The Pocket Watch (14 page)

“I love you, Mom, and I’ve missed you so much.”

“I know, honey. I am sorry I had to leave.”

“But how did you find me here?”

Her mother smiled. “It wasn’t so very hard. Your love is a beacon.

“It hurts so much. I’m glad you’re here.” Tears had welled in Maggie’s eyes. It was wonderful to see her mother again, but maybe that meant…“Mom, please don’t tell me to go home. I know Dad probably needs me, but…”

“Oh, my darling girl, I am not going to tell you to go home. That decision is yours, and your father will be fine no matter what you do.

“But when ye were sick, Mom…”

“I know, Maggie. He didn’t handle it well. You were so strong. You were my rock and I don’t know what your father and Paige would have done without you. But he will be all right. I promise. Now it’s time for you to find your life. Is it here? Do you want to stay?

The tears slipped down Maggie’s cheeks. “Yes, I do want to stay, I love him so much, Mom. I wish you could meet him.”

The room in Castle Carr reformed around them. “Is that him? He has a very good heart, Maggie, I can tell.”

Maggie smiled at the man she loved. “Yes, that’s him. He’s worried. He knows I’m not Margaret and he loves me, but he thinks I should go home. He keeps asking me to say the word, but I won’t. Tell him I can stay.”

Her mother laughed. “You’ve already told him you’re meant to be here. He’ll learn soon enough how tenacious you are. Now, my precious child, if you intend to stay here, you must rest and get well.”

“All right. I’ll rest, but don’t leave me yet. I’m afraid.”

“I won’t leave. I know you are afraid but you will be fine. Rest now.”

Chapter 13

Maggie slowly emerged from the deep sleep that engulfed her. She barely opened her eyes. The early morning sunlight cast a pale light in the room, but hadn’t it just been the middle of the night? Hadn’t her mother just been with her? Where had she gone?

Maggie shook her head a little, trying to clear her thoughts. No, it must have been a dream. Her mother couldn’t have been there. She’d passed away over three years ago.

Still, the conversation had been so real it caused Maggie’s heart to ache anew over her loss.

She looked to her right. Logan was sitting in a chair next to her. He was bent forward, his head resting on the bed. He had been with her every time she woke. Had he left at all?

She was so very hot. She had to get out from under the covers. As she pushed at them, Logan awoke instantly. “Maggie, my love, how do ye feel?”

“Weak and achy.”

“Ye have a bad fever.”

“I know, but don’t tell me to say the word. I’m not going to and I don’t have the energy to argue.”

He smiled at her “I won’t. Here, drink some water.”

“I’ll drink, but Logan, help me get the covers off. I’m roasting and drenched in sweat.”

Lady Davina, who had been dozing in a chair, woke at that. “Ye’re sweating, lass? Praise be, the fever is breaking. Aye, ye need to drink. See that she drinks some broth too, Logan, while I get Bearnas and some fresh linens.”

Logan helped her sit up so she could drink. The water was cool relief for her parched throat. After she had drunk what she could, she asked, “What day is it?”

“You have one day left.”

Maggie sighed. “Then I missed the wedding.”

He laughed. “There was no wedding to miss. When we get married, I promise ye’ll be there.”

She smiled. “Can we be married soon then? Tomorrow? Now?”

Logan shook his head. “Nay, sweetling. Let’s get you well enough to stand first.”

Maggie frowned petulantly. “I don’t see what standing has to do with it.”

Logan laughed again. “Ah, my beautiful lass, if ye can’t stand, ye can’t dance. And if ye can’t dance, ye can’t do the other wicked things husbands and wives do. Let’s give it a bit of time. Ye aren’t going anywhere. Are ye? Ye’ve been very firm about that so far.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m where I’m meant to be.”

“Then there is no hurry.” He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss. “There is one thing ye need to know, before mother returns with Bearnas. Ye babbled a bit when ye were in the grips of the fever. Ye said a lot of things.”

This worried Maggie. “What kind of things?”

“Ye talked about yer family and Elliott. Most of it could be attributed to delirium. That was until ye seemed to have a conversation with yer mother in front of my mother and Laird Grant.” At Maggie’s look of horror, he continued rapidly. “It’s fine, Maggie. They know. I told them and they believed me.”

