His Bonnie Bride (38 page)

Elaine's eyes filled with tears of sympathy. "Oh, the poor child, to know that blow so soon in life."

"I could have killed him. Taking her innocence was cause enough, but I knew she spoke the truth when she said he could have had that at any time, with patience could have gained it without even the faintest of refusals, and who am I to condemn a man for taking a woman he desires who does not repulse him? Nay, it was the pain he dealt her that I wanted to kill him for, the pain that she carried night and day. God, e'en then I had no idea of how tortured she was until the ride home the day of her wedding."

"All children must grow, must suffer. 'Tis life. A parent cannot shelter them from all of life's wounds," she said quietly, trying to ease his sorrow. "What chanced to change your desire to kill him, Roden?"

"He was in agony, his soul no less tortured than hers, so much so that he could no longer hide it. It was there for all to read. He could see all that he had thrown away and might ne'er regain. I could not run the man through for not knowing his own heart. He had wounded himself enough."

As they turned to leave the room, Elaine asked, "So what is to happen now?"

"The weather will hold him in Caraidland until Storm's full strength returns, but then I have no doubt that the man will be battering at the doors. There is a son to think on now."

"You seem to think it important that Storm is up to her full strength."

"Aye. 'Twill be no good for either of them if he gains the prize too easily. They must air their feelings and clear up all misunderstandings." He grinned. "Storm shall not be placated easily."

"Why, Roden, I think you look forward to the confrontation."

Roden laughed softly. "That I do. Ah, but Storm is glorious in full battle. Now," he said as they entered the hall, "where is that wretched Scot that has been lurking for near to a fortnight?"

Angus had rather enjoyed his stay at Hagaleah. After a few sore heads and bruised bodies were left behind the men of Lord Eldon's guard treated him like an equal. Though they would probably never fight side by side, he was now rather glad that they would no longer meet sword to sword.

When Roden was able to break free of relatives, friends and men-at-arms Angus was still in a bemused state over the news. A son for Tavis was all they could have hoped for, but two bairns at one go was near to miraculous. Twice he asked for the news to be repeated, only to shake his head.

"Has the lass decided on names for the bairns?" Angus asked at last.

"I imagine so, but she has not told me as yet." Eldon glanced out at the raging storm. "You will know e'er you can set out for Caraidland. I will write a letter for MacLagan that I ask you to give him."

"He will be here as soon as travel is possible."

"Aye, he will want to, but he will wait until her lying in is over."

"Want the lass in fine battle trim, do ye?"

Roden grinned. "Aye. I do not want those two starting out their marriage with all that is between them."

"Nay. The board needs clearing, 'tis sure. Weel, soon as the weather clears I will be away. The lad maun be sairly bedeviled ere now, what with nay kenning what is aboot with the wee lass."

Bedeviled was a mild word to describe Tavis by the time Angus made the difficult trip back to Caraidland over a week later. He had spent the month anxious to hear news of Storm, any news, but when he saw Angus he did not want to hear anything.

Clutching the arms of the chair on which he sat, Tavis waited in an agony of apprehension for Angus to enter the hall. Although men were not involved in the birth of children, they were not ignorant of the process or the dangers. Often the screams of the women could be heard far from their origin. Too often for anyone's liking the mother died, either from an inability of anyone to stop the bleeding or a fever that came all too commonly afterward. At times her sacrifice was for nothing, as the babe was stillborn or sickly, lasting not long after its mother.

All these catastrophes haunted Tavis. He did not recollect her obvious strength or good health, only how small she was. The thought of her lithe frame wracked with pain tortured his dreams. At times he was glad that he would not be there to see, but more often he wanted to be at her side, as if his presence and added strength could ease things for her, hold off the shadows that hung ominously over a child bed.

When Angus finally entered with a large group at his heels Tavis's tension eased a little. It was not possible that they would smile so if anything were seriously wrong. Angus had grown too fond of Storm to look so gleeful if she had come to harm.

Because of that and because of the fact that Angus would not have returned to Caraidland unless the baby had been born, Tavis felt excitement stir within himself.

"Storm?" he choked out when Angus stopped by his chair.

