Page 53 of Never Marry a Highlander

As usual the kitchen was a bevy of activity.‘Twas better if she grabbed some tea and a few bannocks for herself and then fixed a plate for Craig.She also needed to get warm water and clean cloths to check his bandage and could do it all in one place.

Once she was settled at a worktable with a hot cup of tea and a plate full of bannocks with butter and honey, she watched all the activity around her.

She realized with a start that she felt comfortable.And safe.Probably for the first time in her life.No one would chase her away, hit her, insult her, or barter her off.Perhaps her husband didn’t trust her, but she didn’t trust him, either.He was sweet and caring one moment, then annoyed with her, which immediately caused all her defenses to rise because, from experience, she knew the next thing was a slap in the face, or worse.

“How is Mister Craig today?”Maude asked as she stirred porridge in a large kettle over the hearth.

“He has no fever, which is good.I will check his wound when I return to our room.”She licked her fingers and contemplated taking another bannock.Some mornings she couldn’t face the idea of food, and others she was near starving, which Helena had assured her was perfectly normal at the beginning stages of pregnancy.

She had full intentions of telling Craig about her suspicions, but with him off again ‘twas probably best to wait until he returned.She sighed.Mayhap with him travelling so much, ‘twould never good a good time to tell him, just present him with a bairn one day when he returned from another trip.

Isn’t that what ye wanted when he agreed to marry him?

Maude interrupted her thoughts.“I can fix up some food for ye to bring to yer husband.”

“Aye.That would be good.Since he has no fever, ye can put together a tray for him with porridge, bannocks and any sort of meat ye may have.”She got up from the table and placed her dirty plate into the wash bucket.While Maude put together the tray of food, she filled a bucket with clean water and soap.She grabbed a few clean linens from under the sink.She had left the basket of medicants in the room the night before.“I will return for the food.”

“Nay, lass.One of the maids will bring it up to you as soon as it is ready.Ye have enough to do.”

“Thank ye, Maude.”Her belly full and feeling more cheerful, she returned to their bedchambers to find Craig attempting to dress himself.

“With one arm, husband?”She rolled her eyes and placed the supplies on the floor near the bed.“Couldna ye waited for me to return?”

“I have to meet with Finn and Robin.I don’t have time to lie around in bed.”

She shook her head and walked over to him where he struggled with his trews.He’d managed to get his foot into one leg of the garment, but was hopping around, almost in a circle trying to get his other foot in.She helped him finish dressing just as a soft knock at the door caught their attention.“Enter,” Lorena said.

A young maid walked into the room, balancing a tray with all the food Lorena had requested.

“Ach, lass.Ye got me real food today.”

“God’s bones, Husband, ye think I’ve been starving ye for weeks when all I did was feed ye one meal that was better for yer stomach.”

He sat on one of the comfortable padded chairs in front of the hearth.Lorena carried the tray of food the maid had left on the table next to the bed and moved it to the one next to Craig’s chair.He immediately dove into the food like a starving man, leaving her feeling a tad guilty that all she’d fed him the night before was sickness fare.Then she sniffed, remembering the perfect Helena had approved.

After another slight knock on the door, Robin and Finn entered.“How is our patient today?”

Craig swallowed and said, “Much better since my wife isna starving me like she did last night.”

“I thought ‘twas Helena who approved yer fare for last evening?”Finn said as he gave Lorena a quick wink and settled in the chair next to Craig.

Craig waved his hand.“They both conspired against me.”He continued to eat while Robin questioned her about Craig’s wound.

“I haven’t seen it yet, but I plan to look it over once he’s finished with his meal.”

Finn reached over and took a piece of fried pork from Craig’s plate.Whereupon her husband slapped his brother with his eating knife.

With Robin leaning on the wall next to the hearth, his arms crossed over his chest, the brothers chatted about the upcoming meeting with the MacKay Clan Chief.While they talked, Lorena removed the dirty plate from the table and began to unwrap Craig’s injury.It looked very well, no swelling or streaks of red surrounding it.She half listened to their conversation and went about cleaning the wound again, checking the stitches, and smoothing honey over it once more before wrapping it.

As she picked up the supplies she’d used, as well as the dirty bandage, Robin said, “So ‘tis decided, then.We will leave at first light in three days.It shouldna take us more than a day to travel to Castle Varrich.”Finn stood and stretched as he prepared to leave.

Craig rose from his chair and moved his sore arm, wincing slightly.“I think I should spend some time in the lists this morning.I need to get back into practice.”

Lorena clamped her hands on her hips and glared at him.“I doona think so, husband.Ye need to give yerself time to heal.”

The arrogant oaf had the nerve to grin at her like some fetching lad.“Nay, ‘tis fine.I hurt my left arm, but I am right-handed.”

“So ye ne’er use yer left hand in battle, then?”