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And he needed the estate to take care of Seoc, to give him the best life possible. He could not give him back the life he had on the farm. The life he would still have had Raghnall not been a coward. Had he married Mòrag earlier. Had he been there to protect her. But he could give Seoc a better place in the world.

“Dinna delay on the way,” Raghnall said.

“I wilna. I ken the clan will need me. I dinna go with a light heart, to leave ye all waiting for the Ross clan to strike again.”

Bringing a child into what was essentially a war between clans was dangerous, but Raghnall didn’t know if he’d survive the upcoming attack. If he wanted to ensure Seoc’s future, he had to act now. Chances were, Seoc would arrive when the conflict was resolved. And if the lad did arrive in the middle of the war, Raghnall would make sure Seoc was safely inside the castle. Besides, clan Ross was interested in the Mackenzie lands, not in hurting children.

“Godspeed.” Raghnall clapped on the horse’s side, and Iòna let the horse walk. When he disappeared behind one of thatched houses, Raghnall shook his head once, willing the dark thoughts of worry and angst to go away.

Now he had to focus on the next task.

The wedding.

Where was Èibhlin?

He glanced at the small wooden chest with beautiful carvings of ladies walking in a flower garden. The chest contained his bride’s wedding dress. Èibhlin was a lass from one of Angus’s tenants, a young woman with more mischief in her eyes than an unmarrit lass should ken. Raghnall had offered her his hand in marriage, knowing a lass like that would be the right wife for him.

Even though he had heard rumors she had a lad in another village that she fancied.

No chance of falling in love with her. Bonnie, aye, but nae substance to her. Wind in her head, and he wouldn’t be surprised to find she wasn’t a virgin on their marital bed and later that she’d cheat on him.

All he needed from her was her “aye” and for Angus to witness that. He’d provide for her in his estate, and, most importantly, he’d provide for Seoc. And any other children Èibhlin would give him.

Èibhlin had demanded a bonnie dress. Catrìona, Raghnall’s younger sister, together with Mairead, Raghnall’s oldest brother Laomann’s wife, had just finished the dress last night, so Raghnall hadn’t had a chance to give it to her before the wedding.

The dress was expensive, with gold and silver threads and made of silk that was produced in the Kingdom of Naples and very hard to come by in the Highlands. It had cost him every penny that he had accumulated through his service to the Crown and through serving as a hired sword in the Borderlands.

But even as his family started gathering in the square, his bride had still not appeared.

They arrived from Eilean Donan Castle, which was on the island in the loch behind the village, towering over the surrounding landscape like another mountain.

Angus and Rogene, his new wife of about two moons, already pregnant, arrived first. Angus was as tall and dark-haired as Raghnall, only his hair was ear-length, whereas Raghnall hadn’t had his hair cut in years.

Rogene’s younger brother, David—an odd lad, if anyone asked Raghnall—followed on their heels. He spoke strangely, wore his hair so short it looked as though he’d just had lice, and even at his age of eighteen, he’d never been trained to fight on a sword or shoot a bow.

The lad had a lost, anguished look in his brown eyes, as though he’d been trapped here and didn’t know how to get out. But Raghnall liked him. There was fierceness within the lad and a core of steel. Even with barely any combat training, David didn’t lack courage and had gone with Angus’s troops to protect the lands against clan Ross but four sennights ago.

Just like Catrìona’s husband of less than two sennights, James Murray, a Sassenach who’d arrived at the castle searching for Rogene and David and had stayed to help protect the clan from a murderer set on killing Laomann. Thankfully, James had discovered the murderer, and in the meanwhile, managed to steal Catrìona’s heart and steer her away from becoming a nun.

Raghnall hadn’t trusted the man in the beginning. He’d seen enough Sassenachs to know they couldn’t be trusted. He’d fought for King Robert the Bruce against the English Crown for four years now and killed enough English to have assumed a Sassenach in the Highlands was the enemy. But James had proven himself a trusted friend.

Like with Rogene and David, there was something strange about James. Though their accents were different, there was a similar oddness about their choice of words and their mannerisms. Aye, they were all not from here…but sometimes he had a sense they had more secrets than he knew.

Who was he to judge people with secrets? He had enough darkness in his past, and he had never told anyone about Seoc and Mòrag, except Iòna…and even then, it wasn’t the whole truth.

He hadn’t even told Angus, who was not just his brother but his best friend.

Laomann followed with Mairead, who bounced their ten-moon-old baby boy attached to her in a sling. Ualan grinned as he saw Raghnall and gave him a delighted squeal.

Raghnall didn’t want to admit it, but seeing his family come to his wedding warmed something in his chest. Aye, he’d been cast out from them for fifteen years, but they hadn’t chosen to chase him away. They were glad he wanted to be part of the clan again.

And he’d give his life for every one of them, whether they wanted him as clansman or not.

Catrìona, who’d gained a healthy amount of weight and sheen ever since she’d stopped fasting a few sennights ago, brushed something away from his tunic.

“Ye look very handsome today, brother,” she said, beaming at him. Being marrit suited her. Raghnall could see the new shine of happiness in her blue eyes, the rosy color in her cheeks.

“Where is yer bride?” asked Angus, looking around.