Page 51 of Never Marry a Highlander

“Aye.That can wake ye up, but ‘tis good to avoid an infection.”She left him to eat the bairn food and after a sigh, he finished everything Lorena had brought him.

***

Lorena hurried down the stairs, her anger making her heart pound and her stomach cramp.Blast the mon!Helena did no more than repeat what she’d told him about eating and like a lovesick fool, the mon immediately agreed!She was moving so fast she never seen Finn in front of her until she smashed into him.

“Oh, I apologize, Finn.”She started away and he took her arm to stop her.

“What is amiss, Lorena?”

She shook her head and then, to her utter humiliation tears sprang to her eyes and she had a very difficult time holding onto her dignity.

Finn took her by her elbow and walked her to the great hall which had emptied after the evening meal.A few men were huddled in a corner playing knucklebones and making enough noise that no one would hear them.

“I ken there is something troubling ye.If my brother did something to make ye upset, I doona care if he is injured, I will go upstairs and pound him into the floor.”

She sniffed and touched the corners of her eyes with the edge of her apron.“Nay.‘Tis well.I think I am just tired.”

“Aye.I see ye have been working hard with Helena.She is a tireless lass and could make ye wish for yer bed.I doona ken how she does as much as she does.Taking care of the household, the servants, her healing—” He stopped when he realized Lorena had jumped up and was walking away.

He went after her.“Wait, lass, I think ye need a bit of wine so ye can settle down.”

“What makes ye say that?”She asked in a not-to-gracious way.“Is that something that Helena told ye?”

He studied her, frowning.Then as if he’d seen the sun come out from behind the clouds, he smiled.“Nay.That is something I found out myself.”He took her elbow again and walked her back to the table where they had been.“Stay right here.Doona go running off again.”

Too tired to argue with him, she merely nodded and sat.She felt empty inside.She was so proud of how she’d been learning the healing practice from Helena.Feeling quite good on how she’d administered to her husband, even though she was nervous about sewing him up.

She’d thought she was no longer annoyed by Helena’s perfection, but then her husband didn’t take her advice, but agreed with Helena even though she said the same thing.

She’d even had to sit and listen to Finn praise the woman and all she does.‘Twas a losing battle.She would never be accepted here as someone who contributed.Everyone would always turn to Helena and ignore what she had to say.

Finn returned, carrying a jug of wine and two mugs.“’Tis yer plan to get me drunk, then?”

“Nay.I just want ye to relax a bit.I ken ye’ve been working hard and Craig arriving back with an injury that ye dealt with had to be worrisome for ye.”He poured the wine into the two mugs.

Lorena drank almost the whole mug and slammed it down on the table.Finn re-filled it.“Nay.No’ worrisome at all.The arrogant oaf can bleed to death for all I care.”To be on the safe side, she uttered a quick prayer that he recovered.

Finn almost spit out his wine.“I must say, lass, that ye aren’t one to hold back.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes while her brother by marriage studied her.Finally, she said, “I can’t compete with her.”She hadn’t meant to let that out, but the little bit of wine she’d had was already loosening her tongue.

“Helena?”

She blinked and looked up at him.“How did ye ken?”

“’Twas easy.Helena is well loved at Dun Ugadale.”He took a sip of his wine and continued, “She arrived to help her sister, Jena who was about to have a bairn.”

“That is what I heard, but I’ve yet to meet Jena.I believe she and her husband have traveled to Sutherland to visit her aunt who raised her, and to show off her new bairn.”

“’Tis true.On the day Jena decided to give birth ‘twas the same day the laird arrived with a verra bad cut on his side.Helena ran back and forth between the two bedchambers trying to take care of both.When it was all over, I congratulated her on the ease with which she handled both and she burst into tears.”

Lorena straightened in her chair.“Tears?Aye?”‘Twas hard to imagine Helena falling apart over anything.

He nodded.“She felt she had failed Robin, failed her sister and was the worst healer ever.”

Lorena drank more of her wine.Finn was right, she did feel more relaxed after talking with him.And the little bit of wine had helped.She was surprised when she lifted the jug to pour more into her mug and found it empty.

Finn grinned at her.“I think ‘tis time to take ye upstairs, Sister.But before I do that, I want ye to ken that everyone here admires what ye’ve done since yer arrival.Ye try verra hard and are cheerful all the time.In fact, ye are verra much like Helena.”

She smiled.“Perfect?”

“Aye.Perfect.”He stood and took her by the elbow.“Up ye go, lass.”

They made their way upstairs to her bedchamber door.She touched Finn on his arm.“Thank ye, Finn.What ye said to me means a lot.”After a second she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.“Now if I could just get my knuckle-headed husband to say something like that, to have some faith in me…”

He laughed and opened the door.She entered the room and was surprised to see Craig out of bed.She thought he would be sound asleep by now.She walked over to where he stood looking at the piece of parchment she’d left there earlier.

He frowned, waving the document.“What is the meaning of this, Wife?”