“She’s beautiful,” Ewan whispered. He kissed Mairin’s sweaty brow and smoothed her hair from her face. “As beautiful as her mother.”

Mairin eased the babe to her nipple and coaxed until the infant weakly latched on and began to suckle.

Tears burned Keeley’s eyes as she watched the utter reverence in Ewan’s eyes. He gathered both wife and daughter in his arms and held them as the babe fed. Neither parent could take their eyes from the delicate little girl in Mairin’s arms.

“You did good, lass,” Maddie whispered as she hugged Keeley. “I’ve never seen a birthing go so smoothly.”

Keeley smiled at her and then motioned for Maddie to help gather the bloodied linens. They worked in silence, loathe to disturb the tender moment between the laird and his family.

They eased their way toward the door when suddenly the laird turned and rose from the bed. He closed the distance between himself and Keeley and stood before her, his eyes bright with relief and joy.

“Thank you. My wife means everything to me. I could not have borne to lose her or our child. You have my everlasting gratitude and ’tis a debt I can never hope to repay.”

Keeley smiled. “I’ll come back to check in on her in just a while.”

Ewan nodded and quickly returned to his wife’s bedside.

When Keeley and Maddie entered the hallway, Caelen, Alaric, and Gannon all pushed away from the wall to face the women.

“ ’Tis done?” Caelen demanded.

Keeley nodded. “The laird has a daughter.”

Alaric smiled. “A daughter. ’Tis fitting, that. She’ll drive him as daft as her mother does.”

Gannon chuckled. “Not to mention the rest of us.”

“And Mairin? All is well with her?” Caelen asked.

Keeley raised an eyebrow. “Why, Caelen, I do believe you have a heart after all. Aye, Mairin is well. Ewan is with the both of them now, and I thought to give them a bit of privacy.”

Caelen scowled and muttered something under his breath, but Keeley could see the relief in his eyes.

“If you’ll excuse us, we must go belowstairs to clean up, and ’tis truth I could use a bit of fresh air,” Keeley said.

Without waiting a response, she walked by the men and went down the stairs, Maddie on her heels.

“Give me the linens,” Maddie directed when they entered the hall. “You go take your fresh air. It’s been an exhausting night for you.”