Page 81 of A Healer for the Ruthless Highlander
Now, he was starting to feel a little uneasy.
Suddenly, he saw Joanna running toward them, and his anxiety grew tenfold.
“Leana has gone to the neighborin’ town. Apparently, she is attendin’ to an emergency.”
“When does she nae?,” Kenneth sighed, knowing that his future wife was like that. But relief flooded him nonetheless. “Well then, we’ll delay the ceremony until she returns.”
He did not let the news dampen his mood, for he knew his betrothed well. He knew the kind of woman he was marrying, and secretly, it was something he loved and deeply admired about her.
She was fierce in her convictions, unyielding in her passions, and he cherished that about her. But even as he embraced all that she was, he also understood one undeniable truth—her heart, before anything else, belonged to healing. It had always been that way, and he would never seek to change it.
“All set,” Leana announced, smiling at the little boy Jane held in her arms.
Her old friend from the neighboring town had informed her earlier that morning that her baby was very sick, which, ofcourse, had alarmed Leana, as the baby was just under two months old.
Luckily, it was nothing grave, so Leana was deeply happy.
“Will me Angus be all right?” Jane asked.
Leana nodded. “Aye. Just make sure he’s nice and warm when he sleeps,” she said, standing up.
Only then did she realize that, in her haste, she had left the castle in her wedding dress, which had become stained with dirt and grass. That was a pity because the beautiful sky-blue fabric could not be cleaned for the ceremony that afternoon.
The ceremony… which would not take place if she did not hurry back to the castle.
Smiling, Jane seemed to read the look in her eyes.
“Hurry! Ye must go. I daenae want ye to be late for yer own weddin’!” she urged, practically herding her to her horse.
“Are ye sure ye daenae want to come to the ceremony?” Leana asked again.
Jane shook her head. “Quite sure. I must make sure that this little one gets well soon.” Her eyes, full of affection, remained fixed on the chubby baby in her arms, while Leana smiled.“Hopefully, ye and the Laird will soon be blessed with a child of yer own.”
Unable to help herself, Leana nodded, her heart swelling at the thought.
It wasn’t something she and Kenneth had talked about, but so far, they had no problem repeatedly attempting the act of conception.
“Visit me soon,” she said.
“As soon as I can,” Jane assured her.
Leana mounted her steed and rode off in a hurry.
She was sure that her sisters, as well as Valerie, would chide her for the delay, but she could not help it. Kenneth chose to marry her even though he knew she would always have someone to care for or heal.
Luckily, the roads were much safer now, thanks to the measures the council had taken, and although she was late for the ceremony, Leana was able to catch a glimpse of the tall towers of the castle before the evening was over.
But of course, the reception she got was filled with scolding.
“Oh, Leana, what did ye do?” Valerie and Irene huffed as she took the horse to the stables.
The three young ladies, as well as Kenneth’s stepmother, looked beautiful, with their braided hair and best finery. They looked like ladies from the Queen’s Court, which made Leana wonder.
She didn’t know if she would ever look that beautiful on her special day.
“I… I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I just had an emergency to attend to…”
“Oh, and the dress. Just look what ye’ve done to yer pretty dress!” Valerie shrieked, looking like she was about to collapse.