“Does anyone else know?”

“Nay, and we’ll keep it that way.”

Just then Lady Davina and Bearnas bustled into the room and chivied Logan out. “Son, we need a bit of privacy now. Go have a wash yerself and get something to break yer fast. Ye can return when we have her settled.”

When they had changed the bed linens, cleaned and bandaged her wound, and her tucked back into bed, Maggie was exhausted again. She was asleep before Logan returned.

~ * ~

Logan had faced fierce warriors in battle with steely determination, never flinching. He had knelt stoically beside fallen comrades as they lay dying. He had hunted boar and wolves without trepidation.

He had rarely known fear.

During the nearly four days when Maggie lay near death, weak and feverish, he became all too well acquainted with it. The thought of losing her filled his heart with dread. On a battle field, or while hunting, he had confidence in himself and his own skills. However, at her bedside, he was helpless to do anything but pray—and pray he did. He asked God over and over to let her live. He petitioned every saint whose name he could remember to intercede on his behalf.

On Saint Evan’s day, the day they were to have been married, he had prayed fervently for his aid. Surely a Scottish saint would hear his pleas. When Maggie had awakened the next morning, her fever breaking, Logan knew his prayers had been heard.

He left her room at his mother’s bidding but didn’t go immediately to wash up or break his fast as she had suggested. He went to the chapel, prostrated himself before the altar and thanked God for his healing and mercy. He thanked Saint Evan for his intercession with the Almighty and vowed to name his first son Evan.

He rose to his knees but before he stood to leave, he realized he needed to have one last conversation with his Lord.

“Father, I don’t understand how Maggie came to me. At first I worried it was through some dark magic, and yet I didn’t have the strength to let her go. When she lay so close to death, I thought I was being punished for my weakness. Now I am certain ‘twas Yer hand that saved her. I have seen grown men die from less severe fever and blood loss, and she is but a wee lass.

“Only Yer healing touch prevented me from losing her, so I can only believe ‘twas Ye who brought her to me in the first place. She is good and kind and compassionate. She radiates love. I am sorry I even entertained the notion that her presence in my life was anything but Yer blessing. I am heartily sorry it took a miracle for me to realize that. Still, I am weak and without Yer intervention, I fear doubt would have always lingered. So most Holy Father, I humbly thank ye for bringing Maggie to me, for bringing her back to me from the edge of death and for making Yer will clear.”

Having set things right with the Almighty, Logan returned to the keep. He ate and washed quickly, returning to Maggie’s side as soon as he could. He didn’t intend to leave her again until after they were married—well after they were married.

However by the next evening, when Maggie’s fever had not returned and it appeared she would recover, his mother pulled him out of the room. “Logan, it is getting late. Ye need to say good night and find yer own bed.”

He frowned “I’ve been at her side through this whole ordeal. I’m not leaving her now, Mother.”

His mother went as stern as only a mother can. “It was one thing when she was delirious with fever and we feared for her life. She is mending now and ye aren’t married yet. It isn’t appropriate.”

“I’m Laird of this clan—”

“Don’t ‘I’m Laird’ me. Although I hold my tongue in public, I didn’t stop being yer mother when ye became Laird. I said ye aren’t staying another night with that lass until ye are wed and I meant it.” She glared at him.

He glared back.

Her expression softened a little. “Son, I know ye love her. I know she loves ye. Ye were destined for each other if any couple ever has been. But I also know how uncharitable people can be. There are still members of the clan who haven’t quite forgiven Margaret’s ill-treatment of them. Tales of Margaret having been in love with a Grant guardsman who tried to kill ye are already circulating.”

Logan was incredulous. “Mother, she saved my life, nearly losing hers in the process.”

“I know that, most everyone does, and that fact is helping to temper the gossip. But please, ye mustn’t risk further damage to her reputation.”

He couldn’t argue.

~*~

Logan had respected his mother’s wishes and slept in his own chamber that night. Although exhaustion had claimed him immediately, he was up at first light and as anxious as he was to see how Maggie fared, he didn’t want to risk disturbing her. He went to the great hall instead to break his fast.

