“Did she ever mention the Isle of Wakelin to you?”
“It sounds familiar.” His grandmother scrunched her brow, searching her memory, her eyes suddenly turning wide. “I do recall it, the memory giving me pause through the years. Though it wasn’t your mum who mentioned the Isle of Wakelin, but a traveler who stopped for some water. He mentioned he was headed there. I remember your mum, hurrying over to where you were trying to climb a tree, snatching you up and keeping your face pressed against her chest as she hurried into the cottage. She didn’t come out until I told her the man had left. I asked her what was wrong and she told me never to speak of the isle, not ever. After that she made sure to keep you away from any strangers that stopped by. I knew my daughter well and I knew she was not only trying to protect you, but me as well.” She sighed. “I was so pleased and relieved when your mum met Lander. He was a good man and I knew he’d make a good da.”
“He was a good da and he taught me much,” Slatter said, thinking how much he missed the man and his mum as well.
“He taught you to be a good man,” his grandmother said.
“Some would argue that, Seanmhair,” Slatter said with a grin.
“Not in front of me they won’t or they’ll get a good tongue lashing.”
“See, you have two strong women who believe in you and defend you,” Willow said, leaning forward in the chair by the bed to poke her husband in the arm.
“I like this woman you wed,” his grandmother said with a grin that matched Slatter’s.
Slatter turned a teasing smile on his wife. “She’s a bit stubborn, but she’ll learn.” That got him a hard jab in the arm from his wife, and he laughed.
“She must be, since I haven’t heard you give an honest laugh in some time,” his grandmother said and looked to Willow. “Would you mind if I had a few moments alone with my grandson?”
“Not at all,” Willow said and stood and wasn’t surprised to see her husband tense with concern. She didn’t want to worry him and hurried to say, “I’ll wait outside the door for you.” And when the concern in his eyes faded to be replaced by a wicked gleam, she knew his tongue was about to either tease or charm.
“Fear not, mo ghaol, I won’t be long from your side, since I know how much you miss me when parted.”
Willow clasped her hands together beneath her chin and sighed dramatically before saying, “Dear husband, I beg you not to leave me long without you, since my heart is in peril every time we are apart and I fear I shall die without your attention.”
His grandmother erupted in laughter.
Slatter applauded. “That was quite good, wife.”
“You have taught me well, husband,” Willow said and turned and sashayed out of the room, raising her hand above her head to wiggle her fingers at him in a farewell wave.
“I really really like her,” his grandmother said.
Slatter turned to his grandmother. “I really really love her.”
His grandmother squeezed his hand. “Then be honest with her before it’s too late.”
“It could cause her harm as it did you,” he argued.
“We’ve discussed this. I would have told you by now if the two men were interested in more than your whereabouts. The oath has kept the secret hidden for years. No one betrays it.”
“I believe that’s why this problem with this man who resembles me worries me so much. It could destroy what had taken so long to build.”
“You won’t let that happen, nor would the others, and I believe your wife would feel the same.”
His grandmother understood the troubled look in his eyes. “Think of what your mum and Lander had together. You can have that too. I know you always thought that you had to sacrifice everything. You don’t. Talk with Willow. She may surprise you.”
“She always does.” He shook his head. “First, I have to settle this Sterling problem, then I’ll talk with my wife.”
“You shouldn’t wait too long,” his grandmother cautioned.
His grandmother’s warning kept whispering in his head as he and Willow left the keep to go see how Walcott was doing. It meant a lot to him that his grandmother trusted Willow enough for her to suggest he talk with his wife. She had always been a good judge of people, perhaps that had been why his mum hadn’t wanted her own mum to know about Slatter’s father. Seanmhair would have told her if she thought the man no good. And love can blind. Though, he was learning that love could also see past the nonsense and to the truth. Or was it his wife’s pragmatic nature that could do that?