Page 50 of The Highlander's Runaway Nun
“Enter,” Laura said.
The door creaked open, and Cora bustled in, carrying a basin of warm water. Her eyes widened as she saw Laura hunched over the bucket.
“Och, me Lady, ye’re lookin’ pale as the moon,” Cora said, setting the basin down quickly. “Are ye ill?”
Laura waved a weak hand. “’Tis nothin’, I’m sure,” she said softly. “Must be a bug or something of the sort. It’ll pass soon enough.”
Cora tilted her head, her shrewd eyes glinting. “A bug, ye say? Hm.” She crossed her arms over her apron. “Tell me, lass, how many morns now have ye been wakin’ up feelin’ like this?”
Laura frowned, confused. “This is the first time,” she admitted. “Truly, Cora, daenae fuss so.”
But Cora stepped closer, lowering her voice with a knowing smile. “Forgive me sayin’ it plain, me Lady, but it sounds a fair bit like more than just a wee sickness. Could it be that an heir is on the way?”
Laura’s breath caught, her eyes widening. “An heir?” she whispered, her cheeks blooming red. “Cora, I, I daenae ken. I havenae thought…” She suddenly went still, her hand flying to her stomach.
Cora’s grin widened, her voice soft but teasing. “Aye, it seems the thought’s strikin’ ye now. Tell me true, has yer moon come this month?”
Laura blinked in confusion, her face flushing even deeper. “Me moon?”
Cora sighed dramatically and perched on the edge of the bed. “Och, lass, ye were raised by holy women, were ye nae? Tell me ye at least ken what that means.”
Laura bit her lip and looked away, embarrassed. “I… suppose I daenae ken much,” she confessed quietly. “The nuns didnae speak of such things in detail. They said a lady shouldnae dwell on the matters of the body, only on prayer and duty.”
Cora chuckled under her breath, shaking her head. “Well, prayers willnae tell ye when ye’re carryin’ a bairn, that’s for certain. Let me ask ye plain, me Lady, have ye bled at all since the Laird took ye to be his wife?”
Laura’s lips parted, but no words came. She thought back. How many days had passed since her last bleeding? Her heart thudded harder as realization began to creep in. “I, I cannae remember,” she stammered. “It’s been… a while now.”
Cora clapped her hands together, her eyes bright with delight. “Then I’ll wager ye’re with child, me Lady! Oh, the Laird’ll be over the moon when he hears of this!”
Laura’s pulse quickened at the words. “With child?” she repeated faintly, resting a hand on her stomach again. “Saints preserve me, I… I daenae even ken what that means for me now.”
Cora laughed kindly, the sound filling the room like sunshine. “It means, dear heart, that ye’ll be bringin’ a wee bairn into this world, a child of yer own and the Laird’s blood. A McCormack heir!”
Laura’s throat tightened. “But I daenae ken how to do this,” she said softly. “The nuns never taught us what happens when a woman carries a child. Only that ‘tis a sacred duty between husband and wife.”
Cora’s smile softened into one of maternal warmth. “Ah, well, ye’re learnin’ now, lass. There’s nothin’ to fear. Ye’ll have me and the healers to guide ye through every bit of it.” She reached out, resting a hand on Laura’s shoulder. “Ye’ll be just fine, I promise ye that.”
Laura looked up at her, her blue eyes full of uncertainty. “But how will I tell Bradley?” she whispered. “He’s been so distant these days, ever since his maither came. What if… what if he doesnae want this?”
Cora snorted. “Och, nonsense! The man will be burstin’ with pride. Every laird dreams of an heir, and he adores ye, whether he says the words or not. This’ll bring him joy, I promise ye.”
Laura managed a weak smile, though doubt still lingered in her heart. “Aye, perhaps ye’re right,” she murmured. “He has wanted an heir. Maybe… maybe this will make him happy again.”
Cora nodded firmly. “It surely will, me Lady. And ye must rest now. Nay strainin’ yerself, ye hear me? I’ll fetch some tea to settle yer stomach.” She rose briskly, but before she left, she paused and looked back at Laura with a grin. “Oh, and daenae fret, soon enough, everyone will ken that the Lady of McCormack Castle carries the future of the clan in her belly.”
When Cora left, Laura sat very still on the edge of the bed, her hand once more drifting to her abdomen. The thought felt strange, wonderful, and terrifying all at once. A child. Her and Bradley’s child.
Her heart swelled with emotion, a tear slipping down her cheek. “A bairn,” she whispered to the quiet chamber. “Aye… perhaps this is the Lord’s blessin’ after all.”
Outside, the wind swept softly against the stone walls, carrying the promise of new beginnings. And for the first time since her marriage, Laura truly felt she was part of something greater, something that might just heal all wounds between her and her Laird.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Laura waited for Cora and played with Angus, who had been sleeping by the hearth.
“Ye are a sweet pup, are ye nae, Angus?” Laura scratched his ear.
The dog replied with a soft whine.
