Page 63 of To Charm a Highlander

EPILOGUE

Callum held Donella’s hair back as she retched into the chamber pot in their bedchamber.‘Twas almost two weeks now that she’d been doing the same thing each morning.

They’d been at Gunn Castle for a month and things had settled down nicely once they’d arrived from Dornoch.It had appeared that Fraser had no’ made many friends as laird and the servants greeted him with open affection, and tales of Fraser’s beating of servants and chasing the serving lasses all o’er the castle.

“’Twas no’ a safe place for the women while he was laird,” Maddie, the cook told Callum.“I ne’er understood how being brothers, the two of ye were so different.”

Callum and Donella had looked at each other, but dinna say anything.With the mon dead, there was no reason to besmirch his mam’s reputation with the clan.

“I think I can concede that I am with child, Callum,” Donella said as he handed her a cup of water to rinse out her mouth.

“Aye, so it seems, lass.I notice ye haven’t had yer woman’s time since we began to share a bed.”

Donella blushed and shoved the mug at him.“Ye shouldn’t speak of those things, husband.”

Callum threw back his head and laughed.“Donella, love, we’ve done more than share a bed.After some of the things we’ve done—”

“—Stop!”She walked over to the bed and reached for her chemise.“’This no’ proper.”

He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.He patted her flat stomach with his hand.“Ye will be quite rounded soon.”He turned her so she faced him and lifted her chin with his knuckle.

“When I married ye, I thought all I had to offer was my sword and honor.Now it seems ye will be mam to the next Laird of Gunn.”

She smirked at him.“I’m growing cold, husband.”

He patted her on her naked backside and released her.She drew her chemise and dress over her head and shimmied until they fell into place.

“Do ye remember I told ye Haydon and Ainslee are coming for a visit?”Donella said as she braided her hair.

“Nay.I’ve been so busy with getting the warriors in better shape that I haven’t been paying much attention to anything else.When are they expected?”

“On the morrow.I think my brother is interested in seeing that his little sister is happy and well settled.”

Callum huffed.“If ye were any happier we’d ne’er get anything done.”

She stopped tying the bodice of her dress.“What does that mean?”

He pulled her toward him and finished tying the laces.“I ken I make ye happy in our bed.”

“Sheesh!Do ye think about anything else, husband?”

He nuzzled her neck.“Nay.”

The next day,Donella reached for wee Finlay and took the lad from Ainslee’s arms as they entered the keep.“I swear, sister, he is bigger than when we left just a month ago.”

Ainslee handed the bairn over.“With the way he eats I expect him to be bigger than his da before he’s seen fifteen summers.”

Haydon and Ainslee had just arrived from Dornoch Castle for their visit.After kisses and hugs, and with a couple of hours before supper, the two women walked up to Donella’s solar with all four children and settled on the comfortable settees and chairs.

The men had disappeared, most likely to Callum’s solar for a cup of whisky or two.

The little ones played on the floor with the toys Ainslee produced from the satchel she carried.

“How are ye finding life at Gunn Castle?”Ainslee asked as she tugged the hem of her dress from Finlay’s mouth.“This lad will chew on anything.”She reached into her satchel and removed a sock wrapped around some sort of object and handed it to the little one.

“What is that?”Donella asked.

“’Tis a teething sock.I learned from Jonet who had several bairns before I did on how to make one.”