Chapter 13
Liam barely looked at her during the last leg of their journey.
In fact, he'd been ignoring her all morning.
She did her best to pretend that it didn't bother her.
Most of the other men were more than happy to chat with her.
Most of the Sinclair guards had forgiven her, although a few were still cold.
That was to be expected. They would protect her, but they would never approve. She was still an unmarried woman.
She used to be able to read Liam so well, but all she could see was a ramrod-straight back and stiff shoulders.
If he didn't relax soon, he would really start to feel the horse ride.
Last night, before they retired, he seemed to forgive her.
He was actually conversing with her. It was an uncomfortable conversation, but a conversation nonetheless.
Maybe he didn't believe her. Maybe he did think her father would force them to marry.
It would never happen.
When she found out that some women were forced to marry, she was ten, and she'd been appalled. Racing to her parents’ chambers, she'd burst into their room, stamped her feet and declared that if they forced her to marry, she would run away and never return.
Her father had promised to never let that happen no matter what, and she believed him. That's why she was surprised when Liam admitted that their parents were forcing them together for a reason. She and Liam? He would be laird. He would never accept a wife like her, and she would never change.
So there was no reason to give it another thought.
“Jean? Are ye tired?” Andrew asked. Belatedly, she realized that he'd asked her a question.
“Nay. I just... halt!”
Everyone came to a halt, and Jean jumped from her horse. “Jean!” Liam roared as he reached. “Are ye alright? What is it?”
“Are we close to the settlement?” Jean asked as she carefully removed a fallen branch on the ground.
“Aye, we will reach our destination within the hour. Why? Are ye injured?”
“Nay. Do ye see this?” She pointed to the tracks leading deeper into the forest. When Liam didn't answer, she looked at him. All his features had hardened,
“What kind of beast makes tracks like that?” Amos wondered.
“A monster,” she said darkly.
“A large hound.” Liam pointed to three of his men. “Follow them. The tracks are at least a day old, but ye may get lucky. Dinnae spend too much time on it. I expect to see ye before nightfall.”
“I can help,” Jean volunteered.
“Nay. Ye are nae needed.” He hesitated. “Good eyes, Jean.”
Pride swelled through her, but it didn't distract her from the fact that he was still denying his own instincts. She'd seen some big hounds in the Highlands; none of them made tracks like that.
The settled territory along the river was beautiful. They were greeted by a dozen children and easily three times as many adults. Their relief at seeing them was clearly palpable.
There were two houses that were smoldering shells. Jean's heart broke at the sight of them. Anything that had been inside was gone. She couldn't imagine losing all her possessions.
As Liam told them that they were there to help, eyes bore into her. Liam caught that. “You may notice the Sinclair colors. They are allies and are here to help, as is Jean Sinclair, although she willnae be here more than a few days.”
Liam still thought someone would be along to retrieve her. It annoyed her how quickly he wanted to be rid of her. Hadn't she proven helpful?
“I am a tracker, hunter, and healer,” she said, unwilling to let Liam continue talking down to her. She also avoided using the word warrior. The next few days, or however long she was allowed to stay, were not about her. “Please let me know if anyone was injured in the fire, or any other injury.”
Immediately, people lined up in front of her, and a young woman stepped forward. “Let’s not knock her off her horse,” the woman chuckled. “Lady Jean can work in my new house. You can meet her there.”
They all took off, and Jean dismounted along with Liam. “That is kind. Thank ye, Mara.”
“Whatever I can do to help. Lady Jean, if ye will come with me.”
“Please. Just Jean. I am almost never a lady. Least of all here.”
“Then Jean. I am happy that ye are here, as are most people. The warriors are not as good with comfort, and this time we need both.” Her smile waivered a little. “And I hope ye do not mind my offer to host ye. I could use the company.”
It was hard not to look at Liam smugly as she walked away. Mara had made her point beautifully, and it was time to get to work.
None of the injuries were from the fire, but it was clear that these people could benefit from a residential healer.
There were cuts and scrapes from the rebuilding, three children with a couple of minor injuries.
One of the men had an infection from a hunting accident, and several women were suffering from exhaustion.
Jean worried about the infection, but no one else was seriously ill. She treated the infection as best she could. It was dark by the time she was finished. Bonfires had been lit outside, and from the noise, it seemed crowds were gathering.
When she glanced out the window, Mara chuckled. “Whenever Liam is here, everyone prepares for a community dinner outdoor. Plus, we must celebrate now that ye have brought some food. We should go and join them.”
