Chapter 12
Aftyn tapped on the door, hoping not to disturb the injured man. But she had to know how Jamie was. She’d seen Bhaltair pick him up and carry him into the abbey’s guest quarters while others carried the injured man.
Jamie was probably just exhausted, but in thinking back over the reactions she’d observed in him at the market, at Robena’s, and with Braden, she wondered. She needed to see for herself that he was safe, and not suffering along with his patient’s pain.
When no one answered, she rapped on the door and waited. The door was made of thickly hewn oak, but still, she thought she heard someone moving around inside.
“Jamie?” When no one answered or came to the door, she called out louder, “Rabbie? Are ye in there? How are they?”
Still no reply. Her frustration building, she pounded on the door. “Somebody answer me!”
Suddenly, the door opened, if only a crack. Rabbie’s brown eye peered out at her, most of his face still hidden behind the door’s oaken shield. “Go on with ye, Aftyn. They’re sleeping.”
“I heard someone moving around. I thought I heard voices.” That was an exaggeration. She’d heard no one speaking, but if someone had been talking, Rabbie wouldn’t know she hadn’t heard them.
“Ye’re imagining things. Jamie is resting. The father is, too.”
“How is Jamie? I want to help.”
“Ye canna. Truly, lass. This is beyond yer skill.”
Rabbie’s words, though spoken in a kind tone, stung. She sniffed and stepped back a pace. “How is my skill ever to improve if I am no’ given the chance to learn and to practice?”
“Some other time, Aftyn. I’m sorry, truly. I ken how important that is to ye. But ye canna.” He closed the door.
He had no idea how important Jamie was to her. Aghast, Aftyn pounded on it again. Rabbie opened it quickly. “Aftyn… wheesht!” he hissed.
“Nay, ye canna shut me out this way. This is my home, nay yers. ’Tis my responsibility to aid them. I saw Jamie carried in. He’s hurt.”
“Nay, lass. He’s exhausted. There is nought for ye to do,” Rabbie repeated. “Now dinna bang on the door again or ye’ll wake him. He must rest.” With that, he closed the door again.
Aftyn fought the urge to kick it. She’d only break a toe, and accomplish nothing. Instead, she crossed her arms and fought back angry tears. Rabbie was right. She’d seen the exhaustion on Jamie’s face.
She whirled and stalked back down the hall to the larger room where Neve remained, tending the other injured.
Neve saw the expression on her face and held a finger up to her mouth, then dipped her chin and turned her head to regard the men sleeping on rough pallets.
Her message was clear. No matter what had Aftyn raging, she was not to disturb the men they cared for.
Aftyn huffed out a breath and nodded, then canted her head for Neve to join her out in the hall. Neve nodded and stood. Only then did Aftyn note that she’d been sitting by the same acolyte Aftyn had seen her talking to by the burn.
Neve didn’t waste any words once they were in the hall, but went right to the point. “What’s got ye so fashed?”
Aftyn clenched her fists, then forced herself to open them. “Rabbie willna let me in the chamber where Jamie and the burned man rest. I want to do something to help them, but Rabbie said this was beyond my skill.”
Neve gasped. “Ach, Aftyn. ’Twas unkind of him.”
“If I could, I would break down the door,” Aftyn complained. “But I cannae.” She turned and put her back to the wall. “I feel so useless.”
“Nay, ye are never that.” Neve reached for her and wrapped her in a hug. “But ye ken fine that neither of us is ready to deal with that man’s injuries. If Jamie can help him, then ye must let him.”
Aftyn knew Jamie would take good care of the injured man. She only wanted—no, needed—to help Jamie. She patted Neve’s back and stepped away. “I ken it. But I dinna like it.”
Neve peered into the room. “Come with me and meet Hamish.”
“The lad ye were talking to after the fire?”
“Aye. He hails from Crieff.”
“He’s here by himself?”
“Nay. He studies to be an ordained healer, something like us, not quite a priest. The kirk supports infirmaries in abbeys across Scotland. A trained healer is due in a few weeks, and Hamish came to help the abbey make ready for him.”
Aftyn froze. Another healer, experienced, soon only a mile away from the keep?
He could be exactly whom she needed to continue her training after Jamie left, or his presence could convince her father the clan no longer needed her.
All her insecurities, her anxiety, flared anew in her belly.
Stop being selfish, she chided to herself. The man could have helped here.
“Too bad he didn’t arrive early. Yesterday would have been helpful. How much of healing does Hamish ken?”
“A fair amount, and says now that he’s met me, he might change his mind about taking vows. He could help us.”
“Neve! Nay. Ye canna make him stray from his path.”
