Page 63 of The Guardian's Bride
“Perhaps. We may as well consider it so, and give it some stability and coddle it so it will heal, whether broken or sprained.”
“What a lucky lad to have a lady medécin as a guest here,” Aedan told Colban.
“A what?” he asked.
“That is like a physician,” Marjorie said.
“But I am not that,” Rowena said. “I work with herbs and stones and such.”
“She knows a great deal and you are in very good hands,” Aedan said.
“I want to leave his arm splinted for the night,” she said. “Tomorrow I will make a wax sleeve for him before you leave with Sir Brian.”
“Wax sleeve?” Marjorie asked. “What will you need?”
“Linen dipped in limewash and some warm wax that I can shape around his arm. That should protect it nicely.” As she moved around, she could feel a deep ache and tenderness forming in her ankle and foot, which she had twisted when she’d grabbed the boy and held onto the rope to keep from tumblingfarther down. But she could tend to that herself later, and would not call attention to it here.
Soon, with his arm wrapped and the excitement subsiding, Colban began to yawn. Aedan carried him into the little round room with the narrow bed and set him down, then stood back as Marjorie and Rowena helped ready him for bed in a simple shirt. Marjorie helped him wash his face and such, then left the chamomile and willow drink beside his bed.
“I want to hear about pirates,” Colban said.
Rowena, tucking an extra pillow under his arm, laughed softly and agreed. She sat carefully on the bed beside him.
“Once there was a longship that carried your father and Sir Brian and me, too,” she said. “And a huge pirate ship came out of the fog! We were so surprised and your father and Sir Brian were very brave, fighting off the pirates who wanted our gold.”
“What did you do?” Colban asked, eyes wide.
“Tell him what you did, my lady,” Aedan said, quirking a smile.
“I—felt kind of sick, and I—” She paused, wondering what to say next. She looked up and saw Aedan, Marjorie, and Lady Jennet still standing by the door. He folded his arms over his chest and cocked a brow, waiting.
“And I—spewed my dinner all over them! And then they went back to their ship!”
Colban burst out laughing. Aedan guffawed, and his sister and aunt laughed too.
“Did you? Did she, Da?”
“She certainly did,” he drawled. “And they jumped into the sea and were never seen again.”
Marjorie was still laughing, and Lady Jennet wiped her eyes.
“Aedan,” Marjorie said. “We love Lady Rowena.”
He grinned, then turned to her. “Thank you, Lady Rowena. Let me sit with him now until he goes to sleep. Marjorie sleeps in the larger room so she will be nearby all night. You need rest.”
“I will show you to your room, dear,” Lady Jennet said.
She nodded and stood, favoring her ankle, hoping no one saw her slight limp. At the door, she turned, glancing back.
Aedan bent over his son, speaking softly. Her heart nearly burst with love to see that. She turned away, not wanting anyone to notice what shone in her eyes.
Her room wasvery like Colban’s, placed just above his on a level in the round corner tower. The larger chamber held a big bed, and the small circular room had another modest bed tucked beside a chair and table. The smaller bed looked so inviting, with pillows and a handsome red plaid blanket, that she settled there after washing up. She was pleased to find a basin with a jug of clear water, and glad to find a tiny private latrine room as well. Those small spaces would be stacked on the tower’s outermost wall, utilizing a chute that would extend down the cliff to the sea.
She examined her foot, the ankle bruised and sore, and applied some ointment that Lady Jennet had brought earlier for Colban. Then she undressed to her linen shift and lay down, blowing out the candle, and was soon asleep in the snug space.
And she dreamed that Thomas the Rhymer came to her, walking through a forest ripe with fog. Thou art where thee must be,he said,doing what thee must do.
But Grandda, I do not know what to do. Tell me.
