24. Epilogue

Craig and Lorena lay side-by-side on their bed. Both were free of clothing, various parts of their bodies covered with salve and wrappings for the burns they'd both received. A soft blanket covered them as they both dozed.

Craig opened his eyes as the door closed softly and Helena and Robin entered the room.

"How are my patients?" Helena asked in a hushed voice.

Craig looked over at Lorena who remained asleep. "I think the potion you gave her is working just fine."

He could still hear the wheezing in her lungs, but ‘twas not as bad as it had been when they'd first returned from the village.

"How did the village fare?" Craig asked.

Robin leaned against the wall and continued to speak in a low voice. "About ten bothies burned down and another ten or so suffered damage. Those families have moved to the brooch until we can re-build. None of their animals were lost, although it took a while to round them up."

"The best news is no deaths, and only a few injuries," Helena said as she studied Lorena. "Yer wife is a wonderful woman, Craig."

He looked over at his still slumbering wife. "Aye. I ken."

Helena shook her head. "The way she took charge of the little ones and then risked her life to save the trapped bairn was beyond brave."

Robin crossed his arms and studied Craig. "After ye told me and Finn about The Mackay's offer for ye to take over his Second-in-Command spot, Finn discussed it with me and he's going to travel there with yer note of refusal and offer himself in yer place."

Craig grinned. "Stepping up into brothers' places seems to be a habit for the MacKay brothers." He frowned. "Can ye spare him?"

Robin pushed away from the wall and walked over to place his hand on Helena's shoulder. "Aye. Two of our Ross cousins are coming here. One will take the trips I had been planning on sending ye on."

Craig's eyebrows rose. "Is there a particular reason why?"

Helena glanced at Lorena. "Yer reason just woke up." She and Robin smiled at them. "We will send up yer meal."

At one time Craig would have hated being stuck at Dun Ugadale. As he looked over at his wife, he knew he no longer wanted that life. "How do ye feel, mo chridhe?"

"I am still feeling as though I doona have enough air, but otherwise, aside from a few burns, I am verra well." Her voice was still raspy.

Craig shifted to face her, careful not to press on his burns. "I have two things to tell ye."

Lorena grinned and carefully shifted to face him. "I have two things to tell ye, also."

"I will go first," Craig said. "I think ye were still asleep when Robin told me he is having two of our Ross cousins join us so they can take up the travel jobs that I was supposed to have."

Her face lit up. "For truth? Ye won't be traveling so much?"

"Are ye happy?"

She shrugged, but the glee in her eyes was telling. "Mayhap. In fact, what I wanted to tell ye might make that a verra good thing."

"Speak, woman."

He was amazed to see a red blush rise from her lovely breasts to her face. "I, ah, well, I guess I can tell ye now."

"Doona tease me, wife."

She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. "I about six months, ye will be a da."

Craig opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "Why dinna ye tell me?"

She sighed. "I just did."

He pulled her close and they both grimaced. "My apology lass, I dinna mean to hurt ye."

"Are ye happy Craig? I ken ye dinna want to be tied down."

"With ye? Aye, I want to be tied down."

She continued to study him as he worked up his nerve. "Lorena MacKay I am so in love with ye I cannot think straight most times. I near died when I saw ye trapped in that burning bothy." He reached out and touched her cheek. "Please doona ever put yerself in harm's way again. I wouldna want to lock ye up."

Tears filled her eyes. "Ye are no' alone in yer feelings, Mister Craig MacKay. I love ye also and was afraid I would ne'er get the chance to tell ye."

He eased onto his back. "'Tis better to stay off my burns."

She did the same. "Aye. ‘Tis too bad we canno' celebrate, but for certe ‘twould be too painful." She shifted closer to him, as did he.

They both reached out and their hands touched. Craig intertwined their fingers together. "We have many years to celebrate, wife."