Page 75 of Highland Prince of Darkness

She rolled her eyes at the way that he looked so amused by the situation.

“I just wish that my father was here to have heard the news,” May said with a heavy sigh.

“Aye, but ye ken that he would be incredibly proud of ye and very excited about this. He would have a grandchild! Can ye imagine how spoiled the baby will be by Bruce to make up for it?”

May knew that Iain was trying to lighten the mood and show her that there were positive things to look at. While May had no protests against the idea of Bruce being a very good grandfather, she was still rather upset that her father would never get to be one.

“I’m going to talk about him a lot, and mother,” May said in a determined voice, “I want the baby to feel as though they knew them.”

“That would be a lovely way to honor their memory. I’m sure that many of the servants around here have a lot of stories to help ye remember them by.”

May smiled up at him. It was a good idea to get some of the maids and servants to also tell stories of her family. It would provide at least a glimmer of hope for their future.

“I cannae wait to tell the entire clan about the good news!” Iain said.

“Aye, but I think that we should at least wait a few weeks. I dinnae want it to be all for nothing, there are still things that could go wrong.”

Iain seemed slightly jolted by this news, but it was the advice that the healer had given to her that morning. She knew that they were wise men who had studied their methods for many years. May thought that it would be a good decision for the two of them to respect the advice.

“All right, but I want at least yer maids to ken of the news, just so they ken nae to tie yer dresses too tight in the mornings.”

“Good idea,” May said while nodding. She thought about how excited Sarah would be to learn of the news.

May had grown up with the maid around her, and she found it strange that she was now going to raising a child with the same maid. Sarah to her was as much a part of her family as Bruce was; May wanted to show her this by revealing the news to her.

“Ye’ll be a great mother,” Iain encouraged her as he started to help her back up onto her horse.

“Aye, but only because ye’ll be a great father,” May said, while looking down at him once she had her balance in the saddle.

“I dinnae ken if that’s true yet,” Iain chuckled and shook his head. May looked at him with sympathy; she knew that he was going to have a difficult time trying to figure out how to be a good father for their child. But she had every faith that he would be good to their baby.

“I think that ye dinnae give yerself enough credit sometimes,” May admitted, as she smiled lightly in his direction, “Ye should definitely think of yerself as much more compassionate than ye would normally think.”

“Really?” Iain laughed at the thought.

“Aye, ye have been nothing but loving and helpful towards me throughout this recovery process. I feel as though I will always be indebted to ye for the way that ye have helped,” May had said this to him before, and his reaction was still the same.

Iain brushed off the compliments and tried his hardest not to accept them.

“I did what any husband would do.”

However, May had heard awful stories of wives who were nothing more than vessels to produce heirs for their husbands. She knew that not all husbands were like Iain and that she was incredibly lucky to have him in her life.

* * *

Iain was even more cautious in leading May down the glen than he had been when they were ascending to its peak. He was terrified of May falling off and something happening to her or the baby, and the threat of being ambushed was also still very raw in his mind.

However, the new thoughts of May being pregnant were still exploding with new questions and new reactions with each second that passed. Iain thought about whether they would have a girl or a boy. Of course, he was hoping for a boy. He wanted to have heirs for the clan, but he was also very conscious of not putting much pressure onto May.

He could already feel himself wanting to tell people, even if it was just Bruce or Douglas. He wanted someone that he could confide the information in, someone that he knew wouldn’t go around spreading the information like it was just another piece of gossip for the servants to enjoy.

Iain wanted their court to be told the news, but that would call for a large announcement and a feast. He realized all of a sudden that the arrival of a baby was going to put a lot more pressure on them to host more events around it.

“If news reaches too far, I’m scared that someone may want to come and wish us harm,” Iain said as he thought out loud. “What if people see it as a way to try to hurt ye or the baby?”

“We’re just going to have to be careful,” May sighed as she spoke, “It’s nae going to be easy, but we will manage. Besides, think of the feasts! I will be eating for myself and the baby, so I will do fine in that environment for once!”

“Nonsense, ye have always been good at feasts,” Iain tried to defend her.