Page 14 of A Healer for the Ruthless Highlander
The thought made her uncomfortable, but she decided to dismiss it. It would help, of course, but that didn’t mean that her curiosity and nervousness wouldn’t get the better of her.
Sheneededto tend to Kenneth’s wound properly. But he had been silent since they had set out toward the castle, so she couldn’t tell if the paste she had applied to his wound had helped in any way.
“Finally. We’ve arrived,” Kenneth murmured suddenly, startling her.
Leana jerked her head up to take in her surroundings.
Of course, Kenneth was right. In front of them stood a huge, ancient stone castle, which, in the reddish glow of the evening, looked as if it were adorned with fire. Perhaps it had once been a gloomy place, but to Leana, it looked beautiful. Wide meadows stretched on either side, where sheep could be seen grazing attheir leisure before the shepherds herded them back to their pens. The cool evening breeze swept through the grass, making it sway.
In front of the castle, two women were waiting for them. As soon as they saw them arrive, one of them ran out, a wide smile on her face, holding the skirts of her dress so as not to trip.
At first glance, Leana thought they both looked very pretty. The younger woman, who must be about her age, had strawberry blonde hair, thick and pulled back in a braid. Her slender frame carried an effortless grace, yet the curve of her hips swayed subtly with each movement, and the soft swell of her neckline caught the flickering light, adding a quiet allure. Her cheeks, dusted with a natural blush, held an unspoken innocence, like the first bloom of spring—fresh, unassuming, untouched by time.
Several feet behind her stood a woman with curly red hair. She was a little older, enough to be Kenneth’s mother, though she looked more like the girl running toward them. Pretty, too, with leaf-green eyes and a serene, relieved expression on her face.
“Kenneth! Och, ye’re back. Ye daenae ken how glad I am,” the younger woman declared as she hugged Kenneth.
The sight reminded Leana that the Laird might indeed have a wife. She felt her stomach twist.
Fortunately, the girl did not seem to be suffering from any illness, so Leana assumed that she was not her future patient.Then, she looked at the older woman, who was also embracing Kenneth.
“We’re so glad ye’re back! We heard about the bandits who attacked ye on the road.”
“Aye. But I’ve taken care of everything.”
“I daenae doubt that ye have.” The woman looked lovingly at Kenneth, before her intelligent green eyes landed on Leana. “And this lovely young woman, is she the healer?”
“Aye,” Kenneth replied.
“Leana Beaton, me Lady. At yer service,” Leana offered with a slight bow.
The blonde-haired girl smiled. “Och, yer name is as pretty as ye are,” she gushed as she approached her. “But me cousin has obviously treated ye terribly! Kenneth, what have ye done to this poor woman? She’s covered in mud!”
“We had some inconvenience on the way,” Kenneth muttered, before heading to the doors.
Leana sensed that as soon as they were inside the castle, Kenneth would disappear in the corridors. So she quickened her pace, trying to catch up with him because she needed to check his wound again.
Of course, the girl at her side was quick to do the same.
“Well, that’s unkind of ye, Kenneth. A lady deserves to be treated with respect,” she declared, before turning to Leana. “Me name is Valerie, and this is me aunt, Brenda. I am her lady-in-waitin’,” she added, in a jovial tone, and then went on to say: “We’d gladly look after ye. If ye’ll allow me, I’ll show ye to yer quarters. Ye must be in need of a bath and a change of clothes.”
“Aye…” Leana started. “But first, I must attend to the Laird. He’s injured.”
The two women gasped in unison.
“Hurt? What happened to ye?” Brenda asked as she hurried over to Kenneth and put a hand on his good arm.
“I’m fine,” he lied.
Impossible man.
“Nay, ye’re nae.” Leana jumped in front of him, blocking his path, and shot him a glare. “Ye have an arrow in yer shoulder, and I need to remove it before the wound gets infected.”
But Kenneth didn’t seem to care what she wanted at that moment.
“The wound will still be there tomorrow. Ye can deal with it then.”
He tried to step around her, but she blocked his path again. “If I let ye go in this state, I’d be a lousy healer.”
