Highland Courage(94)
She giggled again and pulled him across the floor, removing his clothes as she went. When they reached the bed, she gave him a little shove and he fell dramatically across it. “Ye are a bold one, Mairead Matheson.”
“Stay there,” she commanded.
“Oh, my sweet, there is nowhere I would rather be.” He watched with pleasure as she removed her own clothes.
She stood by the bed a moment, looking expectant as he simply lay grinning up at her. Finally she cleared her throat. “Ahem, ye need to move over and make room for me.”
“Nay, lass, ye are but a wee thing. There is plenty of room right here on top.”
“But we can’t—”
“Aye, we can.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her on top of him. “Put your knees on either side of me.”
“Tadhg, I can’t—”
“Ride me? Aye, love, ye can. What’s more, it puts ye in control, and if ye have any bruises left I can’t hurt ye accidently.”
“Tadhg, that was over a week ago. I’m not hurt.”
“Then this will be even more fun.” And it was.
Epilogue
The following November, not long after their first anniversary, Mairead’s baby was due. In spite of her mother’s insistence, she refused to travel to Carraigile for the birth, so her mother and Lily had come to her. The day she went into labor Tadhg was beside himself with worry. She had labored for hours and although Ian’s wife, Katy, was an excellent midwife and assured him all was well, he was nearly in a panic by evening.
Cathal had practically dragged him from his study. “Ye are far to close here, lad. Ye don’t need to hear what’s going on. Trust me, I’ve been through this seven times. Actually, sixteen times, if ye count the grandchildren who have been born at Carraigile, and why wouldn’t ye? That last one took ages to arrive and when he did, he let the whole of the Highlands know. Screams louder than any bairn I’ve ever heard. Terran the Terrible, I call him. Och, now I’d appreciate it if ye wouldn’t repeat that.”
“Cathal, she is so little.”
“Aye, but she’s tough. Don’t worry, lad.”
It was nearly midnight when Katy finally appeared in the great hall looking spent. “Laird, it has been a rough evening, but ye can go see them now.”
Tadhg didn’t wait to hear more but flew up the tower steps, taking them two at a time. He paused outside the door. It was so quiet, he expected to hear a babe’s cries. A crushing fear gripped him. He took a deep breath, preparing for the worst, and opened the door. Mairead lay in their bed, dozing, clearly exhausted but with no baby in her arms. He rushed to her side and she opened her eyes sleepily.
“Sweetling, are ye well?”
“Aye, just tired. It took a while for the wee lass Mama is holding to make an appearance.”
“We have a daughter?” He glanced to where Brigid sat near the hearth, for the first time noticing the baby she held.
“Aye, ye do,” said Lily from across the room. “And a son.
He, on the other hand, gave his mama no trouble.”
“Twins?” he asked, astonished.
“Aye, twins. It’s been known to happen in our family. Perhaps ye didn’t know this but I myself am a twin,” Lily teased before crossing the room and putting the sleeping baby boy she held into his father’s arms.
“Nay, Lily, take him back. I’ve never held a bairn before.”
“Well, seeing as how ye have two now, it’s high time ye started.”
“Nay, really, I might break him.”
Mairead laughed weakly. “And people called me a mouse? Ye won’t break him.”
Perhaps sensing his father’s unease the baby scrunched up his face and started to fret. Tadhg jiggled him a little and crooned, “Ah, there, lad, don’t embarrass your poor da by screeching at him.”
The baby rooted against him briefly before settling again. Tadhg stared in amazement at the perfect tiny person in his arms. When he looked up at Mairead, she seemed to be dozing again. “Mairead, ye’re shattered, I should let ye rest.”
“Aye. I need to rest, but I would rest much better with ye here beside me.”
“But, the babies—I can’t.”
“Mairead is right, lad. She needs ye right now. Lily and I can manage these two rogues for a while.
Brigid and Lily took the sleeping babies quietly from the room and at Mairead’s insistence, Tadhg slid into bed beside her, holding her gently. He thought she was asleep and started to doze himself when she asked, “What shall we name them?”
“I don’t know.”
“I have always liked the name Ann. A lass named Ann is a good, solid friend. Someone ye can count on to be there for ye, like my sister Annag.”