Page 33 of Never Fall for a Highlander

“Nay.The clan healer is a young lass who should not have that duty.”She looked over at him with a slight smile.“She has a weak stomach and the last thing a healer needs is a weak constitution.Since I am a healer and a midwife at my home at Dornoch Castle I am helping out and hope to find someone more suited to healing that I might be able to train before I leave.”

Knox moved his horse ahead of her as they passed a man driving a wagon filled with a load of wood.Once they were away from him and riding side by side again, he said, “What brings ye to the Makays?”

“My sister is married to a Mackay and I came to help with the birth of her bairn.”

They continued to chat as much as they could before they reached the small forest that separated the brooch from the village.Since Helena knew the way to the little lass’s house, she took the lead through the worn path.

She loved the smell of forests.Pungent dirt, dried leaves and the few flowers that sprouted in various places made for a pleasant ride, which also reminded her she needed to forage for more herbs since her supply was dwindling.

A sense of peace came over her as the sun shone down on their little world, casting dappled shadows on them and their surroundings.Small animals scurried to get out of their way.

Once they left the forest behind, it was only a few minutes to the bothy where little Benna lived with her mam and da.She waved at the home, “We are here.”

Knox nodded and hopped from his horse, helping her down and then untying her medicant basket.“I will wait outside for ye, lass.”

“Thank you.”

She could hear the poor lass coughing as she entered the bothy following the mam answering her knock.“How is the little one today?”Helena asked.

“Still coughing, as I’m sure ye can hear, but the potion ye gave her to sleep worked verra well.”

Knox leaned up against a tree, his arms crossed over his chest as he waited for Helena Ross to finish up her work inside the bothy.He was taken with the lass and the only reason his da didn’t seem to notice, or care, was his obsession with making an alliance with the Mackays by marrying off Lenora to the laird.

He chuckled.Whoever took that shrew off his hands would be sorry within days.Helena, on the other hand, was not only pleasing to look at, she seemed kind and considerate, which he was not, so it would be a good balance for him since he didn’t bother with such nonsense.

Even after such a short period of time that he and his clan had been at the brooch it was obvious that the Mackay Laird was also casting his eyes in Helena’s direction.He smiled.The laird’s council was against it.He should push the match between Lenora and The Mackay.If that alliance was made, then his da would be more acceptable to a match between him and Helena.

Not a laird’s daughter or sister, Helena was a Ross, a strong clan, and she was also related to The Sutherlands, another powerful clan.If he was to work with his da to push Mackay and Lenora together, it would make it much easier when he offered for Helena.

Aye.He’d always been the type to make quick decisions, and his mind was made up.He would make Miss Helena Ross his wife.

Chapter fifteen

Once Helena was finished with Benna, she had only a short walk to the house where the other bairn was sick.The lad, Micah, had the same symptoms as Benna.“Do ye play together with Benna?”She asked the lad.

“Aye,” he said, his voice rough.“We help each other with our chores and then we have time to play.”

“If ye have time, Miss Ross, my older boy is also no’ doing well, either,” the mam said.

Before the visit to the area had finished, Helena had seen seven bairns in various homes.It appeared they had all picked up the illness from each other.She told each mam to not allow anyone else near the sick one, but with the bothies being so small, and the families so large, ‘twas not an easy thing to do.

She also mentioned keeping things clean, which is something Aunt Dorathia had taught her, but most people saw no worth in it, so she doubted if they would follow her advice.It appeared there might be a rash of sick people over the next few weeks.

As she left the last bothy she walked up to Knox who had been patiently awaiting her for a couple of hours.

“I’m sorry it took so long.I’m afraid there is an illness spreading throughout the village.”

“Nay, do no’ fash yerself.I suggest since ye have been working so hard, we take a trip to the Inn,” he pointed to the end of the village green, where a three level building stood, a sign in front of it stating: The Tongue Village Inn.

He took her basket from her and attached it to his saddle, then they took the short walk from the stables to the Inn.Knox looked up at the sign above the front door and said, “No’ a very interesting name, aye?”

She laughed as he opened the door.“But ye doona have to wonder what it is.”

The room was filled with wooden benches and tables.There were several men drinking ale and a few of them were busy playing hazard, with lots of bellowing and back-slapping accompanying their game.

Helena and Knox took a seat against the wall, as far from the shouting as they could get.“Ye look tired, lass,” Knox said.

“Aye.I’ve been helping my sister at night and then dealing with sicknesses each day.”She looked up and smiled at the serving girl who brought their ales.