Plead Forgiveness: Betrayed Twice (Loyalty Series) (23 page)

Ella and Gavin wed
a fortnight later, but not in the church where her parents had married.
Instead, they spoke their vow within the special place her parents had fallen
in love, because the bride wanted to wed the man she loved near the mother who
would forever live in her heart.

As tradition, Alex
Mackenzie placed his daughter’s hand atop Gavin’s hand. With radiant joy
sparkling in his eyes, he then watched his baby marry the man he had chosen for
her eight years ago.

After sealing
their vows with a kiss, Gavin whispered, “Ye are my happiness, little one, my
heart’s true love.”

“Ye are my life,
and throughout eternity our hearts and souls will be united as one.”

ONE YEAR LATER

“Dinna ye ever
leave,” Gavin said in mock anger to Guy, his wife’s brother.

With mirth in his
eyes and a chuckle on his lips, Guy replied sarcastically, “I see the time we
have spent in each other’s company has been as special for ye as it has been
for me.”

“Bae, ye, yer
brothers, yer father, and my sister have been the bane of my existence this
past year,” Gavin snorted.

The mid morning
sun amidst a cloudless sky bathed Doran castle as Gavin and Guy stood atop the
stone stairs of the keep, looking out beyond the bailey to the stable yard.
Both men continued to banter as they watched the familiar scene of Ella working
with the horses, while Thea and Colban tended to their laird’s four and a half
month old son.

“Ye have the look
of a man whose dreams came true,” Guy said as he glanced at Gavin.

“Aye,” he said
with a broad smile. “It warms my heart to see my wife and son hale and hardy,
especially after enduring a year of hell.”

Chuckling, Guy
asked, “A year of hell? Ye canna honestly believe that.”

“Och, ye have nae
idea.”

“In spite of
occasional morning sickness, my sister was healthy throughout her pregnancy,
and remained active up until her time to deliver.”

“Aye, trying to
get yer sister to rest was like trying to halt the tides of the ocean. Lady
Eleanor insistence that regular physical activity is good for the babe only
incited my ire.”

“Aye, I heard ye
fought with her often after I left, arguing that she miscalculated when Bella
conceived.”

“My wife dinna
show until her fifth month, and even then, she carried verra small. The only
change in her body was to her belly.”

“Much to the envy
of all women, I would assume.”

“Och, before her
ninth month, Lady Eleanor informed me that if Ella dinna birth the babe soon it
would grow too large for her to birth at all. My wife is naturally small, with
hips more narrow than the average. Lady Eleanor gave Ella herbs to induce labor
pains. My fear for my wife was so great; it outweighed my want of an heir.”

“Aye, I heard ye
refuse to leave yer wife while she labored through the night.”

Smiling at Guy, he
explained, “'Tis my belief that a man should stay by his wife’s side, and see
the pain she endures while bringing yer bairn into the world.”

“Most men would
say birthing is women’s business, but I agree with ye and my father that a
husband should be present. That is unless he is nae up to the challenge. Keir
passed out when Eva birthed Gabriel.”

Gavin chuckled,
“Aye, at least he managed nae to swoon when his daughter was born.” He would
never forget how touched his wife had been that Eva and Keir named their
daughter after her and her mother.

As they made their
way to the stables, Guy asked, “My father said yer difficulties dinna end when
yer son was born?”

“Yer sister is as
stubborn as a mule. She insisted on resuming her duties three sennights after
our son’s birth. I refused and demanded she wait the full six until her body
recovered.”

“So when did she
resume her duties?

“Three sennights,”
he admitted grudgingly.

Trying to contain
his mirth, Guy asked, “How is that possible without the help of a wet nurse.”

“I have been
married to yer sister for a year now, but still she finds ways to amaze me. With
the help of my mother, Thea, Rachel, and even my blackguard and the villagers,
Ella is more than capable. In the mornings, she takes my son to the stables
where Thea fights off Colban and Leif to tend to my son. In the afternoon,
while Ella and Rachel see to the villagers, the women as well as the men of my
clan pass my son around like a jug of ale. My son adores the attention my
people lavish upon him, and by twilight he is so exhausted he sleeps through
the night.”

“There is much
wisdom in this, I think,” Guy said as he clapped Gavin on that back. “Are ye
honestly dismayed by my sister’s actions?”

