Extended Epilogue

Seven Months Later

"Move out of my way unless ye want to lose a limb!"

Tillie smiled and stared at the door where Aidan's irritated voice had sounded from the other side. The healer had put guards on the bedchamber door in an attempt to keep Aidan from visiting too often. He felt it would be better for the Laird to stay away and let Tillie and their new son get some rest, but Tillie rested better when her husband was near her, and Aidan refused to be kept from his wife's bedside which was why she was smiling. She even heard one guard groan in defeat as the door opened, and Aidan walked inside, closing the door behind him.

"How are me wife and son?" he asked softly. His gaze caressed Tillie's face then dropped to their infant son where he laid snuggled in his mother's arms. Alexander Alistair Bane was born yesterday in the early hours of the morning. Tillie had been exhausted, but both parents were beyond happy when they saw their bairn and knew that he was healthy.

"We are just fine, husband," she said softly so as to not wake her sleeping son. "Not much has changed since ye checked on us not more than thirty minutes ago."

Aidan grinned, unashamed, and climbed onto the bed, stretching out next to Tillie. He rolled onto his side and propped his head up on his hand.

"The nursery is almost finished," he said quietly. "And I've collected some nannies for ye to talk with to see if ye'd like to hire any to help watch over wee Alexander."

Tillie nodded, but she wasn't really ready to talk about moving her baby to another room or having another woman watching over him. Right now, she just wanted Alexander to herself and Aidan, no matter how selfish that might seem.

She still couldn't believe she was a mother. Staring down at her baby, her expression turned soft. He was so tiny. And perfect. Tillie had counted all of his fingers and toes the first time she'd held Alexander and then marveled at how small they were.

A scratching noise sounded a second before the door opened, and Paisley walked in. She was the only one the guards didn't stop because she was the Lady Tillie's maid and helped take care of the bairn. Paisley's eyes softened as she looked at little Alexander.

"Here now," she said quietly. "'Tis time to change him. I promise to give him right back to ye."

Tillie reluctantly let Paisley take the babe, but she and Aidan followed her with watchful gazes until he was returned, nice and clean and swaddled in a clean new blanket. Paisley smiled and left them alone.

"I cannae believe we are parents," Tillie said. She placed Alexander on the bed between the two of them and watched fondly as Aidan stuck out his smallest finger, and Alexander grasped onto it with his tiny fist.

Aidan must have heard some anxiety in her voice because he looked up at her, his expression fierce with a promise. "We will be the best parents in all of Scotland and in all of England," he promised.

Tillie laughed at his fierce declaration. "'Tis glad I am that ye are his father."

Aidan leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips. "I would have no other be Alexander's mother."

"Stand aside!" Tillie started at the booming voice that sounded from the other side of the door while Aidan just glared in the direction. "I am the commander of the Laird's men, and ye will not detain me."

Aidan shook his head, but he was grinning. "Barrett is impatient to see the bairn. Actually, everyone seems to be impatient to see our wee Alexander."

"Everyone but ye?" she teased lightly.

"I am his father," he answered defensively. "And the Laird."

"And me husband," she added.

He nodded. "Aye. Always that."

The door opened and Barrett pushed himself inside. He skidded to a halt, then walked slowly toward the bed, his eyes trained on the small infant still peacefully asleep.

"Ye have a child," Barrett said, his voice laced with awe. "A son."

"We ken that," Aidan said wryly.

Barrett shot him a glare but quickly went back to studying Alexander. Tillie was amazed at how soft his expression was. He looked like he was about ready to melt into the floor. It was strange how much impact such a small child could have on adults, especially big, brawny ones like Barrett.

"Och now, dinnae be visitin' young Alexander without me," Hector said as he hurried into the bedchamber.

Tillie's heart was so full of love and joy, she feared it was going to burst. How had she gotten so lucky. She was married to the best man whom she loved with all her heart, and they had just welcomed their first child into the world. Tillie thought back to how she'd been so determined not to have any children and marveled at how stupid she'd been. Being a mother was the best thing that ever happened to her. And she knew without a doubt, she wanted more bairns. She especially wanted a little girl of her own, too.

"Ye have correspondence," Hector said after a few minutes, as if he'd only just remembered. He raised the letters in his hand and gave them to Tillie. "One from Mistress Grace and the other from your parents, Me Lady."

"Thank ye, Hector," Tillie said, resting the letters on her stomach.

"Now if ye dinnae mind," Aidan began, his gaze swinging between Barrett and Hector, "me wife and I would like some time alone with our son."

The men grumbled but reluctantly left. Once the door was closed shut again, Aidan turned to Tillie.

"Which would ye like to read first?"

