“Where is this keep?” Slatter asked, knowing his wife would not want to be far from her sister.
“The McHenry keep—”
“A short ride from here,” Willow said, turning to her husband with a smile. “It’s a small keep, but the fields are fertile and the woods that surround it teem with healing herbs.”
“I brought a troop with me to help move your people there today. I prefer the few people who remain there not be alone through the winter. So what say you?”
“It’s up to my wife,” Slatter said.
Willow looked ready to say, aye, when she caught sight of her sister.
“Go talk with her,” Slatter said when he saw his wife’s smile fade.
Tarass shook his head. “It’s your decision not hers.”
Slatter laughed. “I can’t wait until you wed.”
“My wife will obey me,” Tarass said as if there was no other option.
Slatter laughed harder. “We’ll see about that.”
Tarass turned to James. “A moment with Slatter.”
James nodded and walked off.
“This offer is because of what you gave me,” Tarass said.
“I didn’t give you anything. I simply alerted you to the fact that MacBlair land was ripe for someone to claim it.”
“Are you sure you don’t want it?”
“I made it clear when I told you about it that I wanted nothing to do with it,” Slatter confirmed.
“I left Owen there to oversee the transition and establish a firm footing on the isle.”
“I’m glad, since I’m sure you’ll treat the people well,” Slatter said and cast a glance at his wife, hoping all was going well with her.
“How wonderful for you,” Snow said with excitement and hugged Willow. “And you won’t be far from me at all.”
“But I won’t be here with you,” Willow said, feeling less excited about the prospect of her own home.
“Nonsense, Eleanor is here and is of great help and I can visit and stay for days on end if you’ll have me.”
“That would be wonderful,” Willow said, not having thought about that.
“You need to live your life with your husband just as Sorrell has. I have Thaw and we’re very happy together.”
Thaw gave a bark, agreeing.
Snow hugged her sister tight, a tear running down her cheek. “I will miss you terribly, but I want this for you. You deserve it. You deserve to be happy. Sorrell will be happy for you and be happy to learn that, though you exchanged vows again, you have delayed the celebration until she can be here.”
“She probably got that message by now and hopefully it’s helped calm her since the message Ruddock sent after his men returned home made it clear he was having a difficult time keeping her from riding off on her own to return here.” Willow giggled. “I wonder if he had to tie her up.”
Snow laughed. “She would have escaped. I think she was wise enough to listen to her husband this time.”
They both laughed at that.
Willow wished with all her heart that her sister’s sight would return and she could fall in love like she and Sorrell had done and start a life of her own.
“Go, I will be fine,” Snow insisted.
“Come with us and help us,” Willow said.
“No, I will only be in the way. I will come when you are settled and I can learn to navigate the keep. Besides, you and Slatter deserve some time alone. Now go, you have much to do. I can feel a winter storm brewing and you need to get settled before it hits full force.” She gave her sister a little shove. “Go and tell that pigheaded man that you accept.”
“I heard that,” Tarass said as he approached with Slatter.
Thaw started yapping as soon as Tarass got close to Snow. She didn’t wait, she scooped him up.
“I’ll go start getting your things together, Willow,” Snow said and turned to leave.
“Apologize for calling me pigheaded,” Tarass demanded.
Snow turned. “Since it doesn’t matter if I mean it, I apologize.” Snow went to turn and stopped. “And I apologize for the next name I call you and the one after that, since I’m bound to insult you again.”
Slatter laughed and got a jab in the ribs from his wife.
“She’s an impossibly stubborn woman,” Tarass said.
“Thank you for the compliment,” Snow called out and kept walking.
Tarass shook his head as he walked off. “There isn’t a man alive who would wed her.”
Willow felt a sting to her heart.
“Don’t listen to him,” Slatter said. “Snow has a lot to offer the right man and she’ll meet him someday.”
“I want to believe that.”
Slatter took his wife in his arms. “Then do. Believe she will one day find a man who loves her and who she loves as much as we love each other.”
“That would be a miracle,” Willow said.
“No, that would be fate, just like what happened to you and me. And your sister is right. It’s time we go start our life together.”