“So what was the best part of the tale? I know you saved Grandmama and brought her to Grant land. And you got Grandda home after his leg was cut.”
“The best part. Hmmm. Two things stand out in my mind.”
“Tell me both!”
“The first one was the first meat pie that Da bought me—he wasn’t my da yet, of course. It was lamb and so juicy that it ran down my chin. I swear it was the best meat pie I’ve ever eaten.”
“Better than scraps?”
“Much better than scraps.”
“What are scraps?”
“Scraps? Mostly stale bread, moldy vegetables, and rows of fat cut from meat that people wouldn’t eat.”
“Och. I would not like that. What was the second one? Did the mean boys come after you and you punched them?”
Loki’s head fell back, a swift memory had popped into his head. “Lad, I forgot about that. My thanks for asking because now I recall. When Brodie put me up on his horse once, I looked over at the leader of the mean boys who harassed me. He’d appeared out of nowhere with his fist in the air.”
“He saw you with Great-Grandda?”
“He did.” How had he forgotten this part? The fool had cursed at him from a distance.
“What did you do?”
“I waved at him, grinning.”
Ketill giggled, his hand over his mouth. “I wish I’d been there for that. So that was your other favorite memory?”
“Nay. My favorite memory of all time was the moment Uncle Alex told me that Great-Grandda and Great-Grandmama wanted to adopt me. I didn’t think anyone would ever want me.”
“Why not? I love you, Grandda.”
“Back then, I thought my mama and da gave me away. If my own parents didn’t want me, I thought I must be unlovable. Ilearned the story wasn’t true later on, as a child, I believed the worst. And when they agreed to adopt me, I knew I had a home.”
The door opened and his son Lucas emerged. “Da, why don’t you come down. It’s cold up here.”
Loki ruffled Ketill’s hair. “I’m on my way. Ketill was keeping me company, but the wind is getting stronger. Inside with you, laddie.” He followed his son and grandson down the stairs, stopping at his chamber.
Lucas paused with him and said, “Da, I’ll go with you to Muir Castle. I’m sure you’d like to see your mama.”
“Nay, she has Catriona and Alison and Braden and a slew of grandbairns to watch over her. I’d probably just get in the way.” He didn’t know how to explain that being an orphan had a way of making you feel as if you belonged on the outside. His parents had always made him feel loved, but he knew how others thought.
He stepped inside his chamber and grabbed another plaid to wrap around himself. He was still chilled from the wind. Lucas and Ketill went below stairs while he did his best to untangle his long strands of hair from the wind’s effect. He moved over to warm himself by the embers in the hearth.
A wee bit later, a voice rang out. “Grandda!”
“Coming,” he said, knowing they’d all wish to comfort him after losing his father. The man who’d meant everything to him, who’d taught him what love and fairness and pride and honesty and diligence meant. He’d miss him terribly. Even though he hadn’t seen him often in the past few years, he’d stopped at least a few times a year to visit with him.
To listen to his wisdom and to see the undying love in his gaze. After all these years, the man still loved him.
Not nearly as much as Loki loved Brodie and Celestina Grant.
“Loki Grant, get out here right now.”
His eyes widened and he turned, then froze. That voice sounded just like his mother. He had to be imagining things. Taking slow steps out to the balcony, he finally gained the courage to peek over the railing, surprised to see his beloved mother standing there, Braden and Cairstine right behind her.
“Mama? What are you doing here? You should be home in mourning.”
