Chapter 17
“Last winter, the crops suffered, and our grain reserves were depleted. How are we to ensure that our people have enough to survive and that discontent doesnae spread?” one of the councilmen sitting to Kenneth’s left asked.
Murmurs rippled through the room, and though he should have, Kenneth paid no attention to the conversation.
His gaze remained fixed on the window to his left, while all around him, at the great table in front of the fire, his advisors were still talking.
“We could trade with the neighborin’ fief, though that might mean openin’ routes in dangerous lands.”
“And risk our men in such uncertain times?” Lady Isobel scoffed in indignation, rising to her feet. “Perhaps we could impose a special tax on the peasants to bolster our reserves?”
“Lady Isobel, we cannae add more burdens to those who are already strugglin’ to make ends meet. We need a solution that will ensure their loyalty, nae their betrayal.”
The debate went on and on, and yet Kenneth was unable to tune in. Not when Leana had him completely under her spell.
He saw her on the other side of the window, wearing a dark rose dress that matched the shade of her lips. Next to her were Valerie and Hunter, running through the meadow, playing hide-and-seek.
She seemed unaware of her beauty. Her hair was loose and thick, floating in the breeze, and her cheeks were flushed with color. Her laughter rang out whenever Valerie or Hunter made a joke, blending perfectly with the scenery.
Kenneth had never seen his brother so happy—at least not since they’d returned to the mainland years ago. So the strange and unexpected scene was a pleasure to behold.
“Me Laird, what do ye think?” Lady Isobel asked, giving him a shrew look.
Suddenly, everyone in the room fell silent, waiting for his answer. Beside him, Jonas shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat.
But Kenneth soon took control of the situation.
“We will accept the exchange. We will send soldiers to patrol our roads. That way, we can protect the farmers and travelers. We should also make sure that the pact with the neighborin’ fief is fair.
Instead of demandin’ a tribute, we will encourage the peasants to cultivate common land next spring. ”
Jonas breathed a sigh of relief, while some of the advisors nodded in approval.
“A reasonable suggestion, Laird MacReid. We will order men to prepare to negotiate and protect our lands. We will take inventory and survey the roads to ensure the best routes when buildin’ new roads…”
The conversation soon moved on as Lady Isobel lifted her face to look out the window.
“Who is the lass playin’ with yer braither?” she asked curiously.
“She is nobody. Just another healer who has come to treat him,” Kenneth hastened to answer.
He bit his tongue, hating himself for speaking in such a dismissive tone, as if Leana were unimportant.
But even though he knew that was not the case, he could not let the council members believe that she was more than just a healer.
First and foremost, he had to dispel the idea that he was distracted or shirking his duties. Especially because of a woman.
So, he preferred to feign indifference, even though the memory of Leana’s lips still haunted him.
“Her face looks familiar,” one of Lady Isobel’s guards murmured. “The healer, what’s her name?”
“Leana Beaton,” Jonas replied before Kenneth could.
The guard nodded. “Aye, I remember her. She helped discover the cause of a disease that ravaged our lands.”
“Her help was crucial in savin’ our farmers from a disease that would have ended the harvest season,” Lady Isobel added.
Kenneth smiled inwardly. But then he heard another of his advisors say, “Well, I heard a different kind of rumor about the lass.”
It was Duncan Bowie, a man very knowledgeable about agricultural techniques.
His face was contorted in a sneer, but Kenneth already knew that the man was very much given to gossip and tavern talk, so he usually did not pay much attention to him.
“I’ve heard from a good source that she and her sisters were involved in some sort of assassination attempt on their Laird.”
“Are ye sure we’re talkin’ about the same person?” Lady Isobel asked, looking confused.
Duncan nodded. “Aye. The girl was accused of witchcraft, but it could never be proven. Her Laird tried to take matters into his own hands, but it is said that the young woman is as beautiful as she is skilled and that she, along with her sisters—”
Suddenly, Kenneth, who had been drumming his fingers on his thigh, slammed his hand on the table, cutting him off.
“The healer is me guest, and as such, I willnae allow ye to slander her,” he said in a tone firm enough to silence everyone.
