Page 59 of The Fierce Highlander

Her husband spoke with such confidence, and the way the little pup stood ready to protect her eased Leora’s worry some.

“Besides, we have no idea why Adele was left bloodied. She could have been providing someone with information about you or the clan and the person decided she was no longer needed. We cannot jump to conclusions.”

Leora dried her clean hands on her tunic as her husband tossed the dirty water away and as soon as he dropped the empty bucket to the ground, she reached out for his hand.

Noble’s hands took hold of both of her hands, and he glanced over her palms, then turned her hands over and glanced at the back of them as well. Satisfied and relieved they showed no signs of harm, he released them, then took one of her hands in his and curled his hand firmly around it, needing to keep hold of her.

“Are you sure you want to help Mother Abbess?” he asked, thinking death may have claimed Adele by now and though he doubted death was a stranger to Leora, it being part of life in any clan, it still was a disturbing and sorrowful part.

“Aye, I want to do all I can to help her,” she said, unable to stop feeling responsible for what happened to Adele no matter what her husband said.

Noble leaned down and scooped Chief up to hand to Leora. “He will not leave your side and I do not want him getting in the way.”

Leora tucked Chief in the crook of her arm, and he settled content against her. She remained close to her husband’s side as they entered the barn and her stomach roiled seeing the blood on Mother Abbess’s hands as she tended to Adele. Novice Angelica had joined her, and they both worked feverishly over the young woman.

“Move out of what little light we have,” Mother Abbess ordered. “I will need her moved as soon as I make sure the bleeding has stopped.”

“When you are ready let me know and I will see it done,” Noble said, as he eased his wife out of the way and studied the scene as he stood there watching.

He was glad Novice Angelica had joined Mother Abbess, no doubt a relief to Finley, and his wife’s help wasn’t needed. He disliked seeing a tear roll down his wife’s cheek, but Chief’s small tongue was quick to lick it away, though there was something in her eyes that made him think she was not looking at this scene but a memory of another. And it made him think she had not shared all of what she had gone through after her escape from Dundren Abbey.

He felt she needed rescuing now from whatever memory had control of her and he leaned his head down toward hers and whispered, “Tell me what happened here.”

She shook her head briefly before she recalled the incident. “I told Chief we would go and find you and he took off and something brought him here. I didn’t see Adele at first, and then the door shut suddenly, and I thought someone might have entered, but someone could have left,” Leora said, just realizing it. “I tripped over her in the dark when I went to search for Chief, worried something might have happened to him since he whined then howled.”

Noble’s stomach churned hearing that and he looked at the two warriors there. “Why was there no guard watching my wife?”

Leora went to defend the men but the fierce warning scowl her husband turned on her had her holding her tongue.

One warrior offered an excuse, poor as it was. “Finley usually assigns the men.”

Noble silently berated himself, his thoughts having lingered far too much on his wife this morning and not spending enough time with Finley discussing what needed to be seen to.

Another warrior spoke up. “I can speak with Finley and see that the guards are assigned daily positions.”

“Wise offer, Dyle,” Noble said, planning to talk with Finley himself about guard duty and other things he might need to be made aware of since Novice Angelica had prevented him from talking with Finley extensively. Something he would not let happen again.

“What can you tell me about the wound, Mother Abbess?” Noble asked.

“I would say a dagger of some kind,” Mother Abbess said without taking her attention away from Adele.

Noble turned quiet, leaving the nun to tend Adele and saw that his wife’s glance lingered on the wounded young woman. He wondered what she was seeing and surmising, so he did the same.

Endless questions circled in Leora’s head. Could Adele have been meeting someone here? Her garments were not out of place nor were they torn. Could she have been surprised by someone? Would anyone in the kitchen know why she would have been here when she should have been tending to her duties in the kitchen?

“I should go tell Emma and the others in the kitchen before they learn of it from anyone else,” Leora said.

Noble had seen the way his wife had studied Adele and he had felt her strength return to her, no longer leaning close to him as she had been doing since entering the barn. He was getting to know her well. She would be concerned for those in the kitchen hearing about Adele, but she was also eager to ask them questions, as was he.

“We will go together,” Noble said and turned to his warriors. “Two of you will wait here and do as Mother Abbess instructs. Dyle, go now and speak to Finley and see that his orders are carried out immediately.”

Noble barely walked a few steps from the barn when Lance came rushing toward him.

“Do you need me to track anything, sir?” Lance asked.

“I have given it thought, but with so many tracks in the area around the barn, I believe it would be a useless task, but have a look and let me know if you spot anything that might have some worth to it,” Noble said.

“He wants to please you because he worries that he failed you and caused the clan to almost be attacked,” Leora said, watching Lance rush off and drop down in front of the barn to study the ground.

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