Most of the wedding guests had returned to their homes when it became clear there would not be a wedding imminently. Logan had not left Maggie’s side to bid them farewell and see them off as would have been polite and customary. He knew his allies would forgive the slight and Laird Grant dealt with his own allies. So Logan was surprised to see Dougal MacIan and several of his men in the hall.

Logan joined him at the table. “Dougal, I didn’t realize ye were still here.”

Dougal grinned at him. “Ah, well, the food is the finest.”

Logan laughed. “I won’t deny, there are few cooks better than ours but yer own are equally skilled.”

Dougal nodded. “That they are. I suppose there is one other wee reason.” Dougal lowered his voice. “Da asked me to stay.”

Dougal was Laird MacIan’s heir and the MacIans were among Logan’s closest allies. This statement concerned Logan. “Is there a problem?”

“I’m not aware of any, but Da wanted to ensure one didn’t arise. He has never fully trusted the Grants and he believes some of Alpin’s allies are worse. After this whole nasty business happened…well, Da worried it might spark something and with yer bride so gravely injured, ye might not be as alert to danger as ye would be otherwise. He wanted to guard yer back. The day after Maggie was injured he returned to Duncurra, leaving most of his men here with me. He thought a show of strength might be enough to deter any aggression, and sent another contingent as well. They arrived yesterday.”

It was true, Logan had been so focused on Maggie, it hadn’t occurred to him that his clan might be vulnerable. He did not have formal alliances with all of the clan leaders. “Thank ye, Dougal. Yer da was right and I’m grateful.”

“Ye’re welcome. We know ye’d do the same.”

Logan frowned. “But what about yer wife and wee daughter?”

“Ah that. Da wanted to take them home to keep them from harm should something happen. I wanted Da to take them home too, but my sweet biddable wife had other ideas.”

Logan arched an eyebrow. “She refused to leave?”

“Absolutely. Listen to me well, Logan. On her wedding day every lass in Christendom vows to obey her husband, but I’m convinced not a single one of them understands the meaning of the word.”

Logan laughed for what felt like the first time in days.

“Laugh if ye will, my friend, ye’ll learn soon enough.” He grinned at Logan and added, “But now, in fairness to my Aggie, she insisted that with everything in an uproar, yer mother needed help as much as ye did.”

“Ye’ve a fine wife, Dougal, and she has my gratitude as well.”

“We figure, if it is what ye want, we will stay on until ye’re actually married to that tenacious wee lass and there is no doubt regarding yer strength and that of yer allies.”

“Thank ye, Dougal. I would be loath to ask but I won’t refuse yer offer. Now, I will excuse myself. I would like to check on my
tenacious wee lass
this morning.”

“Then why are ye wasting time with the likes of me?”

Logan laughed again, then all but sprinted to the stairs. He met his mother, just leaving Maggie’s room.

She gave him a stern look for a moment before smiling and shaking her head. “Go on in. She’s been tended to and has eaten a bit.”

“Thank ye, Mother.” He kissed her cheek before tapping on the door and entering the room. “Good morning, my love.”

Maggie sat propped up in the bed, with the thing she called a ‘pocket watch’ in her hands. Looking up, she smiled at him. “Good morning, Logan. Come sit with me. I missed ye last night.”

He crossed the room to sit beside her on the bed. The sight of the pocket watch sent a cold shiver through his heart. This was the last day she could return. Was she having second thoughts? He had to make certain she would have no regrets. Putting his hand over hers, he asked, “It’s almost time. Are ye sure Maggie? After everything ye’ve been through, ye know life here is hard. Are ye sure ye want to stay?”

The light of her smile warmed his soul. “Aye, I am very sure. I only had this out to show yer mother.”

“Thank God.”

She smiled. “When I was feverish, I dreamt of my mother. I was just thinking of her and Paige and wondering what they would say.”

“And what do ye think?”

Maggie smiled. “I believe my mother would tell me it’s time to find my life no matter where it is.”

“And what do ye think yer sister might say?”

Maggie laughed. “I know exactly what she would say. The evening after I met Gertrude, I spoke with Paige. I told her what had happened and that I was going to do as Gertrude said, simply to prove the old woman wrong. Paige was a bit more willing than I was to imagine the possibility that it would work. She asked me what I would do if it did, and I fell in love. I scoffed and wouldn’t answer, but she was serious and gave me her opinion anyway.”