Page 10 of Never Fall for a Highlander

She drew herself up.“Aye.I am the clan midwife, and I must be allowed to enter Jena’s room so I can supervise the birthing of her bairn.‘Tis been ordered by the church!”

A new ruckus erupted before Helena could respond.“Someone better see to the laird immediately, or swords are going to be swinging.”That demand by Craig added to the noise.

“I’m coming right now,” Helena said as she brushed past Beatrice.She turned back to the woman and said, “I am a midwife, and sister to Jena.You are not allowed into her room.”

Helena grabbed Aline by her arm again and the two of them made their way across the great hall and up the stairs.Aline headed to Jena’s room where cries of pain pierced the air, and Helena entered the laird’s room and stepped up to his bed.

“Who are ye?”Finn demanded.

She sighed.“I am Helena Ross from Dornoch Castle.But then you ken that, Finn.I am healer and midwife for the Sutherland clan.I am also, as ye ken, Jena’s sister.Now are ye going to let me see to the laird or shall we wait until he has no blood left in his body?”

Robin moaned.

Jena screamed.

Helena gritted her teeth and approached the laird’s bed.

Chapter five

The mon’s injury was bad, but with proper care and hopefully not too serious a fever, he would recover.The only benefit for the noise in the room due to all the men watching her was it drowned out Jena’s screams.

Eventually, it became too much, and Helena turned and shouted.“Everyone out.”

Craig stepped up to her.“Nay, lass, this is our laird and he is injured.We are no’ leaving him alone.‘Tis against our laws.”

She crossed her arms under her breasts.“Verra well, then ye may stay, and Finn as well since I might need help in moving my patient, but everyone else must leave.”

Craig glared at her, and she glared right back.“’Tis no’ healthy to have so many people crowding in the room.We need fresh air.”

“What is this nonsense about fresh air?”Finn said as he approached her.“We need someone who kens what she’s doin’, which means cleaning up the laird’s wound, stitching it, and,” he waved his arm around, “whatever it is ye healers do.”

Helena narrowed her eyes.“This mon has a serious injury.While ye all stand there arguing with me, I could be helping him, but I’m no’ about to trip over men standing around watching my e’er move.Now out with ye!”

Craig took a deep breath and turned to the crowed of men.“Ye hear the lass, Everyone out.”

They turned as a group and shuffled from the room, grumbling about arrogant lasses.

She shook her head and looked at Craig.“I need ye and yer brother to take off the laird’s trews.”

“Now lass, that wouldna be proper, seeing as how ye are an unmarried woman.”

If this kept up she would be screaming as loud as Jena.“I.Am.A.Healer.I have seen men undressed before.Aline, who is supposed to be here doing this is also an unmarried woman.We are wasting time.”

The brothers looked at each other and shrugged.“’Tis fine with us, we just wanted to point that out,” Finn said.“We doona want any trouble with The Sutherland.”

She nodded to the windows along the east wall.“Move that candle closer and take the covering off the two windows.”

“Ye sure have a lot of demands.”This time instead of arguing, Craig removed the coverings and the room was immediately flooded with light.And fresh air.

Finn and Craig removed their brother’s trews.Helena tossed a cloth over the laird’s private parts, but no’ before she noticed he was well built in all areas.

She bent over the nasty gash.‘Twas long, but no’ too deep, however if she didn’t get it cleaned up and stitched immediately, he could have some serious problems.“Do ye have the things Aline brought with her before she fainted?”

“Aye.”Finn crossed the room and brought a basket back with him.Helena looked inside and decided ‘twas a good thing Aline fainted because she dinna have enough in there to take care of a splinter removal.

“Go to the kitchen, get as many clean cloths as ye can find.Bring a large container of hot water and a jug of whiskey,” she said as she rummaged through the basket.There were needles and some catgut, a couple of cloths, a jar of salve, and some herbs to mix up a sleeping and pain potion.There wasna much more than that.

If she were to stay here for a while to help Jena once the bairn arrived, she would have to replenish this basket.With Aline so nervous and ill-tempered to work as a healer, and most likely as a midwife as well, hopefully Helena would have enough time to train someone else before she left.