“The same as I was a few minutes ago,” Robina replied. “I can not thank you enough for what for what you did.”
“I think you are confusing me with my sister,” Nan replied, coming around the side of the bed to put her hand on Robina’s forehead. “I am Nan. Lorna is my identical twin.”
“You are exactly alike,” Alex said in amazement. “I have never seen such a thing before.”
Nan smiled. “Now you have, M'laird. Milady, how are you feeling? Is there any pain? Did you hit your head?”
“I feel fine,” Robina replied. “Now can my husband get into bed with me?”
Nan’s eyes twinkled. “You look fine to me,” she replied, “but you must promise to talk only. Nothing else!”
Robina shook her head wearily. “I have not got the strength,” she murmured, as her eyes closed.
Nan was about to leave when Alex stopped her.
“Will she have nightmares?” he asked anxiously.
“I cannot tell you that, M'laird,” she answered, shaking her head and spreading her hands. He noticed that even the sisters’ mannerisms were the same. He wondered if Nan had the same problem as Lorna. “It is not the same for everyone.” She paused. “You were a warrior, were you not? Do you have them?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“I cannot tell you for certain. I will be in the parlor if you need me, since we have the freedom to roam now.” She smiled and left.
Alex put his arms around Robina and she opened her eyes. “Thank you for your concern,” she murmured.
“I thought you had gone to sleep,” he said, stroking her face.
“I cannot sleep.” She closed her eyes and nestled her face against his chest. “I feel as though I was responsible for his death.”
“My darling, he tried to poison you!” Alex’s deep voice was high with disbelief. “And he held a knife to your throat. I killed him, and I feel nothing but joy.”
She nodded, and suddenly the baby kicked. Alex was pressed close against her and he felt it against his stomach. “How can you do this?” he asked in wonder. “How can you grow this little human being in there? You do nothing and it just...grows.” His eyes were wide as he pressed his hand against her tummy.
She yawned. “Just the way God made us.”
“I am going to talk to Lorna,” he told her, “but I will send the housekeeper to come and sit with you if Lorna permits.”
Robina nodded. He kissed her forehead and tiptoed out of the room.
He heard the sound of women’s voices and laughter from the dining room, and when he stood in the doorway and looked in, six pairs of very admiring eyes looked up at him. Lorna stood up and drew him into the room, while the young women drank Alex in with their eyes. When he bowed to them they all stood up and curtsied, some of them blushing.
“Sisters, this is Laird Alexander Lindsay, who did you all the immense favor of slaying your brother-in-law today!” They were all sipping wine or ale, but Lorna poured him a glass of whisky without asking if he wanted one. To his surprise, each one raised her glass to him. “Sláinte mhath!” they chorused.
He frowned, troubled by their apparent mood of jubilation, but downed the whisky in one draught anyway. He needed it.
“How can you rejoice when a man is dead?” he asked, puzzled. “He may have been a bad man, even an evil one, but he was still a human being.” Alex suddenly realized that he was beginning to think the same way as Robina. Forgiveness came much more easily to her than it did to him. He would probably never forgive anyone who tried to harm his wife, but he was beginning to understand her.
“Was he now?” One of the women stood up. She looked slightly older than Lorna, with the same brown eyes, but with dark hair instead of fair. “I do not agree with you M'laird. He tried to poison your wife and unborn child to make you suffer because he thought that you had insulted his dignity, and because he was jealous of you and your land. What kind of human being does that? And how can you defend him? I am Torrie, by the way.”
“I am not defending him. I hated him. I am saying what Robina would say. She is a very forgiving woman.”
“She must be a saint,” Torrie said dryly. He sat down and ran his hand back through his hair in a gesture of agitation, closing his eyes with weariness. When he looked up six pairs of brown eyes were looking at him appreciatively. “They will try me for this, you know.”
“M'laird, they will not find you guilty,” Lorna said firmly. “I was there and so were three stable hands. You killed him defending your wife, and I will vouch for you. As Lockie’s wife my word will carry more weight. He deserved this end. He could not leave with Robina’s happiness. He felt like the child should have been his. He brought that to himself.”
“Indeed Milady. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for your help. You saved my life ,but most importantly , you saved my wife and my unborn child. I will always be indebted to you. I will spend my life repaying you.” said Alex, and he neeled before her in gratitude.
Lorna could not hide her joy. “I am very happy with how things turned out. I could not have made it without you either, I would be hopeless!”
