She accepted his arm, walked with him to stand beside her husband.
“This is your new sister-in-law, Elspeth Stewart Kenleigh. Bethie, if I might, this is Sarah and Matthew and Alec and Elizabeth and William.”
Each of them greeted her in turn, the men with a polite kiss on the back of her hand, the women with an embrace and kiss on the cheek, as she repeated their names.
“Father, what about me?”
A little girl appeared from behind the others, dressed regally in silk, ribbons, and lace, her red-gold curls spilling over her shoulders. She looked expectantly at Nicholas and Bethie through bright blue eyes.
Bethie glanced at Nicholas, saw on his face that his heart had just melted.
He stepped forward, took the little girl’s hand, kissed it, gave a courtly bow. “Emma Rose. I’ve heard tales of your beauty, and I see that every word is true.”
An adorable pink flush stole into Emma Rose’s cheeks. “You’re my brother, aren’t you?”
“Aye. I am Nicholas, your eldest brother. And this is my wife, Bethie, and our daughter, Isabelle.”
Bethie bent down, smiled. “I am so happy to meet you, Emma Rose. What a bonny lass you are! Isabelle is lucky to have you as her aunt.”
Emma Rose blushed again, then looked straight at Nicholas, suddenly solemn. “Is it true you were hurt by Indians and then ran away?”
Nicholas nodded. “Aye, ’tis true.”
“Are you going to run away again?”
Nicholas touched a finger to her nose. “This time I’m home to stay.”
Emma Rose smiled at him, only to be swept off her feet by her father.
“How is my little princess?”
Emma Rose giggled, wrapped her arms around her father’s neck. “Papa!”
“Most coddled lass in the county,” Jamie whispered from behind Bethie, then strode off to embrace a beautiful dark-haired woman Bethie knew must be his wife, Bríghid. A flock of small children gathered around them.
Then abruptly Nicholas’s brothers and sisters stepped back, and on the stairs before them stood a tall woman, her red-gold curls frosted with white, her lovely face lined with years of worry, her green eyes shimmering with tears. “Nicholas!”
Nicholas stepped forward. But instead of embracing his mother as Bethie had expected, he knelt before her, his head bowed, his hands bunched into fists at his sides. As he spoke, his voice shook. “Forgive me, madam, for I have done you a most grievous wrong.”
His mother reached out, touched his head, then knelt with him, framing his face with trembling hands. “There was never anything to forgive. Thank God you’re home! Oh, Nicholas!”
Tears poured down Bethie’s cheeks as she watched the two of them embrace, listened to his mother sob for joy against her son’s shoulder. Then Nicholas lifted his mother up and swung her around.
She laughed, her cheeks wet with tears, her smile bright. “Put me down, son, and introduce me to my new daughter-in-law and granddaughter.”
Nicholas placed his mother gently on her feet. “Mother, may I present Elspeth Stewart Kenleigh and our daughter, Isabelle. If it weren’t for Bethie, I wouldn’t be here. She brought me back to life. She brought me home.” He met Bethie’s gaze, and she saw in his eyes a peace that had never been there before. “Bethie, your mother-by-marriage, my mother, Cassie Blakewell Kenleigh.”
“Mistress. ’Tis a joy to meet you at last.”
Cassie kissed Bethie’s cheek, stroked Isabelle’s downy head. “My husband and son have written and told me all that you’ve done, Bethie. I could not love you more if you were my own daughter. I hope that in time you shall come to think of me as a mother. Welcome home.”
The shaft of joy that pierced Bethie’s heart was as bright and pure as sunlight.
***
Nicholas brushed Bethie’s hair as she read.
“‘There is a... con-cat-en-ation of all events in the best of possible worlds; for, in short, had you no’ been kicked out of a fine castle for the love of Miss Cunegonde; had you no’ been put into the Inquisition; had you no’ traveled over America on foot; had you no’ run the Baron through the body; and had you no’ lost all your sheep, which you brought from the good country of El Dorado, you wouldna have been here to eat preserved citrons and pistachio nuts.’
