Epilogue

EPILOGUE

T he crisp morning air carried the faint smell of peat smoke and damp earth as Hunter led Erica and Lily down the winding path toward the village. The sun hung low in the sky, its golden light spilling over the rugged Highland landscape.

Though the world around her seemed to hum with life, Erica felt an unusual nervous energy radiating from Hunter. He walked beside her, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back, while Lily skipped a few paces ahead, humming a cheerful tune.

“Ye are bein’ awfully quiet this mornin’,” Erica teased, glancing up at her husband.

His expression was unreadable, but there was a glint of mischief in his gray eyes.

“Aye,” he said, his lips twitching as if fighting a smile. “But that doesnae mean I dinnae have somethin’ planned.”

“Somethin’ planned?” Erica repeated, narrowing her eyes. “Should I be worried?”

Lily spun around, her dark curls bouncing as she grinned at Erica. “I ken what it is!”

“Do ye, now?” Erica laughed. “Care to give me a hint?”

Lily clapped her hands over her mouth, giggling. “Nope! Uncle Hunter made me promise to keep it a secret.”

Erica glanced at Hunter, raising an eyebrow. “Conspirin’ with an eight-year-old, are we?”

“She’s a trustworthy accomplice,” Hunter said, his voice light. “And ye will find out soon enough.”

The path led them to the heart of the village, where clusters of stone and timber cottages lined the cobbled streets. Smoke curled up from chimneys, and the occasional villager waved as they passed by. Erica smiled and returned their greetings, marveling, as she always did, at the sense of community here. This place had become her home, and its people had become dear to her heart.

They rounded a bend in the path, and Hunter stopped abruptly in front of a modest, two-story stone building. The structure had an air of quiet dignity, with wide windows framed by dark wooden shutters. Though weathered by time, it stood sturdy and proud, its roof freshly thatched and its front stoop swept clean.

Erica blinked, unsure why they had stopped. “What is this place?”

Hunter stepped aside, gesturing toward the door. “Go on, take a look.”

Her curiosity piqued, Erica climbed up the steps and pushed open the door.

Inside, sunlight filtered through the tall windows, illuminating the spacious interior. The main room was open and inviting, with a large stone fireplace on one wall and polished wooden floors that gleamed as though they were recently sanded. To her left was a smaller room, and she could see shelves lining the walls, perfect for books and supplies. Upstairs, the faint creak of floorboards hinted at additional space—perhaps a study or a closet.

Erica turned to face Hunter, her heart racing. “What is this?”

Hunter crossed the threshold, his boots clicking against the floorboards. He stood a few paces away, his expression softer than she had ever seen it.

“It’s yers,” he said simply. “I had it renovated for ye. Ye said once that ye dreamed of openin’ a school. I thought it was time to make that dream a reality.”

A maelstrom of emotions surged through Erica, leaving her momentarily speechless. She stared at him, her lips parted, her chest tight with the sheer weight of his gesture.

“Ye… ye did this for me?”

“Aye,” he said, his voice warm. “For ye, for the children of the village, and for the future. I ken how much teachin’ means to ye, Erica. And I wanted to give ye the chance to share that with others.”

Tears pricked her eyes as she stepped closer to him, her hands reaching for his. “Hunter, I dinnae ken what to say. This is… it’s perfect. It’s more than I ever could have hoped for.”

His fingers closed around hers, rough and calloused but reassuringly strong. “Say ye will make it yers, Erica. That ye will fill it with laughter. That ye will make it a place where bairns can thrive.”

Erica nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek as she smiled. “I will. I promise I will.”

Lily, who had been exploring the room with wide-eyed wonder, ran up to them, her face glowing with excitement. “Is this goin’ to be a school? Will ye teach here, Aunt Erica?”

“Yes, Lily,” Erica replied, crouching to meet the girl’s gaze. “This will be a school. And I’ll teach anyone who wants to learn—maybe even ye.”

Lily beamed. “I’d like that!”

Erica pulled her into a hug, her heart swelling with affection for the spirited child who had become like a little sister to her.

As she held Lily close, a new thought came to her mind, and it made her smile widen.

She released the girl and rose back up, turning to Hunter. Her voice was soft and teasing as she said, “And perhaps, in time, our own bairns might learn here too.”

For a moment, the room fell silent. Hunter’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion, and then his eyes widened as realization dawned on him.

“Erica,” he said slowly, his voice laced with wonder, “are ye saying…?”

She nodded, her cheeks flushing as her hand fell instinctively to her abdomen. “I’m saying ye are goin’ to be a faither, Hunter.”

The transformation in his expression was instantaneous. His face lit up with a joy so pure it took her breath away. Without hesitation, he scooped her up into his arms, spinning her around as laughter bubbled up her throat.

“Ye are serious?” he asked, setting her down but keeping her close. His hands cupped her face, his gray eyes searching hers. “We’re havin’ a bairn?”

“We are,” Erica confirmed, her laughter mingling with his. “I only found out recently. I wanted to make the announcement special.”

Hunter wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. She could feel the steady beat of his heart, strong and certain.

“Ye have given me everythin’, Erica,” he murmured. “Everythin’ I could’ve ever dreamed of, ye have given it to me.”

Lily, who had been watching them with wide eyes, clapped her hands together in delight. “A bairn! Does that mean I’ll have a cousin?”

Erica laughed, reaching out to pull the girl into their embrace. “It means ye will be an older cousin, Lily. And I think ye will be a wonderful one.”

“I’ll show them the best hiding spots,” Lily declared proudly. “And I’ll teach them how to climb trees!”

Hunter chuckled, his hand resting protectively on Erica’s back. “Let’s wait until they’re a wee bit older for the climbin’ lessons, eh?”

The three of them stood there in the middle of the sunlit room, the air filled with laughter and warmth. Erica looked around the small building, imagining it filled with children’s voices, neatly lined up desks, and shelves brimming with books. It was more than she had ever dreamed of, and now, with Hunter and Lily by her side, it was all within reach.

As they left the schoolhouse that day, the future stretched before them, bright and full of promise. And for the first time in her life, Erica felt truly, completely at home.

The End?