Ceci Giltenan(29)

“All right, I interfered a lot, but no one else dared.”

Niall thought about this for a moment before saying, “So you feel responsible for him?”

“Partially, I guess,” she answered. Her brow furrowed as she appeared to consider her feelings about the little boy.

“I have clansmen with families who would take him in.”

She looked stricken. “Do you think that is best? I was hoping—I was just hoping...” she stammered. “Niall, please, can he not just stay with us?”

Niall reached for her to stop her pacing. With his hands on her shoulders, he said, “As what Katherine, a stable boy? He needs parents.”

“Can we not be his parents?”

“Ye are asking me to claim a Lowland peasant child as my foster son?”

“It doesn’t matter to me that he was a peasant. I—I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would matter to you. I love him,” she finished somewhat helplessly.

She had finally said the words he wanted to hear. “It doesn’t matter to me. I want him to have parents who love him.” He paused again, considering the decision he was about to make. “I think he will. He is ours.”

She rewarded him with a heart-stopping smile and, to his surprise, threw her arms around him and kissed him soundly.

~ * ~

When they arrived in the great hall they found a number of people there breaking their fast. Fingal, Diarmad, and Tomas sat at the laird’s table. Before Niall and Katherine joined them, Edna, Bridie, and several other women approached. Edna said, “Laird, there is something the women of the clan would like to give Lady Katherine.” He nodded to her and she turned to Katherine.

“My lady, it is a Highland tradition that when a woman is married, she covers her hair with a kertch.” She indicated the covering on her own head. “It is a triangle of pure white linen and represents the Holy Trinity, under whose guidance the bride will walk. By custom, the bride’s mother or another clanswoman ties it on her head the morning after her wedding, asking for God’s blessing on the new bride.”

Bridie stepped forward and said, “We became your clanswomen when ye married our laird and, although a few mornings have passed since your wedding, we would like to give ye a kertch now.” She tied the kertch on Katherine’s head. Together the women said the prayer for God’s blessing and each one gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Appearing overcome by the gesture, several tears slipped down Katherine’s cheeks before she could blink them back. “Thank you,” she whispered. Edna gave her a quick hug, and the women curtsied before excusing themselves.

Niall hadn’t thought much about it, frankly, but the fact that his clanswomen had welcomed her in this way pleased him. Even though it was not a custom in the Lowlands, the gracious way in which Katherine had accepted it also pleased him. Smiling he took Katherine’s hand, walking with her to the table. She wiped away her tears as they sat down. Tomas looked at her seriously and said in a loud whisper to Fingal, “Lady Katherine doesn’t like people to see her cry.”

“It’s all right,Tomas,” she said, embarrassed, “These are happy tears.”

“Tomas,” Niall said, his voice sounding very serious.

“Aye, Laird?” Tomas answered in a small voice.

“Lady Katherine and I have decided ye need to have a family, ye need parents.”

“But I don’t know how to get a family,” Tomas said, sounding concerned.

“That’s all right, Tomas, you don’t need to worry about that,” Katherine said, and knelt beside him. “We thought maybe you would like for us to be your parents.”

“Really? Can I call you Mama?”

“Aye, sweetheart,” she said, and he flung himself into her arms, nearly knocking her over with his fierce hug. Then he looked shyly up at Niall and asked in another loud whisper, “What do I call the laird?”

“I think ‘Da’ will be fine.” Niall said and Tomas threw his arms around Niall’s legs.

Fingal laughed, saying, “Before ye ask, Tomas, ye can call me Uncle Fingal.”





Nine



With Edna’s help, Katherine slipped easily into life at Duncurra during the next several weeks. Her days fell into a comfortable rhythm. Although Katherine was in the habit of waking very early, Niall generally arose before her. He had usually dressed and gone by the time she woke. He spent much of the day away from the keep, seeing to the needs of the clan and the training of his men, while she managed the keep.

Katherine looked forward to the evenings when they sat together by the hearth in the great hall before retiring. While no one could ever forget Niall was their laird, he seemed more relaxed and at his ease during this time. Fingal and Diarmad nearly always joined them, as did other guardsmen occasionally. Tomas also liked to stay with them at least long enough to hear several stories before Katherine put him to bed. During these relaxed evenings, Katherine began to see the man she married more clearly.