Page 46 of Highland Spirit

“Now, calm down, Lanny. It’s no’ what ye think. She decided to call me Da on her own since she told me she didna have a da and really wanted one.”

“Oh,” said Alana, feeling terrible now. She never even knew that her daughter wanted a father. Then again, she supposed she had never asked. “Ye made her a doll?”

“Aye.” Ethan smiled proudly. “I made it out of one of my auld leines and a frayed plaid. I didna want her cryin’ durin’ our trip back to the castle.”

“Our trip?” she asked. “I dinna recall askin’ ye to come with me. As a matter of fact, I dinna recall even mentionin’ to ye at all that I was leavin’.”

“Nay. Ye seem to have forgotten to mention that part. But I figured ye’d be here bright and early, so I took the liberty of meetin’ ye here . . . with our daughter.”

“Nay, Ethan. Isobel and ye are no’ comin’ back to the castle with me.”

“Mama? Ye arena goin’ to leave me here without ye, are ye?” asked the little girl about breaking Alana’s heart. “I want ye, me, and Da to stay together from now on.”

“I ken, sweetheart. I want that, too,” she said and then let out a frustrated breath. This was going to ruin all her plans.

“Ethan, can I talk to ye privately for a moment?” she asked, pacing back and forth in front of the boat.

“Of course,” he said, hopping out of the boat right into the water and sloshing his way up the bank. Trapper barked from the boat, looking like he was about to jump over the side. “Stay there and watch Isobel, Trapper,” commanded Ethan. The dog whined and lay down on the seat with its nose between its paws. “Is there a problem, Lanny?”

“Is there a problem?” she repeated, angry with him, but trying not to show it for the sake of her daughter. “Ethan,” she said in a low voice. “I dinna want ye and Isobel to go to the isle with me. How dare ye pack her up in the boat without even discussin’ this with me first.”

“Well, I couldna discuss it, since ye conveniently forgot to mention yer plans to me last night. I figured ye’d be off and runnin’ again, and this time, sweetheart, I am no’ goin’ to let ye go without me. Without us,” he said, looking back at Isobel who was making her doll talk, shaking it in the dog’s face. Trapper kept his nose down and looked up at the doll with wide eyes but didn’t move. It was so cute that it made it even harder for Alana to even think of leaving her daughter . . . or Ethan behind. Even if it was only to protect them.

Alana sighed. “Fine,” she said. “Ye can take us to the isle but then ye’ll need to return here. Ye canna stay at the castle.”

“That seems like an odd arrangement for a husband to leave his wife and child unprotected. Nay, I canna do that,” he refused, shaking his head.

“Husband?” Her head snapped up and she looked directly into his eyes. “Ethan, I had a wonderful time with ye last night, but we are no’ married.”

“Yet,” he said, looking up over her head to the bank and waving his hand in the air. “Over here, Faither.”

“Faither?” she asked, thinking at first he was talking about his father, Onyx. That is, until she turned around and saw a small entourage headed down to the lake. Caleb led the group, holding his pine marten in his arms. Behind him was Logan and his wolf, and also Hawke, Storm, Lady Wren, Phoebe, and of all things, a priest! Apollo, Hawke’s red tail hawk made lazy circles in the sky above them. “Ethan? What’s goin’ on?” she asked, feeling a bit panicked.

“One thing ye may have forgotten is that the MacKeefes are early risers. I figure it’s best we get married before we even leave for the castle. That way, my friends can be here as witnesses. I had Caleb ride to a neighborin’ village to fetch the priest before the sun even rose.”

“We’re – we’re goin’ to get married?” She could feel her heart beating in her throat. “Here? Now?”

“That’s right,” he said. “I figured it’s the right thing to do since we’ve already had a child together. I dinna want anyone callin’ my child a bastard.”

“But . . . but . . .”

“Guid mornin’,” Phoebe called out, waving her hand in the air from the hill. She held on to a bouquet of flowers. “It’s a wonderful day for a weddin’.”

“Ethan, how could ye?” Alana spat, feeling so out of control. She had plans but now everything was about to change thanks to him.

“How could I?” He chuckled in a sarcastic manner. “I think the real question here is how could ye leave me at the altar and then never tell me I have a child? I’ll no’ let ye get away again, leavin’ me standin’ here feelin’ like a fool. Now, we’re goin’ to get married and ye have nothin’ to say about it.”

“But I canna marry ye. No’ now. No’ here.”

“Why no’?” he asked, throwing down the challenge for her to give him an answer. “If ye have a reason, then tell me now. If no’, then I suggest ye smile and act like ye are enjoyin’ this, because everyone is watchin’. Alana, I’ll no’ let anythin’ ruin my weddin’ day . . . again.”

“Are we ready?” asked the priest, stepping in front of them with his prayer book in his hand.

“Just a moment, Father Lewis,” said Ethan, squinting in the rising sun and looking up the hill. “We are waitin’ for a few more people to arrive first.”

“More?” gasped Alana. “Ethan, did ye really have to invite the entire MacKeefe Clan?”

“Nay, I didna want to embarrass ye, so I didna do that,” he answered. “But I asked the chronicler and his daughter to record our weddin’ in the Highland Chronicles for our king.”