Page 30 of Claimed by the Clan Chief

“Aye.” Una sniffed and twisted to look at Isla. “Can’t you tell?”

Isla gasped. “He did this to you?”

Rabbie was a bad egg, a nasty bit of work, but would he stoop this low?

“He was nay happy I was so late. Had to have a day without ale. His temper was as foul as a wild boar’s when I got there.”

“Bastard,” Isla said, reaching for a blanket to place around the poor battered woman. “How dare he.”

“He’s my husband. He can do what he wants.”

Isla thought for a moment, then, “There’s a difference between a Highlander disciplining his wife for misbehaving and a big brute of a husband beating up a lass. This is not acceptable.”

“I ken, but what can I do?”

“Leave him.”

“But my bairns live there. While I work here, to put food on their table, they live with Rabbie.”

“I’m sure the laird will help. Haps they can come and live here at Fifths Castle. They’re old enough to take on a few chores now.”

“Aye, maybe.” She sniffed and touched her lip. “It hurts. Everything hurts.” With her other hand she held her ribs and groaned.

“I’ll get something for the pain.”

“Can you?”

“Aye, of course.” Isla dashed to her small cupboard and set about soaking a cloth in clove oil to tend the wounds and bruises. She’d get a wee toddy of willow bark for the pain too. Poor Una.

“Here.” Isla handed Una a small cup of pain-reducing medicine. “Drink this. It will help.”

“I have to be down in the kitchen soon, to help Mrs. Humphrey.”

“I’ll go and explain that you’ll be a wee bit late.” Isla paused as Una sipped the drink. “In fact you can have my day off. I’ll do your work today.”

“No, no, I canny let you do that.” Una frowned, creasing the darkened skin on her brow.

“Of course you can.”

Una shook her head. “No, I’ll be glad of your help to tidy me up a bit.” She took another sip of her drink. “Then I can do my shift. I’m not an idler.”

Isla tutted. Una needed to rest but she knew the other woman was stubborn, strong too. If Una wanted to work then that’s what she’d do.

When Una had finished her drink Isla began to clean her split lip.

Una winced a couple of times but didn’t complain.

“Do you have a pain in your head?” Isla asked as she moved her attentions to the broken skin on Una’s left cheek. The skin beneath both her eyes was swollen and purple.

“A wee bit.”

“Then you should rest up here for a while. It’s not good to work in this state.”

“I told ye, I’ll be right as rain to do my chores. The last thing I need is the laird laying me off.”

“He wouldn’t, you’ve been the victim of a horrible attack.”

“Aye, but no one will say anything to Rabbie, will they?”

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