“In a minute,” Jean said as she turned and studied the woman who had been helping her for most of the day. “Please remove yer dress and sit on the bed.”
Mara frowned. “Pardon me?”
“Ye have been wincing every time ye twist yer body to the left. I first thought it was just a muscle ache, but ye are scratching at it. That indicates a wound.”
Mara chuckled nervously and pressed a hand to her side. “‘Tis nothing. A bug bite, I believe. Nothing to worry yourself about.”
“We both know that ye are lying. The sooner ye let me take a look, the sooner I will let ye out to eat.”
At that, Mara’s smile turned feral. “Ye think ye could keep me here against my will?”
“I am confident in my abilities, but if I cannae, I at least believe that as soon as I tell yer neighbors what I suspect, they will be more than happy to hold ye down and let me take a look. From what I can tell, everyone here cares about ye, but then everyone will know, which I suspect is what ye are trying to avoid. Ye let me take a look at it now, and I will keep yer secret.”
“Oh, ye are good. Verra well, so long as ye swear not to tell anyone. Everyone is already overprotective of me after Amelia’s death. Do ye mind giving me some privacy?”
Obediently, Jean turned. “I know a bit about what it is like to be overprotective.”
“It was nice, at first. Amelia was all I had. She’d taken care of me since we were children, and the loneliness was crushing, but then I simply wanted some privacy.
To mourn. To figure out how to live this life alone.
That is harder when everyone is always knocking on the door to see how I am doing. ”
“I have never lost anyone as close as a sister, but I have seen it happen, and I have seen what happens when someone deals with loss alone,” Jean told her quietly. “‘Tis better to have too much support than not enough.”
“Ye can turn around.”
Jean turned to see Mara lying on the bed with her back to Jean. Sheets covered most of her except for a nasty wound on her side. Jean inhaled sharply when she got a good look at it. “Have ye been running a fever?”
“Nay. ‘Tis not infected. Amelia taught me a few things, but ‘tis hard for me to reach it,” Mara admitted.
“It needs to be sewn shut. It will never heal like this.” The gash was nearly three inches long, horizontally on her waist. It had been sloppily dressed, but it had been cleaned.
There were three cut marks next to it, but it was already scabbing over.
She placed her hand over the wound and flexed her fingers, confirming what she already suspected. “This is a claw.”
When Mara didn’t say anything, Jean closed her eyes. “Ye have been trying to hunt what killed yer sister. Obviously, yer neighbors havenae been keeping a close enough eye on ye.”
“Ye would do the same,” Mara snapped. “I can tell.”
Jean couldn’t refute it, so she set about preparing the area.
“My mother is terrible at needlework, so she didnae bother trying to teach me. An elder taught me and was thankful that I had more skill. Of course, I told her that I had no use for a thread and needle. Lucky for ye, my aunt taught me how to put it to good use. This is going to sting, Mara. I dinnae have anything to numb the pain.”
“‘Tis alright. The pain might feel good,” Mara said quietly.
It would seem the friendly woman with the big smile and helpful advice was only putting on a brave face to hide the darkness inside her, and Jean couldn’t help but wonder if that would get her killed.
After finishing the sutures, Jean helped Mara dress. She thought for sure that the woman wouldn’t want to join dinner, but it turned out that nothing would keep Mara down. When they left the small cottage, only one of them was smiling.
And it was Mara.
Immediately, people swarmed them. A plate was shoved in her hands, and as the night wore on, she searched for Liam, but it was difficult to find him with all the villagers gathered around them.
“If anyone can take down the monster, ‘tis Liam,” one of the younger men said to a child. “Ye’ve nothing to fear, Donald.”
Monster? That piqued her interest, and she walked over to them. “What is this monster that I have heard talk of?”
“The fae are angry,” Donald said with wide eyes. “And we dinnae know why. We are leaving offerings out for them.”
“There’s no such thing,” another child snorted. “My pappa says the fae arenae real.”
“Dinnae say that!” Donald countered. “They will come for ye now! They will send the monster after ye! Ye must apologize and put an offering out tonight.”
Fae, huh? Is that how they were explaining the issues? Jean patted Donald on the head. “The fae have not been seen for many generations. I dinnae think they’ve returned just for this parcel of land.”
The child crooked his finger, and Jean bent down so the boy could whisper in her ear. “‘Tis because we arenae honoring our agreement. The land no longer belongs to us.”
Immediately, Jean stiffened. “Who told ye this, Donald?”
“Just heard it somewhere. Dunno where.” With a shrug, he raced off, leaving Jean with an uneasy feeling.