“I’m sorry, me Laird. I didnae mean to—” Duncan began.
“In any case, it doesnae matter. Whichever of the two is true, she isnae stayin’ for long,” Maxwell Aitken, a member of the council and the former Laird’s main advisor, interjected.
The Old Sea Wolf, whose appearance was rather hostile, had been biting his tongue until now. Or so Kenneth supposed. He knew for a fact that the man was not one for small talk.
Fortunately, Maxwell’s hostility warded off any further attempt at discussing Leana or her past, and the council soon returned to more pressing matters.
However, Kenneth’s thoughts kept drifting to the dark-haired healer, especially the stories of her past.
“I give up, I give up, I give up! I cannae take it anymore!” Valerie yelled, just before she collapsed in the middle of the meadow, laughing until she cried.
Leana, who was also out of breath, plopped down next to her, looking up at the blue sky, which was barely pierced by the occasional lazy cloud.
Soon, Hunter joined them.
“Then I win!” he declared victoriously, still laughing.
“Only because I cannae run in this annoying dress anymore,” Valerie complained, to which he shrugged.
“Whatever, I win!” he declared again.
Leana let out a light laugh. “Aye. Ye beat us both fair and square,” she assured him.
Smiling, she reached out a hand to stroke his hair, noting the bright look in his eyes, as well as the healthy color of his cheeks.
It was obvious that Hunter’s health had improved considerably over the past few days, which was a great relief to Leana.
Her treatments had continued in a chain of experimentation, among which she had included all sorts of infusions with different ingredients, either from the private gardens of the castle, or from the meadows, or even from the nearby merchants.
Fortunately, the Laird could afford to buy some rather expensive ingredients from abroad, which Leana had used to prepare some ointments and remedies for Hunter, hoping that some of her infusions, ointments or teas would help him get better.
Finally, she had decided on a series of infusions that had the best effect on Hunter, which seemed to be quite a relief.
Although she was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, there was also an unpleasant feeling in the air.
She, who should be satisfied that she had done a good job and would soon be going home, found herself reluctant to think about it.
Every time she thought of leaving, a dull ache settled in her chest, spreading like a shadow she couldn’t shake.
The mere idea of saying goodbye to Kenneth made her throat tighten, her fingers curling involuntarily as if bracing against the inevitable loss.
So, she preferred to focus on other things.
She didn’t want to deal with her feelings, whatever they might be, so she’d better content herself with thinking about the ultimate treatment to cure Hunter’s illness and everything she had to prepare for along the way.
With luck, and if things continued to go well, she would have at least a few days before she had to say goodbye to Kenneth for good.
Her thoughts were unmistakably bitter, and that caused her to play absentmindedly with the flower stems, which she began to braid almost without realizing it.
“What are ye doin’?” Hunter asked curiously, sitting down next to her.
“I’m makin’ ye a wreath. For winnin’ the game,” Leana explained.
Hunter shook his head. “But wreaths are for girls,” he protested.
Leana scowled at him. “Of course they’re nae. Flowers are for boys and girls,” she corrected.
As she spoke, she picked up a strand of lavender, the color so intense that it contrasted sharply with the grass-green of the wreath.
She expertly braided it as she added, “Consider, for example, that flowers can cure our ailments in very precise ways. They daenae only serve as decorations. It’s like this lavender, which can cure many of yer ailments, even though it only looks like a pretty little flower.”
“Flowers are also used in cookin’,” Valerie piped up, pulling herself up to sit next to her cousin. “Our cook uses them on certain occasions. Do ye remember the partridges stuffed with roses, Hunter?”
“Aye. Maither likes them very much,” Hunter murmured, not looking entirely convinced.
“Flowers are more than just pretty decorations,” Leana insisted, tapping him on the nose with a flower.
“So are women,” Valerie added jokingly, tucking a strawberry-blonde curl behind her ear.
Hunter burst out laughing. “Well, I guess that’s true,” he said as he touched the wreath Leana had placed on his head. “Which ones do ye like?”
“Roses,” Valerie replied immediately.
