Eleven years later, FitzSimon is a broken man. He is forsaken, alone, a wretch left to wallow in his grief. A scrooge to rival Ebenezer, he is visited by the ghost of his dead wife, who has come to reveal what life has been, what it could be, and where it will end if the candle burns out before FitzSimon has made amends.

Meantime, in the Highlands, the MacKinnon clan faces their darkest hour. Their village destroyed by fire, with with winter on the way, how can they rally when whispers of war have now begun? Malcolm MacKinnon, at 17, is ready to fight, but he most prove himself a man before he can wield his sword and join the Highland Guard. A very unexpected "ghost" may yet help him find his way.

For years fans have asked for a MacKinnon's Bride epilogue and here it is, a short story to lend a little cheer for the holidays.