Was there a part that bored you or that you didn't really like in the book? *

Even a character, a scene, or anything. You could say no if nothing bothered you.

What moment from the book you enjoyed the most? *

Something you liked, a specific scene, a character's quality, some detail that caught your eye.

How do you feel about the cheating trope? *

• I like it. It makes their romance even stronger in overcoming such issue.
• I do not mind it, as long as the MCs are cheating other characters with each other.
• I do not like it. I prefer it when the MCs are faithful to one another.

Do you like books where one of the MCs has a big family, like 3-4 siblings? *

• I love it. I think the secondary characters add depth to the story and I always love to read the sequels about them.
• I don't like it, because I'm getting confused when we have too many people outside of the main couple.

Is there something else you'd like to share? *

Something you noticed, frustrated you, left you confused, etc.

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On the day of the wedding, Isabelle stood in her mother’s old bedchamber with Keelin, Cara, and Edith. The three women had been invaluable in assisting her with the wedding preparations. A few weeks before the wedding, Isabelle and Madden’s family and friends had gathered on MacKay lands for the cordadh, the pre-wedding agreement between the bride and groom.

A friend of the groom would stand in his place and the female friends of the bride would be brought before him. Each woman would be rejected until the bride herself was presented. It was a humorous custom with ribald humor and plenty of food and drink. Such events were usually held in the home of the bride’s father, but since Rory Mackay was dead, Arran acted in his place.

The Laird Braden Hamilton acted as the groom’s friend who was to select the proper bride. Every woman in attendance, whether young or old, married or not, was brought before him. Jokes were made a plenty about each woman’s appropriateness or lack thereof, all done in good humor with the women joining in on why or why not they were the right choice. When it was Edith’s turn to be presented, Braden stood up, lifted her into his arms, and placed her firmly in his lap proclaiming that she would wed Madden over his dead body. When Isabelle was finally brought out, a great cheer went up among those gathered and Madden claimed his bride with Braden’s blessing.

About a week after the cordadh, the reiteach was held, the betrothal ceremony. While Madden and Isabelle were already betrothed to one another by their own words, the reiteach set the betrothal with the families wherein a friend of the groom officially asked the father of the bride for her hand on behalf of the groom. It was traditional to ask for the bride bey referring to her, not as a person, but as a symbol of the family or the family’s profession.

Once again, Braden acted as the friend of the groom in this capacity. Braden came to Arran, as the bride’s closest living male relative, and asked for Isabelle to be Madden’s bride. Some families spoke of the bride as a lamb, or a mare, or a cow, or whatever they felt was the right choice. Madden had spoken with Braden ahead of time and told him to speak of her as a priceless necklace. When Isabelle had heard Braden refer to her as that, tears of joy and remembrance sprang to her eyes. It had been her mother’s necklace that had brought them together. It was an extremely romantic gesture. Once Arran accepted the terms of the betrothal, then the families would have a feast with toasting, singing, and dancing. These celebrations would often last well into the night, sometimes till dawn.

After the cordadh and the reiteach were completed, then the feet- washing and blackening would occur. Isabelle’s female friends gathered around her and gently washed her feet. Isabelle knew that it was a symbolic Christian gesture, but she viewed it as a washing away of the past so that she could step into the future with a clean heart and soul. Madden was not so fortunate. His friends covered his feet in black soot and placed feathers between his toes. The soot was to represent the heart of the home being the hearth, but the feathers just made him look ridiculous. Isabelle had never laughed so hard in her life. That night, Isabelle had lovingly bathed his feet in the loch, after which they had made love in the water.

Now as she stood, looking at her reflection in the Venetian glass that the king had sent as a wedding gift along with a letter relieving her of any responsibility for her past actions and Arran for having protected his sister from a cruel and abusive husband who had tried to kill her, she felt a moment of nervousness. “Arran must have made an impression upon the king when he went tae speak with him about Bain’s death,” Keelin observed, admiring the rare and precious gift.

