Speechless, Alex cradled her, fascinated by her full head of thick, black curls. She stared up at him, her tiny mouth making sucking sounds. “Two babes?” he asked.
“Twins.”
“No wonder ye were screaming to high heaven. I wanted to kill something because I knew ye suffered.”
“Nay,” she said, taking his hand. “It isna that kind of pain.”
“I love ye, Keely. I love these bairns. This clan. The Highlands.”
“I know ye do.”
He repositioned his daughter in the crook of his arm and bent at the waist so he could kiss his wife. “Have ye thought of any names?”
“Rebecca, after my mother.”
“A fine name,” he approved.
“And our son?” she asked, arching a brow.
Alex had thought on it long and hard. He’d spent the last two years of his life mending his ways, loving his wife, and forgiving his father and brother for the mistakes they’d all made. There was only one name that had stayed with him if he had a son. “John Matthew MacKay. After my brother and yer father.”
“John and Rebecca,” Keely repeated. “Worthy names for our little Highlanders.”
“Aye.”
“Now we better open that door, or my father and brothers, and even Petro, are never going to forgive us.”
Alex did the honor, and when his father-in-law crossed the threshold, he placed the man’s first granddaughter in his arms. “Rebecca,” Alex said.
The Oliphant laird took one look at her and tears of joy filled his eyes. “Another Rebecca to love.”
“And this is John Matthew,” Keely called from the bed.
Her sire stared at her like she had two heads. “Ye had twins, Daughter?”
“Aye.”
Everyone shuffled into the chamber, and the babes were handed around.
Alex stood back, taking in the happiness, grateful for everything God had blessed him with.
When Keely looked his way, he blew her a kiss. “Thank ye,” he mouthed to her.
She smiled and nodded.
As he was about to join her at the bedside again, someone knocked on the chamber door. Since he was standing nearby, he opened it a crack.
One of the guards from outside bowed.
“What do ye want?”
“Sorry to intrude, milord, but Helen Sutherland is waiting at the gates.”
Had he heard the man correctly? Alex stepped into the passageway and closed the door behind him. “Helen Sutherland is here? Alone?”
“Aye.”
“What does the lady want?”
