Page 63 of Promises to Keep

I screwed up my face. “That’s a weird question, you mean, Beaty? To have another bairn around us? Yeah I mean, sure...” My voice trailed off.

He was smiling, one of his cocky smiles.

“Is that what you mean?”

“Nae...” He tilted his head back and looked down his nose. “Nae, I meant I got ye pregnant just then and I wanted tae make sure ye were ready for another bairn.”

My eyes went wide. “What are you talking about, Magnus? You got me pregnant just then?” I scoffed, “That is not how sperm works, my love. God, you need a science lesson.”

He shrugged, chuckling. “Ye daena hae tae believe me, but ye ought tae ken, I always do whatever I set m’mind tae, and just then, I wanted tae get ye pregnant verra much, twas primal, it felt like a bear. I couldna argue with it, and so, I am asking if it was okay with ye that I came tae ye and carried ye down the hall and got ye pregnant. I wanted tae ken if ye were alright with it.”

I sighed. “Well, it was very primal, and you did feel like a bear, that much is true. And I will say this, we haven’t talked about it in a while, we’ve been busy and we hadn’t planned. As you know I haven’t been on the pill for months, and there has been a lot of sex, and I got my last period, that was fine... I mean, I’m not pregnant, I would have noticed if that—”

He shook his head, mockingly, “I am nae sayin’ ye would notice, I am saying that it happened just now, do ye notice yet?”

“Magnus, you have no idea. But yes, I am alright with it, I would like to have another, definitely. I would love to have a boy.”

“Good.” He grinned. “Because I got ye pregnant and we are goin’ tae hae a son.”

“Ha ha, verra funny.”

“How could it nae be a boy, Kaitlyn? I kicked a man’s arse in yer honor, I picked ye up and ravaged ye against a wall, I worked at it so hard I grew weakened. Tis for sure a son, tis science, ye ken.”

“How do you make a daughter?”

“Candlelight and roses, a good night’s sleep after.”

“Very scientific.”

“Ye are all right with it? I dinna ask afore I did it?”

“I am all right with it. I do think we should start trying to make a baby.”

He chuckled and made a checkmark in the air.

“You honestly believe I’m pregnant?”

“Aye, this verra moment, we will be able tae tell him, when he is grown, I was ravagin’ yer mother in the dark corridor of the—”

I groaned. “Please, please don’t tell the children stories about their conception.”

He grinned. “I winna. But I reserve the right tae tell everyone else.”

“You areverysure of yourself.”

“I hae the confidence of a man who beat another, and the humility of a man who is sitting in damp, muddy clothes. I think I am balanced.”

He squeezed my hand. “I love ye, Kaitlyn, I am glad ye are safe, and I promise ye I will keep ye safe while we wait for the bairn.”

I swung my legs off the bench. “And there is no pregnancy test for miles around, but it wouldn’tevenwork tonight, it would take at least a week.”

He said, “Trust me. I promise ye are havin’ a bairn. I promise ye that I will keep ye safe.” His stomach growled.

“Let’s get you some food.” I stood and pulled him up from the bench and we walked back into the Great Hall.

The room had been put back into order, the longest table placed down the middle, the chairs and stools and benches returned to their places. Food was set on a side table and people were serving their meal onto plates. We all sat down.

Magnus asked Sean, “Brother, what happened when I left?”

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