“Me braither has that effect on people,” Isabelle noted.

“Aye, he does,” Cara nodded in agreement.

Isabelle turned back to the mirror and sighed.

“What is troubling ye?” Edith asked, coming up behind her cousin to smooth the back of her hair.

Isabelle shook her head. “I dinnae ken. I am nervous.”

Keelin wrinkled her brow in question. “Why are ye nervous? Ye were married afore this and ye and Madden have shared a bed together.”

Edith gave her sister a chastising glare. “Kee.”

“What? She has and they have.” Keelin shrugged her shoulders and sat down on the edge of the bed frowning.

“It is nae the same thing,” Isabelle replied. “What I had with Bain was nothing but pain and misery.”

“Ye dinnae believe that yer life with Madden will be like that, dae ye?” Edith asked, her brow furrowed in concern. “Ye ken that he is nae anything like yer previous husband, dae ye nae?”

Isabelle shook her head. “I ken that Madden is nae as Bain was, but Bain was nae always brutal towards me. It was nae until he learned that I could nae give him a child that he turned violent. Madden says that he is marrying me and nae me ability or inability tae provide him with an heir. But it saddens me that I cannae give him a child. I sometimes doubt that I will be enough.”

Edith shook her head. “Ye are more than enough. Trust Madden’s love fer ye. Trust yer love fer him. All will be well between ye. And ye dinnae ken that it was ye that couldnae procreate.”

Cara came to stand beside Isabelle, her brow furrowed in thought. “What is it?” Isabelle asked her, turning in concern.

Cara shook her head. “It is only that I remember hearing the maids talking about how they had not seen evidence of yer courses on the sheets or on yer clothing in some time.”

Isabelle’s brows rose in surprise. She had not thought about it. There had been too many other things on her mind. “I have nae had me courses.”

Edith raised a brow in question. “When did ye last have yer courses?”

Isabelle shook her head. “It was right after Bain was killed.”

“That was over two months ago,” Cara pointed out.

Keelin jumped up from the bed. “Are ye with child?”

Isabelle’s eyes grew wide. “I dinnae ken.” She brought her hands to rest on her lower abdomen, her heart beating faster at the thought. “Is it possible?”

“Oh, aye, it is possible,” Edith nodded, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “Have ye been ill? Have yer breasts been tender? Have ye been noticing smells that ye didnae before? Have ye been wanting certain foods more than usual?”

Isabelle’s eyes widened further. “Call fer the healer,” she commanded, her excitement and fear warring with one another.

Cara nodded and rushed from the room to do as bidden. When she returned with the healer in tow, Isabelle was so overcome with emotion that she could hardly speak. “Am I with child?” she asked without bothering with an explanation.

The healer smiled gently at her in understanding. “Let us see, shall we. Lie upon the bed if ye would.” The healer did a quick examination, asked her a series of questions, then stood back and smiled. “I can safely say that ye, me lady, are indeed with child. May God’s blessing be yers.”

Isabelle’s eyes were as giant moons in her face. She had thought such a thing was not possible. Edith stepped in to speak with the healer. “Dinnae speak of this tae a soul. It is her lady’s choice as tae when tae tell the faither and her family.” With that, she curtsied and left.

The healer nodded in understanding. “As ye say, me lady. I will nae breathe a word of this tae a soul.”

Edith turned to Isabelle. “How dae ye feel?”

“I dinnae ken,” Isabelle breathed. Her heart was beating very quickly in her chest. “I think that I need tae speak with Madden.”

Keelin nodded. “Aye, I can go and get him.”

Isabelle nodded her consent.

Keelin left the room and was gone for a brief moment before there was a knock at the door. “Enter,” Isabelle answered.

Keelin entered with Madden. “Is all well, me love?” Madden asked as he came towards her, concern in his eyes.

“I am well, but there is something I would like tae say tae ye afore we are wed.”

“We will await ye in the corridor,” Edith announced motioning for everyone else to leave the room.

