Page 16 of A Promise Through Time

He glanced around at the others who were all looking at him with varying degrees of disbelief. Luckily the lass hadn’t noticed.

“You poor thing,” she turned her head to see his face and he was so close her lips almost touched his. She pulled back away from him. “I’m sorry.”

“Dinnae apologize. ’Twas my fault. I was standing too close. ’Tis that I wished to see the wee bairn so content in yer arms.” The lass smiled, revealing sweet dimples. She was quite lovely.

Cailin cleared his throat and once he had Donal’s attention, shook his head at him, before speaking. “Ye stay here with yer daughter, Donal. The rest of us have things to attend to.” Cailin turned to Ashley. “I’ll be back for the evening meal.” He took her chin in his hand and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Ashley took Cailin’s hand in hers and they walked to the door followed by Dougall, Cormac and Logan.

“Ye seem quite motherly, lass.” He wasn’t lying to soften her heart. He meant it. She seemed quite at ease with the wee one, but she was a lass, of course she would be.

“I love little ones,” she replied, smiling down at the bairn. “You look like you could use a bath and some clean clothes,” she cooed to the baby.

“I’ve got some things upstairs she can wear,” Ashley said, joining them. “I’ll go get them and I’ll arrange to have some water warmed for a bath. I’ll be right back.”

Left alone with Tina and the babe, Donal turned on the charm. “So, yer Elle’s sister. Do ye sing?” he asked.

Tina rolled her eyes, he got the idea that she didn’t like that question, “Only to myself,” she said.

“The bairn may like to hear ye.” He made some funny faces at the babe and when his eyes returned to Tina’s face, she was looking at him with a mixture of pity and kindness.

“You’re going to have to give her a name. We can’t keep calling her the bairn,” she observed.

“I agree. What shall we call ye, sweetling?” Almost without thinking, he took the babe from Tina’s arms and cradled her, searching her face and wondering what name might suit her. She smiled up at him, melting his heart as he placed his finger in her hand. He was amazed at her strength as she pulled on it. Of course she was strong, she was his daughter. That thought brought an unexpected surge of pride and a tiny bit of peace to him. This was his daughter, his responsibility and he would do his best to take care of her. He turned his attention back to Tina, who seemed to be lost in thought. With the right woman by his side, perhaps this very one, he could be a good Da. Not a Da like his own had been. His had never paid much attention to Donal or his brothers and sisters. He wanted to be a Da like Robert or the brothers. They were strong warriors, with beautiful wives from the future. They seemed as comfortable spending time with their bairns as a woman did and still commanded respect from the men.

Tina sat in the chair by the hearth and Donal placed the little one in her lap. She bounced her up and down on her knee until the wee lass giggled uncontrollably.

“She really is sweet and happy,” Tina said. He watched as she looked up, obviously thinking. “I’ve got it. I’ve been helping Elle come up with names for her baby when it’s born, so I’ve been looking at all the baby name books.”

He nodded, eager to hear what she would say and surprised to hear there were such things as baby name books.

“I keep thinking what a happy baby she is, but more than that when I look into her eyes, she has a wisdom there, like she’s anold soul. She knows things. What about Elena? It means shining light or bright one.”

“’Tis good,” he nodded. Tina was right. It was the perfect name for his daughter. He squatted down in front of them, gazing into his daughter’s face. He’d never placed much importance on names, but he could see it was crucial to give a bairn a proper name. Tina had chosen well. “Elena…Elena McCabe.”

“Do you like it?” she asked, seeming unsure of herself. “I’m sure she’ll be a shining light in your life.”

“Aye. She will be Elena.”

“And what do you think, little Elena?” she questioned the babe.

“Mama,” Elena said.

The lass seemed startled. “Oh, my.”

“She called ye mama,” Donal said. “She thinks yer her Ma.”

“I doubt that,” Tina said.

“Mama,” Elena repeated.

“Well, that’s okay. She’ll find out soon enough I’m not her Mama.” She turned Elena to face Donal. “Who’s that?” she asked.

“Can ye say Da?” Donal asked.

Elena let loose with a stream of unrecognizable words in reply.

“Da,” Donal said again.

“Da,” she repeated.