Read Online Claiming the Highlander by Mageela Troche - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mageela Troche
Ads: Link
her a playful smile. Her warrior had heart and showed it just for her. She stared at the shut door with a smile on her face.
Gilroy twisted his head so his face was in front of her own. “Why are you happy?”
“My husband is a good man.”
“That he is.”
Brenna spun around and followed him to the seats before the hearth. She wanted to blurt out the questions racing through her head. Gilroy rubbed his gnarled hands together before the fire. He grimaced and groaned as he sat back.
“Do you have medicine?”
He shot her a look. “I don’t need anything. I’m not old.”
Brenna was sure he walked these lands when Picts fought the Romans. “Perhaps a bit stubborn.”
“Just a wee bit.” He rubbed his curing stone between his gnarled hands. He grimaced and rubbed harder.
“You rest here and I will get you something for that. Just a wee something.”
She wagered he smiled since his beard trembled. Without wasting time, she headed into the workroom. She lit a candle in the dark, windowless room. The earthy scents blended with the muskiness of herbs. She set water to heat and gathered Juniper berries. She hummed as she mixed the oil and berries. When she finished, the water was ready and she set the holly leaves to steep. With the medicines prepared, she returned to Gilroy.
She found him hunched closer to the fire. She settled in the chair beside him. “Now Gilroy, you must rub this in morn and night.” She dripped some on his left hand. She massaged it in. The man closed his eyes as she applied it.
“Oh lass, that is heaven.”
She did the same with his right, listening to him sigh with relief. “You must care for yourself. Now, drink this.” She held up his cup.
He peeked inside before he accepted it. “Living up here I forget to take care of myself, but my wife, she insisted I stay here, as I had a duty, and we have our fourth grandbairn, so she is with my daughter to help. She just likes bairns.”
“Most women do.”
“You mean all women.” He shot a look at her, turning his head so fast his amulets clanged together.
“Don’t fret. There shall be an heir.”
He took a sip, and then another. He lowered the cup and said, “Forgive us for questioning you on that subject. With the laird dying, we fear for the future of the clan.”
She leapt to her feet. “You men are wrong. Caelen is this clan. He is a man of skill and influence, though he chooses not to use it. There is no better man.”
“He has not been here. We…I worry he doesn’t feel the bond with his clan. He returned home wearing a MacLean plaid. I’ve no doubt that you worry about his feelings for you. After all, he was not the one who sent for you.”
She hadn’t had such thoughts or worries. Since he brought it up, she wondered, and then shook it off. He cared for her. She possessed each letter he had sent to her through the years.
“Nonetheless, I am here.”
“Nevertheless, if we hadn’t, how long would it have taken him? I wouldn’t do that to my wife.”
His words were a strike in her chest, slicing through her to the bone. All of her rattled from it. She rested her hand on the wall to keep her on her feet. She didn’t know how long she stood there, but the touch of Gilroy’s fingers grasping her own brought her back. She swallowed, and needing to fill the silence, she informed him of Rowen’s departure. “You must come to me with all your needs.”
He drew his hand away. “I shall. My hands feel better, my lady.”
“I’m glad.” She pointed to the oil. “Remember, night and day.”
He laid his hand over his heart. “I shall. I will not disappoint you.”
* * * *
The lairdess found Brenna toiling over the kitchen rolls. Cook sat alongside her, talking about oats. Cook noticed her first. “Do ye require anyt’ing?”
“Nay. I need the countess.”
Brenna set down her quill. “I shall return.” She trailed behind her mother-in-law. Her lackluster gray hair was twisted in a
Gilroy twisted his head so his face was in front of her own. “Why are you happy?”
“My husband is a good man.”
“That he is.”
Brenna spun around and followed him to the seats before the hearth. She wanted to blurt out the questions racing through her head. Gilroy rubbed his gnarled hands together before the fire. He grimaced and groaned as he sat back.
“Do you have medicine?”
He shot her a look. “I don’t need anything. I’m not old.”
Brenna was sure he walked these lands when Picts fought the Romans. “Perhaps a bit stubborn.”
“Just a wee bit.” He rubbed his curing stone between his gnarled hands. He grimaced and rubbed harder.
“You rest here and I will get you something for that. Just a wee something.”
She wagered he smiled since his beard trembled. Without wasting time, she headed into the workroom. She lit a candle in the dark, windowless room. The earthy scents blended with the muskiness of herbs. She set water to heat and gathered Juniper berries. She hummed as she mixed the oil and berries. When she finished, the water was ready and she set the holly leaves to steep. With the medicines prepared, she returned to Gilroy.
She found him hunched closer to the fire. She settled in the chair beside him. “Now Gilroy, you must rub this in morn and night.” She dripped some on his left hand. She massaged it in. The man closed his eyes as she applied it.
“Oh lass, that is heaven.”
She did the same with his right, listening to him sigh with relief. “You must care for yourself. Now, drink this.” She held up his cup.
He peeked inside before he accepted it. “Living up here I forget to take care of myself, but my wife, she insisted I stay here, as I had a duty, and we have our fourth grandbairn, so she is with my daughter to help. She just likes bairns.”
“Most women do.”
“You mean all women.” He shot a look at her, turning his head so fast his amulets clanged together.
“Don’t fret. There shall be an heir.”
He took a sip, and then another. He lowered the cup and said, “Forgive us for questioning you on that subject. With the laird dying, we fear for the future of the clan.”
She leapt to her feet. “You men are wrong. Caelen is this clan. He is a man of skill and influence, though he chooses not to use it. There is no better man.”
“He has not been here. We…I worry he doesn’t feel the bond with his clan. He returned home wearing a MacLean plaid. I’ve no doubt that you worry about his feelings for you. After all, he was not the one who sent for you.”
She hadn’t had such thoughts or worries. Since he brought it up, she wondered, and then shook it off. He cared for her. She possessed each letter he had sent to her through the years.
“Nonetheless, I am here.”
“Nevertheless, if we hadn’t, how long would it have taken him? I wouldn’t do that to my wife.”
His words were a strike in her chest, slicing through her to the bone. All of her rattled from it. She rested her hand on the wall to keep her on her feet. She didn’t know how long she stood there, but the touch of Gilroy’s fingers grasping her own brought her back. She swallowed, and needing to fill the silence, she informed him of Rowen’s departure. “You must come to me with all your needs.”
He drew his hand away. “I shall. My hands feel better, my lady.”
“I’m glad.” She pointed to the oil. “Remember, night and day.”
He laid his hand over his heart. “I shall. I will not disappoint you.”
* * * *
The lairdess found Brenna toiling over the kitchen rolls. Cook sat alongside her, talking about oats. Cook noticed her first. “Do ye require anyt’ing?”
“Nay. I need the countess.”
Brenna set down her quill. “I shall return.” She trailed behind her mother-in-law. Her lackluster gray hair was twisted in a
Similar Books