“Ye are making me nervous,” Madden admitted, eyeing her uncertainly. “Ye have nae changed yer mind, have ye?”

Isabelle shook her head. “Nay, I have nae changed me mind.”

“What is it then?” he stepped forward, taking her hands in his.

“I thought that it was best that ye kenned the truth afore we were wed,” Isabelle began.

“The truth?”

“That our family will be bigger than we expected.”

“How so?” Madden asked. “Has Keelin decided that she is coming tae live with us?”

Isabelle laughed, shaking her head. “Nae, our family,” she repeated again, taking his hand, and placing it on her lower abdomen.

It took him a brief moment to understand what she was saying, but once comprehension dawned, his face split into a wide smile. “Truly?”

“Truly,” Isabelle nodded.

Madden let out a shout of joy, then picked Isabelle up and kissed her soundly. “We are going tae have a bairn of our own!”

“Aye, me love, we are going tae have a bairn of our own.”

The couple hugged and kissed, with tears of joy in both of their eyes. Neither of them had ever believed that such a day would come for them given Isabelle’s history, but it had turned out that Bain Sutherland had been the barren one after all. Unable to contain their excitement, they laughed and cried together, until a knock sounded on the door. Edith poked her head inside. “The priest is ready,” she announced.

“Tell him that I will join him momentarily,” Madden replied, not taking his eyes from his future wife.

Edith nodded and left the room to deliver the message.

“Ye had best go. The priest will nae wait forever. The king was most kind tae send us one of his own priests tae perform the ceremony,” Isabelle remarked.

“We can thank yer braither fer that. His paying the Clan Sutherland’s taxes went a long way tae making the king more amenable tae our plight.”

“Money has a way of doing that,” Isabelle admitted. “I owe me braither much.”

“Ye owe me nothing,” Arran’s voice announced from the door behind them. Madden and Isabelle turned to greet him with a smile. “It is time. Are ye both ready?”

Isabelle nodded and moved forward to give her brother a hug. When she pulled back, she looked up into his face. “Ye are going tae be an uncle,” she announced.

“What?” Arran asked, taken off guard by the announcement.

“Ye are going tae be an uncle,” Isabelle repeated.

“An uncle?” Arran questioned in a daze then looked down at her stomach. “Ye are with child?”

Isabelle nodded. “I am.”

Arran looked up at Madden in question. “Is it…?” He could not finish the thought.

Madden nodded in reassurance. “It is mine.”

Arran let out a giant sigh of relief, then scooped his sister up into a hug. “I am going tae be an uncle!”

Isabelle laughed with him in joyous celebration.

“Put her down or ye will ruin her dress,” Keelin entered the room, chastising the laird.

“I am going tae be an uncle!” Arran announced with pride.

“Aye, I ken that, but now it is time fer these two tae get married. The bairn should be born in wedlock.” Keelin gave Isabelle a wink of encouragement.

Arran put his sister down. “Aye, indeed.”

Madden stepped forward and took her into his arms. He kissed her sweetly on the lips. “I will see ye soon,” he murmured. “I will be the happy man waiting fer ye in the chapel.”

Isabelle smiled and returned his kiss. Madden left the room to go and meet with the priest. Isabelle and her retinue followed behind, preparing to make their procession to the nearby church. Minstrels had gathered in the great hall awaiting the bride. Isabelle had not experienced anything like such fanfare when she had wed the first time to Bain Sutherland. It was like she had never had a wedding before. Arran had gone out of his way to make certain that everything be done right this time, that every tradition be observed. He would not have her miss out on any element of the festivities. It had been a whirlwind of love and laughter.

Arran nodded to the minstrels, and they began playing. The wedding procession exited the castle, crossed the courtyard, and made their way down the road to the nearby church. The clan’s men, women, and children lined the road to wish their lady well. When they reached the church doors, the minstrels stopped playing music. Isabelle took a deep breath to steady herself. “Are ye ready?” Arran asked, his eyes filled with love and compassion.

