Chapter 7
Donal couldn’t believe the amount of lying he was doing to keep Tina from knowing the truth of his circumstance.
He somehow knew the sympathy and compassion she’d shown him would disappear if she found out that he wasn’t married to Sionaid and in fact wasn’t even sure what she looked like.
He’d only lain with her on one or two occasions and then he’d moved on to someone else, whom he also could not remember.
His only hope was that she wouldn’t find out.
They entered the kitchen and he almost immediately regretted his decision to bring Tina with him. Mary was about to open her mouth to speak, when she obviously noted Donal’s pleading eyes.
“Good day to ye,” she said to Tina. “I be Mary.”
“Tina,” she said, smiling that bright, sweet smile she had.
“Donal,” Mary’s tone changed. “Ye’ve brought the wee one back and I’ve made her something special.
” Pulling the babe from Donal’s arms, Mary danced around the kitchen with her.
The tinkling sound of Elena’s giggle brought a warmth to Donal’s heart that he had never experienced before.
A deep chuckle burst from his lips as he grasped Tina’s hand, giving it a small squeeze.
A moment later he realized what he’d done when she pulled her hand away.
“I’m sorry, lass. I was overcome with joy and I wished to share it with ye. ”
“It’s alright,” Tina said, looking anywhere but at him.
The room seemed devoid of the kitchen maid he’d been wooing this past week and for that he was grateful.
“Sit,” Mary ordered. She set some food in front of them.
“Eat,” this command was directed at Tina who was looking through her food as if there was something hiding in it.
“’Twill nae bite ye … at least I dinnae believe so,” Mary laughed.
“And ye, my wee lass, sit with Mary and I’ll feed ye. Did ye get her spoon as I told ye?”
“Nae. I didnae have time. I will,” Donal replied.
Mary’s lips pressed into a narrow line as she shook her head at him.
“I will,” Donal insisted. “There wasnae time this morn. I was busy.”
She didn’t seem convinced.
“If you tell me where to go, I’ll get it for you,” Tina volunteered.
“We’ll go together,” Donal said. “After our meal.”
“Okay.”
The sound of her voice was sweet to his ears as was her beauty to his eyes and her kindness to his heart. He felt content sitting here with this lass and his wee daughter.
***
Tina couldn’t help feeling like part of a sweet, little family as she sat next to Donal.
It was becoming more and more clear to her that he was the man she was sent here to meet.
Her common sense battled with her intuition telling her she was wrong.
She had to be wrong, but her intuition was winning this war.
Sneaking a peek at Donal, she felt her tummy do a little flip flop and not from the food.
Her assessment of his bad boy good looks, his larger than life presence and the vulnerability he showed with Elena were all very attractive to her.
Never in her wildest imagination did she believe a child would come with this bargain Edna had conjured for her, but she couldn’t be happier about it.
As Donal and Elena finished up their lunch, Mary tsk tsked at what was left on Tina’s plate. She didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings it was just that the food wasn’t what she was used to.
“Shall we go in search of a spoon?” Donal asked.
“I’d love to,” she responded.
“Ye dinnae need to search, Donal,” Mary said, handing Elena back to him.
“I ken it, Mary.” Donal gritted his teeth as he spoke. “I’m nae daft.”
“I wouldnae be so sure,” Mary said, obviously her parting shot as they walked out into the courtyard.
“She doesn’t like you very much,” Tina observed. She felt bad for him. He’d just lost his wife, found out he had a daughter to care for and no one seemed to have any sympathy for him. Well, she did. “I just don’t understand it.”
“Nor I,” he said.
The sadness in his voice touched her heart and she reached out to take his hand. “I like you,” she said, hoping he could hear the sincerity in her voice.
“Thank ye. ’Tis good to know.”
“So, where are we going?”
“To the smithy,” he replied. “to get my wee lass her verra own spoon.”
They strolled through the courtyard, hand-in-hand drawing the stares of those they passed.
The fact that Donal had recently lost his wife made her feel guilty and a little self-conscious.
She made a conscious decision not to let it bother her.
Maybe it wasn’t normal for a woman to hold hands with a man in this time, but she didn’t really know any of these people and she wasn’t staying here.
She wondered how Donal would feel about leaving.
That thought hadn’t occurred to her until this very moment. “Donal, do you like living here?”
“Aye. ’Tis my home.”
“What if there was something you wanted in your life that wasn’t here?”
“It would have to be something verra good. Something I couldnae live without. Why do ye ask?”