"The wee lass is fine, though her temper is a wee bit short frae being coddled and forced to play the invalid. An I was leaving, she sent her brother Andrew to his heels, a chamberpot aimed at his head."

"Angus," Tavis groaned, "has she had the bairn?"

"Aye. Why else would I be here?" Angus judged by Tavis's darkening face that he had teased the young man enough. "Aye, ye hae a son." He waited for the cheers to die down. "A fine, braw laddie he looks tae be. Has red hair and promises tae hae your eyes. She named him Taran, which means thunder in Welsh." He grinned. "Lord Eldon's mother was Welsh. 'Tis her grandfather's name, or is that the grandfather's father? Nay matter. I ken it suits. Lusty cry Taran's got. Truth is he has a string o' names. Taran Roden Colin MacLagan. Lass said it would save some arguments."

Blindly, Tavis accepted a tankard of ale and was jostled by many a slap on the back. "God, a son."

"I wasnae finished," Angus bellowed, and the noise faded abruptly.

"But ye said Storm was all right," said Sholto, voicing the confusion that Tavis felt.

"Aye, that she is. Looks a wee bit o' a thing, but sturdy as an ox."

"Then what else is there to say, ye old gowk!" bellowed Colin, losing patience with the man's games.

"Tavis has hisself a daughter."

"Curse it, Angus, ye just told me I had a son."

"Aye, ye do that, but ye hae a daughter as weel. Here now, laddie, taek a wee dram. Ye look peakish."

Tavis felt peakish. "I have a son and I have a daughter." He took a long drink. "Twins?"

Angus nodded. "Aye. Twins. The lass has black hair and her eyes look tae be like her mother's. A bit small, but the bairn is hale. Called the bairn Aingeal after her own mother. Aingeal Vanora O'Conner MacLagan. Got your ain mother in there as weel. Bit quieter than the lad she is, but nay meek."

"She wouldnae dare to be meek with such a set of parents," murmured Colin. "And Storm such a wee lass. 'Tis hard to believe she would bear twins, live, healthy twins. Ye sure, Angus?"

"I hae looked at the bairns meself. Aye, and Storm is looking fine and healthy as weel," he reiterated, anticipating Tavis's question. "Now, Lord Eldon sent ye a word or twa."

Staring at the packet before him, Tavis almost laughed. "A word or twa, eh? Looks to be a book."

With a sigh, Tavis began to read the long missive from his new father-in-law. The others in the hall celebrated the new heir and his sister quite merrily without the new father's participation. If there were any among them who had harbored qualms about the match, they did no longer. Storm's heritage faded into insignificance compared to the fact that she had born Tavis's heir, had, in fact, born two healthy bairns her very first time. This astonishing feat they naturally attributed to her Irish heritage and Scottish lover.

Tavis felt both amusement and annoyance as he read Lord Eldon's letter. The man was swiftly shaping up into someone Tavis was almost sorry to have drawn a sword upon. There was still a touch of reproach to Eldon's words, but Tavis could understand that. Eldon was being forced to accept a man as kin that he should have, by all rights, run through with his sword.

Every detail of the birth was related, for which Tavis was truly grateful. It was the next best thing to being there. He felt both resentful and grateful toward Eldon. Tavis recognized that he was jealous of Eldon's part in the birth, yet could not help but be thankful that the man had been there to give Storm his strength. He was also jealous of the very obvious closeness between father and daughter.

Those feelings paled into insignificance when Tavis read further. Eldon wanted him to wait even longer before seeing Storm and his children, almost another month. As if to rub salt into open wounds, Eldon proceeded to give him advice on how to handle Storm when he finally saw her.

"The cursed man is telling me how to handle Storm," he growled, tossing the missive to Colin.

"Weel," drawled Sholto, "ye maun admit ye havenae done a verra good job of it so far." He dodged Tavis's lunge.

"Here now, Tavis." Colin spoke over the laughter. "The man makes some verra good points."

"Does he now. He also tells me I cannae see her for near to another month. I maun still wait."

"He gives a verra good reason for that, a reason that shows he is thinking on your benefit. 'Tis verra true that a woman behaves verra emotionally after bearing a bairn. Ye neednae face her when she is nay apt to be using her head. Ye want her to listen to ye. There's less chance o' that right now. So ye wait."

