Page 1 of A Healer for the Ruthless Highlander
CHAPTER 1
“Ye have nothing to fear.The child will live,” Leana promised.
The woman beside her sighed in relief. Eyes brimming with tears, she reached for Leana and began to say over and over, “Thank ye, thank ye! May ye have all the blessings in the world.”
Her being so emotional was understandable, for her son, only five years old, had been on the verge of death from a contagious disease that was sweeping through the villages—which was why Leana was so far from home.
“No need to thank me. It’s just what a healer does after all,” Leana replied, smiling at her.
It was rare for her to smile like that, so warmly. Strange, because her rather strong and hot temperament made her frown most of the time. But on the occasions when she was engrossed in her work or her family, her expression would shift, like it did now.
Now, her face softened, and for a few moments, she could be happy with herself and what she did here today.
Even weariness was erased from her expression, though she had not slept for several hours. The night before, the villagers had desperately called for her after the boy’s fever had risen. Since then, she had done nothing but look after him, not sleeping a wink all night for fear that his fever would get worse.
Fortunately, that had not happened.
And so, it was not long before she left the farmers’ humble abode—after accepting a meager breakfast of brown bread and potato soup, as payment for her services.
She knew these people had little more to offer, and she would not accept their hard-earned savings when she had only done the right thing by answering their call.
No. It was always best to help to the best of her ability, as her father had taught her, and that kindness would be returned to her in another way, at another time.
Her sisters had always told her that she was as noble as she was stubborn—which was sayinga lot. The remark had always amused her, for she knew that even when her sisters joked about it, they meant it with affection.
In fact, she thought of them as she said goodbye to the farmers, looking at the couple’s three daughters and longing for herown family. Far away at home, her father and sisters would be waiting to hear from her.
Her return journey had taken longer than she had expected, but she didn’t mind.
It filled her with pride, in a way, to have been able to help not just the boy, but so many people before him. This disease had really been spreading too much, too fast.
As she pulled up her leafy green hood over her jet-black hair and walked toward the forest, she thought of how much she enjoyed her work. A smile spread across her deep rose lips, and she knew the small dimples must have appeared on her cheeks. They always did, when she smiled.
As she walked, the woman who had accompanied her through the village caught up with her. Calling this girl, who was only a year or two older than her, awomanmade her feel a little uncomfortable, as if she were too old for her twenty-three years.
But it was true that the charismatic redhead’s bulging belly gave her a certain air of womanhood that Leana did not possess, despite the youth still imprinted on her lightly tanned skin.
“It was fortunate that ye were able to answer our call. These people would have died without ye,” Jane sighed, leading the way.
Leana nodded. “I’d like to say ye’re exaggeratin’, but I’m afraid ye’re nae. The fever has run through the pastures like a summer fire. I’m afraid it will get worse if I daenae do something soon.”
“Ye will do something about it. Though I’m sure the worst is over.”
“I hope so,” Leana muttered. “I’ve seen and treated many cases with me faither over the past few months, and while I think we’ve got the disease under control, I’m afraid it will get worse with the onset of winter.”
As they spoke, they moved deeper into the forest, leaving behind them the fields lit by that empty light, the product of storm clouds.
The air was charged and smelled strongly of rain, and Leana feared that if she didn’t hurry, she would be stranded halfway between one village and the next.
But she could not leave without replenishing her stock of herbs, which she had so carefully administered to her patients. She knew the risks of traveling without the proper supplies for her work, and she would rather risk being caught in a storm than leave without her precious plants.
“Tell me, what exactly are we lookin’ for?” Jane asked briskly.
It was odd to see her frown, almost as if she expected to be given some arduous task.
Smiling, Leana pulled down her hood and looked around. “I’ll need sage, borage, thistle, yarrow—and if ye can get some wild lavender, it would be great,” she replied, thinking of the many medicines she needed to prepare and the ones she would probably have to make on the way or the return journey.
For a moment, Jane looked confused, but after Leana described the appearance of each plant to the last detail, they parted ways, moving deeper and deeper into the forest.