Isabelle nodded. “Aye, I am as ready as I have ever been.”

***

Madden stood inside the church at the altar with the king’s priest, Braden Hamilton, and Lorcan standing beside him. His heart was beating swiftly with joy and excitement. “Ye are glowing with joy like a fire on a dark night, Kinnaird,” Braden noted with a smile.

Madden turned and gave him a grin. “Isabelle is with child,” he announced to his dearest friend, unable to keep the good news to himself for another moment. The priest pretended he had not heard.

“That is wonderful!” Braden gave Madden a congratulatory slap on the back. “Well done.”

“I believe that it is Isabelle who deserves the praise here,” Lorcan noted, laughing. He also gave Madden a congratulatory slap on the back. “She deserves tae be happy after everything that she has endured.”

“Aye,” Madden nodded in agreement.

“It is a good thing that ye two already agreed tae marry,” Braden mused. “How will the Clan Sutherland take the news? Is there any risk that it is Bain Sutherland’s child?”

Madden shook his head. “Nae, it is nae Sutherland’s bairn, it is mine. He was dead before she came with child.”

Braden nodded in approval. “Good. Ye dinnae want any more trouble over that sack of shite.”

“The Clan Sutherland can dae naught about it. They are under orders from the king tae accept Isabelle as their lady, and as her husband, I become their laird. It was unexpected, but we have agreed tae it fer the people of the clan. The grand nature of this wedding is as much fer them and the king as it is fer us,” Madden admitted. “I would have married her in her mother’s rose garden without fanfare if that was what she had wanted, but the king and Arran had other ideas.”

Lorcan nodded. “Arran was quite adamant that his sister have the very best. She was denied tae much when she was wed tae Bain Sutherland. He would nae have her be cheated once more.”

Madden nodded. “I saw the entirety of the Clan MacKay outside as I walked tae the church. They were lined up on both sides of the road awaiting their lady. I pray that the Clan Sutherland will treat her with the same respect.”

Braden nodded. “There can be nae question that yer child is indeed yers in the eyes of the Clan Sutherland or they could use him tae foment an uprising. It will be a delicate matter tae keep peace within the clan. There will be those who supported Bain and will wish tae see any usurpers tae his lairdship ousted. Dinnae give them legitimacy by leaving the paternity of yer child in question.”

Madden shook his head. “There is nae doubt tae be had. Any man who says otherwise can meet the edge of me sword.” He spoke with such passion that he actually tightened his fist around the hilt of his sword hanging at his waist. His eyes challenged either of them to disagree with him.

Braden raised his hands in surrender. “I only wished tae warn ye of what might happen.”

“I thank ye fer yer concern, but Isabelle and I will weather any storm and come out the other side stronger fer it. As long as we are together, we can face anything.”

Braden and Lorcan smiled at him. It was clear to all with eyes and ears that he loved his bride to be. A rustling at the door, followed by excited chatter, announced the arrival of his bride. Madden turned towards the door and awaited his love with bated breath. Many of the Clan MacKay’s elders, fighting men and families had managed to squeeze into the limited space of the church. Those who had been unable to enter, stood outside of the door in the hopes of catching snippets of the ceremony and to wish the bride well as she entered the church to take her vows.

The priest waited silently at the front of the church, his facial expression never changing, while everyone turned towards the doors. When they finally opened and Isabelle entered the church on Arran’s arm, there was a collective gasp and she walked down the center aisle between the pews to stand in front of the priest. She was a vision, in a blue and silver gown that brought out the grey of her eyes. Isabelle smiled at Madden radiantly, as Arran placed her hand in his.

“Be good tae me sister, Kinnaird, or I will hunt ye down and kill ye,” Arran warned in jest.

“Aye, I believe that ye would,” Madden nodded seriously in acceptance of the trust that Arran was placing in him.

Arran bent and kissed his sister on the cheek. “I love ye, ye wee lassie. I always have and I always will.”

