Page 76 of Hold Fast

“And for you? Is all well for you?” Ewan murmured.

David swallowed hard, and Ewan could feel the weight of David’s arm on his back grow heavier. “It isnae how I pictured my life. Living by myself in an empty cottage with nothing but my memories. But I am still here. I survived it. I survived losing them. And that cannae have been for naught.”

The quiet settled between them again. Ewan sat up and pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes, wiping the tears.

“I dinnae deserve your friendship, David.”

“None of us deserve any of the good things we have.”

Ewan nodded. “Still. You are the verra best man I know.”

David’s smile was watery. He pulled Ewan against his chest and hugged him tightly. They stood like that for a long time, their chests pressing together as they breathed, their tears falling silently in unison.

Before he pulled away, Ewan squeezed David closer and said, “David, you are nae alone. And you can always talk to me about… about any of it. Anything.”

Ewan felt David nod. “You are nae alone either, Ewan. I will stand beside you come what may.”

CHAPTER31

“What do you mean he left?” Joan asked, seething.

“Just what I said. He stared at me as if I were a ghost and then ran from the room.”

Joan cursed as she stomped around the chamber. Una sat on the bed she shared with Ewan, her knees drawn up to her chest, her plaid wrapped tightly around her shoulders and clutched in a fist at her breast.

“Joan,” she cried, overwhelmed by the sheer number of emotions crowding into the exact same space in her heart. Fury, fear, elation, all pressing in close upon her. Joan hurried to the bed and tucked Una against her chest, rubbing large, gentle circles on her back as she crooned.

“Are you happy about it, Una?” Joan asked, gently tipping her chin up.

“I dinnae ken how to feel,” Una said through tears. “For the longest time, I worked and prayed to ensure it didnae happen. But now… It isnae that I am nae happy. ’Tis only that I am afraid to do it alone.”

Una buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

“He is a good man, Una. A coward, apparently, but a good man. He will come around,” Joan said as she gently pulled Una’s hands away from her face and wiped her cheeks with the corner of the plaid. “And if he doesnae, you’ve got me. And I am nae afraid of anything.”

Una laughed. “Aye,” she said, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her shift. “But God save us if ’tis a boy and it comes to that.”

“You dinnae think we can raise a proper man, Una? I have been less than impressed with the men I’ve met who were raised by other men. Between the two of us, I’d say we could do the job credibly,” Joan said with a wink. Una smiled.

Someone knocked on the door, and Catriona peeked timidly into the room.

“May I come in?” she asked.

“Of course,” Una said, patting the bed beside her.

Cat climbed in and sat cross-legged across from Una.

“He still isnae back then?”

“Nay,” Una replied.

“What happened, if you dinnae mind my asking?”

Una traded a look with Joan and then sighed.

“There’s going to be a babe come autumn.”

Cat hopped to her knees and bounced on the bed in excitement. “Una!” she squealed.