"Sleeping. Nannag says he will recover. I pray she's right."

"Aye. I like him. And I'm so thankful you were unhurt, sister. Dirk told me what happened out there."

"He told you about Haldane?" she asked.

Aiden nodded. Dropping his gaze, he swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I'm just glad he didn't take you with him when he fell off that cliff."

Tears burned her eyes. "Me, too." She drew Aiden into a tight embrace. He was far too thin. "You need to eat more."

"Aye, sister." His tiny smirk reassured her.

"Well, if you will excuse me, I must go clean up. I'm a mess." She strode to her chamber and found her pup where she'd left him, asleep before the hearth. He leapt up and scurried toward her.

"Are you hungry, Greum?" She found some leftover hard cheese sitting on her bedside table and gave it to him. That would occupy him while she washed up and changed clothes. She didn't know where her maid was, but she was fully capable of taking care of herself.

Thankfully, the maid did show up a few minutes later, and Jessie asked her to take Greum out for a walk in the courtyard.

Heading toward the great hall a few minutes later, Jessie came upon Dirk and Isobel exiting their chamber.

"How is Torrin?" Dirk asked.

"He is sleeping, thanks to Nannag's potion. She says he will recover."

"Thank the saints," Dirk said.

"Jessie, you didn't tell me you almost died out there," Isobel said. "I'm so thankful you were unhurt." Isobel drew her into a fierce hug. "Oh, pray pardon. You must be sore."

"Just my shoulders a wee bit, and my hands." She showed them her scraped palms.

"Saints!" Isobel said. "I cannot imagine having to hold onto the rocks to avoid falling down a cliff."

"Aye, 'twas the most frightened I've ever been. And to think my own brother wanted me to die."

Isobel shook her head, blinking back tears. "I'm glad Haldane's dead, and I'm not going to apologize for saying that." She gave her husband a defiant look.

"As am I." Dirk raised an auburn brow. "He refused to change his evil ways, and he got what was coming to him. I always knew only death would stop him from trying to kill me. I'll have to thank Torrin when he feels better."

"McMurdo pulled you to safety?" Isobel asked her.

"Aye, 'twas unbelievable." Jessie had never been more shocked and grateful in her life.

"'Twas not out of the goodness of his heart. 'Tis simply that he wants the tomb in the church so badly."

Jessie nodded. "I wonder why?"

Dirk shrugged. "Who can guess what goes on in such a twisted mind? But I believe he fears that the people of Durness will desecrate his remains after he dies unless they are sealed up safely in the church."

"I see. Well, I'm glad you had that to offer him. Aiden said you told him about Haldane."

"Aye." Dirk frowned, looking morose. "The lad took it hard, but he said he knew 'twas going to happen sooner or later. And though Aiden caused big problems for Erskine and the clan, he said he was glad he got to talk to Haldane one last time."

Jessie nodded, tears burning her eyes once again, more so for Aiden's grief than her own, because the two lads had always been so close.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Dirk said. "Why is Torrin here? Not that I mind him visiting."

Jessie glanced at the clan members passing by them in the corridor. "What do you think?" she said in a hushed voice.

"Come inside the room." Isobel pulled her into their chamber and Dirk entered, too, closing the door behind.

"I can guess why he's here, but I might be wrong," Dirk said. "When we stopped by Munrick a few weeks ago, he again asked for your hand."

Jessie's face felt scorched of a sudden. "He said he came to protect me from MacBain." Jessie explained how the two men had run into each other far south of Durness and traveled north together.

"And did he protect you?"

"Aye. He broke MacBain's nose when he tried to barge into my chamber in the middle of the night. Then, when MacBain tried to kidnap me, Torrin rescued me and had MacBain and his men thrown into the dungeon. The next day, he had his men, along with some of the MacKays, escort the brigands off MacKay lands."

"Saints! I'm glad he's here, then. Have you changed your mind about marrying him?" Dirk inquired.

"I'd rather not discuss it at the moment," Jessie said, unwilling to share her conflictive feelings.

Dirk gave a wee smile. "Very well. We'll talk about it later."

"What happened on the ramparts when you fell?" Jessie asked Isobel, wanting to know, but also hoping to change the subject.

"After you left, Seona and I were watching that horrible battle below, on the beach." She shook her head. "Dirk fell and I thought McMurdo had stabbed him."

"'Tis my leg, you see," Dirk said. "My calf is still weak from where Gil's arrow went through it weeks ago. I stumbled and fell. Which was fortunate, for it allowed McMurdo's blade to miss me."

"Thank the saints. And I'm glad you were not hurt terribly when you passed out," Jessie told Isobel.

"Seona caught part of my fall, but my head slammed against the battlement." She gently rubbed the side of her head. "They helped me inside, though I wanted to go back out and see what'd happened to Dirk, but the guard wouldn't allow it. And then Nannag examined me and told me—" Isobel pressed her lips tight and glanced at Dirk. "Can I tell her?"

He smiled back, love shining in his pale blue eyes. "Aye, of course."

"Nannag told me I am with child," Isobel whispered.

Chapter Fourteen

Isobel was with child?

Jessie's mouth dropped open, and happy tears burned her eyes. "In truth? That is wonderful!" She embraced Isobel, knowing her friend had been worried for the past several months when she didn't conceive right after the wedding. Some had thought it could've been because Isobel had almost died from the deadly nightshade poisoning last winter.

"Aye." Isobel drew back, beaming.

Jessie turned to Dirk and embraced him. "Congratulations, brother. You will both make wonderful parents," she said, moving back.

"I thank you." He grinned.

She had never seen him look happier.

"We have not announced it to the clan as of yet," Isobel said. "Although Seona and Keegan know—Seona was with me when Nannag told me—but we wish to keep it a secret from the rest of the clan for now."

Jessie nodded. "I'll not murmur a word."

"We'll have a celebration feast, once everyone is more recovered from their injuries," Dirk said.

"Speaking of which, I'm starving," Isobel said, moving toward the door. "Let's eat."

Dirk chuckled and joined her in the corridor. "I'd best order more supplies."

Isobel gasped and gave his arm a light swat.

"I only meant that my son will need a lot of food as he's growing." Grinning, he placed a hand upon her still flat belly.

"And what if the bairn is a dainty daughter, like me?" Isobel asked.

"I'll be thrilled, of course."

Watching the two stroll toward the great hall, Jessie smiled and shook her head at their playful exchange. She knew her brother would be overjoyed with either a healthy son or daughter, but men always had to brag that they were going to have a son, especially as a first born.