Page 42 of The Highlander's Dangerous Bride

He rushed ahead and ran into his room. When Arne and Raven arrived, they found him in Muriel’s arms, his arms around her neck. He babbled excitedly, “We went in the little house and we had a picnic, and then raced boats by the waterfall.”

“My, my, my, what a busy time ye’ve had, little man,” the nursemaid said, laughing as she hugged him with obvious affection. “I’m very glad ye had lots of fun.”

“I did, and Lady Raven says we can go back anytime I want.”

“That’s grand, Thorsten,” she replied, setting him back on his little legs again. “Are ye too full fer yer tea? Cook made some muffins specially fer ye.”

“Och, I’m hungry,” he told her, his eyes lighting up. He patted his belly, so it made a hollow sound. “See?”

“I think I’d better check with yer Da first. I dinnae want ye eatin’ too much and gettin’ a tummy ache afore bedtime.”

Thorsten ran over to Arne and clung to his legs, looking up at him imploringly. “Can I have a muffin, Da?” he wheedled.

“Aye, I suppose one cannae hurt, even though ye’ve eaten yer own weight in shortbread this afternoon.”

“See, Muriel, Da says I can have one,” the little boy crowed, triumphant.

“All right, but we must get yer outside things off first. Then ye can sit by the fire and have yer muffin.”

While this was going on, Arne noticed from the corner of his eye how Raven’s demeanor had changed. She was all smiles for Thorsten, but she gave Muriel no more than a cursory nod when the nursemaid greeted her. The only conclusion he could come to that made any sense was that she was jealous of the affection their son had for Muriel. That was natural, he supposed. Despite the hidden part of him that wished it was for himself, he had to admit it seemed unlikely.

They tarried there for a while longer, joining Thorsten around the fire while Arne helped him to toast the muffin. Thorsten insisted on sitting next to Raven on his little stool, which Arne could see made her happy. Nevertheless, he knew he was not imagining the tension in her body. It had not been there earlier. Something had changed. His suspicions were proven right when suddenly, out of nowhere, Thorsten looked up at Raven with his big blue eyes and asked guilelessly, “Lady Raven, have ye got a ma?”

He was taken aback, confused as to why the boy should ask such a question of her. Muriel, clearly oblivious to the undercurrent, was buttering some muffins. Arne exchanged a worried glance with Raven, whom he could see was as surprised as him by their son’s question.

He was worried because he recalled her once telling him before Thorsten was born that her mother had died giving birth to her, and that she had always felt guilty about it, believing it was her fault. He knew it was a very sensitive subject with her. He watched with a degree of anxiety as her bright smile wavered fractionally.

He was about to intervene when she spoke softly but firmly to Thorsten. “Well, now, hinny, everyone has a ma and a da. But nae everyone is lucky enough tae get tae spend time with them. I’m sad tae say that’s what happened tae me. Ye see, me poor ma died when I was just a wee baby, so I cannae even remember her. But I ken her name was Agnes, and she was a very kind and gentle lady. I’ve seen a paintin’ of her, and she was very beautiful.”

Arne watched Thorsten’s face as he listened to her speaking. His eyes were wide, and he looked to be hanging on every word. “Did she have hair like ye?” he asked.

“Aye, she did, as black and shiny as a raven’s wing,” she told him, smiling and ruffling his hair. “Just like yers.”

“And yers,” the boy said, reaching up and taking hold of one of the curling tresses in his little paw. He tugged on it gently before letting it spring back.

“Aye, we both have the same hair! Is that nae amazin’?” she said, clearly trying to sound light-hearted.

“I dinnae have a ma either,” Thorsten suddenly said in a small voice. “She died too. Muriel says she’s up in heaven lookin’ down on me. But where is heaven?”

Arne’s heart clenched when he saw Raven’s face blanch, and he had to admire her self-control when she replied, “’Tis a mile up through the clouds, beyond the stars and the moon, further than ye or me can see.”

“That’s far,” Thorsten said, his small face pensive. “What’s it like in heaven though? Can we go there and see me ma?”

“Och, Heaven is a lovely place. There’s sunshine all day long, and ye can eat as many sweeties as ye like without gettin’ a tummy ache. ’Tis full of toys, and muffins, and cakes, and horses, and puppies, and kittens, and there’s nay bed time, and ye dinnae have tae have a bath if ye dinnae want tae.”

“It sounds grand,” Thorsten observed more cheerfully. The trust in his eyes as he conversed with Raven made the lump in Arne’s throat grow even bigger and harder to swallow.

“Aye, it is,” she replied, nodding sagely. “Only the best people get tae go there. ’Tis sort of a reward for bein’ good. And so will we, one day. But nae until we’re older, so we must be patient until then.”

“Can ye come back?”

“I dinnae think so, but naebody kens fer sure,” Raven said, and Arne noticed her reply earned a puzzled look from Muriel, while he understood what she meant all too well.

“All right, I’ll be patient,” Thorsten said. Muriel passed him a muffin then, and he immediately forgot what they had been talking about, thanked her, and tucked into it with a grin.

They stayed eating muffins and drinking tea for a while longer, listening to Thorsten’s chatter about the day, before Muriel announced it was time for Thorsten to have his bath. With promises to come and say goodnight to him before bedtime, Arne and Raven finally left together.

Raven did not want to leave Thorsten at all, yet at the same time, she feared she would lose her mind if she did not get out of the room soon. Her emotions were in such a tumult, she just wanted to go to her chambers and be alone. She certainly dd not want to talk to Arne. In fact, all thoughts of the wonderful afternoon they had just shared with their boy had flown from her head, and she was furious with him.

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