“Och! A letter,” Daphne scoffed, a hint of the Scottish accent creeping into her words. “As if a letter could explain anything!”
There was a sigh from the center of the room, and Leah smiled at Katie, who was reaching out to Oskar, who handed her Evander. The baby quieted instantly.
“Perhaps I should find a handsome Highland laird to distract her,” Katie said of Daphne cheerfully, tickling Evander’s nose and making him giggle.
“And what, pray tell, are you still doing in Scotland, Katie?” Daphne asked.
Katie turned to her. “Why, avoiding the Season at all costs, of course!” she said bitterly, coaxing a hearty laugh from Oskar. “How goes the book?” she asked as she looked over at Leah.
“It is finished, I think. I shall need to have its main character approve some of the wilder passages, but I am very pleased with it.”
“I cannae wait to read it,” Oskar said, “or for ye to write one about me as a sequel which improves upon it.”
They all laughed, and Evander chose that moment to start to scream loudly in Katie’s arms.
Magnus looked around the table at the councilmen, who were almost finished with their debate. It had taken much toil to get them all here, especially with a laird they had all considered an enemy not so long ago, but he was more than happy with the outcome.
Despite Mortimer’s frosty attitude and some sharp comments from around the table, Gibson was finally allied with Magnus as surely as the MacIrvins were. It was in no small part thanks to Leah’s influence. She had charmed Gibson when Magnus had asked him for a brief visit to discuss the terms a few weeks ago.
It seemed that with the confirmation of Thompson’s involvement and his subsequent death, Gibson had forgiven Magnus for his role in Elizabeth’s death.
As the meeting ended and everyone rose from the table, Gibson walked over to Magnus. His large frame was intimidating in the huge hall, his bushy beard streaked with more grey than the last time Magnus had seen him.
Gibson reached out a hand, and Magnus took it gladly as the other men filed out of the hall. “I didnae expect this, I’ll be honest,” he admitted, looking around the room carefully.
“Neither did I, but I am glad we have reached an agreement,” Magnus replied sincerely.
“Aye, it was a long time comin’, but I am glad we are nay longer at odds. MacIrvin seems a good man. Ye are both very fortunate with yer wives,” Gibson said with a stern glare.
Magnus laughed. “Aye, I think we both are aware of that.”
“Ye and Lady MacWatt must come to Gibson Castle in the summer. She has a love of animals, and we have many deerand stags that wander the estate at dusk. I think she will be enchanted with the place.”
“I have nay doubt. We’d be honored,” Magnus replied.
He watched the Laird walk out of his castle, astonished yet again by the positive shift that had occurred in his life since he had met his wife.
I am fortunate, indeed.
He made his way back to where he knew his guests would be waiting for him, and as he entered the room, he found them all laughing together as Leah described one of the events that she had insisted on including in the book—the great injustice and defeat of Laird Thompson.
Magnus had heard that Laird Thompson’s daughter had fled to England, where she was sure to find a husband to make him miserable. He was quite content that he would not have to deal with any more threats from that clan for the rest of his days.
He approached the group, listening to their laughter and feeling deeply content.
“Dinnae listen to a word me wife had said,” he stated with mock outrage. “She has grossly exaggerated me abilities and made me look far better than I am,” he admitted.
Leah laughed as he came up to her, and he relished the ease with which their arms went round each other, as though they had been doing it all their lives.
Oskar and Daphne were bemoaning the fact that Leah had not written a book abouttheirclan yet, and Magnus rolled his eye.
“Indeed,” Oskar declared with a careful glance at Magnus as he turned to Leah. “I believe ye will have to come and stay with us for three, maybe four weeks, in order to hear of the greatness of the MacIrvin name. I expect the second book to do a great deal better than the first one due to the increased interest in its main subject.”
He laughed heartily as Magnus scowled at him. “Me wife will be goin’ nowhere without me,” he said firmly.
Oskar pretended to balk at the idea. “On second thoughts, Leah, perhaps we dinnae need the book.”
Magnus shook his head as Leah squeezed his side, and they all had a good laugh at his expense.
