Two years later…

It was not so hard for Mia to transition from being the tough woman that she was into a more confident lady. One would never have thought that the pretty blonde lady who was sashaying around the dining hall ensuring the maids had put everything in place for breakfast was the same person who had no idea which was the right way to hold a sewing needle.

Mia loved being a happy wife in such a happy marriage. It pleased her to make her husband happy just as much as he made her, and preparing his breakfast was one of her favorite things to do. The table was all set now with several loaves of bread, some cured meats, porridge, fresh fruit and cheese. As she saw him come in through the door, she burst into a bright smile.

“Good morning, my laird!”

The maids were already vying for his attention, but Archie ignored them all, going to his wife instead.

“My lady,” he said, planting a kiss on her lips. “Ye should nae be standing so much or doing anything for that matter. Come, have yer seat. I tell ye, I will nae sit until ye do.”

He pulled out a chair for her right beside him. Mia could not help but roll her eyes at his tenderness.

“I am completely fine, Archie. What ye should be worrying about is yer stomach.” She signaled to a maid to bring the porridge from the far end of the table. “I made yer favorite.”

Just as Mia was about to dish some out for him, she heard a high-pitched scream that she was all too familiar with now, followed by cries. The sound only stopped to allow for little Ewan’s gasps for breath.

“I tried to calm him down, but it seems he is hungry too,” Maeve said, laughing. “He must have smelt breakfast and now wants some of his own.”

Mia’s mother was obsessed with her grandson. There was not a single passing day when she did not desire to carry him or take him on a walk in the gardens.

“Good morning, mother,” Mia smiled pleasantly at him.

“Come tend to Ewan or he will nae give us all any quiet,” Maeve teased.

They all took their seats at the long wooden table as the maids began filling up their plates and pouring them tea.

“What time is Clyde coming over?” Archibald asked, his mouth stuffed with bread.

“Aye, Clyde. That happy lad. He is coming here today?” Maeve had taken a liking to him ever since Mia had told her everything that he had done during her stay at Murray Castle. “That is quite some journey, is it nae?”

“Well, it is a bonnie morning. I’m sure it is going to be a smooth ride for him. He should be here soon, aye.” Mia knew Clyde intended to quite early this morning and join them for breakfast, or so he had said.

She had written him a letter to tell him of the good news, and he had absolutely insisted that he come to congratulate her personally. Knowing Clyde, Mia was certain he would come at first light. Right on time, they all heard a knock at the door, which opened to reveal a footman who announced the visitor’s presence.

“Och, how is my favorite lady?” Clyde exclaimed, throwing open his arms dramatically as he walked into the room.

Mia beamed.

“But first I have to greet the sweetest wee man in all of Scotland,” he said, sidestepping her and going to the other side of the table to bring Ewan into his arms. The little boy giggled as Clyde cradled him.

“How old are ye now, lad?”

Ewan merely looked at him cluelessly, smiling. He had blonde hair identical to Archibald’s, but he inherited his mother’s blue eyes. His face was a sight to behold, the object of constant fawning by every person at Ledoch Castle.

“Almost two years,” his mother answered in his stead.

“Ye’re such a big lad now, aye?” Clyde said as he handed Ewan back to an eager Maeve. “Greetings, Maeve.”

She gave a little nod and immediately started fussing over her grandchild. “Do ye ken he uses his little feet to walk around the castle and cause mayhem?”

“Is that so?” Clyde asked in disbelief. “The last time I saw him, he could barely crawl!”

“Ye have nae idea what this little lad can do if he is let loose,” Archie said.

Clyde shook his head in disbelief as he started to walk over to where Mia and Archibald were sitting, patiently awaiting him.

“I see ye now have a preference for my son over me, aye?” Mia teased.

“Nae, nae at all. Ye will always be my favorite person. I wouldn’t have almost tasted death for anyone who was nae special, ye ken.” He kissed Mia on her cheek.