“I asked Leana.” Hunter stuck his tongue out at her, and she returned the gesture.
Leana laughed. “I like lavender,” she replied, looking at one of the little flowers she still held between her fingers.
“Nae only is it pretty, but it can also be used in the preparation of many remedies.” Tilting her head to the side, she asked, “What about ye, Hunter? Is there a flower ye like very much?”
Hunter seemed to think about it. After a moment, he answered with conviction, “I like sea holly because it makes candy very tasty!”
“Sea holly?” Valerie frowned. “I daenae ken them. What are they?”
“They are small flowers that grow near the coast,” Hunter explained as he played with the grass. “They are blue or purple in color, and have spiny leaves that turn silver in the sunlight.”
The boy’s memories seemed to surface as he spoke. His words were filled with nostalgia, but an entirely different feeling coiled in Leana’s gut.
“Hunter,” she asked slowly, as if treading on dangerous ground, “how do ye ken so much about the Sea Holly?”
“Oh…” The little boy suddenly looked surprised. “It’s just that we used to pick them up a lot when our ship docked,” he said innocently.
“Ship? What ship?” Leana asked.
“Och, did me braither nae tell ye? We’re pirates! The strongest ones of all!” Hunter declared, full of pride.
His words reminded Leana of those stories she had heard about the dreaded Pirate Laird. In the short time she had stayed in the castle, she had forgotten those stories, because other things had captured her attention.
But suddenly, it all came back to her.
“And why did ye pick them when ye landed?” she asked.
“Because the Sea Holly is used to make candy,” Hunter said happily. “They’re delicious. Have ye ever tasted them?”
Leana shook her head. “Nay, I havenae…”
But I do ken that it is used to treat respiratory problems and that it is often used on patients with lung problems…
Maybe that had something to do with Hunter’s discomfort, or maybe it was because of the sea. Or maybe it had nothing to do with his illness.
“Hunter, I want ye to be honest with me,” she began in a gentle tone. “Tell me, have ye been venturin’ out to the coast?”
Suddenly, all color drained from Hunter’s face. His eyes went wide, as did Valerie’s, who looked at Leana in alarm.
The little boy shook his head frantically. “I daenae… I daenae ken what ye’re talkin’ about…” he stammered.
“Nay secrets, remember? We agreed on that when we started our guessin’ game,” Leana reminded him.
Hunter swallowed.
He looked so scared, so she added, “I’m nae scoldin’ ye, dear. I just want to ken if somethin’ in yer environment is makin’ ye sick. Like being too close to the sea, or something, or someone ye have around ye—”
“Nay, that’s nae true! The sea helps me cough. And he wouldnae do anythin’ to hurt me!”
“Who’s he?” Leana asked softly, which seemed to surprise him.
A tinge of guilt and nervousness flickered in his eyes, as if he’d realized he’d said too much. Some kind of secret, perhaps.
“I mean, he… ge… he… The god?” he offered.
Valerie rolled her eyes. “Hunter, this is serious!” she pressed, a little desperately.
Leana shook her head to calm her down. “Nay, it’s all right. Hunter understands that from now on, he has to be careful what he touches or eats when he’s near the sea, right?” she asked.
The boy nodded. “I will.”
“There we go. Good boy,” Leana praised, stroking his hair. “And maybe ye could tell… ‘the god’ to send me some candy. I want to taste it.” She gave him a smile, which seemed to cheer him up.
“Sure, I’ll bring enough for ye and Valerie,” he promised.
“All right then,” Leana said, getting up, and soon Valerie followed her. “It’s gettin’ late. Better to get some dinner.”
Hunter got up as well. “A run?” he suggested to Valerie, then broke into a run, laughing.
Taking advantage of his absence, Valerie looked worriedly at Leana. “Do ye think everythin’ is all right with Hunter?”
“I daenae ken,” Leana replied, biting her lower lip. A crease formed between her brows, and her gaze flickered with urgency. Her fingers tightened at her sides. “But I must talk to Kenneth. Right now.”
Without waiting, she ran back to the castle.
Only this time, she was not running for the fun of it, but perhaps to save Hunter’s life.