Epilogue

EPILOGUE

T he head table at the wedding feast was more crowded than Murdoch had ever imagined it could be, much less actually seen. Between three more lairds, three more ladies, his cousins, and Lydia's determination to have Finn with them at the wedding feast, Murdoch had thought his steward was going to tear his hair out before he managed to get the seating arranged to his satisfaction.

In the end, he and Lydia sat side by side, with Finn between them, Gordon on his opposite side and Wilma next to Lydia. Across from them sat Murdoch's new kin-by-marriage, with each laird seated beside his lady.

Their table was separated from the others, one on either side, at which sat the elders and council members of his clan. The lower tables were filled with a mingling of villagers, armsmen and clan-folk from all the associated clans.

The result was a wedding feast that was loud, crowded, and absolutely perfect. Even with his general discomfort around people, there was nothing Murdoch wanted to change.

Under normal conditions, he would have served his guests first, before taking anything from the platters for himself or Finn. But he and Lydia were the guests of honor, so they received the first servings of everything.

Finn pouted as he received a healthy serving of vegetables, before he looked up at Lydia. "Feed Hector?"

Lydia laughed. "Hector has a treat of his own, me braw lad. He doesnae need feeding from our table."

Leo guffawed. "Already tryin' to get up to mischief? Me lad was a year or two older before he tried to be sneaky."

"Wish I could say the same about Lydia." Isobel shook her head.

"Wish we could say the same about ye!" Nora swatted at her sister. "Lydia might have had a habit of disappearing to read in corners instead of doing her chores, but she wasnae the one who nearly shot the master-at-arms in the foot at the age of seven summers!"

"I said I wanted to learn the bow." Isobel pouted.

"Aye, but ye kent that bow was too big for ye, and we told ye to wait until he had some blunted arrows for ye." Emma clicked her tongue. "As it was, all the warriors of our clan were wearing an armored kilt, or something like it, whenever they saw ye on the practice field for seasons after."

"Wish I'd kent. I'd have had an accident when Geoffrey was walkin' by. Would have been worth the trouble after."

The rest of the table broke into laughter, Murdoch included. Over the past month, he'd heard stories from Lydia about the type of man her cousin truly was. He'd come to realize that his father had made a mistake dealing with the man, though it was a mistake that had worked to his benefit in the end.

Murdoch was only glad that Geoffrey and his uncle had never had a chance to meet and compare their ambitions.

Although, the current discussion did make him wonder about something else. "Ye ken, I've heard that Nora wins her arguments by threatening to spike yer food with herbs to make ye ill. Isobel clearly threatens to shoot anyone she disagrees with."

He turned to Emma. "What example did ye set yer younger sister that I'll have to be wary of crossing?"

The second eldest of the Knox sisters offered him a serene smile. "I simply taught her to choose her words wisely, and that tis easier to win a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent, as so many men are."

More laughter. Even Hunter only shook his head in commiseration as he leaned over to refill Murdoch's cup. "Best ye leave it be. I've learned nae to argue with her."

"Och, I've wondered where she learned to wield that sharp tongue of hers. Now I ken." Murdoch shared in the laughter as he met his wife's eyes.

He nearly choked when Lydia leaned over to whisper in his ear a moment later. "And who should I be thanking for the things ye've learned to do with yer tongue?"

Lydia watched Murdoch's expression change as she sat back in her chair with a sense of satisfaction. She hadn't minded being teased, but she had no compunction about teasing her husband in turn.

"Saucy wench." He muttered back to her a moment later, too low for her sisters to hear.

They'd both temporarily forgotten the child between them, until Finn spoke up in his high, cheerful voice. "Saucy wech!"

Silence fell. Time stopped. Then Lydia and Murdoch flushed in unison as laughter exploded from their guests, in counterpoint to Finn's delighted giggles.

"Murdoch! What have ye been teaching him!" Wilma scolded her cousin around Lydia's shoulder. "I leave ye alone with the bairn for a month, and he starts talking like that."

"Twas nae me fault. I was simply answering something Lydia said." Murdoch pulled a woebegone expression. "She was teasin' me."

"Tongue!" Finn piped up, and Lydia felt her blush deepen, turning her cheeks a crimson to rival the roses outside.

Murdoch rose from his seat and lifted his son into his arms. "I think tis time for ye to take yer nap, me braw lad."

Lydia didn't miss the heated look, full of promise, that he offered her before he walked away to find the maid who had charge of his son.

Not his son, their son. The thought made Lydia smile, despite her embarrassment.

"Ye look happy." Isobel reached out to awkwardly touch her hand. "Like ye love the man and the bairn both."

"I do." Lydia clasped her sister's hand. "Though I'll warn ye now, ye'll have to be wary of little ears once yer bairn is born." She smirked. "Ye never ken what they hear, or when they'll speak of it."

"So I see." Isobel smiled back. "So what was it ye said that Finn found so entertaining? I ken the ‘saucy wench' was Murdoch's fault, but I dinnae think for a moment ye were blameless, sister, nae with the smile on yer face afore the bairn spoke."

Lydia felt her face flush yet again. She was still trying to find a response when a warm arm draped around her shoulders, and a familiar voice answered her sister. "Twas naythin'. A request for me to fulfill later in the evening."

"Murdoch!" Lydia shot a look at her husband as he retook his seat and smiled at her.

"Been demonstrating ye can be a good husband in every way then?" Alex raised a knowing eyebrow. "Ye ken a Knox woman needs to be satisfied in every way for a happy marriage."

Isobel hissed in outrage at her husband. Murdoch simply sipped from his tankard. "O' course. Tis why I built Lydia a library. We've spent many a night in there, satisfyin' her desire to learn."

Lydia choked on the wine she'd been drinking. "Murdoch!"

He leaned over and took her hand. "Relax me dear. Tis all said in laughter and love."

The warmth in his eyes melted her embarrassment, and Lydia relaxed. "Aye. That it is."

"A toast." Alex held up his tankard. "To life and laughter and love, for all the days of our lives."

The words echoed up and down the table, and Lydia smiled as she raised her cup to chime against her husband's.

To life and laughter and love, for all the days of our lives.

The End?