Page 6 of To Charm a Highlander

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Donella opened her eyes, which immediately filled with tears at the pain in her head.Verra slowly, she moved her head and looked across the room.She was in her bed but dinna remember why she was there and why her head hurt so verra much.

“Oh, thank the good Lord, Donella.Yer awake!”Every word of Ainslee’s voice pounded in her head.“How do ye feel?”Her sister-by-marriage walked over to the bed.

“My head hurts like the devil.What happened to me?”

Rather than sit on the bed for which Donella was grateful because she kenned any movement would hurt her head even more, Ainslee took a seat on a chair next to the bed.“Ye fell down the stairs and knocked yerself out.Do ye no’ remember?”

Donella started to shake her head but stopped the minute the pain intensified.“Nay.Can ye ask Dorathia to mix up a potion for me?”

“Aye, of course, lass.I’ll go now.”

Smart enough no’ to nod again, Donella merely said in a very quiet voice, “Thank ye.”

While Ainslee was gone, Donella closed her eyes which seemed to ease the pain a bit.Try as best she could, the fall down the stairs dinna appear in her memory.Of course, when something like that happens, ‘tis so fast there really wasna much to remember.

One thing that did nudge at her thoughts was landing in the arms of a mon who had raced toward the stairs when she’d screamed.Most likely one of her brothers, but for some reason it dinna feel like Conall or Haydon when she landed.

She was verra tired but ‘twas better if she saw Dorathia first and have her mix up a potion for her head.‘Twould also make her sleep, but the little bit she kenned from working with the healer occasionally, sleep was the best thing for the body after any sort of injury or illness.

The sound of the door opening made her realize she’d fallen asleep.“Lass, ‘tis verra happy ye are awake.”Haydon’s booming voice almost split her head in two.

“Lower yer voice, husband.The lass has a verra bad headache.”Ainslee followed the laird in with Dorathia right behind them, her ever-present basket over her arm.

“Aye, yer wife is correct, my laird.I’m sure Donella has one devil of a headache,” Dorathia said as she gently set her basket on the bed.“Aside from yer headache, lass, is anything else bothering ye?”

“I have some pain on my arm and leg.”

The healer nodded.“Aye, that is expected.Ye smacked the stairs when ye fell and scraped up your arm and leg.”Gently, the healer slid her hand under Donella’s head and felt the bump there.“Yer swelling has gone down a bit, and that is a good sign.”She straightened up and looked at Haydon and Ainslee.“I think ye can stop yer worrying.The lass is young and healthy, and it appears now that she’s awake, it’s just a matter of time before she is on her feet again.”

Ainslee let out a sigh of relief.“That is verra good news.Thank ye.”

Dorathia nodded and pulled a jar out of her basket.“I will go to the kitchen and mix up a potion for the lass that will help her sleep.”

Ainslee bent over and lightly kissed Donella’s forehead.“Sleep well, sister, in no time at all ye will be feeling better.”

Haydon gently laid his hand on her arm and smiled.“Ye need to heal fast, sister, the garden needs yer attention.”

The garden?She dinna understand what he meant, but too tired to think about it, she closed her eyes and waited for Dorathia to return and give her the potion that would let her sleep.

Donella had been in bed,according to her calculations for five days and she was eager to be up and around.Today was the day Ainslee and Maura, Donella’s cousin, Malcolm’s wife, were to come to her bedchamber and help her dress and escort her downstairs to break her fast.She was anxious to see everyone again and eat a meal at the table.

She hadn’t admitted to anyone, but her memory was giving her trouble.Some things came easy to her, like who her family members were, but other things they spoke about left her confused.They treated her like a little girl, and it had become annoying.She certainly remembered she was three and twenty summers and wanted to shake off their concern which was becoming more like they were dealing with a bairn.Most likely once she was putting in a full day’s work, they would ease up on their worry.

“Good morning, Donella,” Maura said as she and Ainslee entered the room.Donella had a brief visit from her brothers and cousin, Malcolm, but as men were apt to be, they were anxious to say hello and then leave the sick room.The mon she was still wanting to see was the one who caught her in his arms when she fell down the stairs.

All she could remember were his deep green eyes and handsome face, twisted with alarm as she landed in his arms.Right after that she passed out and woke up the next day.

Once she was dressed and her hair fixed in a way that the still healing bruise on her head was hidden, the three women descended the stairs to the great hall.It took some bravery on Donella’s part to place her foot on the step.Whether for her safety or their concern for her fear, the two women each took one of her arms as they made their way down.

It felt good to be on her feet again and the wonderful smells coming from the room had her stomach rumbling.

“A tad hungry, are ye lass?”Haydon walked up behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder.Conall stood alongside him.They all made their way to the dais to break their fast.

Donella looked around the room, happy that she had no problem remembering, even though she was still plagued by some memory loss.Dorathia had assured her that it was something that would return in bits and pieces.What was interesting was the fact that she was quite happy with what she remembered and didn’t feel the need to search for the missing pieces.

She thanked the lass who brought her a bowl of hot, wonderful-smelling porridge.As she slathered butter on a piece of warm bread, her eyes wandered the room.Then her movements stopped and she stared at the mon whose face she would ne’er forget.