Page 7 of Never Fall for a Highlander

“Thank ye so much for yer help, Helena,” Aline said as they walked outside into the sunshine and the fresh air.

“’Twas no’ a problem, Aline.Any time ye need help or want to ken something just come and look for me at the brooch.”

The lass nodded and turned back toward the front door.Helena had learned while they’d talked that Aline’s elderly da lived with her.He was in the bedroom at the back of the house, unable to walk.A few times Aline left Helena to check on him.

Since the healer’s da had been one of the laird’s top warriors when he’d been younger, the brooch supplied them with food and, in turn, Aline took over from her mam as clan healer.Helena shook her head as she traversed the trip back to the brooch, amazed at the number of things the young lass dinna know.But she was certain the lass had taken on the responsibility to keep her and her da fed.

The great hall had begun to fill up in advance of the evening meal, but Helena went straight upstairs to her sister.Jena was still in her bedroom, but she was dressed and sitting in a chair next to the window, doing some mending.She placed her work on her lap.“There ye are.I’ve been asking everyone if they kenned where ye’d gone to.I thought ye decided to go back home.”

Helena sat on a wooden chair across from Jena, reached over and took her hand.“Nay, I would ne’er leave ye to birth this bairn alone.I spent the day with Aline, the clan healer.I hadn’t expected to be there so long, but the poor lass was in a dither because she wasna sure about a lot of healer things.”

She studied Jena for a minute.“How do ye fare?”

“Well enough.Blair dinna want me to go downstairs until someone could walk with me.I must agree the way down to the great hall can be a bit slippery, especially when I’m carrying all this extra belly.Maude was kind enough to send up my noon meal.”

Jena took a deep breath and winced.

“What’s wrong?”

She waved her hand at her.“Nothing.‘Twas something I ate for breakfast.”

Helena studied her carefully.“Are ye sure ye’re well?”

Her sister stood.“Indeed, but I am quite hungry, and I assume they are beginning to serve the evening meal?”

“It appeared so when I entered the great hall before.I think I am a bit hungry also.”Helena took Jena’s arm.

“I met Kendra and Mairi today,” Helena said as she helped her sister down the stairs.

“Aren’t they lovely lasses?”

She nodded, grasping her sister a bit tighter when she seemed to stumble.“They are.And verra pretty.”Helena said.

As they made their way into the great hall, Jena was stopped a few times by those asking about Helena, and how Jena felt.They finally found a seat just as the lasses were coming out with trenchers and then platters of food.

“How did you find Aline?”Jena asked as they ate.She noticed her sister kept rubbing her belly.

“The lass is verra nice, but I canno’ see her as a healer.She’s so tiny, and I ken from doing that sort of work myself that there are times when ye must be able to maneuver yer patient and I doona see how Aline can do that.”

Jena sucked in a deep breath and put her hand on her belly.

“What’s wrong?”Helena asked.

“Nothing, I’m sure, but I just had a verra strong pain.Nothing like I’ve had before.”

“Before?How long have you been having pains, Jena?”Helena asked.

Jena closed her eyes and a slight sweat broke out on her forehead as she bit down on her lower lip.

From what Jena had told her about when she’d started missing her woman’s time each month, Helena had calculated another month, but sometimes women did bleed in the early months of their pregnancy.

“Don’t hold your breath,” Helena said.

Thinking of the possibility that Jena’s birth water might drop right there in the great hall, and the embarrassment her sister would suffer, Helena stood and took Jena’s arm.“I think ‘tis best if we return to yer room.”

Her sister nodded and they started to walk across the room.Before they reached the stairs, the doors to the great hall flew open and a warrior burst through.“Someone fetch the healer.The laird has been injured.”

Chapter four