Carnal Gift (43 page)
“You’re supposed to be fallin’ asleep, little one.” Brighid stroked his dark, downy hair with her hand, couldn’t help smiling.
Ciaran released her nipple, giggled.
Brighid closed her gown, helped her son sit up in her lap. “So that’s to be the way of it. Not sleepy at all?” He gooed, waved his chubby arms in the air.
Five months old, Ciaran had arrived on a starry night in early October, when the world had smelled of ripe apples and coming rains. Jamie had asked her if she wanted him with her during the birth, as Alec had always been at Cassie’s side. At first, Brighid had been shocked by such a strange idea. Takotah, Cassie, and Muirin would be with her, and that had seemed enough. But when her pains had grown fierce, she’d found she desperately wanted Jamie beside her. And so he had stayed with her. He had been her anchor.
And when Ciaran James O’Neill Blakewell had finally slipped into the world, wet and squalling, she had seen tears in Jamie’s eyes.
The memory drew a smile to her lips.
“Sails!
The Three
Sisters!”
The Three
Sisters!”
The shout came from down the dirt lane that led to the dock.
Brighid stood, called to one of the stable boys to have the carriage made ready and driven to meet the men and bring them home.
The household sprang into action. By the time the carriage was rolling into the courtyard, Brighid had arranged for tea to be served on the porch along with a light meal of fresh bread, honey, and cheese.
She pointed to the carriage as it rolled to a stop, crooned to her son in Gaelic, “Your da’ is home.” The door opened, and Rhuaidhri stepped out. How like a man he looked, his skin bronzed from the sun, his body strong from working the rigging on Alec’s ships. He grabbed Aidan, ruffled the boy’s red hair. “Have you been a good boy?”
Next out was Fionn, who all but bounded up the stairs to Muirin, pulled her against him. “Oh, how I’ve missed you! How’s the baby?”
“She’s fine. She’s asleep.”
Then Fionn left his wife’s side, strode over to Brighid, pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You’re looking lovely, little sister.”
He shared a meaningful glance with Rhuaidhri, met Brighid’s puzzled gaze. “We’ve brought someone, Brighid.”
Rhuaidhri leaned inside the carriage, said something. Brighid saw Jamie step out of the carriage, watched as he turned to help someone behind him. A pair of boots, breeches of plain brown, a head of white hair.
Brighid’s heart exploded in her breast. Her breath came in heaving gasps. She felt Muirin take Ciaran from her arms as her knees give way, felt Fionn steady her.
u
DaT
She could scarce speak, her words a whisper. The old man who emerged from the carriage was frighteningly thin. His new clothes hung from his bones. His skin was baked brown by the sun. His hair was white as snow. But she would have recogiized him anywhere. He gaze met hers, and his blue eyes grew bright with tears. “Mo
Aisling ghae”
For a moment Brighid could do nothing more than drink in the sight of him.
u
DaT
She could scarce speak, her words a whisper. The old man who emerged from the carriage was frighteningly thin. His new clothes hung from his bones. His skin was baked brown by the sun. His hair was white as snow. But she would have recogiized him anywhere. He gaze met hers, and his blue eyes grew bright with tears. “Mo
Aisling ghae”
For a moment Brighid could do nothing more than drink in the sight of him.
“Da’!” Then the strength returned to her legs. She rushed forward, threw her arms around the man she’d thought she would never see again. The tears she’d held back for five years, tears she hadn’t let herself shed the day he was taken, poured down her cheeks. His arms surrounded her, held her fast. His cheek pressed against the top of her head. “Mo
Bhrighid,
You’re all grown up—a woman beautiful and strong.” Pine. Tobacco. Her father’s special scent. “Oh, Da’!” She heard muffled weeping, realized Muirin was in tears.
Bhrighid,
You’re all grown up—a woman beautiful and strong.” Pine. Tobacco. Her father’s special scent. “Oh, Da’!” She heard muffled weeping, realized Muirin was in tears.
Then she felt her father sway on his feet, looked up into his eyes. She could see he did not feel well. She could see, too, the shadows in his eyes that told of another kind of suffering. “Are you ill?”
“He’s been fighting the ague.” Jamie took her father’s arm, helped him up the stairs to the porch swing. “But we’ll have him strong again in no time.” Brighid poured her father a cup of tea with trembling hands and gave it to him, but he set it aside. “Come, Brighid, sit beside me.” He patted the swing.
“I’ve a gift for you, a father’s gift to his daughter.”
She did as he asked, confused. “A gift?” “Of all the things that pained me these past years, do you know what hurt me the most?” Her father looked deeply into her eyes. His voice broke as he spoke. “I regretted most that I had not been able to take you to the fair as I had promised, that I had not been able to buy you the lace and ribbons every maid deserves.” Brighid watched as her father reached into the pocket of his frock, pulled out a handful of wrinkled ribbons in blue and white, together with white lace. “Oh, Da’!” Fresh tears spilled onto Brighid’s cheeks as she took his precious gift in her hands. “I’d have gone my life without ribbons if it meant you were safe at home with us.”
“I’m safe now, thanks to your husband. You found a good man, Brighid.” Her father smiled, then lifted his tea to his lips, his gaze on Ciaran. “Now I wish to be meetin’ my grandchildren.”
While Muirin placed Ciaran on his grandfather’s lap and went to fetch Roisin, Brighid stood, turned to Jamie. She met his gaze, saw the warmth in his eyes. “How did you do this?”
Jamie reached out, ran a ringer down her cheek. “I’ve been looking for your father since before we left London. I hired a barrister and a number of others to help track him down and buy his freedom. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to disappoint you should I fail.” Brighid felt such a rush of love for her husband she thought she might burst. “Oh, Jamie!” Jamie placed his hands on her waist, looked deeply into her eyes. “I thought that with your father here and the chapel completed, you might consent to pledge yourself to me again, this time in a proper wedding. Of course, we’ll have to wait for Elizabeth and Matthew. She’d never forgive me a second time.”
Everyone laughed, a warm sound, like happiness itself. But Jamie gazed steadily into Brighid’s eyes. “What say you,
a Bhrighid?
Will you again be my bride?” Her heart overflowing with joy, Brighid answered him with a kiss.
a Bhrighid?
Will you again be my bride?” Her heart overflowing with joy, Brighid answered him with a kiss.
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