“I love ye, braither. I thank ye fer this. Without ye, I would nae have such joy in me life.” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

“Our time as a family was cut short. It sorrows me that I was nae here fer ye before, but I will be from this moment forward. I would nae surrender ye tae any other man less worthy.” He gave herhand one last squeeze, before he stepped back and took his seat.

Madden smiled down into her eyes. “Are ye ready tae wed me, lass?” He asked, his heart pounding so hard he felt as if it might burst from the joy of it.

“I am ready,” she answered, her voice steady, her eyes bright.

The priest cleared his throat. He raised his hands for everyone to settle down and be still. “We are ready tae begin,” he announced above the crowd. Once every one was quiet, he turned his attention to Madden and Isabelle. “Have ye both come here freely, and without reservation, tae give yerselves tae each other in marriage?”

“Aye, we have,” Madden answered with a proud smile.

“And ye, me lady?”

“Aye, Faither, we have both come here of our own free will tae be wed before the eyes of God and man,” Isabelle answered, her eyes sparkling back at Madden.

“Very well then, we will proceed. One can never be too careful.” He gave each of them a stern look. “Will ye honor each other as man and wife fer the rest of yer lives?”

“Aye, we will,” Madden and Isabelle answered as one.

The priest nodded in acceptance of their answer. “Will ye accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according tae the law of Christ and his Church?”

Hearing these words, Madden turned to Isabelle smiling down into her eyes with all of the love that he felt in his heart. Isabelle placed his hand covertly on her stomach in a gesture of acknowledgment, as if to bring the growing life inside of her into the ceremony. “Aye, we will,” they both proclaimed in unison. Madden wanted more than anything to kneel down and kiss her stomach right then and there, but he refrained from doing so as he did not wish to bring her embarrassment or shame in front of all those gathered.

All those in the audience who were aware of the child in her belly smiled.

The priest, accepting their answer, nodded. “Then ye may exchange vows here before God and yer clan.”

Madden nodded and turned back to Isabelle. He took both of her hands in his, meeting her eyes with his own. “I, Madden Kinnaird, take ye, the Lady Isabelle Sutherland nee MacKay, tae be me wife. I promise tae be true tae ye in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I swear that I will love ye and honor ye all the days of me life, from now unto eternity.” Raising her hands, he kissed each of them in turn.

Smiling, with tears in her eyes, Isabelle plighted her troth. “I, the Lady Isabelle Sutherland nee MacKay, take ye, Madden Kinnaird, tae be me husband. I promise tae be true tae ye in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I swear that I will love ye and honor ye all the days o’ me life, from now untae eternity.”

The priest nodded in approval, then motioned for Braden to step forward.

Braden obeyed and stepped forward to stand between the couple opposite the priest. He took out his sgian dubh from its scabbard, and made a cut across Madden’s wrist, then turned and made another cut on Isabelle’s wrist. Madden took Isabelle’s arm with his hand, aligning their cuts one with the other so that their blood would be mixed together. Braden bound them both with an embroidered cloth of red roses that had belonged to Isabelle’s mother that had been blessed by the priest for the purpose of binding the couple together.

Madden held her arm firmly but gently. He was reminded of their first night together when he had pulled her up through the window into her room at the inn. He had seen bruises on her wrists then. She would never have to endure such bruises ever again. Madden held her eyes as he spoke the words that had been used by their people for generations. “Ye, Isabelle MacKay, are blood o’ me blood, and bone o’ me bone. I give ye me body, that we two might be one. I give ye me Spirit, ’til our life shall be done.” The ancient words resonated in the air between them, the power of their ancestors and the divine carried with them.

The king’s priest stepped forward and placed his hand on top of the cloth that joined their hands together. He eyed the crowd in stern warning. “What God hath joined together, let nae man put asunder.” He removed the bindings and took a step back. “I present tae ye, Madden Kinnaird, and his lady, Isabelle Kinnaird, man and wife.”

