Heather smiled. “I was not like that when I was expecting. I was worried about everything. I’d stub my toe and call Gavin to make sure the baby was okay. I’m sure he thought I was crazy.”
Beth joined them, obviously hearing the last of what Heather had said. “Oh, he thought you were absolutely insane. But when he tried to heal your head, it didn’t work. So, I told him you were just hormonal.”
All the women laughed at that. “I hope I’m not like either of you two,” Alyssa said. “I just want to be me.”
Beth shook her head. “I’ve been through seven pregnancies. Between my seven sons, there have been thirty-two pregnancies, and now with grandchildren, I’m pretty sureit’s over one hundred. I lost count a while back. Not one woman acted like herself during her pregnancy. They all changed in some way.”
Alyssa stared at the older woman, her jaw dropping. “That’s alotof pregnancies.”
Beth nodded. “And my husband was the healer on call for every single one of them,” she said, shaking her head.
“What did you do before you came here?” Alyssa asked.
“Me? I was a CPA. Most boring job in the world, but it sure paid the bills. When I came back, I did it in a pair of jeans. Gavin smuggled me into the keep, afraid people would see me.” Beth grinned. “We married, and he was immediately called out to heal. I felt like I’d always be last in his eyes. That’s when he started having one of his brothers train the men, and it’s stayed that way. So much easier.”
“Kendrick told me that is his job,” Alyssa said. “Is it always one of the brothers doing the training?”
“Oh, yes!” Beth said. “The men only accept it because one of the brothers is doing the training and not someone who’s not closely related to the laird.”
“Wow. I had no idea clans worked that way.”
Beth shook her head. “Clans don’t work that way. Onlythisone.”
Alyssa nodded. “So, this is an aberration?”
“In so many ways,” Beth said. “In this clan, the retired lairds are always helping the new laird find his way. Bryson has only been laird for three months. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are all still alive, living in this very village. Each one has invaluable advice for Bryson, whether he likes it or not. He’s learning to be laird at his ancestors’ knees.”
“He likes it,” Holli said. “He wouldn’t know what to do without their help.”
“We’ll see if he feels the same when he’s the father of seven sons, and the youngest is fifteen years old. By then, all the men wish their fathers would just leave them alone and let them rule the clan.”
“I guess we’ll eventually find out,” Holli said. She absolutely didn’t seem worried about it or anything else.
Kendrick came over to them, and pulled Alyssa away from his mother, grandmother, and sister-in-law. “They are all bad influences. Please tell me you’ll stay away from them when you can.”
Alyssa laughed. “Two of them are my closest friends, and I have a feeling your grandmother will be another close friend. Why would you think they’ll be a bad influence?”
His eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard of women’s lib. They all talk about how women have more modern roles in society in the future.”
Alyssa smiled. “I’m old fashioned. I just want to raise a family.”
“With some girls,” he said, a smile transforming his face.
“Yes, with some girls.”
“Then I hope you have everything you are looking for in life and then some.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb and looked like he wanted to say something else, but he wandered off instead.
During the rest of the feast, Alyssa met Heather’s other sons and their wives. The entire family was in on the secret of them coming from the future, but the rest of the clan knew absolutely nothing. It was fun to meet all the women who asked what women’s work was like where she was from.
“You didn’t ask Holli? Or Heather?”
“You’re like us,” one of them told her. “You aren’t married to the laird or one who will give birth to the future laird. That makes you approachable.”
Alyssa smiled. “Can I tell you a secret?”
All the sisters-in-law crowded in close. “I don’t want to be the laird’s wife. I’m perfectly happy being the wife of one of his brothers.”
Holli joined them in their little circle. “She’s telling the truth. She has always been one who didn’t care to marry a rich man, or a powerful man. She wants instead to marry a normal man who can concentrate on her and their children.”
