Page 6 of McKenna’s Honor (The Clan MacDougall #4)

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“ Y e’ve been a good wife to me, lass.” Carlich Lindsay’s voice was low and scratchy as he spoke to his beautiful young wife. “Had I met ye in me younger days, I would have given ye at least ten bairns.” He managed to smile, though in truth he was in a good deal of pain. Dying was not as easy as he would have liked.

He wished the Good Lord would take him soon.

“Wheest, now,” his wife said with a shake of her head as she wiped his sweaty brow with a cool cloth.

“Nay, I will no’ wheest ,” he told her. “There is much I need to tell ye.”

“Ye need to rest, my laird,” she whispered as she turned her ministrations to his hands, masking her worry behind a gentle smile. Carlich was auld, very auld, and he’d been on a downward slide toward death for months now.

Wrinkled and sagging skin, seemingly translucent with its bluish tint, hung from his bones. Age and disease were taking their toll on this once strong, virile man.

Arline had not known him back then, when he was young, so full of life and strength. Nay, she’d only known him in his auld age. A twinge of regret played around her heart. She too wished they could have married at a different time. She imagined he would have given her as many bairns as she wanted.

Arline had turned five and ten but a month before she and Carlich were married. He was auld enough to be her great-grandsire. Now, three years later, he was more than eighty, and there would be no more bairns for him. And none for her.

“I’ll be resting soon enough, fer a verra long time,” Carlich said, wheezing.

Lady Arline decided it would do no good to argue. He was auld, frail, and at death’s door. There was no fighting the inevitable and to prolong it seemed inhumane. Still, she wanted to make him as comfortable as possible and she was not quite ready to say goodbye. Selfishly, she wished he could live a few more years for when he did die, she knew she would be sent back to Ireland. There were many things she longed for and missed about her homeland. But Ireland was where her father was and he was the sole reason she had no desire to return .

“Fine,” she said softly. “I’ll allow ye to tell me what is so important. But then, please, husband, I beg ye to rest.” She loved him. She loved him because he was good to her and had kept her safe these past three years.

She had learned much from him. He had allowed her the freedom she hadn’t realized she had longed for. Arline was allowed to smile, to laugh, to be straightforward with him. Whatever happened to be on her mind at any given time, she was freely allowed to express. Carlich had taught her that the only stupid question was the one not asked.

He had treated her like a precious granddaughter, spoiling her with gifts and freedom. She thrived here and reveled in the sparkle she could bring to his eyes.

How could she not spoil him in return?

Carlich raised an eyebrow. “Ye’ll allow it?” he asked mischievously. His tone of voice and raised eyebrow made Arline giggle.

“Aye,” she said firmly. “I’ll allow it.” She could not resist the urge to smile when she saw the much-missed twinkle return to his eyes.