As if she knew he was moved and did not judge him for it.
Maxwell felt the weight of his own choices press down on him.
No children.
He had built those rules like walls and called them safety.
But looking at Ariella now, holding new life as if it were the most natural thing she had ever done, he felt a dangerous truth rise in his chest.
He swallowed hard, forcing his expression back into place.
Ariella turned back to Mairi, voice gentle. “Ye were magnificent.”
Mairi scoffed weakly. “I was a beast.”
Ariella smiled. “Aye. A magnificent one.”
Maxwell stood at the foot of the bed, hands clenched behind his back, watching his wife silently.
19
“Go, me Lady,” Moira said, pressing a folded cloth into Ariella’s hands. “Wash. Sit. Breathe. Ye’ve done enough for one night.”
“I can stay,” Ariella replied automatically. “Mairi might need —”
“She willnae,” Moira cut in. “She’s sleeping, the baby’s sleeping, and Callum looks like a man who’d bite anyone who comes near them now. That includes ye.”
Ariella hesitated, glancing toward the bed. Mairi lay propped against pillows, eyes closed, Callum’s arm draped protectively over her waist, the tiny bundle tucked safely between them. The room felt peaceful in a way it hadn’t an hour ago.
Moira followed her gaze. “See. All is well.”
Ariella exhaled slowly. “All right.”
She handed back the cloth and stepped away from the bed. As she reached the door, Mairi stirred, eyes fluttering open.
“Me Lady,” she murmured.
Ariella turned at once. “I am here.”
Mairi smiled faintly. “Thank ye.”
The simple words tightened Ariella’s throat. “Rest,” she said gently. “We’ll see ye tomorrow.”
Mairi nodded and drifted back to sleep.
Outside the chamber, the corridor was quieter, though not empty. Guards stood at their posts. Servants whispered as they carried away basins and linens. Somewhere down the hall, a door closed softly.
Maxwell stood near the window at the end of the corridor, hands clasped behind his back, gaze fixed outward. He turned when she approached.
“She’s settled,” Ariella said.
He nodded. “Good.”
“The baby is strong,” she added.
Another nod. “Good.”
They stood there for a moment, neither quite ready to move on.