“Dinnae be talking to my wife like that, Clyde, or I’ll have yer head. Would nae be so hard to do since ye are in my lands,” Archibald teased.

“I definitely would like to keep my head.” Clyde chucked, easing himself into the free seat at Mia’s left.

“How was yer trip, Laird Murray?” Maeve asked.

“Och, I am yet to get used to being called that, ye ken.” Clyde paused for a while, presumably to honor his brother. “The trip was quite calm. A pleasant change considerin’ the madness of these past weeks.”

They all nodded, knowing full well what he meant—all of them sharing the same feeling.

“Clyde, why dinnae ye tell us about your experience on the battlefield? I hear ye have taken part in so many fights,” Archie said, wanting to change the subject.

This was clearly a topic that Clyde loved.

“Aye. I have been to many battles. I fought nigh a hundred battles during my time as war chief, whether against other clans or against the Red Coats themselves. My battle scars remind me so much of my story, and I would be sure to show it to whomever cares to see.”

Clyde promptly got up and attempted to show everyone the scar he had boasted about, but Mia cut him short.

“Ye lads should have some breakfast and stop chatting so much,” she said, taking another spoonful of porridge. “Ye ken, Clyde, that we need to start looking out for a bonnie lass to be yer Lady, aye?”

Clyde swallowed hard.

“Are ye afraid?” Maeve said, sensing his discomfort. “Ye’re terrified of lassies?”

Clyde laughed her question away. Mia could see that it looked like the other men at the table felt sorry for Clyde having been cornered by the women about matters of the heart.

“The man has told me about his experience,” Mia said to Maeve, filling her in on what she knew of the story. “But I think it is time Murray Castle has a Lady again.”

“Nae,” Clyde said, laughing uncomfortably. “I am certain a bonnie lass will come in due time.”

“Och, dinnae be afraid of lassies, Clyde,” Archie teased. It was obvious that Archibald found the entire situation funny. “I am married to one and I’m nae dead yet. If I can survive a Steward, ye can survive anything.”

Mia decided that she had tortured Clyde enough. The conversation could continue on another day, but for now she felt it was only right to tease him a little more.

“Ye ken, I also have quite a lot of activities planned for our guest here. He is going to start by fixing up the mill for us.”

Clyde looked horrified but in a comical way.

“Dinnae ye look at me like that,” Mia said with a smirk. “Ye ken Archie cannae go near any mill because of ye-ken-what.”

“Mia!” Archibald exclaimed. “That is nae true.”

Mia knew that he was trying to mask the truth because of his pride, and she could not help but laugh at that. The rest of the table joined in with her laughter.

“Either way, I want Clyde to help with that,” she said looking pointedly at him as though daring him to refuse. “Or would ye rather I do it?”

Clyde scoffed at her, having obviously noticed the sarcasm in her last statement.

“How is the little one in there?” Clyde asked, finally getting around to the reason he had visited in the first place.

Mia blushed slightly. “She is doing fine. A little too calm these days but fine.”

Clyde gaped at her, and then turned to Archie. “What does Mia mean, ‘she’? What do ye mean ‘she’, Mia? How do ye ken it is a girl?”

She could not help but laugh at Clyde’s astonishment. “I just ken. Lasses have a way of kenning these things.”

“I think it is a bonnie male bairn again, though.” Maeve said this with so much conviction that Clyde could not help but agree with her.

“Aye! I am certain it is a boy, too. I could tell the moment I came in. With the way ye’ve been fussing over me, I am certain I am right. The lad is telling ye to be kind to me, ye ken,” Clyde said.

“Does anyone even want to ken what the father of the child wants?” Archie asked.

“Nae!” Everyone yelled at Archie’s question, and they laughed.

As they continued in their arguments, each staking their own bet, Mia observed her entire family while rubbing the little bump of her belly. She could not remember the last time she had been this happy.

Her family was her everything.

Her family was home.

The End.

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