In January, when winter was usually at its harshest, what could only be considered mild weather settled in just a fortnight before Lady McCabe’s birthing time. It was as if the whole of the highlands waited with held breath for the appearance of the heir to Neamh Álainn. Oh the weather was still cold to be sure, but the snows hadn’t fallen in weeks and the wind hadn’t howled. The sun seemed to shine brighter for the short period of the day it rose, and the nights didn’t seem quite so dark. Mairin was becoming increasingly impatient. In the evenings, Keeley gathered with Maddie, Bertha, and Christina and they took turns entertaining Mairin to keep her mind from her impending delivery. Even Ewan joined in and spent many an evening sitting with his wife in front of the fire in the great hall. ’Twas a relaxed time, and more and more Keeley felt a part of the McCabe clan. Though she and Alaric were careful to keep public contact to a minimum, their nights were spent behind the closed doors of her chambers.
