Once Upon a Plaid Read Online Free PDF Page A

diplomats?”
    Margaret shrugged. “It doesna matter a flibbet what I want. Their father will decide for them when the time comes. Of course, Dermid is his heir, so he’ll be trained in running the estate and military strategy, but Donald will have plans for the others too. It’ll be the Church for one of them, I warrant. And I’m so afraid he’ll send at least one to sea.”
    “If ye dinna want your sons to go to sea, ye should tell Donald how ye feel.”
    “And have ye told your husband how you feel?”
    “About what?”
    “About whatever it is that brought you here without him,” Margie said. “Of course, I’m grateful for your company as my time nears, but I’ve a feeling seeing your newest nephew or niece safely into the world isna all that brought ye home.”
    Katherine pressed her lips together for a moment. If Margaret knew what she was planning, she suspected her sister-in-law wouldn’t encourage her. “We aren’t talking about me now.”
    “Pity. We should, so you can settle this thing, whatever it is. At least ye have your husband close by.” Margaret smiled sadly. “When would I have occasion to talk to Donald? Your brother is hardly ever home. Your father oversees the running of the estate, but Donald spends his time at court. ‘Looking to Glengarry’s future,’ he says.”
    James V was seventeen now, in 1529, and finally out from under the thumbs of the men who’d ruled in his name. It made sense to cultivate the favor of the young king for the good of the earldom, but the birth of a child should count for something.
    “Surely he’ll be here for your lying-in.”
    Margaret laughed, but there was little mirth in the sound. “Leave court at Christmas? I highly doubt it. Besides, Donald has no patience for a sickroom. He’ll come when the child is to be christened and I’ve been churched. Not before.”
    Silence fell between them, interrupted only by the crunch of snow underfoot.
    “To be honest, when your man swept into the keep last night,” Margaret said softly, “I hoped it was my Donald.”
    Kat squeezed Margie’s arm tighter. “I wish it had been.”
    “Never say that, Katherine. Ye dinna know how lucky ye are to have a man who’ll leave everything and follow after ye simply because he wants you.”
    “He wants something, but I’m not sure ’tis me.”
    “Give the man credit for being here. After this one’s born, Donald will come home long enough to get me with another bairn, which willna take much doing, I’m afeared. Last time, he barely had time to hang his plaid on the peg before I was breeding again.” Margaret sighed. “Then once he’s done his duty by me, he’ll be gone.”
    Margaret conceived and carried babes so easily. Katherine seldom felt more useless and less womanly than when she was in her sister-in-law’s presence. It wasn’t Margie’s fault. She never said anything to demean Kat directly. Her swollen belly was indictment enough.
    “At least you can give my brother children.”
    Margaret must have heard the wistfulness in her tone for she stopped walking. “Oh, Katherine, I’m sorry. I didna think. I didna mean to complain. Truly, I did not. It’ll happen again for you. Have faith.”
    It had happened. Many times. But Katherine’s body couldn’t seem to keep a child growing inside it. Of course, Margaret only knew about the stillborn boy Katherine had delivered about a year after she and William wed. For months afterward, that small ghost had hovered around Kat. Now he had a handful of unborn siblings.
    “Have faith,” Katherine repeated. “So ye think that’s what it takes?”
    In the pause between the Gloria and the Credo that morning, Katherine had come to a decision. She knew what she must do. It was best for William, and the only way she could truly demonstrate her love for him. Now she needed the courage to do it. The remembered words of a Psalm hardened her resolve.
    “‘Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the sons of