Page 69 of Her Accidental Highlander Husband

There would be time enough to leave his bed tomorrow.

Chapter Twenty-Six

After two days of staying in bed with Cam as he proved his stamina, Mari walked to the village with Abagail to check in on a woman who’d given birth the night before.

Abagail was kind not to mention the slowness of Mari’s steps, which was the opposite of her husband’s smug smile. He had offered to carry her down to the morning meal, but she’d declined with a light slap to his arm and a reluctant smile. He was barbaric, but she enjoyed his wickedness. Even as she’d left him at the table with Lachlan, she’d returned his naughty grin. There would be time enough for that when she returned home.

Meanwhile, she’d made a decision.

After the helplessness she’d felt when Cam was injured, she’d asked Kenna and Abagail to teach her to be a healer. Today was to be her first lesson.

She smiled up at the morning sky as the sun touched her face. She loved coming to the village. The pleasant cottages and happy families made her feel as if she belonged.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim light of the cottage after being out in the sun, but once she was able to see, she offered a smile to the small family inside. Abagail instructed her to check the mother for fever, and how to check over the new bairn.

“He has a mighty grip. A strong lad,” Mari said when the baby had fisted his wee hand around her smallest finger.

“Aye. He’ll grow up big and strong like his da. He’ll make a fine warrior,” the mother said.

“Your husband is a warrior?” Mari asked, wondering if she’d ever met him while watching Cam with his men.

“Aye. But my man grew up in the village and wanted his family to live in the village rather than the castle,” she explained.

Mari nodded. “How do you manage when he goes off to battle? I fear I did not handle it well the first time as a wife.”

The woman patted Mari’s hand. “It’s one of the hardest things a wife has to bear—watching her man go off, not sure if he’ll return. But everyone finds a way to handle it. Some find distraction in other activities. Some pray. Some—like me—hold our children tight and send our love and strength to our husbands. It gets easier.”

Mari wasn’t sure how that was possible. Cam had been injured this last time, and she feared for when he’d be called out again, now that he was back in good health. The fear had only grown, not gotten easier. But she’d promised Cam she would not put undue stress on their partings in the future. If he was too distracted, he might fall to an enemy’s blade, and she would feel responsible.

When Abagail finished showing her other things to look for that would indicate a complication from birth, they gathered their things to leave.

“I’m glad they’re both happy and healthy,” Mari said to the healer. “’Tis a great blessing, to be sure.”

“Aye. Are ye hoping for a similar blessing between you and Cam?”

Mari looked away. The truth would count her as selfish. She did want a bairn with Cam. But she lived in the constant dark shadow of an uncertain future. She didn’t know if she was safe here. Any day could be the day the English showed up to take her back to London to face punishment for her crimes.

It wouldn’t be fair to a child.

“My future is unknown,” Mari said vaguely.

The other woman didn’t respond with words, just a sound of agreement.

They cut between two cottages and headed toward the castle. Suddenly, she heard a noise and turned back to see Abagail had slumped to the ground, the contents of her basket scattered in the mud.

Before she made it to the woman to offer aid, Mari was lifted from her feet. A smelly hand was placed over her mouth, muffling her cry for help. Kicking, she connected with her captor’s shin. He dropped her to the ground, only to snatch her up roughly by the arm and give her a good smack on the head.

Stars swarmed her vision, but she didn’t lose consciousness, even when she was tossed into the back of a cart and a tarp was thrown over her.

“Make haste, before she wakes up and calls for help.” Odd, but the man next to her sounded more like a boy.

Her thoughts went to that night in the clearing when she’d been unable to free herself. All the hands grabbing at her, holding her. She kicked and slapped harder in an effort to fend them off.

“Tie ’er so she don’t escape. I don’t want to lose the reward because you let her get away.”

Mari’s mind cleared at his words. These men were planning to claim a reward by turning her over to the English.

Her hands were bound, and she couldn’t see or move. Her previously injured ankle ached as it bounced along the edge of the cart, her feet sticking over the edge. An idea came to her moments later, and she began wiggling the toes of one foot to tug the boot off the other. If she could get it loose, maybe she could drop it as a clue for Cam to follow.