Page 30 of Highland Heroine (Brides of the Highlands #3)

F irst thing the following morning, Moira walked to the infirmary. She and Ailis planned for this to be the day Brodie would start walking without help again.

Moira reached for linen bandages, eyes darting to locate salves and tinctures, while Ailis collected fresh water and clean cloths. They approached Brodie McClain’s bed in an unspoken dance of readiness.

Brodie lay under woolen blankets, caught between sleep and wakefulness. The sisters’ rustling roused him, his deep brown eyes flickering open before a mask of resolve settled on his features. He swung his legs over the side of the bed with a controlled grimace.

His lean frame masked the strength within his muscles, every movement revealing the internal battle inside him.

Brodie clenched his jaw as he pushed against the mattress, propping himself up on trembling arms. His gaze remained forward, focused on the difficult path of recovery ahead.

He knew the days ahead would be filled with pain, but he was determined to walk again.

His fears about losing Moira would allow him to do nothing else.

Inhaling deeply, Brodie allowed them to hoist him upward.

His feet met the cold stone floor, and he focused intently on each step forward.

The initial steps were a sheer test of determination, but he persisted, feeling the burn in his muscles with every movement.

Moira and Ailis matched his pace, as they did their best to support him and not allow him to fall.

Sweat trickled down Brodie’s forehead as he clenched his jaw, refusing to be defeated by his body.

Moira and Ailis provided unwavering support, holding onto him with unyielding steadiness.

The distance between the bed and wooden beam across the room shrank with each step, the women’s hushed encouragement fueling his determination.

“Tha thu làidir, Brodie. You are strong,” Moira whispered.

“Each step is a victory,” Ailis added softly.

Brodie reached the beam, his fingers brushing against the rough wood. He allowed himself to lean against it briefly, a small triumph within the infirmary’s stone confines.

His brothers arrived and carried him into the courtyard. The vibrant green grass contrasted with the muted tones he’d grown used to. The sky was a vast blue canvas streaked with white clouds. Mountains surrounded them, their snow-capped peaks guarding valleys and lochs below.

He inhaled deeply, smelling pine and earth—the essence of home. When he’d sat in the courtyard the previous day, he’d realized he had too much to live for to give up, which had been his first inclination.

With Moira’s shoulder for support and Ailis gripping his other side, Brodie moved toward a rough-hewn bench in the courtyard heart. Sitting down, his legs trembled like aspen leaves around them. His brothers’ distant voices encouraged him.

“Stand tall, brother!” Alisdair called.

Lachlan yelled, “We’re with ye every step!”

Brodie surveyed the wildflowers as Ailis readied herself.

“Ready,” he said, breathing in the earthy scent.

With Moira’s support and Ailis’s guidance, Brodie stood on unsteady legs atop uneven cobblestones.

“Focus on the horizon,” Moira advised as they moved forward. “Let it guide you.”

“Watch the stones, feel the earth,” Ailis encouraged.

Their voices propelled him onward as each step tested his balance. Fixating on distant mountains, Brodie found his rhythm amid the resolute Highland terrain, his own story interwoven among its challenges and triumphs.

*

They were back in the courtyard the following day, giving Brodie a new goal for how far he needed to walk. Yesterday’s goal had been difficult, but today’s looked near impossible.

Brodie steadied himself on the cobblestone path, gripping Moira’s and Ailis’s arms with each step. “Each step is a victory,” Moira encouraged.

Ailis smiled. “Yesterday’s mark is behind you now.” True enough, the small pile of stones they used to measure progress lay in the distance. Brodie’s muscles quivered with fatigue, but he pressed on.

“Rest now,” Ailis suggested.

“Nay, while I’ve daylight left, I’ll use it,” Brodie replied.

Moira nodded. “Then we walk with ye.”

The afternoon sun cast long shadows upon the stone walls of McAfee Keep as Brodie continued walking. His breathing grew more labored, limbs trembling, yet his eyes fixated on the path ahead.

“Lean on us,” Ailis murmured when Brodie faltered.

“Ye are never alone,” Moira added firmly. Their unwavering presence gave him strength to press on.

“Another step, then another,” Brodie whispered, determination driving him forward.

As Brodie’s endurance waned, love for his clan and companions pushed him forward. When he finally stopped, he knew today’s exhaustion would be tomorrow’s strength—a strength forged from the very stones beneath his feet and the unyielding spirit of those who stood with him.