Tillie bit her bottom lip before answering. "Let us see what Grace has to say. I must confess, I have been a bit worried about her. We haven't heard from her since she left Castle Geamnaben." Aidan scowled, and she knew he hadn't yet forgiven her. If he ever would. But he nodded and grabbed the letter from Grace off her stomach. He opened it and then read it aloud.

Laird and Lady MacLuther,

I hope this missive finds ye both well. By the time ye receive it, yer bairn may already be born. How I wish I could meet the wee one, but for now, I need to concentrate on meself.

At first, I must confess that I was bitter after bein' told to leave Castle Geamnaben and bein' exiled to the nunnery I felt like I was losing Anne all over again. But I realized that, all things considered, ye both treated me better than I deserved. Certainly better than I treated either of ye. Especially ye, Tillie.

I cannae tell ye how ashamed I am of meself and me actions. I was out of me mind with grief and also felt guilty for Anne's death. I was her sister, and she should have come to me with her problems. Or that was what I'd thought until I read her journal. Thank ye for sharing that with me.

I ken neither of ye may ever forgive me, and I dinnae blame ye, but I want ye to ken how sorry I truly am for hurtin' ye, Tillie. I will forever live with that shame in this life and beyond.

I have found a place for meself with the nuns. I ken I have found me callin'. I ken 'tis strange after all that I have done, but for the first time in me life I feel like I belong and am helpin' others.

I wanted to write ye both so that ye dinnae worry about me. I am truly happy, and I ken Anne would be happy for me as well. Mayhap some day we will meet again.

Yours,

Grace

Aidan refolded the missive, a grim trim to his mouth. He didn't put it back on Tillie's lap but sat there holding it in a tight grip.

"Mayhap 'tis time to start forgivin'," Tillie said softly. "We are startin' a new path in our life with our bairn, and it would be good to put all this anger and hurt behind us all."

Aidan was quiet for so long she thought he might not answer. "I dinnae ken that I can," he finally said. "She almost killed ye and wee Alexander."

"But she dinnae," Tillie argued gently. "She was a lost soul burdened by so much pain, she wasnae even aware of what she was doin'. Not really, anyway. All she ken was that I had come into her life and took the place of her dear sister, and that ye, whom she wrongly blamed, were suddenly forgetting about Anne and goin' on with yer life."

Aidan scowled and looked down at his son. He gently ran a finger lightly over Alexander's smooth cheek, and he smiled crookedly. "Ye are right, of course," he said softly, still looking down at the bairn. He raised his gaze and stared at Tillie. "I cannae promise I will ever be able to forgive Grace, but I can vow to try."

Tillie's smile was so bright it was almost painful to look at. "'Tis all ye need to do, Aidan. Sometimes all we can do is try."

Aidan reached a hand up and gently caressed her cheek. "'Tis only because of ye, Tillie," he said truthfully. "Me heart has swelled since ye came into my life. It has opened more than I'd ever believed possible."

"As has mine," Tillie answered. A stray tear worked a slow trail down the side of her face, and Aidan scooped it away with the pad of his thumb.

"Ye have always had the heart," he argued then looked down at his son. "'Tis my hope that our son grows up with yer heart."

"And yer strength and protectiveness," she added.

They leaned over and kissed but quickly broke apart when Alexander started to fuss. Tillie smoothed a hand over his head, and he instantly quieted.

"I wonder if he was dreamin'," she said wistfully.

"Aye, probably about all the lasses he will chase when he is old enough."

Tillie snorted. "Mayhap he is thinkin' about sketching and will take after his mother."

They laughed at their silliness then Aidan pointed to her lap. "Are ye goin' to read yer parents' letter?"

Tillie nodded and broke the seal on the letter then opened it up and began to read. She didn't read it out loud as Aidan had with Grace's, and by the time she had finished, she was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.

"What did they say that has ye leaking water from yer eyes like that?" Aidan asked with amusement.

Tillie opened her mouth to explain but started laughing again. Aidan's eyebrows rose, and she could tell he was intrigued which only made her laugh more.

"Should I read it then since ye cannae stop laughin'?"

She shook her head and then took several deep gulps of air, dragging them into her lungs. She waved the letter in front of him, a chuckle escaping here and there.

"Mother says thin's are goin' well at the keep," she began. "Two new colts were born this past month, and Father already has buyers lined up."

Aidan scowled. "I see nothin' funny about any of that."

"Just ye wait. I haven't gotten to that part yet," she chided playfully. "My brothers and sisters are doin' well, and Reid is even interested in helpin' Father with horse breeding."

Tillie paused to take a breath, her eyes twinkling with mirth when she looked at Aidan. "And," she said, drawing the word out, "Mother said they have started on their next matchmaking… They have found a husband for Erica!"

Aidan raised his eyebrows then started laughing. Tillie joined in, even though she had thought she'd laughed as much as possible. She couldn't wait to see who her parents had matched Erica with.

The End