Once Upon a Highland Christmas by Sue-Ellen Welfonder & Allie Mackay

Author:Sue-Ellen Welfonder & Allie Mackay [Welfonder, Sue-Ellen & Mackay, Allie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gruenwald Corporation
Published: 2019-09-21T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

“Mercy me!” Breena’s breath caught as she and Grim rode past a frozen loch, its icy surface half hidden beneath a drift of snow. A huge fire lit the evening sky ahead of them, the sight filling her with wonder. The blaze stretched toward the heavens from the top of a low, humpbacked ridge, painting the clouds and mist with streaks of red and orange. “So that is a Yule beacon.”

“Aye, it is.” Grim sounded pleased by her delight. “That’ll be Greer MacGregor’s beacon, true enough. His tower house is around thon bend.”

“I believe I can hear the flames’ roar.” Breena lifted a hand to her brow, tipping back her head to better see the spectacle. “I never dreamed it’d be so large, or so colorful.”

“Such a blaze must be huge where the glens are so vast and empty, the hills even more daunting,” Grim reminded her. “’Tis a wondrous time of year, Christmastide. The lairds and chieftains will be wanting to guide all friends and kin to their door, to celebrate.

“The Yule beacons are tradition.” His voice deepened, his love of his Highland home evident. “They’re a fine way to greet visitors, assuring even lonely wayfarers of a hearty holiday welcome.”

Breena glanced at Grim, her heart doing a little flip when he flashed his crooked smile.

He rode close beside her, as he’d done since they’d left the Munzie farm so early that morning. Their hosts had sent them off with much fanfare after Grim revealed their stay had inspired them to exchange vows in the wee hours, following the honored tradition of their Celtic ancestors.

Grim hadn’t stopped smiling since. He’d even told her he didn’t know how he’d master his tasks at Duncreag now because she occupied his heart and mind so completely little room remained for anything else. His pleasure at their union, and in her, filled her with so much joy, she was sure no other woman could be more fortunate.

Even now, he kept glancing at her in a bold, appreciative way that sent rivers of awareness flowing all through her.

Not wanting to arrive at the MacGregor’s in a swoon, she returned her attention to the Yule beacon. “I didn’t expect the fire to be so beautiful.”

“Some say such a balefire can make the devil envious.” Grim turned his own gaze back to the frost-hardened path they were following along the lochside. “That is so because the poor devil has only the flames of hell to ponder while a Highland chieftain’s Yule beacon blazes across the most stunning country this side of heaven.

“Indeed”—his tone held pride—“to a Highlander, our hills and glens are heaven. I vow even Valhalla would pale by comparison.”

“No doubt.” Breena agreed entirely.

She, too, could lose her heart to the Highlands. She’d dreamed of someday going back to Ireland. Her heart still squeezed, her soul yearning, when she thought of Inishowen. The approach of Christmas, always such a joyous time in her village, had sharpened the longing. But she trusted her homesickness would lessen, especially now that she and Grim had wed.

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