“Just wondering.”
They arrived at the smithy, who stood over a blazing fire. “Ye should stay out here,” Donal said, handing Elena into her care. “’Tis too hot in there for her.”
“Okay.” She watched him with a new appreciation as he spoke with the blacksmith, who it seemed had some spoons already made. Donal picked them up and examined every one until he found the spoon he must have thought to be perfect.
“I’ll take this one,” he said, reaching into his sporran and handing payment to the man. Donal held it up in front of his face as he came back to them. “What do ye think, Elena? Will this one do?”
She held out her hand and was rewarded with her very own spoon. She waved it around before promptly dropping it. Donal retrieved it with a grin and placed it in his sporran. They walked around the courtyard together for a while longer enjoying the warmth of the sun and each other’s company.
“’Tis been a good day,” Donal noted.
Tina was pleased to hear this because she was thinking the exact same thing. “The next thing we need to find for you is someone to look after Elena while you’re working.”
“Aye. Yer right. ’Twouldnae be fair to ask ye to spend all yer days here looking after her.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind helping. As a matter of fact, I really enjoy it, but I’m going to need back up.”
He was looking at her with a confused expression.
“I’m going to need help,” she explained.
“Where will we find someone?” he asked.
“Let me see what I can do. I might have better luck with it than you.” The way everyone was treating him she had no doubt they’d probably run the other way if he were to ask.
“Ye’d do that for us?” he asked. The poor guy couldn’t believe someone was willing to help him.
“I already told you I’d help in any way I can.”
“So ye have,” he smiled warmly at her and her belly sang with the beating of a million butterfly wings. His eyes held hers for what should have been an uncomfortably long time, but to her seemed not long enough. She thought he might kiss her when they were interrupted.
“Excuse me, miss. Ye dropped this.” A girl of not more than fourteen stood before her holding up one of her earrings. She instinctively checked both ears and realized that one of her earrings had fallen out.
“Oh, thank you. I wouldn’t have noticed until much later and by then probably wouldn’t have had a chance of finding it.”
“Yer welcome, miss.” The girl’s eyes were glued to little Elena. “How old’s yer bairn?”
“Oh, she’s not mine. She belongs to Donal and she’s … ten months old.” That seemed about right. “What’s your name?”
“Doreen,” the girl said, tickling Elena’s toes and making her laugh. “She’s verra sweet.”
“She is, isn’t she?” Tina said. An idea was beginning to form. “Do you like babies, Doreen?”
“I do, verra much. Some day I hope to have a house full of them, like me ma.”
“So you have lots of brothers and sisters?” Tina asked.
“Too many to count,” Doreen laughed. “I’m the oldest, so I help ma with the little ones when she needs me to,” Doreen said, seeming proud of herself.
“Doreen, how would you feel about watching Elena every now and again?” Tina asked, crossing her fingers that she would.
“I’d love to,” the girl answered.
“Could you start tomorrow? Donal would be happy to pay you for your services.” This was going to be the medieval version of babysitting.
“Do ye ken how to do it?” Donal asked, sounding concerned as any good Da should.
“Aye. Ye’ve nae need to worry. I’ve done it before.”
“Meet me here tomorrow morning then,” he said, seeming more relaxed.
The girl beamed with joy as she thanked them and spun away to join her friends, excitedly telling them what had just occurred.
“There, problem solved,” Tina said. “She can’t watch her all the time, so when she’s not able, I will.”
“Thank ye, lass. Me heart will rest easy now.”
“You should probably take her upstairs. She probably needs some sleep.”
They entered the castle and Donal left her to go up to his room. She entered the great hall where Ashley had just finished up with the afternoon lessons. Children scurried past Tina and out the door. “All done for the day?” she asked.
“I am. What have you been up to all day?” Ashley asked.
“I think I figured out who Edna had in mind for me,” she said.
“Tell me! I can’t wait to hear.” Ashley seemed quite excited at her news.
“I think it’s Donal,” Tina said and watched as Ashley’s face dropped.
“No. It can’t be,” she said.
“Why not?” Tina was feeling a bit defensive. “What’s wrong with Donal?”
“Oh, nothing. I just didn’t think he’d be the one. You know with the baby and all. It doesn’t seem like Edna would send you here to find a man who already has a family.”
Tina watched as Ashley danced around her initial reaction. No matter what she said now, Tina knew she wouldn’t be an ally as far as Donal was concerned.
“You should still just see if anyone else catches your eye. You might be wrong. You never know.”