Page 60 of To Charm a Highlander

Now he was forcing his wife to leave her home.But ‘twas what all women did when they married outside their clan.And the Gunn castle was no’ far from Dornoch.

They’d made love at least once e’ery night and she was as responsive as any mon would be happy with.She had even begun to be the one who initiated their love making and that charmed him more than anything.

“Dorathia received good news today,” Donella said as she joined him on the dais.“Her niece, Helena is on her way back to Dornoch.”

“Where was the lass?”

“She had gone to visit her sister who had just given birth to her first bairn.She married a Mackay and Helena had been there for at least a couple of months now, Dorathia said.”

“Is she a healer, also?”

“Aye.Dorathia had been training her.She also had been training me, as ye ken, and now if we move to Gunn Castle, she will lose me, so ‘tis good Helena should be here soon.”

He covered her hand with his as it rested on the table.“How do ye feel about that, wife?As ye say, if I am granted the lairdship, we will need to move.”

She shrugged.“As long as ye are with me, husband, I doona care where I live.I will for sure miss my family, but a woman’s place is with her husband.”

“Thank ye, love.I dinna think ye would have a problem with it, but I wanted to make sure since we’re facing so many issues right now.”

“No word from the king, then?”she asked.

“Nay.”

He smiled at her, thinking about how Donella bravely confronted Fraser.She had filled him with pride.

The serving lasses came from the kitchen with platters of roasted vegetables, cheese, bread, and bowls of stewed apples.

“When I left Gunn Castle several months ago, the healer there, Ceit Gunn, was getting on in years.”Callum placed food from the platters into their bread trencher.“She could certainly use yer help.”

Conversation ceased as they all ate their meal.Callum spent the time going over what his new duties would be once he was named laird.Of course, if and when the king arrived, or ordered them to travel to court, it would be up to him whether he believed the old woman’s story or no’.

Then again, if he believed Donella’s story, no’ only would Fraser lose the lairdship, he could verra well be executed for his crime.After all, Donella was Lady Donella of Sutherland, sister to the Laird of Sutherland, no’ some doxy from an ale house.A crime committed against her was a verra serious matter.

* * *

Donella spentthe rest of the day working with Dorathia.Now that it appeared she would be doing her healing at Gunn Castle, she was anxious to learn as much as she could.

She climbed off the stool she had been using to crush herbs and make potions for Dorathia to store until needed.Then they spent time washing linen strips of cloth, then laying them out in the back of the cottage to dry in the scant sun.

After giving herself a good-feeling stretch, she decided to find Angus and practice her knife-throwing and self-protection moves he’d taught her.She turned to Dorathia who was just adding jars of healing cream up on the shelf where she stored her medicants.“I think I will take a walk over to the keep.‘Tis growing close to supper and I want to wash up before I join Callum.”

“Ye won’t be walking anywhere, lass.”

Donella turned at the voice and immediately Fraser stepped into the room and grabbed her before she could process what was going on.He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his body, putting a knife to her throat.

“What are ye doing?Ye are supposed to be in the dungeon.”She spoke softly, not wanting the blade to slit her throat.

“Ye have to be careful who ye think ye can trust.All it takes is a few sweet words to the lass bringing my food.”He looked over at Dorathia who watched the two of them with fear in her eyes.

“Doona hurt her,” she said, wringing her hands.

“Nay, she is my way out of this blasted place.Now, ye are going to find Haydon Sutherland and bring him here.If ye take too long, I just might give the lass a few stabs.”

Dorathia raced from the cottage.

“Ye will ne’er get away with this, ye ken,” Donella said.She used the new strength she’d found within herself.

Fraser pushed the knife closer to her neck.She backed her head up so it was actually resting on Fraser’s chest.She felt a small nick and blood running down her neck.