Page 33 of A Promise Through Time

“Is she alright?” Tina asked, going immediately to the cradle.

“I’ve been rocking her, but she still cries.” How was a person to know what babies wanted when they just cry and cry? Every time she stirred he’d sat up and gently rocked the cradle. That had worked through most of the night, but now she was just crying for no reason and the rocking wasn’t working.

“Oh, you poor baby.” She reached into the cradle and rubbed Elena’s belly before lifting her into her arms. “Do you mind if I sit?” Tina asked.

He patted the edge of the bed to let her know he didn’t mind. He’d propped himself on one elbow and made sure he was covered from the waist down. Tina rubbed Elena’s back and gently rocked back and forth. In no time, Elena was snuggled into her neck and yawning, she was still fussing but the crying had stopped. So rocking did work, he was the one doing it wrong. Although truth be told, he was quite sure that if he was allowed to snuggle into Tina’s neck, he would find peace there, too.

“You must be tired,” Tina said.

Donal stifled a yawn. “Nae. I be fine.”

She shook her head at him and rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to be the big, strong man around me, you know.”

She thought him big and strong, which pleased him. Tina placed Elena on the bed and continued to rub her belly. “I think she’s got a tummy ache.”

That made him sit up completely alert. “What can be done?” He hadn’t even considered that the bairn could be in pain.

“I don’t know, but this seems to be helping.”

There was magic in those hands, he thought. Elena’s fussing, turned to whimpers and then disappeared altogether as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Tina continued gently rubbing and Donal lay back in the bed feeling the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders by a wee lass from the future. He closed his eyes and felt the bed shift as Tina lay across the foot of the bed. His lips curved upward. Somehow she hadtaken all his worries from him, leaving him in a more peaceful place. What would he do when she left him…left them? It was something he didn’t wish to think about, so instead he pretended she was staying and saw himself in a small cottage with her at his side and his wee daughter playing at their feet. It was a pleasant thought and one he was determined to make come true.

***

Morning broke and Tina awoke to find herself back in her own bed. She didn’t remember falling asleep and she didn’t remember returning to her room. Donal must have carried her there. Her foggy memory suddenly cleared. He had. She could feel his strong arms as they lifted her from the bed. Her head had rested in the crook of his neck where she burrowed in. She heard the sound of a very manly groan close to her ear and felt a gentle kiss on her forehead as the blanket was lifted to cover her. “Goodnight to ye, lass,” he’d said before leaving her. She was happy she hadn’t forgotten and the memory of it aroused her in ways she hadn’t felt in ages. Ashley had to be wrong. He was the one. Why else would she wake longing to see him?

She hurried from her bed and ran downstairs to the great hall expecting to find him there, but instead she found Doreen playing with Elena. “Good morn to ye, miss.”

“Good morning, Doreen. How’s Elena this morning?” She felt Elena’s forehead and was rewarded with a smile. “She seems quite happy this morning.”

“Aye. She seems well.”

“She’s been having trouble sleeping,” Tina explained.

“I’ll see to it that she gets a rest later this morn.”

“Good. Where did Donal go?” She hoped the breathiness of her voice didn’t belie her interest.

“I dinnae ken. He said he’d be back later.”

“Hmmm …”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, Doreen. I thought I’d have breakfast with him.”

“He’s been gone for some time.” If she said she wasn’t disappointed, she’d be lying to herself. She’d been looking forward to seeing him and had rushed downstairs with that thought in mind.

“Come sit and have breakfast with us,” Jenna said as she entered the hall. “Ashley will be right down.”

“Alright.” She followed Jenna to the table and sat next to her.

“I see Donal found a babysitter for Elena,” Jenna observed, nodding towards Doreen.

“Yes. She seems quite capable.”

“She is. She’s helped me and Ashley on more than one occasion.”

“Poor Donal really needed the help,” Tina said.