Page 24 of A Promise Through Time

“You’ll get the hang of it,” she said. “Is this your only child?”

“I pray so,” Donal replied and then seemed to think better of his response. “Aye. She’s the only one.”

“I guess it’s been a long time since you last saw your wife,” Tina said. She wondered about her. About them.

“Aye. So long I didnae even ken she was with child.”

Tina did a quick calculation in her head and came up with about a year and a half. She wondered if that was normal for men in this time. That couldn’t be right. Ashley lived with her husband and there were a lot of families in the great hall at dinner. It must not have been a very happy marriage for them. “No one told you?”

“Nae. I found out today.”

“No wonder you seemed so shocked.” She thoughtherday had been busy.

“Why do ye think she cries so? Does she miss her Ma?” He seemed truly puzzled as he paced back and forth in front of her.

Her heart went out to him. Whatever issues their marriage had, she was gone now and he was trying to find a way forward. She tried to think of what to say that would make him feel better. “I don’t know. She could be cutting teeth.” The confused look on his face caused her to giggle. “Her teeth might be coming in. It can be quite painful.”

“Ah,” he said.

She wondered what they did for teething babies in this time. She’d ask Ashley in the morning, but for now she’d do whatever worked to calm Elena and get her to sleep. Standing here next to Donal, Tina felt at ease.

“I’m afraid I dinnae ken how to care for a babe. Cailin and Cormac have told me I must learn.”

“They’re right, but it’s not so hard. You can do it,” she assured him.

“I’m happy ye’ve faith in me, but I dinnae. What do I do first?”

She regarded him and thought back to her brother’s first baby. There had been so many books and blogs to read through. She thought about their shopping lists for baby items, a bunch of stuff that simply wasn’t available here, but the general care of a baby probably hadn’t changed that much in five hundred years. “Let’s see, you’ll need to learn to feed her, clothe her, bathe her…”

She looked up at him while he silently regarded Elena. Her little fists made their way into her mouth and he just looked so lost. She went to him and touched his arm.

“Don’t worry. There are so many people here to help.”

He looked at her hand on his arm and sighed, “I dinnae think they wish to help me,” he said.

“Why not?”

“They tell me I must do it myself,” he replied.

“Well, we’ll see about that,” she said, her take charge attitude showing. “They can’t possibly mean to leave you alone to handle all of this.”

“They believe they’re helping me by not helping me,” he explained.

“Well, it is true, the only way to learn to be a parent is to do it. But listen, I’ll help you whenever I can.”

“’Twould be a blessing, but I’d ask that ye nae say a word to anyone. They may nae allow it.”

Tina was confused by this. She thought, from what she’d heard, that everyone here was helpful to anyone in need. She couldn’t understand how they could be so mean.

Donal shifted closer to her and placed an arm around her as he looked at his daughter. For a moment, Tina wanted to lean into the strength she felt there, then caught herself and leapt away as though the very heat of him had burned her.

“I’m sorry lass. She looks so content in yer arms. I forgot myself for a moment.” Donal gazed at her looking quite remorseful.

“It’s okay.” Tina felt all kinds of weird. Here she was alone with Donal in his bedchamber. Realizing for the first time that she was in nothing but her linen shift. Thank goodness he was still dressed. What if someone had walked in on them? It might just ruin her chances at meeting the man of her dreams.

“Are ye sure? I didnae wish to make ye feel uncomfortable.”

Uncomfortable was one way to put it, but warm and oddly drawn to him would be another. She hardly knew this man and yet she felt something passing between them that seemed like more than lending a helping hand.