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  Audrina smiled serenely at Lord Bryce as he looked at her. If anyone was to believe Lord Cotswold’s proclamations now, it would be his own family. Audrina had a suspicion that he may have forewarned Lord Bryce, but Lord Bryce was shrewd enough not to express his suspicions. Or his was just plain scared to and truly believed she would curse him.

  In any event, Lord Bryce left that day without suffering at the hands of the men his uncle had tormented for so long. Audrina didn’t think they would be seeing him often, and she was fine with that.

  As she moved her king into place, Audrina continued to reflect on the last six months. She had settled into life at Claran Castle with relative ease. The people had accepted her without question after that night. She heard tales whispered through the streets of her bravery and courage at standing up to Lord Cotswold and they whispered of her magic, not of a black magic, but that she was blessed with the gift from Scotia’s own magics. She had settled into a way of life, healing the people who came to her and finding the trust they placed in their new lady of the castle to be touching. Donal would often follow her around, swearing to protect her against any more harm from the Sassenach soldiers. He idolized her as much as he did Colin.

  Even Alisdair found a sense of peace and began courting Aine, the blacksmith’s daughter. It turned out the blacksmith was their cousin and Aine had been given a place in the castle to work. There was no longer the fear of Prima Noctem held over their marriage beds, and Audrina suspected a spring time wedding was to be had. Mary had gratefully retired her position as Lady of the house and was content to work on crafting the tapestries that Audrina had discovered she was the artist of. They soothed her and despite the fine weaving and needle work, helped her to relax and relieve her tension headaches.

  Donal had decided it was time to not shirk his responsibilities, but instead endeavored to learn how to become a man and no longer gave his mother a run for her money. Instead he occasionally jested with Audrina and told her she was a fierce Scottish warrior in another life, the way she had stood up to Cotswold like that. Audrina was also pleased to discover the ornery behavior of her beloved pet Bessie, was due in part to the fact that the “mad old coo” as Alisdair had dubbed her, was due at some point in the spring. From what Colin told her, it was expected that she was carrying twins, which delighted Audrina to no end, because like Maeve, she could be found in the stables singing to her pet and her unborn calves and it was often the lullaby she learned from her grandfather.

  Colin had continued to woo her and show his devotion and love on a daily basis, and he brought her books so that she could read. She didn’t mind that they were religious. She found she had a new peace and faith with religion and God. She was finally content with the knowledge that Maeve rested and she carried on. She had gotten used to being called Maeve. It didn’t upset her to answer to it when someone called out to her. She felt honored to carry the mantle.

  He had also taken her to Skye that fall. Before the harshness of winter made the trails impassable and at a time when the spray of the sea on the island kissed the golden cliffs and sparkled along the brilliant foliage. She had found a simpler way of life there than even the castle. She hadn’t thought it was possible. She occasionally missed modern amenities, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t cope without.

  She had found the gravestones of her sisters in Skye. They had a Gaelic blessing etched on them which Colin had translated for her. She was even learning to speak a few words herself. It was there that she laid Maeve to rest. Colin watched as she dug a small hole next to her sister’s graves and buried the kilt pin. She had no doubt it had served its purpose in returning her to her love. Her love and Colin’s had spanned not only distance, but centuries of time as well until it had brought them back together.

  Audrina ran her fingers over the blessing etched in the stone, and realized it wasn’t just a spell, but an epitaph for her sisters as well.

  “Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, through spans of time, I cannot rest. Seek thee my kin, and pardon my sin, that I may reincarnate, and new life begin. And with this pin I shall be returned to my love, cast through the ages, by touch of mine blood, and light from sun up above.”

  AUDRINA CLUTCHED her stomach as she traced the small print. Colin had yet to catch on to the small gesture, she was waiting for the right moment to tell him. She stood and swayed on her feet, Colin assuming it was because she was tired from the journey.

  “No,” she proclaimed. “It is probably that the two little ones that have been growing in me for the last two months I have missed my flux, tap the energy from me,” she finally confessed.

  Colin stared at her in shock. “How do ye ken it, lass?” he whispered as his hand went to her belly.

  “There’s just some things a woman knows,” she told him.

  He bent down on one knee and placed his head on her belly. They were high on a cliff overlooking the sea, but they were the only ones around.

  Colin looked up at her with passion in his eyes. “I cannae believe it, lass!” he whispered in excitement.

  “I know, neither can I,” she said. But she found she was happy with the knowledge. “Colin, will you do me a favor and consider the name Dougal Argus MacClaran for the boy, and for his sister, Catriona Moira MacClaran?” she asked breathlessly. She did not know how to explain to him how she knew. It appeared as if her sisters had blessed her with one last gift of their blood vow. As she had touched the words etched in the stone, she had been gifted the premonition of the babies she was carrying in her belly. Apparently, the love of family was carried through time, and she was to find Colin’s Uncle Dougal, her grandfather and her sisters reincarnated within the souls of her unborn children.

  “Aye, tis a lovely set o’names for the wee bairns,” he said kissing her stomach again.

  She and Colin hastily made their way back down to the encampment they were sleeping in for the night, and there she had shown Colin she was good on her vow to prove to him she would show her love daily with kisses.

  When she took him in her mouth, he gasped and rose up off the bed, trying to draw her up the length of his body. She placed a firm hand on the flat of his belly and pushed him back down as she administered her kisses. She felt powerful as she looked up at the highlander writhing in ecstasy for her under her administrations. Colin had cried out to her, begging to be allowed to claim her and she denied him several times as he had teased Maeve before their wedding. His resolve had finally broke and he pushed his way up, flipping her gently onto her back and claiming her as he swiftly dipped in between her legs. Later that night he had shown her the beauty of torture of a different nature as he returned the same kisses to her.

  When they had returned to Castle Claran, the re-opened the chapel and celebrated with the whole clan in a wedding celebration that had been denied them. Audrina was insistent that their babies be Christened in the chapel, and as Colin had a renewed faith himself and he proclaimed the children in her belly to be his miracles, he readily agreed to her request, allowing the new priest to reside within the chapel.

  Audrina lay on the bed palming the queen in her hand before she made a move.

  “What are ye thinkin’ o’, lass, in tha’ head o’ yers?” Colin asked.

  “I was just reminiscing about the last six months,” she confessed.

  “Aye? What in particular?” he asked.

  She cast a glance sideways at his rough parchment where he had begun to sketch a drawing of her and her swollen belly.

  “A little bit of everything,” she told him. “I was thinking of the night when we finally won, and I was thinking of everything that has happened since.”

  “Aye, ye ne’er did tell me what ye said tae him, my Highland Queen.” He gathered her in his arms as she placed the queen back on the board in the position she wanted it in.

  “Aye told him what every queen does when she wins, checkmate.”

  ABOUT REBECCA PRESTON

  Rebecca lives in New York City with
her dog. She loves sweet love stories with great characters. She loves traveling the world and experiencing new cities and cultures. Jane Austen is her favorite author.

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Contents

  Mailing List

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  About Rebecca Preston

  Also by Rebecca Preston