18. Chapter Seventeen

"Lorena, I need yer help!" Helena's shout brought Lorena out of her fog of confusion from David's missive. She raced to the door and down the stairs.

"What is it?"

"Craig and Gre'gor have returned, and they are both injured." Helena hurried past her, leaving the great hall, most likely heading to the room at the back of the kitchen to gather medicant supplies.

Lorena placed her hand over her mouth at the sight of her husband and Gre'gor who were both being helped into the great hall by Robin and Finn, who had returned from his assignment that morn. Blood dripped on the floor, leaving a trail behind the two men.

"Bring them into the healer room," Lorena said, pointing to the small room at the end of the corridor Helena had designated as a space for those who needed treatment when they arrived at the brooch.

She went ahead of the men, her heart racing. How badly was Craig injured? Her hands shook as she opened the door for them. They placed Craig on one cot and Gre'gor on the other. Despite her stomach clenching, she moved to Craig's side.

He opened his eyes and with a soft smile said, "Good day, wife."

She wanted to slap the smile off his face. Didn't he know he could have a serious injury? Could even perhaps die? "Let me look at yer wound."

Helena entered the room and after placing a basket of supplies between the two cots, went straight to Gre'gor. Lorena removed the make-shift bandage wrapped around his arm. Despite having done some rather nasty injuries since she'd began to help Helena, her stomach did a complete flip when she saw the gash on her husband's arm.

She fought to keep her last meal from landing on the poor man's stomach. Taking several deep breaths, she gently touched the gash.

"'Tis all right, Lorena. ‘Tis no' a bad cut."

Lorena looked up at him to see the sympathy in his eyes. He was feeling bad for her, and he was the one with the injury? She sniffed. "I have seen worse."

If she could keep her professional demeanor that she'd learned over the past several weeks, she could think of this as just another injury she must tend to. Not a deep slash on her husband's arm.

Her remark hadn't fooled him since Craig reached out with his other arm and covered her cold hand with his warm one. That was all she seemed to need. She gave him a slight smile and began to wash the cut.

Even though she generally chatted with her patients to ease their anxiety, she found with her dry mouth she couldn't do anything except work on his arm. She looked up and his eyes were closed. If he was asleep, he was about to wake up since she picked up the jar of whisky and drizzled the liquid on the cut.

Craig shot up off the cot and glared at her. "Devil's cods, lass, what are ye trying to do? Kill me?"

She raised her brows. "I am cleaning yer wound. Ye can't tell me ye haven't had whiskey poured on yer wounds before now?"

He laid back down. "I haven't had a cut this bad before."

She patted the area dry and then stitched the opening with cat gut, trying to pretend it wasn't her husband who she was sewing up. Then she smeared on honey to help in healing, wrapped the wound and tied it off. She sat back on the cot next to him, and placed her hands in her lap, taking deep breaths.

Craig opened his eyes. "Thank ye, wife. I'm proud of how efficient ye did that. How do ye feel about doing this work?"

As Helena kept busy finishing up the slash on her patient's leg, Lorena said, "I like it more than I thought I would. How did ye get yer injury?"

"A surprise attack on our own land." Her husband shifted on the bed, the signs of pain on his handsome face.

She went to rise. "I will get ye a potion that will help ye sleep and ease the pain."

Just then Robin and Finn entered the room. "How are the men?" Robin asked.

Lorena looked at the two patients. "Craig has a slash on his arm that doesna look too bad. I clean it, stitched it, and wrapped it. I'm about to fix a potion for him to ease the pain."

"Before ye give him that, Finn and I want to speak with him." He looked down at his brother. "We'll help ye upstairs to yer bedchamber."

Craig sat up and brushed off his brother's extended hand. "I can walk myself. ‘Tis my arm that suffered an injury, no' my legs."

Lorena headed to the kitchen to mix the potion, leaving the three men to retreat to the bedchamber.

***

Craig released a sigh of relief when his brothers deposited him on his bed. ‘Twas embarrassing that he'd only taken a few steps when they both had to grab his arms to keep him from falling on his face.

"Before yer wife returns with the potion to put ye to sleep, I want to talk a bit about some problems we're hearing about which is why I believe our laird wants us to gather at Varrich."

"What are ye hearing?" Craig asked.

"Noise from the Ross Clan. They have a new laird, and he is rattling his sword, speaking of wrongs that the MacKays have done against his da when he was laird."

"Aye. Being up north, I dinna hear any of this."

Robin placed his hand on Craig's shoulder "I want ye to rest now, but once ye are feeing up to it, we shall meet, along with the council members to discuss the situation and the upcoming meeting at Varrich."

"Aye, I shall be ready to travel in a day or two. Did the Laird say when he wanted the meeting to take place?"

A soft cough had the three men looking toward the door where Lorena stood, her eyes narrowed. "Are ye leaving then, again?" His wife walked up to him. "I'm no' sure if I should hand this to ye or pour it o'er yer thick arrogant head."

"Ach, now mo chridhe, ye wouldn't do that to an injured mon, would ye?"

His brothers were trying their best to keep from laughing.

As a good healer, she placed the potion on the table next to the bed. "I will bring some food for ye, things that are easy on the stomach. ‘Twould be best if ye wait until ye eat before drinking this." She left them, most likely going to the great hall since supper time was growing close.

Robin rose and Finn followed. "I hope ye are up to a meeting in the morn."

Once his brothers left, he closed his eyes, but knew he would probably not sleep until he had some food in his stomach.

Sometime later he opened his eyes, realizing he had indeed fallen asleep. Lorena walked into the room. The shadows from the window told him ‘twas the gloaming.

She reached the bed and placed a platter on the table next to him. His stomach growled as he studied the contents. She'd brought him bread, butter, broth, and tea.

"What the devil is this?"

Lorena sighed. "What is the problem?"

"The problem? Ye expect me to get better with this fare? ‘Tis what ye would serve a bairn." He waved at the food.

She drew herself up and gave him the ‘healer look' that she'd learned from Helena. "'Tis best no' to strain yer stomach after an injury like that." She pointed at his bandage.

"I need real food, woman." He glared at her as there was a knock at the door.

"Aye, ye can enter." Craig pulled the bedcovers over his naked body.

Helena walked into the room, her usual bright smile. "Here now, what is going on? I can hear yer raised voices from the other side of the door." She approached Craig and winked at Lorena.

"Look at what she is trying to pass off as food. If I'm to heal, I need meat and vegetables. More than broth and bread."

Helena shook her head. "Nay, Craig. ‘Tis no' good to strain yer stomach after an injury like ye have." Her arms were crossed and she tapped her foot.

He took in a deep breath. "Aye, Helena if ye think so. Ye ken best."

Lorena gasped and stomped from the room, closing the door with a tad more enthusiasm than necessary.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Nay. The lass is concerned about my injury, that's all."

After checking the bandages that Lorena did and approving of the job, Helena patted him on the shoulder. "Now be sure to eat the food that is here and take yer pain potion that I see Lorena fixed for ye. After a good night's sleep ye will feel better in the morn, and we pray ye do no' start a fever."

"Lorena cleaned the wound quite well. Almost brought me off the bed when she poured whisky on it." He grinned remembering how he was ready to punch someone, even though it would never be his wife.

"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?"