Page 76 of Don't Give A Damn About My Plaid Reputation
So instead, Nicola managed to keep wearing her “healer face,” as Coira called it; the calm and empathetic expression she’d perfected for when it came time to meet a new patient.
Or an old one.
“Aright, Mother. I’ll make certain to leave plenty of rosemary.” She’d convinced Mother years ago that rosemary could cure most ailments. “All ye need to do is mix it with some honey water and whisky whenever ye feel a bout of—of collapsing malaria coming on.” St. Crystal protect her, ‘twas difficult to keep a straight face. “As always, it’ll protect ye.”
“Will that be enough?” Still, with the handwringing.
Nicola stifled her sigh and shook her head as she turned back to her herbs. “I promise.”
Mother wailed, “How could ye do this to me?”
“Me?” Giving up oncalm and empathetic, Nicola whirled to pierce her mother with a glare. “How couldIdo this to ye?
The older woman was still pacing, the skirt of her blue gown swishing around her. For the first time, Nicola noticed her motherwaslooking frailer, her shoulders and her hands thinner and more delicate than they used to be.
“How could ye go off and leave me, Nicola?” Mother sniffed. “How could ye evenconsiderit?”
Nicola reached for her mother, pulling her into her arms on her next pass. When had she grown taller than the woman who’d birthed her? Mayhap ‘twas just that Motherseemedsmaller these days. She tucked the older woman against her shoulder.
“Ye kenned this day was coming, Mother,” she said gently. “Da declared we must all be married, after all.”
“Marriedis different from taking holy vows!” the older woman wailed, her voice devolving into sniffles.
“Is it?” Nicola murmured, running a soothing hand up and down her mother’s back. “Either would mean no’ being here at Oliphant Castle.”At yer beck and call. She loved her mother, she truly did…but she had a life of her own she wanted to lead. “And if I took vows, I wouldnae be tied to one—man.”
She almost saidperson, thinking of how much her mother had relied on her over the years, and how exhausting that had become. Marriage would be equally exhausting, Nicola was certain; having to devote one’s life to one’s husband, and just hope they were worth it.
Nay, her plan was better.
“Marriage to Christ isnae the better choice, daughter.”
Nicola managed to shrug, despite her mother hanging on her. “’Twill be easier to marry a man long dead—”
“He is Risen!”
“Och, aye, ‘tis what I meant.” Nicola awkwardly patted her mother’s back. “But He isnaehere, which makes Him a lot easier to marry. Serve. Whatever.” If she took vows, she’d be able to help a whole host of people with her healing skills, not just her mother and the occasional sick Oliphant. “Besides, I’m no’definitelytaking vows, Mother. I just said I’m planning on discussing it with the Mother Superior when I’m at the nunnery.”
“But ye’redefinitelyleaving me,” the older woman wailed.
Nicola felt safe rolling her eyes. “Well,Christ.”
“Exactly!”
That was the moment Coira chose to come stamping into the solar, thank St. Crystal. She wore braies and a man’s tunic, and a pair of saddlebags were thrown over her shoulder.
“What the hell’s taking so—oh.”
Her gaze landed on Mother, still sniffling against Nicola’s shoulder. The sisters exchanged a look only years of commiserating could achieve.
It plainly said,Can ye believe this shite?
Nicola cleared her throat. “Mother is concerned about me leaving.”
“’Tis no’ forever.”
“If she takes vows,’twillbe!” their mother wailed.
With a shake of her head, Coira began to gather up the herb packages Nicola had prepared, stuffing them into the bags she carried. “She’s no’ taking vows, Mother. She just needs to get away from here and from Da’s stupid ultimatum.”
