“I won’t,” she promised, embracing him briefly. “Safe travels, Fraser. And congratulations on your impending lairdship, though I know it’s not the path you would have chosen.”
“Life rarely gives us the path we’d choose. But sometimes the path we get is better than we imagined.” He looked pointedly at Declan. “Ye taught me that, cousin.”
The two men clasped arms, then pulled each other into a fierce hug.
“Thank ye,” Declan said quietly. “For everythin’. For standin’ by me all these years. For challengin’ me when I needed it. For bein’ the brother I never had.”
“Take care of yer family,” Fraser said, his voice rough. “And write to me. Tell me when the next bairn arrives.”
He mounted his horse, taking one last look at Castle MacGhee, at the people gathered to see him off. Then, with a final wave, he rode through the gates.
They stood watching until he disappeared over the hill. Eloise sniffled beside Francesca, who pulled her close.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Francesca said softly. “Let’s go inside. Perhaps we can bake something special for dinner. What do you think?”
“Bannocks,” Eloise said through her tears. “Fraser loves bannocks.”
“Then bannocks it is. We’ll save some for when he visits again.”
As they turned toward the castle, Declan caught Francesca’s hand, pulling her back for a moment. Eloise continued inside with Betsy, leaving them alone in the courtyard.
“Are ye all right?” she asked, touching his face.
“Aye. Sad to see him go, but aye.” He pulled her close, resting his chin on her head. “I keep thinkin’ about what he said. About how ye saved me.”
“You saved yourself.”
“Nay, lass. Ye gave me a reason to try. Ye and Eloise both.” He pulled back to look at her. “Before ye came, I was just… existin’. Doin’ me duty. But now I have somethin’ worth livin’ for. Worth fightin’ for.”
“I love you,” she whispered.
“And I love ye. More than words can say.”
They stood there for a long moment, holding each other, two people who’d found their way to something neither had known they needed.
Later that evening, after Eloise was asleep, they lay in bed together. Francesca’s head rested on Declan’s chest, his fingers trailing through her hair.
“I have somethin’ to tell ye,” she said softly.
“Aye?”
She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. “I’m fairly certain… that is, I think we’re going to have a baby.”
He went very still beneath her. Then he sat up, pulling her with him, his eyes searching her face in the firelight.
“Truly?”
“I’m not completely certain yet. But all the signs… I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure, but after Fraser’s goodbye, after everything today, I realized life is too short to keep happy secrets.”
“A baby.” Wonder filled his voice. “We’re goin’ to have a baby.”
“Are you happy?”
“Happy?” He laughed, the sound full of joy. “Lass, I’m beyond happy. I’m… I’m everythin’.”
He kissed her then, deep and sweet and full of promise. When they finally broke apart, both breathless, he kept his hand on her stomach.
“A baby,” he repeated softly. “Eloise is goin’ to be so excited.”
