Page 16 of To Charm a Highlander

“Aye.”After a minute of watching Dorathia examine the cut on Callum’s arm and tsking, Donella said, “The few people we met in the village seemed surprised to see me.In fact, the way this fight started was when the Gunn warrior said he thought my family had locked me up years ago.”

Dorathia looked over at her and said nothing, just continued her work.

“What do ye think about that, Dorathia?”

“Hand me a clean cloth from that pile over there.”The healer nodded in the direction of a stack of linens.Apparently she wasna going to answer her question.Finally, when Donella had given up on gaining information, Dorathia said.“I think ‘tis best if ye ask the laird if ye have questions.”

If she hadn’t been so concerned about Callum, she would have badgered Dorathia until she received some answers, but the look of the slice on his arm worried her.

“’Tis a good thing the young mon was brought back quickly.Also, ‘tis a clean cut, so sewing it up won’t be hard.He will be unable to do much in the way of practicing on the lists for a while, but aside from a fever, which I expect him to develop, as a young, strong mon he should recover just fine.”

Donella was surprised at the relief she felt at the healer’s words.Yes, she and Callum had become friends, but her reaction was more than one would have to hear good news about just a friend.Did that mean she was beginning to have feelings for the warrior?Feelings that could develop into something else?Something stronger?

That was another thing she intended to ask Haydon about.She had seen twenty-three summers.Why hadn’t a marriage been arranged for her?Was it possible she had been married and her husband killed?In battle?

‘Twould be no more wondering for her.Once Callum was settled, she would find Haydon, hopefully not on the lists since she couldna disturb him there.

With the patient asleep from the draught Dorathia had given him after cleaning the wound and sewing him up, Donella headed down the stairs—still careful of where she stepped—and visited five different places before she found Haydon.

Her brother was in the stables, giving his five-year-old daughter, Susana a riding lesson.Donella found it interesting and touching to see how her growling, arrogant brother was so soft and gentle with his little lass.

It was apparently the end of their lesson, since Haydon lifted Susana from the horse and patted her on the head as she made her way back to the keep.

“Good afternoon, sister.”

Donella smiled at him, always amazed at how he kenned who and what was in his surroundings at all times.

“Did ye enjoy yer trip to the village?”He slapped the horse on the rear, and the stable master took the beast to his stall.

“Aye, ‘twas all right, but dinna end well.”

Haydon’s head jerked up and he looked Donella in the eyes.“What happened?”

“I’d rather speak with ye about another subject.Or perhaps my questions are related to how the trip to the village ended.”

Haydon crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her.“Ye are speaking in riddles, sister.”

“Nay.I’m beginning to believe my life is a riddle.”

When he didn’t respond, but kept staring at her, she said, “What is wrong with me, brother?I believe ‘tis something everyone kens except me.”