Page 47 of To Charm a Highlander

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Donella tapped on Dorathia’s door and peeked in.“Are ye free for a few minutes, Dorathia?”

“Aye, lass, come in.”She was just finishing up her breakfast of oatcakes and apples.“I have a few more oatcakes if ye are wanting one.”

“Nay, thank ye, but I just finished breaking my fast.”She pulled up a stool and settled next to the healer who was already sorting herbs to be made into potions.“Can I ask ye something?”

Dorathia put the leaves into the bowl and began crushing them.“Of course.”She looked at her, stopping her work for a second.“If I am able.”

Donella picked up a pile of herbs and began to separate them into piles.“I love Callum verra much.”

Dorathia smiled as she worked her pestle.“Aye.”

“And he loves me, too.”

She nodded.“There is no one in the keep who doona ken it with the way ye look at each other.”She grinned as she continued to pound the leaves into powder.“If ye came here to tell me what I already ken—what everyone already kens—then I could use yer help and we can chat.”

Donella took a deep breath.“Can ye explain to me how the marriage act works if yer not being forced?”

Dorathia stopped her pounding and looked at her with a curious, but sad look.“Ach, it sounds like the bride is still having problems.”

“Aye.”Donella sighed and placed her hands in her lap.“I want verra much to let Callum make love to me, but I remember my time with the hated mon as bloody and painful.I ken Callum would ne’er hurt me, but if I kenned exactly how it would go when yer with someone ye love, it might help me.”

The healer picked up her mug of ale and finished it off.“I will be happy to help ye, lass, but have ye talked to Lady Sutherland, or Maura?”

She shook her head.“Before I married, Ainslee told me ‘twas better if my husband just led me.As much as I would love to try to talk to one of them now that I’ve been married for a while, they are always distracted with their bairns and jobs around the castle.Also, I donna want to take a chance of anyone overhearing me.‘Twould not be good for word to leak out that such a braw handsome warrior as Callum hasn’t bedded his wife yet.”

“Verra true.”

Feeling more comfortable speaking of the matter without having to look Dorathia right in the eye, Donella picked up more herbs and began to slide her fingers over them to release the small leaves.“Callum and I lie together each night unclothed.He had insisted on that almost from the start.”

Dorathia merely nodded.

“We do some touching and kissing and it feels so good that I ken there is more that will also feel good, but then the memory comes back of the pain the horrid mon caused.”

Dorathia laid her pestle down and took both of Donella’s hands in hers.“When Callum kisses ye and touches ye in certain spots, do ye feel yerself grow wet in yer woman’s parts?”

Donella blushed so hard she was sure her head would explode.“Aye.”

“That is yer body preparing itself for Callum.Believe me, lass, the mon kens what he is doing.Also, with as much as he loves ye, he would certainly make verra sure ye were ready before he tried to complete the act.”

Donella slumped on the stool.“Ye make it sound easy,” she whispered with a shaking voice.

Dorathia patted her hand.“With the mon ye love ‘tis not just easy, but wonderful.”

They continued to work at the table while Donella thought about what Dorathia had said.Both Ainslee and Maura have told her the marriage bed was a wonderful place and with Ainslee popping out four bairns in six years, she must be right.

She pounded the herbs in her mortar and decided this would be the night she would allow her husband to show her how wonderful it could be.

‘Twas close to the nooning when the sound of horses riding over the drawbridge drew Donella’s attention.“It sounds like the men have returned.”

She had told Dorathia that Callum had received a vague note and he, Haydon, Conall and six warriors had ridden out at dawn to learn what it was all about.

“I will return, Dorathia.I must see what Callum has discovered.”

“Go, lass.‘Tis time for the nooning anyway.”

Donella brushed her hands on her skirts and left the small cottage.The men were dismounting, and the grooms were taking their horses away.