A cheer went up from the gathered crowd as Madden pulled Isabelle into his arms and kissed her soundly on the lips. His heart was so filled with joy that he thought it might explode out of his chest. Their family and friends rushed forward to congratulate them, pulling them apart from one another in their enthusiasm. The men of the clan hefted Madden and Isabelle up onto their shoulders, led by Arran and the women, and carried the newlywed couple back to the great hall for the wedding feast.

As they walked back towards the castle, Arran and Braden tossed out coins to the children waiting on the sides of the road. The children laughed and cheered, scrambling about to retrieve as many of the coins as they could manage. Such customs were meant to bring good luck to the newlywed couple and the family that they would create together. Madden and Isabelle laughed in delight as they bounced along the bumpy road to the cheers of the clan.

Once they had entered the castle, they were carried to the dais, where they were given the seats of honor. The rest of the family joined them, and the feast began. Platter after platter, bowl after bowl of food poured forth from the kitchens. The cook had spared no expense in providing for the wedding celebrations As Madden sat upon the raised dais with his new wife by his side, and his friends who had become his family, he was struck with awe at how his life had changed. Raising Isabelle’s hand to his lips, he kissed it.

“What are ye thinking about?” Isabelle asked him, smiling up at him sweetly.

“I was thinking about how much my life has changed. I am nae longer the bitter womanizer that I once was. Having an angel fall intae yer lap can change yer life, ye ken,” he murmured with a smile, kissing her fingers.

Isabelle laughed. “When we parted company that night in the inn, would ye have ever thought that we would be sitting here as we are now?”

Madden shook his head. “I would nae have thought such a thing tae be possible. I thought that I kenned what love was at the time, but now I am aware that I didnae fully until I met ye. Yer are me life, me love, me light.”

Isabelle fought the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. “I didnae believe that such a love was possible. All that I kenned before was misery. Ye saved me from that.”

Madden shook his head. “It was ye that saved me from a life of bitterness and disillusionment. What happened with Bain was justice that was too long in coming, nothing more. Had it nae been me, ye would have found a way tae save yerself. It was ye that was brave enough tae tell Arran the truth. Without ye, I would ne’er have changed me ways.”

Isabelle smiled up at him. “Then we both saved each other.”

Madden smiled. “Aye, I suppose that we did.”

Arran stood, drawing their attention back to the festivities around them. “I would like tae make a toast tae the bride and groom. Tae me sister, who has at long last been returned tae us, and tae me new braither. May they live long and in happiness. Tae Isabelle and Madden!”

“Tae Isabelle and Madden!” The clan cheered in response. They drained their cups dry and clammed them down on the tables. Excited chatter once again filled the room while the minstrels played lively music.

Isabelle and Madden held the other’s eyes as they drank their own silent toast. “Tae love,” Isabelle murmured, as she drained her own cup.

Madden smiled, pulling her into his arms. “Tae eternity,” he murmured, then lowered his head to drink from her lips.

***

Sutherland Castle, Scotland, Seven Months Later…

Madden, Arran, Lorcan, and Braden all paced the floor of the corridor outside of Madden and Isabelle’s bedchamber. Screams of pain tore through the air, making it feel as if Madden’s heart was being ripped from his chest. Edith, Keelin, and Cara were inside of the room with Isabelle and the clan’s healer. The healer had banned Madden and Arran from entering the room, in spite of threats of violence. It was the closest that either man had ever come to hitting an innocent person.

The coppery smell of blood filtered out from beneath the wooden door, filling the air of the corridor beyond. Madden wanted to break the door down. He was tempted to do just that and opened his mouth to ask Arran to assist in the matter when another scream tore through the air and all of the blood drained from his face.

“God in heaven keep me angel safe,” he prayed. “Dinnae take her from me.”

Another scream rent the air causing Madden to break out in a cold sweat. His mind whirled around in violent circles with thoughts of what might be going on in the room beyond the closed door. His stomach churned in fear and anxiety. He did not know much about childbirth, but he knew that many women did not survive the experience.

