Christmastide
A few months later
The great hall was warm in spite of the freezing snow outside and it was packed with MacNeelys who had come for the annual Christmas celebration Callie had warned him about. Music filled the hall as people sang, and Jamie ran about the hall with the rest of the clan's children.
Sin sat at the lord's table beside his wife, holding her hand as he stared at the merriment around him. He'd never expected to have a Christmas like this.
Even Dermot was there with Simon. Because of the season, Draven had procured permission from Henry to let the boy visit with them in Scotland so long as he remained under Simon's constant supervision. Draven would have come as well, but neither he nor Emily had wanted to risk exposing their infant son to the harsh climate of the Scottish Highlands. But in the spring, they would bring Dermot and their new babe for another visit.
"Should we send someone out to look for your brothers?" Callie asked.
Sin shook his head. "I am sure they are fine. No doubt the weather has slowed them a bit, but I expect them to join us at any time."
Callie watched her husband watch her people. He'd become so relaxed these months past. Gone was the harsh, guarded man, and in his place was someone she learned to love more with every passing day.
She covered their joined hands with her other and just reveled in the feel of his strength in her palm.
The doors opened, ushering in a torrent of swirling snow and six bundled figures. By the height of three of them, she knew it must be her brothers-in-law.
Before she could rise to greet them, one of the shorter visitors threw back her cowl and revealed a beautiful older woman with striking black hair. Callie would have thought nothing of it had she not felt her husband go tense.
She looked to see hatred in his eyes as he stared at the small woman. Instantly she knew who this woman was. Aisleen.
Why would his stepmother come here?
The men removed their cloaks and Callie recognized Braden's wife, Maggie, and their infant daughter, Ada, who was snuggled in her mother's arms, as well as Kieran's son, Connor.
All of them stayed in the foyer, tense, as Aisleen moved forward.
Sin couldn't breathe or move as he watched his stepmother approach. His head rang with all the insults she'd ever dealt him.
Aisleen looked first to Callie and offered her a smile, then she turned her gaze to Sin and the smile faded.
They sat in total stillness as they held each other's full attention. For the first time in his life, he saw something other than hatred in her eyes. Strangely enough, he saw guilt and remorse.
Aisleen drew a ragged breath. "Well," she said quietly. "This is even more awkward than I had thought it would be. So let me say my piece and then you can have the satisfaction of seeing me thrown out of your hall."
Her words stunned him so much that he couldn't have responded to them had he wanted to.
"I was very wrong in the way I treated you, lad. I won't even try to make excuses for it. But I was a very young lass and heartbroken. More than that, I was a fool to blame a child for something not his fault."
She gave him a tender look that surprised and stunned him. "I know you don't believe this, but many a night I have lain awake wishing I could have done things differently where you were concerned."
"You owe me nothing, my lady," Sin said.
"Aye, but I do. When you were burned and staying with us, I wanted to tell you then how I felt, but every time I tried, I turned coward." She placed the wrapped gift in her hands on the table before them. "Merry Christmas to you both, and congratulations on your marriage." She smiled at Callie. "I hope you'll be giving him all the love I should have."
Then she turned and headed for the door.
Sin watched her walk away, his feelings tangled and confused. His wife reached for the present and opened it.
"Sin?"
He looked from his stepmother to the MacAllister banner in his wife's hands and his heart lurched.
Instead of four swords, it now held five. And in Callie's hand was the small note card that was embellished with Aisleen's crisp, clear script: For Sin MacAllister.
He looked to his brothers and Maggie, who watched him expectantly as their mother crossed the room.
"Aisleen," he said before he could stop himself.
She stopped and turned back to face him.
Sin left the table and went to stand before her. "I learned a long time ago to forget my past. Granted, there have been times when that was easier said than done, but I am not one to dwell on old hurts. You are welcome in my hall, my lady."
Tears filled her eyes as she stared at him. "You'll never know how much I wish I had shared your compassion. I am sure many are the times you'd wished I had said those words to you."
Sin said nothing. He had no idea what to say.
Then she did the most unexpected thing of all. Aisleen reached out and hugged him.
Sin stood frozen in shock.
She patted his back, then released him. Looking up at him, she wrinkled her nose and did something no one ever had before....
She reached up and straightened his hair and clothes like a mother worried about her son's appearance. "There," she said, patting his arm. "I didn't mean to muss you up."
Sin laughed as his brothers, wife and Maggie joined them. Servants brought drinks for the family and they adjourned back to the table, where they dined in pleasant company and love.
Hours later, when everyone was fed and well sated, the servants distributed the gifts.
Sin gratefully took the one from Callie. It wasn't very large and when he opened it, he frowned.
"I must have Ada's by mistake," he said, noting the tiny white baby shoes.
He started to hand them to Maggie, but Callie stopped him. "Now, I know what a generous man you are, Sin MacAllister, but don't be giving those away when we'll be needing them come summer."
His jaw went slack as his mind made sense of her words. "You're with child?"
Biting her lip, she nodded.
Sin shouted in joy as he pulled her into his lap, then quickly apologized for it. "I didn't hurt you or the baby, did I?"
She laughed at him. "Nay, love. I'm sure if he's anything like his father, he's quite indestructible."
Lochlan stood with a cup of wine in his hand. "To Callie and Sin. May this be the first of many little treasures to come."
Sin drank to the toast, then handed his cup to his wife and watched as she drank from it. "You know, my lady, they say drinking wine from a man's cup is a good way to find yourself carrying his child."
She kissed him gently on the lips. "I'm afraid we're too late for that."
"Oh, for God's sake," Simon said, placing his hand over Jamie's eyes. "Would you two please adjourn upstairs? Every time I turn around I find the two of you locked together, and I just got my stomach settled."
Sin laughed at that. "Och now, we can't be having Simon's stomach upset while there's food to be had, now, can we?"
Callie shook her head, but her smile interrupted the serious gesture.
"Very well then, good night, my family. Sleep well and we shall see you in the morning." Sin stood, then swung her up in his arms and carried her toward the stairs.
Behind him, he could hear his brothers wagering.
"Five marks they don't appear until late morning," Ewan said.
"Ten for noon," Lochlan joined.
"She's pregnant," Braden said. "I'll wager ten for early morning."
A soft, feminine laugh rang out. "Men," Maggie said. "Aisleen, what say you? My money is on late afternoon."
"Aye. Most definitely."
