Cecily shrugged. “I’m just a little tired.
“That’s to be expected.” Jeane reached out to touch Cecily’s swollen belly, pressing in. The baby inside kicked her hand, and Jeane gasped.
Cecily smiled. “He’s an active one. That’s what makes me think he might be a lad. Either way, ye’ll love them.”
“Aye,” Cecily agreed, patting her stomach.
“Elevate yer legs at night, and try to stay in bed as much as possible,” Jeane ordered. “Ye’re near the end, and ye could start labor anytime.”
“Daenae want to be out at the store when the baby drops,” Cecily said with a laugh, and Jeane laughed with her. “Thank ye for all yer help, Liliana. What do I owe ye?”
Jeane waved a hand. “The Laird takes care of all that.”
Cecily nodded. “Aye. He’s a good man, our laird.”
“I daenae ken much about him,” Jeane said quietly. She felt that in all this time, she had barely learned anything about him.
“He takes care of his clan. Nae like his da.”
“His da? Was he not a good laird?”
Cecily sighed. “He was not a bad man. He just… was not very good at being laird. He was focused on other things – like his wife, his family.”
“Aye,” Jeane agreed, thinking of her father.
Bennet Forrest was the opposite of Fergus’ father—a good laird but not a good man. Jeane thought it would have been better to have a man like Fergus’ father raising her.
“Even though he made some poor choices, we were sorry to hear about the fire,” Cecily commented, and Jeane’s eyes shot to hers.
“The fire?”
“Aye. Both the lady and laird were killed in a fire when Laird Fergus was young,” Cecily explained. “It was a terrible time for our clan.”
“I can imagine,” Jeane said, her heart clenching in her chest.
Fergus had lost both his parents? How young had he been? She did not want to grill Cecily, but she was curious. Perhaps Fergus was a hard man because he had been made that way by tragedy.
Perhaps she should treat him more kindly.
“Daenae forget to elevate those legs. Above yer heart,” Jeane called at the door, and Cecily smiled, nodding and waving as she left.
Jeane stepped out of the staff quarters, and Aiden met her at the door, a panicked expression on his face.
“I couldnae find ye in the castle.”
Jeane looked up at him, worried. “Is somethin’ wrong? Is it Ian?”
Aiden shook his head. “Nay, Ian’s better. The Laird will have me head for losin’ track of ye, though.”
Jeane rolled her eyes. “The Laird can come and find me himself, if he’s so worried.”
She knew she was being petulant. She’d been avoiding Fergus, after all, but he also hadn’t sought her out.
“Let’s get back to the castle. I’ve got a carriage waitin’.” Aiden walked toward the stables, where a carriage was parked. He clearly expected Jeane to follow him.
Usually, Jeane would buck up against such a situation, tell Aiden she was her own woman and could go where she pleased. But today, after hearing what Cecily said about Fergus’ parents, she felt differently.
She followed Aiden and expected him to be silent on the ride back to the castle.
