Read Online The Brightest Star in the Highlands: Jennie and Aedan (Clan Grant Series Book 7) by Keira Montclair - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Keira Montclair
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have a bit in common.”
He reached up and ran his thumb across her cheek. “I will agree with that statement, but what is it you think we have in common?”
She blushed under his scrutiny. “Curiosity.”
“And what is it you are curious about, Jennie Grant?”
“The body.” Her blush turned from pink to a deep red when he raised his eyebrow at her. “I know you well enough to guess what you mean, but you ought to be careful about who you tell. I do not know if the nuns would approve of such a statement.”
Jennie giggled. “Nay. Look at the inside of your wound. Can’t you see?” She pointed toward the grizzle and torn flesh. “Do you not wonder where it goes? Where all the lines for blood go? How does it travel so fast through the body? It goes through the heart, but how does it get to the other organs?” She stopped her stitches for a moment, carried away by excitement. “Did you know there are thin coverings over the organs in the belly? They’re completely see-through! I’m not sure what they are there for unless ‘tis to hold everything inside. And what happens when I sew up the different parts? Do I miss a certain part sometimes? There are so many pieces of flesh connecting to so many others, all part of some intricate network that operates the body, but I know not how. Have you ever thought of it?”
She lifted her gaze from his wound to his face and caught him staring at her. “What is it?”
His eyes sparkled. “Do not stop. Tell me more.”
“I have often wished to draw a diagram of the body. There is just so much to learn. And when a woman gives birth, there are so many parts…” She blushed as she peeked at him, halting her conversation. Perhaps he did not wish to hear about women’s parts. “Why do you look at me so?”
“I don’t know. Something. There’s something about you.” His voice turned husky and deep, and the sound of it sent chills down her spine. His hand reached for hers. “We’re more alike than I thought.”
“How?”
“While I see that you’re curious about the body, you don’t like healing.”
“Aye, ‘tis a true statement. How does that make us alike?” She peeked at him, wanting to stare at him, but knowing she shouldn’t.
“Because I would prefer to study the stars instead of being chieftain. You would prefer to study the body instead of being a healer. But I don’t think you tell me all. I think you love healing. There’s something else that has you upset, not just the skirmishes.”
Jennie stopped, surprised he’d noticed that about her, and surprised he admitted this about himself.
“Tell me, lass. You’ll be better for sharing.”
His voice was like a soft caress, soothing her, so she decided to tell him. “I have bad dreams, dreams of wailing men being tortured, of men screaming in pain from battle. They persisted every night at our keep. ‘Tis why my brother brought me here. I needed to get away or I feared I would go daft.”
“And since then?”
She paused before she answered. “Since arriving at the abbey, I have only had one occurrence.”
“The first night?”
“Aye.” How did he know? Seems her problem could be solved, but that would mean never returning to her home. She could never accept that.
“No bad dream after you healed me the first time?”
She slowed her stitching to think. “Nay.”
“Your problem is solved.”
“Nay, ‘tis not that simple.”
“Why not?”
“Because the answer would be to never go home. I can’t abide by that. I love my family, my clan.”
“Mayhap the cause is something else. Are you afraid of failing, of not being able to heal someone?”
Her brow furrowed. “I have not given that much thought.” She decided to change the subject to his problems. “You don’t wish to lead?”
He pursed his lips before he answered, suggesting he recognized her tactic. “Nay. I don’t think I have the ability. I’m not the warrior my sire was, nor am I as strong a warrior as
He reached up and ran his thumb across her cheek. “I will agree with that statement, but what is it you think we have in common?”
She blushed under his scrutiny. “Curiosity.”
“And what is it you are curious about, Jennie Grant?”
“The body.” Her blush turned from pink to a deep red when he raised his eyebrow at her. “I know you well enough to guess what you mean, but you ought to be careful about who you tell. I do not know if the nuns would approve of such a statement.”
Jennie giggled. “Nay. Look at the inside of your wound. Can’t you see?” She pointed toward the grizzle and torn flesh. “Do you not wonder where it goes? Where all the lines for blood go? How does it travel so fast through the body? It goes through the heart, but how does it get to the other organs?” She stopped her stitches for a moment, carried away by excitement. “Did you know there are thin coverings over the organs in the belly? They’re completely see-through! I’m not sure what they are there for unless ‘tis to hold everything inside. And what happens when I sew up the different parts? Do I miss a certain part sometimes? There are so many pieces of flesh connecting to so many others, all part of some intricate network that operates the body, but I know not how. Have you ever thought of it?”
She lifted her gaze from his wound to his face and caught him staring at her. “What is it?”
His eyes sparkled. “Do not stop. Tell me more.”
“I have often wished to draw a diagram of the body. There is just so much to learn. And when a woman gives birth, there are so many parts…” She blushed as she peeked at him, halting her conversation. Perhaps he did not wish to hear about women’s parts. “Why do you look at me so?”
“I don’t know. Something. There’s something about you.” His voice turned husky and deep, and the sound of it sent chills down her spine. His hand reached for hers. “We’re more alike than I thought.”
“How?”
“While I see that you’re curious about the body, you don’t like healing.”
“Aye, ‘tis a true statement. How does that make us alike?” She peeked at him, wanting to stare at him, but knowing she shouldn’t.
“Because I would prefer to study the stars instead of being chieftain. You would prefer to study the body instead of being a healer. But I don’t think you tell me all. I think you love healing. There’s something else that has you upset, not just the skirmishes.”
Jennie stopped, surprised he’d noticed that about her, and surprised he admitted this about himself.
“Tell me, lass. You’ll be better for sharing.”
His voice was like a soft caress, soothing her, so she decided to tell him. “I have bad dreams, dreams of wailing men being tortured, of men screaming in pain from battle. They persisted every night at our keep. ‘Tis why my brother brought me here. I needed to get away or I feared I would go daft.”
“And since then?”
She paused before she answered. “Since arriving at the abbey, I have only had one occurrence.”
“The first night?”
“Aye.” How did he know? Seems her problem could be solved, but that would mean never returning to her home. She could never accept that.
“No bad dream after you healed me the first time?”
She slowed her stitching to think. “Nay.”
“Your problem is solved.”
“Nay, ‘tis not that simple.”
“Why not?”
“Because the answer would be to never go home. I can’t abide by that. I love my family, my clan.”
“Mayhap the cause is something else. Are you afraid of failing, of not being able to heal someone?”
Her brow furrowed. “I have not given that much thought.” She decided to change the subject to his problems. “You don’t wish to lead?”
He pursed his lips before he answered, suggesting he recognized her tactic. “Nay. I don’t think I have the ability. I’m not the warrior my sire was, nor am I as strong a warrior as
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