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“They are verra happy, and all is well”

“And what of my mother and…and…”

“Your us We are happy now, but with every year ill grow happier And I will grow uglier, and she will grow rounder”

“Enough of that, Malcolm Bain!” Alison’s hand tapped him on the shoulder, but it did not hurt, and a sry Forbes eyes “I think we have all had enough of fairy tales for one night”

“Whatever ye say, my little oatcake,” Malcolm Bain replied blandly, and winked at his son

Angus chuckled, and glanced from his father to his mother And it was clear, that for hiun

Epilogue

One year later

Meg looked out upon Glen Dhui, watching the sun sinking over it All ell

The past year had been a good one, the crops had been bountiful, and there had been no great sickness in the glen The people were happy and content

There had been one sadness: The general was no longer with theht of him every day and mourned his loss, but she knew he had lived his life and had left her in the clear knowledge that she ell protected and well loved Alison had foreseen his passing

And Gregor, her husband the laird, had reclaimed his position as if he had never left it No, that was not quite true Gregor treated his position as laird with a genuine joy and gratitude that he probably would never have felt if he had not lost it for twelve years

The baby stirred in Meg’s arms, and she stroked the soft, velvet cheek Her son, hers and Gregor’s His fine hair was darker than his father’s, but she had the feeling it would end up like Gregor’s—certainly there was no fire in it But his eyes were definitely hers, blue and clear, and she had a feeling that they would stay so

“They’ll change to gold,” Gregor had insisted

“Maybe the next one”