His praise of Loki’s talent sent the lads he’d mentored—Gillie, Thorn, and Nari, and his adopted son Kenzie—into gales of laughter as they shouted his name.
“But it was the Scottish people who prevailed in that short battle. Our enemies got back into their ships and sailed away. Our fortitude and loyalty carried us through, much like in the Battle of Bannockburn, which is sure to be remembered as the fight for freedom for many, many years.
“Of course, some think we have gained much from the Norse’s visits because many stayed, giving us the gift of their strength and culture, not something to be overlooked.” When he made that statement, he gave a pointed look to his son Connorand his half-Norse wife, Sela. Then he reached down and took Dyna’s hand. “You’ve enriched our lives in many ways.”
He heard Sela sniffle at the end of the tale, but he wouldn’t allow it, instead moving on to his next tale.
He told of the young blonde lass who’d been mistreated by her own brother but lived on to be one of the strongest women he’d ever known.
While he spoke, he heard whispers about Great-Grandmama, Maddie, or other enduring terms for his dearest wife. They all knew the story of how she’d been shunned by this very clan in the beginning because of cruel rumors spread by an evil man, her former betrothed. The tale was of a strong woman who didn’t allow adversity to destroy her. She continued to create story books to entertain and delight the children of Clan Grant, and to live an irreproachable life—all while she was mistreated.
How he’d chastised himself for not noticing. As laird, he’d focused his efforts on protecting and defending the clan instead of what was happening right under his nose.
He continued the tale of how Maddie had tricked all his guards to look the other way while she jumped into a hole that had formed in the earth, risking severe injury, to save two dear children. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the sobs of his sister Jennie, who’d been one of the bairns. She had been stuck in the bottom of the deep hole with a gash on her head, watching over a wee lass who’d hit her head and fallen into a deep sleep.
Maddie had broken her arm in the fall, but the pain had meant nothing to her compared to her worry for the innocent bairns.
Alex had awakened to the truth of the situation. He’d learned to listen, to consider others’ feelings, and to love without holding anything back. He’d married the lass, knowing he’dnever regret marrying someone with such strong conviction. Knowing she’d gift him with strong sons and daughters.
And she had—five of them.
She’d given him more in their many years together than he’d ever deserved. He spoke of their challenges, their joy at each of their children’s births, of their wonder when their three grandsons—Alasdair, Els, and Alick—had been born on the same night, at the same time, and of the wonderful moment they’d adopted Maeve.
He spoke of their arguments, how she quietly taught him the gift of forgiveness, and how together they’d learned to work as partners to consider possible solutions to their many problems. How they’d been blessed by God in so many ways they’d been grateful every day.
When he finished, he stood with a great amount of effort, Kyla handing him his long stick of wood he used for support, Maeve and Elizabeth right behind her, while his sister Jennie rushed to his other side to assist him to his chamber.
He nodded to his two sons, his grandsons and granddaughters, and to his brother Brodie. Then he made his way across the great hall to a quiet rarely heard in the Grant hall. The bairns began to stir behind him, while the others whispered to one another, but he paid them no mind.
Kyla opened the door for him, Maeve and Elizabeth nearby, but he stopped her, leaning down to kiss her forehead, and said, “I love all of you, daughters, and you’ve always made me proud, but I must speak to my sister privately.”
Tears tracked down Kyla’s cheeks the way he’d known they would, and he allowed the squeezing hugs that sent ripples of aches through his old bones because he knew they needed it. She and her sisters left him, Maeve wiping away tears, and Jennie closed the door before assisting him into bed, something that took a while.
Once he lay back on the bed, a deep sigh leaving him, Jennie pulled a chair up next to him. She kissed his cheek and said, “Give Mama and Papa a hug for me, and Maddie, and Robbie, and well, you know.”
“I know not for sure, but I’m tired, Jennie. My time will come soon.”
“You’ve lived many wonderful years, Alex, and what you’ve made here… Mama and Papa will be so proud.”
His eyes fluttered shut. He couldn’t stay awake for one more moment. He had a vague sense of his sister covering him up with a blanket before leaving quietly. Being a healer, she’d always had an odd sense of when things were about to happen.
He fell asleep quickly, hoping to see Maddie. His need for her had become more than he could bear.
One moment he was thinking of his dear Maddie, and how she’d always carried the scent of lavender, and the next he was riding Midnight, his old war horse, across a meadow full of heather. He found himself in a deep forest, and although he’d never been there before, Midnight led him to a burn where the horse feasted on the cool water. Alex dismounted, realizing at once that he was in the midst of a dream because he carried no pain, no aches. Giddy with disbelief, he pulled out his sword and lifted it overhead, something he hadn’t been able to do for a few years. He did it a few times just for the sheer joy of it.
A serene sense of peace fell over him, and his first thought was that he wished he could stay in the forest forever, but for the fact that he was alone. The scent of the pines, the swaying of the branches, and the rustle of the squirrels soothed him. He sheathed his sword and lifted his head to take in the sweet Highland breeze, his long hair lifting off his neck from the wind.
Something made him look up. There, standing in the mist ahead of him, stood a man with dark hair, a pretty red-hairedlass a few steps away. “Papa, we’ve missed you. Our thanks for watching over Alasdair and our grandbairns.”
“Jake?” Alex took a few steps forward, his eyes probably deceiving him because the son he missed every day now stood in front of him with his wife, Aline.
“Aye, ’tis me, Papa. We’ll spar in a few days, but someone else is here to see you first.” Jake pointed to Alex’s right, a deep mist swirling around all of them as he disappeared.
Then he saw her.
Maddie stood not far away, radiant as always in his favorite blue gown that matched her eyes, her hair golden in the moonlight, unplaited and glorious with its soft waves.
He said, “Maddie, love. I miss you. How much time have you managed for me this eve?”
