Keely rolled her eyes. “My husband can hardly disagree, Helen. He broke with tradition and had every intention of never returning to the Highlands. I believe, we all believe, that God brought him home to save our clan.”
“And has he?”
“We are stronger than we’ve ever been. Strong alliances, wealth, faith, and children to fill this ancient place with laughter and happiness again.”
Tears wet the corners of Helen’s eyes.
“I am verra sorry.” Keely placed her son in his cradle, then rushed to Helen’s side. “In my own happiness, I failed to remember yer circumstances.”
“Nay.” Helen wiped the tears from her eyes. “I am overjoyed at yer good fortune. And one day, God willing, I, too, will find my own happiness.”
Keely squeezed her hand. “Ye deserve whatever ye wish. When I was lost and alone, ye gave me comfort. Now let me repay that kindness. My home is yer home. My family, yer family.”
“Thank ye.”
“Aye.” Keely hugged Helen.
“I accept yer offer. Nothing would please me more than serving as godmother to yer twins.”
“The baptism and feast are being planned.”
“And will yer father and brothers attend?”
“Aye. I am surprised they havena spoken to ye yet. Though one of my brothers is already taken with ye.”
Helen blushed. “I am sure yer sire has many things to say to me, most not kind after finding out where ye were all that time.”
“Nay. My father doesna blame ye. He has praised ye, as has my husband. No one within these walls wishes ill will upon ye.”
“With the exception of Duncan Munroe.”
“Tell me about him. Alex dinna wish to upset me, so he said nothing about why the man is here.” Keely lifted her daughter from Helen’s shoulder and gently set her in the cradle close to her brother’s, then sat down in the chair next to Helen’s.
“Laird Munroe finds it beneath him to travel and meet me, so he sent his nephew and heir, Duncan Munroe. Of course, there’s questions about what happened to Duncan’s parents, too. His father was Laird Munroe’s younger brother. He and his wife died fifteen years ago, when Duncan was but a lad. The laird raised Duncan as his own son, grooming him for the laird’s chair, but keeping him at a distance.”
“An unfortunate fate for any child.”
“Aye. Trust between the Munroes doesna seem to exist.”
“And ye fear marrying the man?”
“I refuse to doanythingwith the man.”
“Earl Sutherland willna let ye go easily.”
Aye.Helen knew it all too well. Her father dinna like to lose. In fact, she tried to recall a time he had ever played fairly at anything. Even her dear mother had been tricked into marrying him. She sighed. She’d liked the idea of simply being Helen of the Highlands. But such fantasies were meant for idealistic girls, not a noblewoman who was expected to fulfill her father’s latest political move to gain an ally in the isles. The one thing Laird Munroe possessed that her father dinna: ships.
“What are ye so heavy in thought about?” Keely asked.
“My father.”
“Ye miss him?”
“Not in the way I should.”
“I sympathize. It took much for my sire to completely forgive what he considered betrayal of my family.”
Helen gazed at her friend. “Such demands aren’t made of our brothers.”
