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“It’s being aware and knowing the woods,” Alyce said and Tavish graced her with a charming smile that reminded her of Lachlan.
Honora laughed. “I keep telling Cavan that Tavish is going to be like Lachlan and as handsome. He has his smile.”
“I agree,” Alyce said and gave Tavish a big hug, which he relished since his smile charmed all the more.
“See, he smiles just like his uncle,” Honora said with a lilt of laughter. “And this one…” She bounced Ronan on her hip. “He’s going to be just like his father, a born leader.” She looked to Alyce. “I wonder if you will have a boy or a girl.”
“I would be pleased with either since I never believed I would ever have children.”
“Why ever so?” Honora asked surprised.
Alyce found herself being more truthful than she intended. “I would rather have led my father’s clan.”
“I could see that,” Honora said so casually that it startled Alyce.
“Truly?”
Honora nodded. “Oh my, yes. You have the instincts of a laird about you. One who commands rather than follows. One who will strategize instead of leaping headfirst. Cavan would be wise to make use of your skills. I will speak to him.”
Again Honora startled her. “But will he heed your opinion?”
“Cavan is a fair man and respects my opinions,” Honora said. “All Sinclare men are respectful of their wives.”
“In payment for forcing marriage upon them?” Alyce said then quickly realized the rudeness of her remark. “I’m sorry. I meant no offense.”
“None taken,” Honora said while playing tug of war with her son’s tiny fingers and a strand of her long dark hair. “I can imagine how you look upon Zia’s and my marriage, but believe me when I tell you the choices were ours.”
“How can you say that when you were given to Artair to wed only to find yourself wed to Cavan who had rejected you as a wife years earlier? And Zia had to wed Artair out of necessity, or she would have been condemned a witch. How are they choices?”
“You have grown to know Zia,” Honora said. “Do you really think she would have wed Artair if it wasn’t her choice?’
Alyce smiled. “No. The woman truly does as she pleases.”
“But she considers her husband at all times as he does with her,” Honora said. “And why do you think that is?”
“It’s obvious. The two are madly in love.”
Honora grinned. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
Alyce hated to admit, but it was. The pair’s passion for each other was palpable. “But what of you?” she challenged. “You had no choice.”
“But I did,” Honora insisted as they left the woods to follow the trail to the village. “I made the choice to love Cavan and gave him the choice to love me.” She smiled. “It didn’t take either of us long to fall in love. I cannot even recall when it was I realized I loved him. It was as if we were always in love and we always will be.”
“I love Lachlan,” Alyce said feeling the need to say it.
“Then let love be,” Honora said.
“What do you mean?”
“I discovered, quite by accident, that love is wiser than we are. If we would just let it be, not make demands or imprison it, but simply let love have its way then we finally taste its true joy.” Honora smiled. “I have so enjoyed this time with you and Tavish seems to be enamored with you.”
The little lad had his head snuggled in the crook of Alyce’s neck and his tiny fingers had firm hold of her blouse. His little body was warm against her chest and she loved having him there wrapped in her arms.
“How can you not love the little charmer, or his brother,” Alyce said with a smile to Ronan who was half asleep in his mother’s arms.
“I hope we can continue our tracking lessons,” Honora said.
“I would very much like that,” Alyce said.
“There you are!”
Lachlan’s shout stopped both women.
“Where have you been?” Lachlan asked hurrying over to them. “I was worried.”
“Were you so senseless by our lovemaking this morning that you forgot I told you I was meeting with Honora?” Alyce asked with a teasing glint.
Lachlan was struck speechless.
Honora grinned. “It’s so wonderful to see that you have met your match.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Lachlan said with his usual charm and turned to his wife. “And how could I have remembered anything after I appeased your insatiable appetite for me not once, but twice this morning.”
“Thrice, husband, not twice,” Alyce corrected.
Honora laughed.
“What’s so humorous?” Cavan asked, joining them as Tavish held eager hands out to his approaching father, who scooped him into his arms.
“A debate over the number of lovemaking bouts this morning,” Honora said candidly.
Cavan looked aghast. “I can’t believe you told them we made love two times this morning.”
“Got you beat,” Lachlan said with a smug grin. “Three times.”
