William slid his hand around Ada’s waist and held her in close, overwhelming gratitude filling him. Without taking his eyes off hers, he said, “Then surely ye had the most important role of all, as she ismy life.”
Ada’s eyes widened, and she inhaled sharply. He must have been choosing the right words, he thought with a smile.
As Thomas strode away from them and across the courtyard to where the nuns were standing, William moved his hand to the back of Ada’s neck and cupped her unbruised cheek with his other hand. “I did nae want to love ye, but I see now that there was nae ever a choice. The moment I met ye, ye slipped under the barrier I had built around my heart.”
She smiled at that. “Ye did nae think about the cracks at the bottom?”
“I did nae,” he answered, lightly brushing his lips to hers. “It was nae ever about lust for me, Ada; it was about warmth. I was afraid to feel warm in here again.” He took her hand and placed it on his heart, which he knew she would feel drumming madly. Her fingertips curled against his skin. “I ken what it is to love someone and then have them disappear, or to trust and then have it taken away, but I’d rather risk letting ye in than living my life without ye.” He paused to kiss her softly once more. “If ye’ll still have my love, I want to give it. Every day. All day. In a thousand ways I’ve yet to think of, and a few we’ve already experienced.”
“Oh,” she said, her voice husky, “ye’re attempting to seduce me.”
“Aye,” he agreed. “Is it working?”
An uneasy look suddenly came over her face, but he knew instinctually what her worry was. He pressed a very gentle finger to her lips. “I dunnae care if yer gift is gone. Frankly, I’m glad.”
She grinned for a moment, but then her brows dipped together. “How did ye—”
He motioned behind him to the fae. “They told me. I believe those two have been waiting for ye for a verra long time.”
He watched as his beautiful wife’s eyes went even wider. She stepped away from him as if to go to them, but then she glanced over her shoulder. “Stay with me?”
He took her hand and entwined her fingers with his. “Always.”
When William’s fingers captured Ada’s and he looked at her as if she was the most prized treasure in all the world, happiness flooded her. And then—
“Ah!” she exclaimed, her hand going to her stomach.
“What is it?” William asked, his hand moving atop the one on her stomach.
“’Tis the oddest thing,” she said with a frown. “It almost feels as if—” She glanced sharply at the fairies, who were grinning. “That’s impossible,” she whispered.
“Aye, usually,” one of the fairies called from across the courtyard.
Ada’s heart sped up. “Which fairy is that?” she asked William, but before he could answer, the fairy did.
“I’m Hortense.”
“And I’m Portense,” the other one said. “I gave the wee bairn a little gift.”
At Portense’s grin, Ada groaned. “I dunnae want any gifts at all, wee or large, for my bairn.” She tried to sound stern, but she was so happy she knew she had not quite done so.
“Ada?” William turned her to face him, his gaze delving into hers. “Are ye with child?”
“She is!” Portense called, not giving Ada the chance to answer.
“We heard his heartbeat when she arrived,” Hortense offered.
His.
Ada laughed and cupped William’s cheek even as he reached for hers. “A boy!”
“A boy,” he repeated, reverence ringing in his voice. Concern suddenly filled his eyes. “Ada, I’m glad the fae told us, but—”
“Please,” she said, turning to them. “What sort of gift have ye given the babe?”
“Just a little nudge, so ye could feel him this once, nae anything more,” Portense said with a smile. “But if ye would like us to, we could give the lad a gift to make him—”
“Nay!” Ada and William said together. Joy filled the air around them as the four of them laughed.
William drew Ada into his arms, and she lay her head against his chest, pleased he felt exactly as she did. “As long as we have each other,” her husband said, his voice rumbling low and lovely in her ear, “we have the greatest gift of all.”