“What if she dies and I am nae there with her?” Arran growled in fear. “I told her I would never abandon her again. I cannae stand here and wait nae kenning what is happening on the other side of this door!” he said this last part with such force it echoed down the corridor.

Madden turned to his brother-in-law, their eyes meeting in their mutual anguish. “She cannae die, Arran. She cannae die. The thought of having tae live me life without her is more than I can bear.”

“Isabelle will get through this,” Braden reassured them both. “I felt the same when Edith gave birth tae our son. I was in the same agony that ye are both in now.”

“I recall,” Madden nodded.

“Ye were with me then and ye reassured me that all would be well, that I needed tae live in faith that all would be well.”

“And Edith made it through just fine,” Madden noted.

“Aye, she did,” Braden nodded in encouragement. “And now I have a braw son and me bonnie wife is as healthy as ever she was. The same will be true fer Isabelle.”

“Aye, the Lady Isabelle is as strong as any man among us,” Lorcan reminded them. “She survived nearly daily beatings fer years from the time that she was a wee lassie until the day that Bain Sutherland died. She is as strong as any warrior.”

“Aye, she is at that,” Madden nodded, pride in his wife’s strength filling his heart. “Me warrior wife is indeed strong, and I dae her a disservice tae believe otherwise.”

Another scream tore through the door, sweeping over them, and echoed down the corridor. All four men tensed as if ready for a fight, but there was no enemy to be defeated that could be assaulted by blade or bow. “Battle is less terrifying than this,” Arran exhaled in frustration. “At least in battle ye can kill the thing that is causing ye pain. How dae women do this?”

“Only God kens that answer tae that,” Braden murmured. He shook his head. “Edith, bless her, is all too eager fer us tae have another bairn. Had I endured the pain she endured, I would nae be in a rush tae repeat it. Our women put us tae shame.”

Another scream rent the air, then silence fell over them all. In the stillness that followed the scream, Madden’s hairs stood up on the back of his neck. He leaned forward; his ears attuned to the smallest noise coming from the room beyond. The men held their breath in anticipation, equal parts fear and excitement. The sound of a smack, skin on skin, filtered through the air, and then a weaker cry echoed across the stones as Madden and Isabelle’s bairn took its first breath. The next cry came stronger and all of the men looked at each other in relief.

“He is a lusty lad like his faither,” Lorcan clapped Madden on the shoulder in congratulations.

“Aye, he or she has nae qualms about making his or her demands known,” Braden corrected, chuckling. He leaned forward embraced Madden. “Welcome tae being a faither. Yer life will never be the same again and ye would nae trade it for anything.”

Madden grinned widely. “I am a faither.”

The door to the bedchamber opened and Cara stepped out with a smile on her face. “Madden, would ye like tae see yer wife and son?”

“Aye,” Madden breathed in awe.

His heir!

Cara stepped back and allowed Madden to enter the room. Madden pushed past her into the room to find Isabelle lying on the bed, her back against the pillows. She was exhausted, drenched in sweat, her hair plastered to the side of her face, and yet she was still the most beautiful thing that Madden had ever seen. She looked up at Madden, her face glowing with happiness, as she pulled back the blanket to reveal the wrinkled, red, tiny body of his newborn son.

“Madden, meet yer son. Me wee braw laddie, meet yer faither, Madden Kinnaird,” Isabelle murmured softly.

Madden broke out in a grin and came to stand beside his wife and bairn. “He is braw,” he breathed.

“Just like his faither,” Isabelle smiled up at him.

Madden sat down on the edge of the bed. Leaning over, he kissed his wife, then leaned down and kissed the feathery soft whisp of blond hair that scattered his son’s tiny red scalp. He heard a sniffling sound at the door and turned to find his brother-in-law with tears in his eyes. Madden smiled and motioned for Arran to join them.

