Page 127 of Captured by a Laird
“Have they told ye what the surprise is?” she asked Sybil.
“What surprise?” Sybil gave her a blank look, but her sister was exceptionally good at keeping secrets.
David came down the stairs carrying their son, who was both the joy of the household and as troublesome as predicted, and handed him to Leana. Taking on the role of nursemaid had helped Leana heal, and she and Brian were to be wed soon. Flora and Garret were happily settled in a small cottage that David had given them.
“May I take my wife from ye?” David asked, smiling at Sybil.
He helped Alison to her feet with his good hand. Though he never admitted it, she knew the hand Walter had damaged still pained him at times.
“I’ve something I want to show ye upstairs,” he said as he led her across the hall.
“To relieve my backache,” Alison said, “you’ll need to do more than show it to me.”
A softness came into his eyes. “Ye know I’d like nothing better than to make love to ye, if it’s not too close to the baby coming, but that’s not what I meant.”
As they climbed the stairs Alison’s thoughts returned to her conversation with her sister.
“Do ye think this dispute with the Hamiltons will break out in fighting?” she asked.
“I do,” David said. “Tensions are high. Any spark will set it off.”
“I’m worried about my sisters getting caught in it—especially Sybil,” she said. “And she says that Archie is counting on you to bring a large force to Edinburgh when the time comes.”
“’Tis worth considering,” David said. “If he prevails, your sisters will all be safe, and Archie will be in a position to restore the title to the Hume lands to me, which will save our children trouble down the road.”
“I agree, but I don’t like it.”
“There are troubled times ahead, to be sure.” David stopped on the stairs and turned to face her. “But we’ll find our way through them together.”
Her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled up at him. “Aye, we will.”
Instead of continuing up the stairs, he turned and opened the door to the old Laird’s chamber.
“’Tis three years late,” he said, “but this is my wedding gift to you.”
An enormous new bed dominated the room.
“Oh, David!” she said. “’Tis beautiful.”
He must have paid a fortune for it. The bed was made of a rich dark wood that held a hint of red, like the color of a roan horse, and there were intricate carvings along the head and footboards. Alison stepped closer and ran her hand over the pattern on the foot of the bed.
“These look a bit like the pigs and horses ye carved for Beatrix and Margaret…” She turned to look at David. “You made this?”
“Aye. I cut the boards from the table at Hume Castle when I was staying there before ye came for me.” He gave a dry laugh. “Surprising I didn’t cut my leg off as drunk as I was. ”
She was touched that even when David believed she wanted her freedom instead of him he had enough hope in his heart to undertake making this exquisite gift for her.
“Isabella made the bed curtains,” he said, pointing at the dark blue velvet.
Alison walked around the bed, tracing the carvings with her fingertips. She could feel the love he had put into every one of them.
“No lass has ever had such a wonderful wedding gift,” she said.
“Ye like it then?”
“Oh, aye,” she said, tears burning the back of her eyes.
“Ye should get off your feet, love,” David said, giving her a worried look. Then he lifted her up onto the bed and sat beside her.
