Page 125 of Taming the Highland Misfits

“I wish I could too, sweetheart,” he said sadly, putting his hand on her rounded belly. “But you are truly the better of both of us, because we men are simply not strong enough in any way to do what you are doing. You are incredible. Did I tell you I love you?”

Freya grinned. “You tell me a hundred times a day, you silly man!”

Now Alex took their daughter out into the courtyard and set her down in front of the stables. She looked up at her father, puzzled. “What is happening, Father?” she asked, just as a stable lad led a sturdy chestnut pony out of the stalls. Lara’s eyes widened as she looked at it.

“Her name is Heather,” Alex told her, watching her face breaking into a huge, beaming smile.

“Is she mine?” Lara asked, her voice a squeak of astonishment.

“Indeed she is,” Freya answered, smiling. “Go and say hello.”

Lara gave a whoop of joy, then rushed over to see her new friend, closely followed by her sisters. A moment later, they were all crowding around the little animal, patting her and cooing to her, and Heather responded by whickering and tossing her head, obviously glad to see them.

Alex put his arm around Freya as they watched their children. “Sometimes I cannot believe they are ours,” he said, shaking his head and smiling fondly. “Can you remember the time before we were married when we did not think we would ever be together, Freya?”

“I can hardly bear to look back to the moment I almost had to say goodbye to you,” she answered. “And Aidan has been in jail for all this time. It makes me sad, despite what he has done. He will have to spend another ten years of his life in prison and be disinherited. He will never have what we have, Alex.”

Alex gazed at his wife. Her eyes were glittering with unshed tears; despite everything, she had never stopped loving her brother, and visited him every week to make sure he had everything he needed.

Alex had not been able to be quite so forgiving. He had allowed Freya to drag him along to see Aidan once or twice, but had been silent all the time he was there. He simply could not bear the sight of him. Now he hugged Freya’s shoulders and said, “You know he deserves it, Freya. He did not suffer the end that Gerald did.”

Freya nodded slowly, then smiled as she looked up at her daughters again. “Come and get dressed and eat, then you can ride, Lara.”

Lara came up and hugged them both. “Thank you,” she said happily. “I have never had a better present.” Then she smiled at them and ran away to dress herself, followed by her sisters.

Alex and Freya followed them, then, after a very hasty breakfast, they were all back in the stables. Lara, who had been taking riding lessons for six months and thought she knew everything, was fizzing with excitement. Alex lifted her into the saddle, saying gently, “Be careful now, Lara.”

Lara only nodded, and in a moment she had Heather trotting around the courtyard. Freya breathed a sigh of relief that she was not running amok, and Alex gave her a tender kiss.

She looked, he thought, absolutely exhausted, and for the hundredth time he thanked whoever had made him a man. He ached with pity and love for her, and wished for her sake that the birth would be soon.

“Are you feeling well, sweetheart?” he asked softly.

“I am absolutely fine, silly man!” She gave him a playful punch on the shoulder and laughed.

“Time to go to work,” Alex said regretfully. He would have liked to stay longer to watch Lara enjoy her first few moments as a real horsewoman. He kissed Freya’s forehead and was just about to walk away when they heard a scream. Lara had overestimated her riding ability and had urged Heather into a canter. She was now clinging to the saddle pommel for fear of falling off.

Her face was a mask of terror and Freya’s first instinct was to run to help her, but her condition prevented her. Even walking was difficult enough at this stage of her pregnancy.

“Lara!” Alex whipped around and ran towards his daughter. However, Bearnard, who had been walking through the courtyard, intercepted Lara and Heather first, then brought the pony to a halt. He lifted Lara out of the saddle then passed her to her father after she held out her arms to him.

“Thank you so much, Bearnard,” Alex said gratefully. “One of these days she is going to have a serious accident! Are you listening to me, Lara? Never do something like that again! You are too much like your mother sometimes.” He hugged her tightly and she clung to him, beginning to weep with fright.

Watching the scene unfold, Freya had been so terrified that her daughter was going to fall that when she saw Bearnard come to the rescue she almost sank to her knees in relief. However, just as her legs were beginning to buckle, Bearnard ran over to her and put his arm around her waist to steady her.

“All right?” he asked, looking genuinely concerned.

Freya nodded and gave him a weak smile. “I am now,” she replied. “And you are the best brother in the whole world.”

Bearnard grinned and kissed his sister’s forehead, just as Alex put Lara down in front of Freya. They both reprimanded her, but it seemed she had already given herself the worst punishment.

“You won’t be doing that again, will you?” Bearnard asked her. She looked up at him and shook her head. He smiled at her and asked, “Would you all,” he looked around at the sisters, “like to come and have some apple pie with me? The cook has just made some.”

Lara, Mhairi and Caitrin did not have to be asked twice, and they all skipped away with their favourite uncle. When Bearnard was around it was as if no one else existed.

“Are you sure you should not go and lie down for a while?” Alex asked Freya, concerned.

“I’m quite well, so stop worrying,” she replied as she laid her head against his shoulder. “But I think we should start talking about names for the baby.”