"Storm's always been emotional," growled Tavis, recalling laughter, sorrow, rage and passion all openly displayed.

"Aye, but 'tis different when a woman be carryin' a child and for a time after she bears it," said Malcolm, the father of six, and a number of men who were married and had children nodded in agreement. "A woman that ne'er weeps will turn into a waterfall and a woman that ne'er gets angry will snap and snarl. There isnae any reasoning with it either. Ye can only soothe, try tae keep your temper and wait 'til it passes. 'Tis nay a time tae sort out problems. Eldon's right aboot that. Ye could only make things worse. Wait as he asks."

Colin looked at Tavis. "From what he writes here, lad, ye have a muckle lot to gain by the waiting."

Tavis sighed and massaged his temples. Eldon had related the conversation between himself and Storm on the ride home after the wedding. The knowledge of how Storm felt stirred him to the point of extreme discomfort. It was difficult to think that a woman felt such things, yet he had no disgust, did not think her shameless or wanton, only wanted to get her into his arms. That, of course, was a very good reason to wait for a while longer. Storm could not be bedded yet, and he doubted he could near her without wanting to for at least several days running.

"God," he groaned, "it seems I have done naught but wait for a chance to make amends."

"Ye are waiting to gain what some o' us ne'er find," Iain said quietly. " 'Tis worth it."

A nod of heartfelt agreement was all that Tavis could manage.

Storm walked toward the hall, her son in her arms and Phelan at her side. Elaine followed with her daughter, Aingeal, gurgling merrily. At three months, the twins were growing plump and lively. Unlike others, Eldon had no firm rules as to the use of the hall. He felt there ought to be one place where all mixed freely, so women sat with men and there were often children running about. If there was a need of serious discussion between himself and his men-at-arms or anyone else, he simply cleared the hall. There were a few eyebrows raised at this arrangement, but only by those not of Hagaleah.

The winter had been hard, but it was surprisingly mild for mid-March. Spring was just around the corner. Storm refused to recall a mild late March night a year past. Memories only gave her pain, and she felt she had had more than her share already. Even so they engulfed her as she neared the hall causing her to pause in her advance. She could hear the low sound of men talking and found herself straining to discern one voice. Elaine's face revealed nothing to her.

"What is it, Storm?" Phelan asked when he saw that she was not going to continue on her way.

"I am not quite sure. 'Tis just a feeling that tells me that I will not like what I find in the hall today."

Struggling to put aside her qualms, she continued, only to stop in the doorway and glare at those gathered there. "My feeling was right."

For a moment she simply stared at Tavis, trying to sort anger out of the maelstrom of emotions she felt and cling to it. It was not easy, for she knew she still loved him, still ached for him. Knowing who had let her husband come to Hagaleah, Storm turned her glare upon her father, meeting only a guileless smile that she did not let fool her for a minute and that only added to her anger. Elaine's soothing noises did no good at all.

Tavis paid little attention to her obvious anger. His eyes drank in the sight of her lithe form like a starving man. In an attempt to control the desire that shook through him, he turned his gaze to his children. Emotion choked him as he looked from his son's bright head to his daughter's dark one and back again many times. Acceptance of his fatherhood had been hard to gain, but now it flooded through him.

"Why are ye here?" Storm snarled at Tavis as she strode to the table. "Have ye run out of whores at Caraidland and come marketing here? Ye are too late. Elaine cleaned house months past."

"A simple well met will do, Storm," drawled Roden, but there was laughter in his voice.

Tossing a glare at his family, who snickered with the others, Tavis looked at Storm and fought to keep his temper in check. "I have come to see my bairns and to speak to ye."

Sitting down next to her brother Andrew, Storm looked at Tavis icily. "Here they are. Look your fill." She pushed away all feeling as he approached. "When ye are done looking ye may leave."

Taking the seat Andrew gave him, Tavis held his hands out for his son. "May I hold him?"

Storm handed him the child without a word. She could see the glitter of anger in his eyes, yet his voice remained calm. This sign of control unnerved her more than anything else could have, for it showed that Tavis was determined to have his way in this matter. A Tavis set on having his way was a formidable foe, so formidable that Storm began to feel afraid, something she strove to hide from him.