooped her in the air as Duncan had done a moment ago. His beaming grin twinkled in his eyes. By the time Fin had his turn, Tara looked green.

Duncan, Ian and Fin apologized at the same time.

When Lora led Tara to the kitchens for food, Duncan accepted the knocks of congratulations on his back.

A new life to celebrate, Duncan pondered. ’ tis exactly what we needed. Worries can wait for another day.



****

Because the family wanted to talk of the new arrival until all hours of the morning, it was late when Tara and Duncan finally made their way to their chambers. Duncan helped her out of her gown. He pulled loose the strings binding the gown 245



Catherine Bybee



together, while she held her long vibrant hair back.

It was a husbandly chore he enjoyed fully.

“Are you truly happy?” Tara asked.

Her question surprised him. How could she not know how pleased he was? He caught her reflection in the mirror, and gathered her against him. His hand trailed down her side and settled on her flat stomach. “I couldn’t love you any more than I do right now.”

Duncan remembered the vision he had placed in her head right before he had made love to her the first time. Looking at her now was as if the vision was a premonition to their future.

“Are you sure it isn’t because of the vows we took in California?”

His brows narrowed. He caught his breath.

“The handfasting?” Tara turned to stare him in the face. “You haven’t forgotten have you?”

“Nay but...” How does she know...

She read his thoughts, almost before they formed. “You don’t really think I don’t know what happened back there, do you?”

“Ah,” He searched deeper to see if she was angry or hurt. It was the only secret he kept. He feared what she was going to say. He swallowed and waited, but neither fear nor anger emerged.

“Even if Myra hadn’t told me, I would have figured it out. We started...” Talking to each other like this the instant our vows were spoken. You had to think I’d know.

Myra told you?

“Yes, the day of our wedding. I told her the vows we took in California, and she explained what they were.” Her breath hitched. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I couldn’t have told you then, you wouldn’t have believed me.”

“What about later? When we came here?”

“There were so many things for you to take in at 246



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first. I didn’t think it was wise to give you more.”

“What about after we were engaged?”

He rolled his head back. “I didn’t want to lose you. When you ran off that first day you scared me.”