Arran entered the room and came over to stand on the other side of the bed. Isabelle smiled up at him. “Uncle Arran meet yer nephew and namesake,” Isabelle introduced them, “Tavish Arran Madden MacKay Kinnaird.”

Arran’s eyes widened in surprise, as a wide grin spread across his face. “Ye named him after me?”

“Aye,” Isabelle nodded. “He is named after Madden’s faither as well. I wanted him tae be named after the best and gentlest men that I have ever been blessed tae love. Though I never met, Madden’s faither, he helped tae make Madden the man that he is today. Fer that alone, I love him.”

Arran looked down at the tiny bundle in her arms with love and awe in his eyes. “Welcome tae the world, wee Tavish Arran Madden MacKay Kinnaird,” he murmured. “Ye will always have a place in me heart and by me hearth.” He reached out a tentative hand and smoothed the babe’s downy head. “Ye will always have me protection.” Arran looked up at Madden. “How does the Clan Sutherland feel about their future laird?”

The healer, turned from cleaning her tools to answer his question. “He will be a better laird than the one we had before, and the one before that. He will be as his maither is, strong and able tae persevere through any hardship. While nae all men of the clan feel as I dae, there are many more that dae.”

“I am glad tae hear it,” Madden gave the healer a nod of respect. The healer returned the nod, finished gathering her supplies, then turned to leave. “Let us give the new faither and maither a moment alone with their son.” Nodding, all those present followed her lead and left the room closing the door behind them.

Madden, moved around to the other side of the bed and gently slid in next to her. He was careful not to jar Isabelle and their newborn son as he did not wish to cause her any more pain than she had already endured. “How are ye feeling, me angel?” he asked, smoothing the hair back from her face.

“I am tired, but I am well,” she smiled.

“Ye have blessed me with far more than any man deserves,” he informed her with gratitude in his heart.

Isabelle smiled up at him, her eyes glowing with love. “Ye deserve everything and more, me love.”

Madden smiled and gently wrapped his arms around her. “I did nae ken true love until I met ye, and now ye have given me an entirely new love, the love of a faither.”

Isabelle nestled her head in the curve of his shoulder, snuggling against his side. “It took finding ye tae learn the true meaning of love. I shudder tae think what me life would have been like had I never met ye. Falling out of that window was the best thing that ever happened tae me. It was nothing short of a miracle that ye were there tae catch me at the right time in the right place.”

Madden chuckled. “Had ye fallen but a brief moment earlier, I would nae have been there. God kenned what he was doing when he gave me ye, me angel.”

“Then he blessed us with our own sweet wee angel.” Isabelle reached out a finger and caressed their son’s tiny round cheek.”

“Aye, he did at that. He will grow tae be strong and brave like his maither.” Madden spoke with pride in his voice, kissing Isabelle on the forehead. His mind and heart were filled with more hope for the future than he had ever felt before.

“He will be strong and handsome like his faither,” Isabelle replied. “He is so bonnie that I cannae stop staring at him.” Isabelle confessed, laughing at herself. “I could remain happily in this moment forever. I never believed that I would ever be blessed with a child, and now that I have been, I dinnae want tae stop holding him.”

Madden nodded and brushed the babe’s forehead with his fingertips. “I was afeared fer ye when I heard the screams. Fer a brief moment, I thought that it would have been better tae nae have bairns, if it meant that I might lose ye, but when I heard this wee laddie cry out, I kenned that all would be well. It was the greatest relief of me life. I could nae have borne the pain of losing ye, let alone being the cause of yer passing.”

Isabelle shook her head. “Had I perished, it would nae have been yer fault. We made this beautiful wee bairn together in love, and I would nae change that fer anything, even a longer life.”

“However, the long or short of it, as long as me days are spent with ye, I will be the happiest of men. I dinnae ken how I ever lived without ye.” Madden pulled her close and kissed her lips. “Me light, me life, me love, me angel. I am forever yers, untae eternity.”

The End.

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