Page 23 of Never Fall for a Highlander

“Where have ye been?”Jena asked as Helena entered her bedroom.Her poor sister looked terrible.There were dark circles under her eyes and she held a wailing bairn in her arms.

“I’m so sorry, Jena.Here let me take Arthur and ye return to bed.”

The new mother handed over the tearful bairn to Helena and made her way to the bed.Whereupon she burst into tears.

“What is wrong, Jena?”

“I’m such a bad mam.I should be able to handle my own bairn without my sister’s help.”She picked up the edge of the blanket and dabbed her eyes.“My son will grow up to hate me.”

Helena laid the lad on the bed and removed the wet nappy from his bottom, and after wiping him down, put a clean, dry one on.“What ye are going through, Jena, is perfectly normal for a new mother.Yer tired from the birth, yer body is trying to return to normal and it will take some time.”

“I just feel like I am not going to make a good mam to my son.He’s so precious, isna he?”

“Ah.He is a bonnie one.”Of course he was still wailing and right now with what Helena had on her mind after spending the night in the laird’s bed—with him alongside her—she dinna have the patience she generally had.

She handed the little one to Jena.“Here, he is clean and dry now.I think he needs to eat and then he’ll most likely take a wee nap.”

At least she hoped so.Right now after days of taking care of everyone else, she really wanted a nice hot bath.If she could get Augie to drag up the wooden tub, she wouldn’t mind hauling up the water so she didn’t interfere with the kitchen lasses work.

That reminded her that she had nowhere to take a bath in privacy.This arrangement with Jena was just not going to work, but the only thing she could think of was to sleep in the great hall with the other folk who slept there.As far as her bath went, she could have it here since Blair was busy in the lists and would be for most of the day.

“Are ye hungry, Jena?I am going to the kitchen to see if I can get the lad there to bring up the bathtub for me.I can bring ye some porridge or oatcakes.”

“Aye, that is a good idea.Normally Blair and I eat in the great hall, but I’m too weary to leave the room now.”

“Doona fash yerself.I will bring food up here for ye to eat.Then once the little one has had his fill, we can put him down for a nap and enjoy our breakfast before I take my bath.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, Helena.”

Just as Helena reached the door to open it, Jena said.“I just remembered.Ye ne’ere told me where ye spent the night last night.”Her brows rose in a smirky, comical kind of way.

Chapter ten

“Ye will have to do the honorable thing, ye ken?”Craig said as he and Robin broke their fast at the dais in the great hall.

“I doona ken what ye speak of,” Robin said, taking a sip of ale.

“Doona play that game, brother.Ye and Helena Ross, a young unmarried woman from a verra powerful clan spent the night, alone in yer room.With the door barred.God’s tenth!What were ye thinking mon?”

“First of all ‘tis none of yer business what I do in my room.Second, I told ye no’thing happened.I will tell ye this once, and I doona expect to have it come back to me.

“When I returned to my bedroom last evening, I found Helena Ross sound asleep on the haird wooden chair next to my bed.I ken she’s been staying up taking care of Blair and Jena’s bairn, as well as seeing to me.I could hear the bairn’s wails as I passed by Blair’s room.I kenned the lass would get no sleep again if I sent her off to her own bed.So I picked her up and placed her in my bed and, against my better judgement, I laid alongside her and fell asleep.”

“Since ye’re a mon of honor I believe yer tale.I have no intention of repeating it, but I canno’ guarantee that no one else learned of who was in yer bed last night.We do have a number of maids at work in the early morn, ye ken.”

Robin slammed his hand down on the table.“’Tis enough!I doona want to discuss this again.”

Craig downed the rest of his ale.“Well, I find the lass pretty and intelligent.If ye’re no’ interested in her, I would be happy—”

“—Do not continue.I ken where ye are headed.”

His brother pretended shock.“What?Why no’?If ye doona want anyone else to pursue her, then marry her yerself.”

Robin slammed his mug down.“Ye ken it’s impossible, brother!I need a wife to strengthen our alliances.What I want or doona want makes no difference to the Clan Council.They’ve already been badgering me to accept one of the requests they’ve already received from other lairds looking to make a match.”

“Then why canno’ I pursue the lass?”

“Because I said so,” Robin growled.“And that is the end of it.I believe ‘tis time for ye to get to the lists, or are ye going to hang about here all day like some lovesick fool?”