Page 58 of The Fierce Highlander

When he rounded a cottage, he spotted Chief racing wildly around people, though he skidded to a stop, tumbled over, and righted himself. When he was on his feet, he stayed where he was and barked at Noble.

“Is something wrong with Leora, Chief?” he asked, rushing toward the pup.

The pup barked, turned, and took off.

Noble followed, calling out as he did for some of his warriors to follow him.

The pup kept barking and disappeared into one of the barns. His gut twisted in fear that something had happened to his wife. He was relieved when she suddenly appeared, and he almost came to an abrupt halt seeing her hands soaked with blood, but he didn’t. He ran faster toward her.

“Are you hurt?” he called out as he drew near.

“Nay. Nay,” she said, shaking her head. “Adele is hurt badly. Send for Mother Abbess.”

Noble called out for Mother Abbess to be brought to him and for two warriors to follow him into the barn. He hoped his wife would agree to wait outside since she appeared dazed and his worry for her soared, even more so when she continued shaking her head and as if it cleared away her daze, she hurried toward him before he reached her.

Leora spread her arms wide, not wanting to get any blood on her husband, but desperate to feel his arms around her. He didn’t fail her. His arm hitched her around the waist and yanked her against him.

“There is so much blood. At first, I thought she was dead.” Leora shuddered. “But there is breath left in her.” She rested her face against his chest, the smell of blood heavy in her nostrils, and worry that the young woman would not survive weighing heavily upon her.

Noble felt her body slump a bit in his arms and he ordered gently, “Take a few deep breaths, Leora.”

She did as he said, regaining the strength that only moments ago seemed to be slipping away.

“Mistress Leora, what happened to you?” Mother Abbess asked anxiously.

Noble turned and Leora turned with him since he kept her tucked against him, relieved to see Mother Abbess. “A young woman in the barn needs help.”

“There is so much blood that I could not tell if she was bleeding from her chest or stomach,” Leora said. “Hurry, I will show you.”

“Nay, you will remain here with me and let Mother Abbess tend to Adele,” Noble ordered.

“Your hands need cleaning if you wish to help me. See to that first, then join me if your husband allows,” Mother Abbess said with a slight nod to Noble.

Leora took a deep breath before saying. “I am not one to say please often or to plead, so I strongly request that you allow me to help Mother Abbess.”

“After we see to cleaning your hands,” he said, realizing Mother Abbess was allowing time for Leora to calm from the shock of finding the young woman.

Leora nodded, knowing her husband would have it no other way and at least he was not refusing her.

Mother Abbess hurried her steps inside the barn, two of Noble’s warriors waiting outside, having signaled to him that there was no worry for anyone to enter.

People started gathering to see what was going on.

“Penn,” Noble called out, and Penn hurried to him. “See that our warriors keep everyone at a distance.”

Penn nodded and began issuing orders to the other warriors, who quickly formed a line to keep people from coming any closer.

Noble took his wife to the rain barrel that sat at the corner of the barn, Chief following close to Leora. He reluctantly released her to scoop up one of the few buckets sitting around the barrel and filled it with the rainwater that had accumulated there. He held the full bucket in front of his wife, and she hurried her hands into the water, scrubbing the blood off them.

Tears threatened her eyes, her heart aching for Adele. “This is my fault. Someone was after me and got the wrong woman.”

“It is not your fault,” Noble commanded firmly.

“Trouble and death follow me,” Leora said, upset and fighting to keep her tears from falling.

“Trouble and death follow the fool who thinks to take you from me. Something that will never happen.”

Chief yapped as if in agreement with him.

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