“Callum!”
“Now, Mother,” he said. “Show Marsaili to a bedchamber and see that she has anything she requires.”
After a long tense pause, his mother jerked her head in agreement, and with a huff, she motioned for Marsaili to follow her. Callum watched as Marsaili disappeared into his castle with their son in her arms, and then he turned to face his brother and Coira.
“How fares the castle?” he asked Brice.
“Well, Brother,” Brice answered. “We have been attacked twice, but the men fought well and we were nae breached.”
Callum nodded, having much to talk with Brice about but needing to settle matters with Coira first. “See me in the great hall before supper,” he said to Brice. He expected his brother to depart, but when Brice stood there looking uneasy, Callum frowned. “Was there something else?” He noted that Brice exchanged a quick look with Coira before he answered.
“Aye,” his brother said. “I—” Coira nudged Brice, surprising Callum. “That is, we”—he motioned between himself and Coira—“wish to speak with ye alone.”
“Verra well,” Callum said. He could only imagine what sort of things his brother might have done in an attempt to aid Callum. He prayed to God it was nothing that would further complicate matters.
They went directly to the solar, and once the door was shut and Callum turned to Brice and Coira, Brice blurted, “We are in love.”
Callum could only gape at them.
Coira twisted her hands in front of her. “I’m sorry, Callum. I could not resist. You don’t love me,” she said softly, “and I don’t love you. I have spoken with my father. He had to return home, for my mother took ill, but he has agreed to my wedding Brice, if you will allow it. And he wishes to remain allies, if you will have us. I beg you—”
Callum waved a hand, recovering from being shocked by the news, but then suspicion set in. “Brice, what is this?”
“It is nae as ye think. I admit I tried to seduce her to disembroil ye from yer promise to wed her, but I fell in love with her. Ye dunnae love her, Brother, but I do. And ye brought Marsaili back with ye, so surely…”
“I know about the lass,” Coira said. “Brice—” she gave him an adoring look “—told me everything. I wish you all the happiness.”
“As do I,” Brice added. “Did ye ken she had a bairn, though? Whose boy is it?”
“Mine,” Callum announced with so much pride he thought his chest would burst. “The boy, Brody, is mine. She thought he had died at birth. ’Tis a long story.”
Brice grabbed Callum by the arm and hugged him. “Sit and tell us. There is time. Give Mother and Marsaili a chance to come to ken each other.”
A thought struck him. “Does Mother ken about ye and Coira?”
“Nay!” Brice answered.
“We have kept it secret to all but my father,” Coira said in an assuring tone that amused him given his own situation.
“I thank ye, lass,” he replied.
“Do we have yer blessing?” Brice asked, clearly anxious.
“Aye, aye,” he assured them both. The look they gave each other eased the last of Callum’s concern. It seemed all had somehow resolved itself.
“Tell us of the boy,” Brice encouraged.
“I will,” Callum said, “but let me tell Marsaili about this first. It will ease her greatly.”
Brice and Coira smiled. “We’ll await yer return here,” Brice said.
Callum nodded, departed the solar, and went to find Marsaili. He found her in one of the guest bedchambers with Brody. The door was open, and for a moment, he stood there watching her with his son. His heart was full. When she finally glanced up, he walked wordlessly to her, dropped to his knees in front of her, and told her of Brice and Coira. She was so relieved that tears filled her eyes. He cupped her face in his hands, and with their son between them, he kissed her tenderly.
When he pulled back, he started to sit beside her, but she shook her head. “Nay. Leave me time with yer mother so we can learn each other.”
“Ye’re certain?”
Marsaili nodded. “Ye can speak with her later and tell her everything, but nae here with me looking on.”
“As ye wish,mo chridhe. Brice and Coira did want to hear about Brody…”
Marsaili laughed. “Away with ye, then. I will see ye soon.”
