Page 37 of The Laird’s Unwanted Wife (Legacy of Highland Lairds #5)
TWO YEARS LATER
“ A ll right, Bannock. Wait!”
Gerald watched as Mollie swung her arm forward, throwing the stick farther than ever before.
He eyed Bannock at her side, her tail patiently wagging as she remained seated.
A tense silence hung in the air, everyone waiting with bated breath for Mollie’s command.
But before she could say it, a trio of puppies suddenly stumbled past her, yipping excitedly as they stumbled through the slushy snow.
“Hey! Snowdrop, ye’re supposed to wait, too!” Mollie groaned loudly, her boots crunching against the ground as she took off after the puppies. “Evergreen, Shortbread! Come on, guys, stop!”
Gerald couldn’t help but chuckle as Mollie awkwardly ran. She was clearly still getting used to her sudden growth spurt, her longer legs ambling and tangling under her feet. He glanced toward Bannock, noting the greying hairs of her chin as she still waited patiently in place.
“At least one of them is obedient,” Aileen snickered, wrapping her arm tighter around her husband’s.
Gerald placed a gentle kiss on her forehead in return. “Ye think Mollie runs a bit like …?”
“A newborn fawn?” Aileen laughed, snorting loudly as Gerald flashed a playful scowl her way. “What? Ye were thinking it, too! And I’m allowed to say it. She’s me sister.”
“Aye, but I’m her Da,” Gerald insisted. “And I command ye nae to say such awful things about her.”
Aileen’s brow rose, a mischievous smirk crossing those beautifully red lips. “It’s that an order from Mollie’s Da, or from the Laird of MacLiddel?”
Gerald slipped his arm around his wife’s waist, revealing her squeal as he dipped her low, their noses practically touching as condensed breath drifted between them. “What if I said it was an order from yer dear husband?”
“Oh?” Aileen lifted her chin closer, still grinning mischievously. “Well, I suppose yer sweet wife has nay any recourse to that.”
Gerald pulled her in for a long, deep kiss, unable to hold back a smile at Mollie’s audible croon. He pulled Aileen back upright, turning to greet the girl and her pack of deerhounds. “Got the stick back, lamb?”
Mollie proudly presented the stick, letting out a startled squeak as the blonder of the deerhounds snagged the end.
“Shortbread, nay! Down, boy!” She let out a sharp whistle, immediately catching Bannock’s attention.
The older hound immediately rose from her seat, trotting beside her mistress as she gave Shortbread a quick nip on the tail.
The pup yelped in panic, but released his hold on the stick, sheepishly stepping to his mother’s side.
“Good work, Mollie!” Aileen praised. “Yer whistle’s gettin’ far better.”
“Aye, but it’s nae as good as Nathan’s just yet,” Mollie lamented. Her frown was quickly replaced with a cheery grin, and she ran past Gerald, arms outstretched and hounds howling at her feet. “Ewan’s up from his nap!” She called out excitedly.
Gerald watched as Sarah crested the hill above them, a bundled blanket tucked securely in her arms. She smiled wearily, slowing her pace so Mollie could walk beside her the rest of the way.
“Oh, gracious,” Aileen sighed, immediately accepting the bundle as it squirmed impatiently. “Was he being a wee devil again, Sarah?”
“Believe he properly slept the length of time it took me to brew up a pot,” Sarah mused. “Ms. Blair was quite cross.”
“Ms. Blair does like her afternoon tea,” Gerald said with a chuckle.
“Aye, I ken! The last thing I need is for me mentor to be grumpy,” Sarah lamented.
A tiny hand finally worked itself free from the blanket, followed soon after by a head of fine dark hair. Ewan soon managed to free his upper body, his legs impatiently kicking as the toddler tried to wriggle out of Aileen’s grasp.
“Settle down, ye wee scamp!” Aileen laughed. “Yer maither doesnae wish to drop ye!”
“Aye, but I daenae think he could care less,” Gerald chuckled.
Rolling her eyes, Aileen finally allowed the toddler onto the ground, keeping hold of his arms as Gerald took the blanket from her arm. Ewan immediately began to toddle forward, though the multiple layers on his body made it difficult to do so. “He’s determined. I’ll give him that.”
“Gets it from his maither,” Gerald grinned, watching as his wife trailed after his son, back hunched and arms keeping Ewan steady.
“Let me walk with him, Aileen!” Mollie begged, following after her honorary brother as the hounds trailed behind.
“Leelee!” Ewan whined, similarly stepping toward his honorary sister. “Want Leelee!”
Aileen grimaced slightly, brow furrowing with concern. “Ah, Mollie—dear … I daenae. He’s still quite wobbly.”
“They’ll be fine,” Gerald assured. “Mollie willnae let anything happen to Ewan. And,” he added with a mischievous wink. “If they’re distracted with each other, I can do more than just dip ye.”
“Honestly, Gerald!” As cross as she attempted to sound, laughter still bubbled out from his wife. With a dramatically resigned sigh, she carefully offered Ewan’s hands to Mollie, reminding her how slow the toddler was and how aware she had to be of her surroundings.
“Aileen, I’m nae a wee bairn anymore,” Mollie complained.
“Ye’ll always be a wee bairn to us, lamb,” Gerald insisted.
With a dramatic huff and a cheeky smile, Mollie turned Ewan to the flatter side of the hill, Bannock following behind as she caroled her pups, ensuring no one tripped the pair. Aileen let out a genuine sigh, returning to Gerald’s side with a worried look.
“Love,” Gerald chuckled lightly.
“I’ll always fret over the two of them,” Aileen insisted.
Gods, but she really was a wonderful mother. Gerald pulled her close to his side, his arm slipping comfortably around her hip. Aileen’s head settled against his frame, her next sigh one of ease. “I love ye, sweet wife.”
His wife’s smile nearly melted the rest of the snow around them. “I love ye too, dear husband,” she replied, going up to her tippy toes to give Gerald a longer, lingering kiss.
The End?