The Highlander's Secret(38)

Jain glanced up as her mother rinsed off the dish and pursed her lips together. She was about to inquire about when Eamon would return when there was a knock at the door. Jain turned when she heard it and Aileen sat up in the bed to see who it could be. Moira went to answer it and the door flew open with Nora standing outside in the cold.

“There ye are, my darling!” Nora crooned.

Aileen’s face lit up when she saw her mother returning from her trip. “Mam!”

The two warriors who’d travelled with her on the trip hovered in the doorway. Jain glanced over at them and offered a respectful nod.

“Thank ye fer coming with me thus far, lads. Go home to yer families and I’ll come visit ye in the morning.”

The men backed out of the threshold with a bow. “Until next time, Nora. I pray yer little love here makes a swift recovery. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” the women all spoke to them in unison.

Nora closed the door behind them and rushed over to her child’s bedside. “I came as fast as I could. Are ye making out alright?”

“I’m fine, Mam.”

“We’ll get ye home first thing in the morning. Thank ye so much fer taking care of her,” Nora told Jain and Moira together. “I dinnae ken what would have happened if she’d been here by herself.”

“Ye’re quite welcome,” Moira told her. “Ye ken Aileen is always welcome.”

Jain kissed her cousin on the forehead and stood up to give Nora and her daughter some private time. “Shall I go and unhitch yer horse?” she asked Nora pleasantly.

“Aye, that would be fine. He’s probably hungry, too.”

Jain backed away with a tiny grin and said, “Then I’ll bring him some carrots and a pail of water. See to Aileen and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Jain gathered the carrots and water for tending to the beast outside. She wrapped a cloak around her and stepped out into the bitter chill. On the grass Nora’s faithful horse, Pepper, was hitched to a weighted-down cart and buggy. She held out her hand and offered him a taste of carrot. Pepper ate it hungrily and nuzzled his nose into her apron, looking for more scraps. Jain laughed and brushed his mane affectionately before unbuckling the harness keeping him in place. “That’s a good lad,” she told the horse. “Oh, but ye must be freezing! Let’s get ye to the stables, shall we?”

Gently, she led him by the reins and took him around to the back of the house. Pepper whinnied softly when she led him to a pen and shut the gate behind. Once he was securely stationed, Jain retrieved a horse blanket from the shelf overhead and threw it across his back, so he could rest and get warm from the long journey across the hills. She placed the bucket inside for him to drink and a pail of oats for him to eat, then scratched behind his ears before going back inside the house. Her breath was visible in the cold and she clasped her hands together beneath her woolen cloak. Jain made her way back inside and found the others in more or less the same positions she had left them.

Nora had managed to shed her cloak after coming inside and was quietly speaking with her daughter, brushing her hand across her forehead. Jain brushed her hands across her skirt to smooth some of the wrinkles and sat down next to them on the floor. “Pepper is warming up in the stable and I gave him a portion of oats as well.”

“Thank ye, Jain. ’Twas mighty kind of ye.”

“’Twas nae trouble at all.”

“Where’s Eamon?” Nora asked them suddenly, looking around to find her brother.

“There was a meeting in the village,” Moira told her. “They’re discussing what to do about the Northern invaders.”

Nora nodded solemnly. “Has there been much happening since I left?”

“There have been a few attacks,” Jain informed her. “Tell me about Inverness! I want to hear all about yer travels. What did ye see?”

Nora raised an eyebrow at Jain’s inquisitive nature and took her hair down from its wrap. The dark brown locks of her hair tumbled down Nora’s back and her lips curved up into a knowing smile. “My, ye’re certainly full of questions!”

“Sorry…”

“Never apologize to me, lass. It’s one of my favorite things about ye.”

The firelight dimmed, but they continued to talk and hear about Nora’s journey to the west. Aileen was sitting up and drinking another cup of broth, giving all of them hope that she’d make a full recovery.

Eventually, Eamon made it home and the women were delighted when they heard him open the door. He was out of breath and panting when he made it in the house and said, “Nora?”

“Eamon, ye’re back!”

He walked over to embrace her with a hug, still breathing heavily. “I saw yer cart outside and thought ye might be in here. How was the trip?”

Nora sighed. “Not as well as I’d hoped, but managed to sell all the wares. Jain and I were just talking about Inverness.”

Eamon chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair. “Of course ye were. Jain’s always been curious about the outside world. Will ye be staying the night?”

“If that’s alright.”

“Of course,” he responded instantly, glancing back towards the door. His nose and cheeks were red from running down the hill and he seemed upset about something, but Jain wasn’t sure what that could be. “Jain, can I talk to ye outside fer a moment?”