Artair rested his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “As difficult as it may be, you give her a choice, or she will never truly be yours.”
Zia’s cheerful shout had Artair hurrying off and Lachlan continuing his walk to the cottage. He thought he could make Alyce happy, replace her family with a new one. More recently he thought if he could find something that would happily occupy her time all would be well, but he was wrong.
His decision to wed her without asking had been a selfish one. Having gotten a chance to know Alyce through Terese he should have known better. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair, scraping along his scalp in frustration. He had certainly gotten himself into a situation, and now he had to get himself out of it. Was there a chance he would lose his wife because of his own misgivings?
He opened the door to the cottage prepared to talk with her and found it empty.
He stepped outside and looked over the village but saw Alyce nowhere. An overcast sky had joined the chilled day and rain appeared likely. It would be a good day to spend indoors talking. With heavy strides he hurried off to find his wife.
Alyce balanced Tavish on her hip. He was a joyful lad with dark inquisitive eyes that found delight in everything. He was barely a year and already eager to walk completely on his own, though his legs had yet to agree.
“This is fascinating,” Honora said with glee as she shifted Ronan from one hip to another.
Ronan, like his twin brother, was eager to be on his feet, but since Alyce was teaching Honora about tracking in the woods, the two lads were stuck in each of their arms. Not that they minded all that much, since both she and Honora would let them walk now and again, with help of course.
“It’s being aware and knowing the woods,” Alyce said and Tavish graced her with a charming smile that reminded her of Lachlan.
Honora laughed. “I keep telling Cavan that Tavish is going to be like Lachlan and as handsome. He has his smile.”
“I agree,” Alyce said and gave Tavish a big hug, which he relished since his smile charmed all the more.
“See, he smiles just like his uncle,” Honora said with a lilt of laughter. “And this one…” She bounced Ronan on her hip. “He’s going to be just like his father, a born leader.” She looked to Alyce. “I wonder if you will have a boy or a girl.”
“I would be pleased with either since I never believed I would ever have children.”
“Why ever so?” Honora asked surprised.
Alyce found herself being more truthful than she intended. “I would rather have led my father’s clan.”
“I could see that,” Honora said so casually that it startled Alyce.
“Truly?”
Honora nodded. “Oh my, yes. You have the instincts of a laird about you. One who commands rather than follows. One who will strategize instead of leaping headfirst. Cavan would be wise to make use of your skills. I will speak to him.”
Again Honora startled her. “But will he heed your opinion?”
“Cavan is a fair man and respects my opinions,” Honora said. “All Sinclare men are respectful of their wives.”
“In payment for forcing marriage upon them?” Alyce said then quickly realized the rudeness of her remark. “I’m sorry. I meant no offense.”
“None taken,” Honora said while playing tug of war with her son’s tiny fingers and a strand of her long dark hair. “I can imagine how you look upon Zia’s and my marriage, but believe me when I tell you the choices were ours.”
“How can you say that when you were given to Artair to wed only to find yourself wed to Cavan who had rejected you as a wife years earlier? And Zia had to wed Artair out of necessity, or she would have been condemned a witch. How are they choices?”
“You have grown to know Zia,” Honora said. “Do you really think she would have wed Artair if it wasn’t her choice?’
Alyce smiled. “No. The woman truly does as she pleases.”
“But she considers her husband at all times as he does with her,” Honora said. “And why do you think that is?”
“It’s obvious. The two are madly in love.”
Honora grinned. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
Alyce hated to admit, but it was. The pair’s passion for each other was palpable. “But what of you?” she challenged. “You had no choice.”
“But I did,” Honora insisted as they left the woods to follow the trail to the village. “I made the choice to love Cavan and gave him the choice to love me.” She smiled. “It didn’t take either of us long to fall in love. I cannot even recall when it was I realized I loved him. It was as if we were always in love and we always will be.”