*

Brodie was sore and in no mood to work the following day, but Moira and Ailis pushed him to at least try.

“Enough!” Brodie’s word ricocheted off the courtyard walls. He glared at his trembling legs. “I’m no use to anyone like this—”

“Ye are more than the strength of yer legs, Brodie McClain,” Moira interrupted. She touched his arm reassuringly. “Rest now.”

Brodie nodded, accepting Moira’s wisdom and acknowledging the strength in others.

“Forgive me,” he whispered coarsely. “I seem to always get angry with the two of ye when ye are doing nothing but trying to help me.” Brodie shook his head. “I dinnae mean to be rude.”

“Nothing to forgive,” Ailis replied, offering her shoulder. “It’s the fire in yer spirit that’ll see ye through this.”

As evening invaded, twilight shadows danced on the courtyard floor. Seated between Moira and Ailis, Brodie relished the fleeting warmth. The sun dipped lower, etching the skyline with its parting hues.

“Look at that sky,” Ailis murmured in awe. Captivated by the colorful display, Brodie pledged, “Tomorrow, I’ll walk further.”

Moira nodded, her red hair blazing like embers, pride shining in her eyes.

“Aye, we’ll be with ye every step.” She pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

“We’ll not give up on ye. No matter what.

” Though she hurt every time he became angry with her, she knew things would soon be better as he improved.

And she had promised to be with him in sickness and in health. What was this, if not sickness?

The camaraderie fortified Brodie’s resolve and their unwavering commitment to one another. Gratitude swelled within him for the day’s small victories.

“Thank ye,” he said softly. He knew he didn’t deserve their compassion, but that seemed to be all they showed him.

As stars emerged to guard the night sky, despair retreated, leaving only hope and unyielding determination for whatever lay ahead.

Moira and Ailis approached Brodie, their silhouettes contrasting against the sky. In sync, they supported him as he rose from the bench.

“Ready?” Moira’s steady voice accompanied her firm grip on Brodie’s arm.

“Let’s go,” Ailis added with an encouraging tone.

Brodie nodded, gathering his strength for the journey back to the infirmary. Moira’s fiery hair seemed to capture the waning light, guiding them through the dim courtyard. Ailis’s presence provided unwavering support on his other side—her athletic form reassuring him of steady progress.

Their feet carried them to the infirmary where Brodie settled onto the bed with a sigh of relief. He observed as Moira stowed away medical supplies and Ailis ensured his comfort.

“If ye keep improving, in another seven days, I think ye could move back into yer own room with Moira.” Ailis smiled at Brodie. “I think that would make ye improve even more quickly.”

A determined exchange passed between them—a silent commitment to continue healing until Brodie could stand unaided once more. But they all knew he would need to be able to climb stairs to move back to his room with Moira. And that would be a difficult undertaking.

Brodie nodded in surprise. “Ye are smart, giving me something to work toward. Thank ye.”

As Ailis dimmed the oil lamps, Brodie knew another day of trials awaited. But within the infirmary, supported by Moira and Ailis, he believed in a stronger tomorrow.

Stars peeked through the narrow window while Brodie lay on his pillow, body aching from exertion—an ode to that day’s success amid the muted atmosphere of the infirmary. There were no other patients in there now, as they had all been sent home with their clans. It was just him.

He closed his eyes, letting his breath guide him inward. The journey had pushed him to his limits, but Moira’s fiery courage and Ailis’s steadiness became his pillars.

As they pressed on, their hands and voices provided unwavering support, fueling his spirit. “Ye’ve come far, Brodie McClain,” he whispered, echoing their words.

In the gloom, Brodie imagined the path ahead—untrodden trails and challenges waiting. But with Moira and Ailis beside him, the unknown seemed less daunting—the thought of tomorrow ignited a fire in his chest that even night’s chill couldn’t extinguish.

Their progress was a testament not only to his tenacity but also to their unwavering partnership. Together, they forged an unbreakable bond.

Brodie succumbed to sleep, dreams filled with impending challenges and an insurmountable peak that they would climb one step at a time. Under Moira’s fierce resolve and Ailis’s quiet strength, anticipation for the next day outshone any lingering doubt.

“Rest now,” he told himself, surrendering to the night. “For on the morrow, we rise again.”