“I willna. ’Twill be his choice.” She paused, then added, “Though he does have the deepest blue eyes. Like a loch, they are.” She sighed and shrugged. “I canna stop thinking about him.”
“Ye just met him. And he’s to be a… some sort of priest!”
Neve’s lips lifted in a sweet smile. “Mayhap.”
Against her better judgement, Aftyn followed Neve to Hamish’s bedside. His eye opened and Aftyn had to admit Neve was right. She’d never seen such a clear, deep blue. But his gaze never left Neve and his smile was all for her.
“Angel mine,” he whispered. Someone, probably Neve, had tried to clean his face. Flecks of soot remaining around his nose and mouth explained the rasp in his voice.
The soot told Aftyn he must have helped clear the kirk of sacred objects before the roof came down.
“I am neither an angel, nor yers,” Neve told him.
“But ye could be,” he whispered and coughed, then, once he caught his breath, continued, “when I am better and free of this pallet.”
“We’ll talk about that when ye are better, then. For now, what do ye need? Water? Are ye hungry?”
“I only need to see ye, Angel mine.”
Aftyn fought not to roll her eyes. “I’m Aftyn,” she said, hoping to interrupt the longing gazes Hamish and Neve were sharing. “The Keith healer. With Neve. And ye do need water,” she added, placing a hand on Neve’s shoulder and squeezing. “’Tis good to meet ye, but now, we must check on the others.
Neve grimaced at Aftyn until she released her shoulder, then turned back to smile at Hamish. “Aye, we must.” She indicated the cup beside his pallet. “Drink. I’ll check on ye again soon.”
“Ye dinna have to drag me,” Neve told her softly as they moved away.
“After the way ye two were looking at each other, aye, I did.”
“’Twas no worse than the way ye look at Jamie Lathan.”
“What? I dinnae do any such thing.”
Neve snorted. “Ye canna fool me, Aftyn. Ye wouldna be so angry if ye didna also fear for him. Ye care about him.”
“That is the daftest thing ye have ever said.”
“Perhaps, but mark my words. I ken that look.”
Mark her words, indeed. Neve knew that look only because she and Hamish wore it.
Aftyn huffed and bent over the next patient, determined to put Neve’s words out of her mind.
Still, Neve was not entirely wrong, not that Aftyn would admit such to her.
Fearing for Jamie Lathan was appropriate, after seeing him carried into the abbey.
Caring in the way Neve meant, for a man due to leave in a few days, would gain her nothing.
Two days later, Aftyn finally left the abbey.
She worried that Jamie, remaining behind, would not be able to keep up with caring for the burned man and dealing with all the other, less serious injuries, but she’d left Neve behind, and Bhaltair and Fearchar remained with him.
Rabbie joined the Keith warriors escorting her, charged with checking on Niall, then returning to the abbey to give Jamie a full report.
When she entered the Keith great hall, Niall sitting at one of the tables, a cane propped against the bench next to him, surprised her. She went to him first.
“How do ye fare? I’m pleased to see ye able to walk about without assistance.”
“No’ entirely.” Niall indicated the cane. “I have been walking every day since ye saw me last. With a little help.” He indicated the cane. “Jamie insists I will regain my strength faster this way.”
“Aye, ye will. Ye must be eager to return home.”
Niall nodded. “Will ye join me? I wish to hear about what happened at the abbey. Did the others return with ye?”
“Only Rabbie. He must be helping tend the horses.” She took a seat across from him.
“One priest was badly burned saving the abbey’s gold crucifix just before the roof collapsed.
Jamie has spent most of time since the fire with him.
I heard the priest was able to sit up, drink, and take a little food, but I did not see him before I left.
There were more injuries that Neve and I tended to, but the rest were minor. ”
“When does Jamie expect to return?”
Aftyn’s heart sank. When he got back and saw how well Niall was, surely he and the rest of the Lathans would leave within another day or two. “He didna say.”
Niall nodded, his expression grim. “Very well. Ye must be tired. Ye need no’ sit with me. Rabbie will be in soon.”
“I should examine your leg.”
“Nay.” Niall shook his head. “’Tis healing well. Go to yer rest, lass.”
Why didn’t he want her to see his leg? Aftyn had no reason to be suspicious of him.
But something in his manner put her off.
“I am tired,” she admitted. Too tired to wrestle him to the ground and remove the wrapping from his leg.
“But I must speak with the laird first.” She stood.
“Take care moving about, Niall. Ye dinna want to tear open yer wound.”
“I will. Thank ye.”
She nodded and headed for the laird’s solar, where her father spent most of his time. He sat at his desk, reading, but looked up as she entered and set aside his papers.