Highland Courage(66)
She couldn’t help but grin. “Aye, I did, but I’m not ill.”
He sat back on his heels, looking confused. “If ye aren’t ill, why were ye retching?”
“Well, Annag and Elspet think I’m pregnant.”
“We’re having a bairn?”
“So it seems. Elspet says I should check with Katy when we return home to confirm it. We probably shouldn’t tell anyone until we know for sure.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Oh, Mairead, I love ye so. I’m thrilled.”
“I am too. For years I didn’t let myself even think of marrying, much less having children of my own. Then ye came along. Ye helped me put the past behind me, but more than that, ye helped me see my own worth and strength. Tadhg, ye have made me so happy. I can’t begin to tell ye how much I love ye.”
He kissed her gently until she urged him for more. They made slow, sweet love to each other, after which he held her in his arms until they fell asleep.
Eighteen
Tadhg kissed Mairead awake the next morning well after the sun was up. “How are ye feeling, love?”
“Honestly, a bit queasy, but not as bad as yesterday.”
“Are ye feeling up to rising now? We need to travel to Duncurra today. The men are packing up, and I’ve left this tent until last, but if ye still need to rest we can wait.”
“Can I ride with ye again today?”
“Of course ye can.”
“Then I’ll be fine
“Shall I send Elspet or Gallia to help ye?”
“Nay, just give me a few minutes.” Mairead dressed and stepped out of the tent. As Tadhg had said, most everything was packed except for their tent. She was frankly amazed she had slept through all of the activity. In fact, looking around it became obvious many of the Mathesons had already left.
“Tadhg, where did everyone go?”
“Only ye, Flan, and I will attend the wedding, accompanied by an appropriate escort. Most of the rest of the clan will be traveling back to Cnocreidh today, so they left earlier.”
Mairead nibbled on an oatcake while their final belongings were packed. Thankfully, her stomach quieted by the time they were ready to leave, but she still chose to ride with Tadhg. After several hours, Duncurra came into view as they exited the forest, which lay northwest of it. Built on a steep crag that jutted into Loch Craos, Duncurra was surrounded by water on three sides, and a huge open heath lay on the northern edge of its village. They had to ride for an hour before they neared its gates. A number of encampments had sprouted up on the heath outside Duncurra’s walls. Mairead assumed these housed the men-at-arms who accompanied the wedding guests as had been done at Cnocreidh when she and Tadhg were married, but this wasn’t the case.
Tadhg explained, “Duncurra is considerably smaller than Cnocreidh. I’m sure Niall will make rooms available to any of the visiting lairds and their wives who want them but most visitors will stay in the encampments with their men-at-arms. I suspect your parents, Laird and Lady Chisholm, Laird and Lady Munro, Laird and Lady Urquhart, and of course Laird Fraser and Eara will stay within the keep.
“What about Annag and Hogan?”
“Hogan told me they will stay in the encampment. With all your other siblings and their families staying outside the walls, I suspect they want the children to spend as much time together as possible.”
“And where will we stay?” Mairead rather liked the idea of staying outside the walls with the bulk of her family and surrounded by their guardsmen and men-at-arms.
“We will be staying within the keep.” Perhaps sensing her wistfulness, Tadhg added, “If ye would prefer to stay in the encampment, it can be arranged. However, I think both Katherine MacIan and your mother will be terribly disappointed if we do. It isn’t as if ye won’t be seeing a good deal of the whole family while we’re here. Tonight there is to be a feast in the hall for honored guests that your family will attend, tomorrow there will be a huge Roodmas feast, and two days later the wedding.”
“I suppose ye are right.” Doubtlessly he was right about her mother and she certainly wouldn’t wish to offend Lady MacIan by declining her hospitality, either. When they arrived at the keep, she was glad she hadn’t insisted they encamp with the clan. Katherine MacIan greeted her as warmly as a sister would and seemed genuinely pleased to see her.
“Oh, Mairead, I’m so glad ye’re here. Your mother has been a godsend. I thought it was a brilliant idea to hold Rowan’s wedding here, he is so lovely and a truly great addition to Niall’s guard, but I don’t know the first thing about weddings. Yours is the first one I ever attended.”