Page 9 of Never Fall for a Highlander

One of the men burst into Jena’s room unaware, or uncaring that her sister was in her nightgown and starting the birthing process.“You must come quick, Helena.The laird needs you.”

“I need to help my sister.I told ye to fetch Aline.”

“We did, but she passed out when she saw the injury on my laird’s side.”

Helena closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger.Wasn’t that wonderful news.el She looked at Jena who was holding her stomach and trying verra hard to breath.

What thebluidy hellwas she supposed to do now?

She couldna let the laird bleed to death.“Has someone even stopped the blood flow?”

The mon nodded.Helena ran her fingers through her hair and huffed.“My sister is about to give birth.That is why I made this trip.Can ye wake Aline?”

The mon shook his head.“Nay.We did once and she ran from the room holding her hand over her mouth.”

Helena felt like banging her head against the wall, but that would do nothing except give her a headache.

The mon turned and said, “I will send for Beatrice.”

“No!”Both Helena and Jena shouted at the same time.

“What are we going to do?”Jena wailed.

Helena stared out the window for a couple of moments, tapping her chin with her fingertip while the messenger from the laird’s bedroom shuffled from foot to foot and muttered things Helena was sure she dinna want to hear.

“Here is what we will do,” she said to Jena.“I will find Aline and have her stay with ye while I take care of the laird.Someone mentioned he had been slashed on his side.If ‘tis a clean cut, I’ll I get it cleansed, stitched, and then douse him with a sleeping potion.He will be fine.Then I can return here and take over.I do believe ye have some time since yer labor has only just started.And first births are usually long.”

She also kenned that since her birth waters had released her pains would grow harder and she really wanted to be here to support her sister.She looked over at the mon who stood, his hands fisted at his side, no doubt ready to simply drag her from the room.“Show me where Aline hied off to.”

The mon turned and marched out of the room, Helena followed.

“Be sure and tell Blair,” Jena shouted as they started down the stairs.

Helena was usually very calm and felt as though she could handle any situation.

Until now.

Between her and the mon, who told her his name was Alfred, they searched the keep with no luck.“I’m going to her bothy,” Helena said.“Can you please tell Blair his wife has started her labor and if he can get away, could he sit with her until we find Aline?”

“The laird needs someone, lass.We cannot keep searching while he bleeds to death.”

“I ken,” she said in a no-so-patient voice, then turned and ran to Aline’s bothy.Where she found her sitting in a chair in the main room.Crying.

“I couldna do it,” she said, wringing her hands.

“Get up.”Helena walked over to her and yanked her by her arm.“Jena has started her labor and if ye canno’ deal with the laird then ye must sit with her and help her while I take care of the injury.”

The lass let out a sigh of relief and wiped her face with her hands.“Aye.I can do that.”

“Did you bring all yer medicants when they summoned ye before?”

Aline nodded as the two of them ran from the bothy after she’d told her da she would return later.Hopefully, the messenger was correct and someone had stopped the blood flow from the laird’s cut.When this was all over, she would probably be sent back to Dornoch with instructions to ne’er return.

The brooch was in an uproar when they returned.Blair was running up and down the stairs demanding to ken where Helena was.Alfred continued to search everywhere, calling for Aline.And to Helena’s horror an older woman marched up to her and leaned in close, sticking her finger into Helena’s chest.

“Who are ye, an outsider, to leave orders that I am no’ to attend Jena’s birthing.”She then thumped her own chest like a warrior going into battle and said, “I dinna ken who ye are, but ye cannot ban me from the room.”

“Are ye by any chance Beatrice?”