They arrived at
the stables to find another newly made crib, crafted by Iain. Although
beautiful, it stood empty, due to his two dim-witted brothers. Gavin heaved an
aggravated sigh, watching Paen and Tavish toss his bairn back and forth to one
another. Jumping up and down between them, Thea frantically tried to reclaim
the giggling babe.

Gavin strolled
over and took his son from the two twits, and then turned back to Guy. With
pride, he stated, “Nae, quite the opposite in fact. Her methods will secure the
love and respect between my son and his clan. At almost five months of age,
Alexander Bowen Macleod has already come to ken them, recognizes their voices,
and puts trust in the people he will one day rule as laird.”

Ella came to
Gavin’s side and nuzzled her son’s cheek until he squealed with joy. She then
kissed her husband.

“I was wondering
when ye would remember me, wife,” he teased.

“I would remember
ye much sooner if ye would stop referring to Alex as 
yer
 son
instead of 
our
 son. I do recall I helped a wee bit in making
him, nae to mention carrying and delivering him.”

Gavin covered her
mouth with a passionate kiss, while someone pulled his son from his arms. He
looked up and saw Guy shaking his head as he held little Alex.

“Och, ravish yer
wife in private, man. Dinna ye see there are bairns around? Look at Thea, she
is overwhelmed with shock.”

Thea, now on
Paen’s shoulders, giggled at the very familiar sight of her laird and his wife.

Gavin said to Guy,
“I would most heartily welcome a private moment to ravish my wife.”

Ella playfully
slapped his arm, then hugged and kissed her brother. As she reclaimed her
child, she said to the babe, “Are ye ready to go swimming with Mama and Papa?”

Guy asked, “Ye are
taking the mite swimming?”

Gavin wrapped his
arm around Ella and said, “'Tis the only way I can be alone with my wife and
son.”

Laughter rang
through the stable yard as Gavin asked his wife, “Are ye ready, my love?”

“Aye,” she said
with gleeful anticipation.

Ella stared at her
husband, the man who refused to give up on her or their love. He bestowed a
glorious new life upon her, one filled with purpose, the freedom to pursue her
dreams, and roots that bound her to him for eternity. 
He is my best
friend, my protector, my lover, and the other half of my soul.

Together they went
to the cascading waterfall, she gazed upon it each morning from their
bedchamber window.  They escaped to this isolated part of the loch often
to be alone with their son.

After swimming and
playing in the frothy water, they sprawled out on a plaid. Gavin relished in
the sight of watching her breastfeed their son.

His wife
fascinated him.

It took her body
less than two month to return to its naturally slim, lithe shape.  Her
firm and tight figure was due to resuming her duties so quickly after giving
birth, that, and her insatiable need to be active. She radiated joy when she
was highly productive, and amongst family and friends. Due to his boundless
love for her, Gavin conceded to let her have her way.

When she finished
feeding Alex, she asked, “What are you thinking as you stare at me so
intently?”

Gavin took their
son upon his shoulder, and then began to pat his back. “That I am happy that we
have decided to wait a few years before ye give me a daughter. I pity men who
get their wife with child every year.”

“Why is that?”

Gavin cleaned and
wrapped their son in a plaid, then rocked their bairn to sleep. “Living in fear
for yer wife year to year. . . ” He shook his head, remembering the past year
with Ella.

“I think my
pregnancy was more difficult for ye than me,” she chuckled.

“Aye, I canna
argue with that. Furthermore, I would nae give up moments like this, being with
ye and wee Alex. If ye birthed nae more bairns, I would be content.”

Ella settled Alex
in the basket beside their plaid. She then moved to kneel beside Gavin and
asked, “Ye would be content with only one child?”

Pulling her to lay
atop him, he nibbled at her lips as he said, “Aye, sweet wife, as long as I
have ye, I am blissfully happy.”

“I love ye more
than I ever thought possible. Ye made my dreams come true.”

He pulled away,
asking, “How is that?”

“I always dreamed
of finding a love as strong and powerful as the one my parents shared.”

Rolling his wife
to her back, Gavin’s eyes ravished her beautiful face. “The love yer father
described he had with yer mother I dinna think possible, until ye came into my
life.”

“Love me,” she
demanded.

“Always, my love.”

THE END

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I hope you enjoyed reading Plead Forgiveness, book one of the
Loyalty Series. This series characters from book one throughout the series.

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