Two years later…

“He’s asleep already,” Sophia whispered to her husband.

Kendrick was holding their son in his arms, rocking him back and forth on the dark walnut chair in their nursery. Each time she watched them, she smiled to herself. They had named their baby Fergus after Kendrick’s father.

“Is he?” Kendrick replied. “I’m nae even done with my story.”

Sophia could not resist laughing at her husband. The child was barely over a year old, yet he repeated their love story to him every night.

“Husband of mine…” She struggled to stop smiling. “The bairn does nae even understand yer story yet. Save it for when he is older.”

“Do ye nae ken, wife?” Kendrick asked seriously. “As my son and future laird himself, he must learn certain skills early. Listening skills are o’ dire importance.”

“I suppose ye’ll take him to hunt with ye and the men come tomorrow, too.”

“If I must,” Kendrick muttered as if realizing how funny he sounded. “Little laird…”

Sophia raised herself from the fur chair that had once been in Kendrick’s room that now was their son’s. The moment she tried to take Fergus from her husband, the babe opened his blue eyes that looked just like his father’s. Then his mouth twisted in a funny way, and Sophia knew what would come next—he would start crying.

She gave up, leaving Kendrick with his son. “There, there, my boy.” He patted his back then resumed rocking on the chair. “Dinnae mind yer mama.”

Sophia could not help but grin at the sight of the bond between father and son. “Ye ken, husband,” she mused, “I’m starting to doubt I birthed that wee lad in yer arms.”

“Ach, and why so?” Kendrick teased with a boyish grin.

Sophia feigned a frown. “He favors ye more.” She walked back to her chair and rested down on it. “Look at the dark curls on his bonny head, he has yer eyes and bruteness too.”

“Bruteness?”

“Aye, husband—ye’re a brute and so is yer wee son,” she taunted him further.

“Maybe his sister will look just like ye.”

Sophia rubbed her hand over her belly. “We dinnae ken if ‘tis a lass.”

Kendrick shook his head. “’Tis definitely a bonny wee lass.”

Sophia let out a laugh. Her husband definitely had a way of being stubborn. Most often… he was wrong.

Sophia sat up straight. “Kendrick?”

“Aye,” Kendrick answered trying to fix the brooch on Fergus’s plaid blanket. It was the same brooch he had given her on their wedding night.

“Lorena and Reed are getting married only a month from now,” she reminded him. “We haven’t thought of a gift for them.”

“Oh, dinnae worry, my wife. I’ve thought of one already.”

“Is that so?” Sophia felt relaxed again. “What gift did ye think of?”

“A wee cozy cottage of their own.” He lifted his head to look at Sophia. “Certainly, that’s the most important gift for a newly wedded couple.”

Sophia’s worry vanished. “Ye are so thoughtful.”

Mrs. Brown walked in just then and bowed before them.

Sophia took a quick breath. “Ye came just in time. The bairn would nae let me separate him from his father, but I suppose he’s deeply asleep now.”

“Then, may I take him, milady?”

“Indeed, ye can.” Sophia motioned to her husband who appeared reluctant to give his son away. “Thank ye for coming to take him.”

Mrs. Brown reached to take the child, and he placed a kiss on his son’s forehead before handing him to her.

As Mrs. Brown left the room, taking Fergus to be fed, Kendrick straightened himself up from the chair. He made his way to Sophia, caressed her neck a little, and started rubbing her shoulders.

Sophia let out small, contented moans. Her bad ached so much, and God knew a massage was all she had craved for through the day.

Kendrick suddenly stopped. “Ye ken, wife,” he said, “Reed and Lorena never told us how they fell in love.”

Sophia turned to her him. “That is true,” she agreed. “They never did. Perhaps… was it at the feast?”

“Nae,” Kendrick replied. “Reed still had a wee bit of boyish infatuation for ye then.”

The words choked laughter out of Sophia. “Infatuation? For me?”

“I probably should nae have said that,” Kendrick said shamefully.

Sophia laughed again. “Aye, ye should nae have. I could’ve lived a lifetime without having to ken about it.” She yawned. “My mother must be so stressed with the preparations. Poor Mama…”

Kendrick started massaging her again. “Yer mama has Emilea to help her—dinnae worry about her.”

“But…” She tried to twist her neck back to face Kendrick, but he softly turned her face back.

“Dinnae but me, wife. Yer mama will do just fine. All ye have to bother about is yerself and that wee one yer carrying.”

“Ye ken,” she reached for Kendrick’s hand behind her neck, “Yer such a good husband and father.”

“Am I?” She heard Kendrick swallow. “Sometimes, I feel I dinnae deserve to have so much. I was an awful son to my father.”

“What happened with yer father was nae yer fault, Kendrick.” She caressed the back of his hand. “I am certain yer father is happy simply for the fact that ye are happy.”

Kendrick walked in front of her and kneeled. “Even me?”

“Especially ye. Yer wonderful, Kendrick.” She rubbed his face softly. “Aye, absolutely wonderful.”

“Did ye hear that, daughter?” he asked, rubbing Sophia’s belly. “Yer mama thinks I am a wonderful father,” he pressed his ear to her stomach. “I think she can hear me,” he whispered.

“She kicked!” Sophia exclaimed. “I think she heard ye too! See? Even she will favor ye because yer the best father.”

“Tis because I have a wife like ye, Sophia.” He took the back of her hand and kissed it. “Yer God’s blessing to me.”

“Aye… as ye are to me.”

They both smiled, filling the room with their long-deserved laughter.

The End.

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