Page 40 of Forever My Lass

Iain grinned down at his daughter, before he headed toward Madeline. Not saying a word, he adjusted his ball next to hers, placed his foot on it, then whacked it hard. A second later, Madeline’s ball raced backward over the length of the course to land a few feet away from the starting point. Straightening, he grinned at her scowl, then took two steps forward to lean over her until his mouth brushed against her ear.

“Dinnae I tell ye yesterday never tae dare me, mo bhòidhchead fuilt dorcha.” Iain allowed himself to enjoy her sweet, soft scent for a second, before he straightened to grin down at her, chuckling as a rosy hue darkened her cheeks.

With a huff of air parting her full lips, she remained silent as she directed one last baleful glance in his direction before heading toward her ball. Iain laughed as she walked away from him. Whether or not she was lucky, the game was about to go to him and Ainslie.

A minute later, Iain sent his ball through the final arch where it hit the stake to win the game. Ainslie shouted in glee as she ran forward to hug him with jubilation. From where she stood at the next to the last arch on the course, Madeline shook her head and turned to Grace who was running toward her.

“I’m sorry sweetie, my luck ran out.”

“We can beat them the next game.”

“Oh, that won’t be happening,” she said with a laugh just as Iain and Ainslie reached where she was standing with Grace. With a rueful smile curving her lips, she looked at him, then Ainslie. “Congratulations, you two. You played a good game.”

“Ye would nae have lost if Faither had nae been able tae roquêt your ball,” his youngest daughter said in a sympathetic tone of voice.

“You’re right,” Madeline said as she directed an amused scowl in Iain’s direction.

“Let’s play again,” Ainslie said with a grin, and Grace bobbed her head in enthusiastic agreement.

“Not me. I’ve had my fill for the day. I’m going to sit on the sidelines and watch.” Madeline nodded toward the wrought-iron bench in front of one of the lawn’s hedges that Iain had added to the grounds several years ago.

“I believe I will do the same,” Iain said as he urged his daughters to play against each other.

Dejection clouded their features as the girls turned away from him, but in seconds they were taunting each other good-naturedly as to which one of them would win their game. Madeline was already seated on the bench, and she smiled at him as he sank down into the space beside her. Instantly, his muscles tightened at the effect her scent had on him. The soft fragrance of lavender and roses made her smell like a sunny spring day.

“You seem to have performed a miracle with my daughters.”

“A miracle?” Madeline released a quiet sound of skeptical amusement, eyeing him as if he’d lost his mind. “Right.”

“Then explain the sudden change in Ainslie’s behavior. She is much more subdued than she’s ever been, and yet it’s easy to see she’s happy. As for Grace…” Iain shook his head. “She’s a wise soul in a child’s body, and yet you’ve taught her she doesn’t have to act like an adult all the time.”

“They simply needed a mother figure.” Madeline turned her head to study him with curiosity. “Did you love your wife so much that you couldn’t bear the thought of marrying again?”

The question made him jerk slightly as he glanced at her before returning his attention to his daughters. When he didn’t reply immediately, he heard her draw in a soft breath of regret.

“I’m sorry. That’s none of my business.” Out of the corner of his eye, Iain saw the embarrassment on her face. Without looking away from his children, he cleared his throat.

“I’ll never marry again,” he said in a voice devoid of emotion. “I’ll not put another woman’s life in danger.”

“I don’t understand.” Madeline turned toward him slightly. Iain turned his head in her direction.

“Flora died because I made her with child. She was nae capable of surviving the birth of our daughters.” Iain dragged in a breath of pain as Thane’s face flashed in front of him. “I already had one death on my hands when I lost my wife. I cannae put another life in danger.”

“Another?” She barely paused before continuing. “You’re not to blame for any of the things that went wrong with Flora or your first wife. Many women die in childbirth. It’s sad, but true.

“I have only been married once.” Iain shook his head as he remembered his father viciously blaming him for causing Thane’s death.

“But you said—”

“I am responsible for my brother’s death. Thane, died saving my life.”

“Oh, Iain, I’m so sorry.” Madeline’s hand covered his in a gesture of sympathy. “He must have loved you very much to have given his life to save yours.”

He didn’t answer the silent question in her voice. The last thing he wanted was to remember all the times his father had said Thane was the one who should have lived, not Iain. Dragging in a deep breath into lungs empty of air, he watched Ainslie who was so much like Thane, despite bearing no physical resemblance to his brother.

Would his father have forgiven him if he’d lived long enough to see his granddaughter display the same qualities his brother had possessed? Bitterness swept through him. No, his father had never been a forgiving man.

The sudden warmth of Madeline’s hand against his vanished as she drew away from him. Iain stared down at the hand she’d touched. It was no longer clutching his knee so tightly. Startled, he realized her soothing touch of comfort had eased some of his tension. The knowledge surprised him. Feeling her gaze still studying him, Iain turned toward her.