Page 11 of Stolen Highland Dreams (The Highlanders #9)

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M ore than anything, Dashiell wished Ella could speak to him and tell him everything he needed to know—who she was, where she’d been living, where the young girl was that she’d rescued from his men, and why she’d written MacAfee’s name in the dirt.

Mai returned to take care of the lady so he could attend the meal.

At the morning meal, Lady Yvaine leaned over Niall to speak to Dashiell. “Many are dying to see Ella. They say she canna speak.”

“Perhaps she only knows the language of the owls and wolves of the forest.” He paused to poke his spoon into the pork stew and added, “Let us no’ forget the deer.”

“Will you no’ permit any of your ladies to see her?

“Nay, they may dream of her.”

“We have never dreamed of her,” James said. “While you were with her, I spoke to several men who hunt with you, curious. They all had different dreams, but all about her.”

“‘Tis good we dinna dream of her,” Niall said. “Our lasses wouldna be happy about it.”

“They would know she had bewitched us.” Angus ate some of his brown bread. “And that we wouldna be at fault.”

His aunt lifted her goblet, “It does no’ seem fair that only some of your men have seen her. Lady Whittington wishes to see what has interested her husband so. I wish to learn how the lady has entranced you so. Why will you no’ permit me to meet with her?”

“When she has recovered, Lady Yvaine. She seems afraid of anyone who comes into the room.”

“Paige, who attends her, says Ella doesna seem afraid of women. And a young lad saw her, and she seemed cheered.”

Dashiell frowned. “What young lad?”

“I dinna ken. We believe that Lynette lied about Ella harming her. If the lass canna speak, she could no’ have said the things to Lynette that she claims.”

“I believe the lady should be given a chance to recover first before she has too many visitors, and I agree with you about Lynette, even before I learned Ella canna speak, but I want to know who the lad was.”

“You were with her alone in the chamber.”

“She was tied up. She could no’ harm me.” Dashiell glanced at his aunt, frowning at him. “What?” He knew what his aunt was getting at, but he also knew she only worried about what his people would say, not that he would take advantage of the injured lass.

“The poor girl was defenseless.”

The MacNeills chuckled.

“Oh, you worry about my intentions toward Ella. They are honorable, my lady.”

“She shouldna be alone with any man. Remember, she is a temptress.”

“Aye, that she is.” Why was he thinking about how much he craved tempting her into staying with him?

When a rack of venison was served, a servant dutifully cut the meat for Dashiell, but as it rested on his trencher, he frowned at the sight. He poked at his venison. Suddenly, he felt the weight of his aunt's gaze upon him. She watched him intently, her keen eyes taking in his every movement. He met her gaze and saw concern etched on her face.

"Is something the matter, Dashiell?" she asked, her voice low. Lady Yvaine looked down at Dashiell’s uneaten meat. “Is it no’ any good?”

“What?”

“Your venison.”

“When I look at it, I see Ella standing before the deer. I canna believe I injured her so.”

When the meal was finished, Dashiell told the MacNeills he would see them later. He returned to the guest chamber and smiled to see Ella awake. He asked the maid, “Did she eat well?”

“Aye,” Paige said, waiting beside the bed.

“Who was the lad who visited her?”

“I dinna ken. I had never seen him before.”

“I must know your full name, Ella,” Dashiell said.

“Mayhap, she can write her name.”

“Aye. She wrote a name on the shore at the stream. Get some parchment and ink. We will see if the lady can speak to us that way.”

Looking back at Ella, Dashiell studied her hair, which cascaded over her shoulders in soft red-gold curls, gleaming in the sunlight that filtered through the window. He noticed her observing Paige as she left the room.

He sat in the chair beside the bed and touched Ella’s hair. He stroked her hair tenderly, feeling the silky strands between his fingers. “You have the most beautiful tresses I have ever seen.”

She just watched him, her eyes gazing at him. Dashiell felt a sense of peace wash over him as they sat silently. Despite the chaos and uncertainty of the world outside, he knew that everything was right in this room with Ella. And he vowed never to let anything come between them again.

When she didn’t flinch, he pulled some of her hair away from her cheek and touched her cheek gently. “I must know who you are. Have you always lived in the forest?” Ella looked at his plaid again. “What is there about my plaid that fascinates you so?”

Ella's eyes grew big when the maid returned with the parchment and writing instrument. She shook her head as Dashiell untied her good hand.

“She seems frightened. Perhaps she canna write,” Paige said.

Dashiell took the parchment and pen and wrote his name. “She can write. At least she wrote a name in the sand. Mayhap, she has never seen parchment and ink before. I am Dashiell. That is my name.” Then he showed it to Ella, but she shook her head again and shrank away from the parchment. “What is the matter with her?”

“I dinna know.”

Ella stared at the parchment, then as Dashiell offered it to her, her eyes grew round, and her face paled. He pulled the parchment back, but the lass fainted dead away.

This time, unlike when Lynette had pretended to feel faint, he did not doubt that Ella had truly been terrified.

Paige patted her hand as Dashiell stood up from the chair. “Get my healer at once.”

“Aye.”

“Young lady,” Dashiell called to Ella. “Can you hear me?” He touched her cheek, and her eyelashes fluttered. Then she opened her eyes and looked around for the parchment. “I have put the parchment away. There is naught to fear in that. Whatever is the matter?”

He took her hand and kissed it as she observed him. Then he smiled to see she still didna withdraw from his touch. “That is better. At least you are no’ afraid of me anymore. I am so sorry for hurting you. I aimed for the deer.”

She nodded.

“Had I known you would step in front of the deer, I wouldna have released the arrow. Then again, I probably would never have been this close to you. How can I get you to communicate with me?” He waited for a response that would never come, then shook his head. “I never expected this.”

The lady put her lips together as she tried to say a word and touched Dashiell’s shirt.

He smiled. “You are trying to talk to me, are you no’? That is good. Perhaps in time, you can.” Mai and Paige rushed into the room, and Dashiell said, “I believe Ella is all right now, Mai. The sight of a piece of parchment frightened her terribly. I thought she could write to me and tell me more about herself.”

“If you dinna need me, one of your ladies is having difficulty in childbirth,” Mai said.

“Olivia?”

“Aye.”

“Go see to her then. Let me know the outcome as soon as you can.”

“Aye.”

The healer bowed to Dashiell, but Ella held out her hand to her.

“What is it, lass?” Mai reached for her hand, and Ella grasped it firmly. “I must go and help Lady Olivia.”

Ella shook her head and pulled at Mai’s hand, not letting her go.

The healer said to Dashiell, “I must go.”

“Lass, Mai must see a lady having trouble having her first-born child. Do you understand?”

Ella nodded and tugged harder at the healer.

“Do you want to go with me?” Mai asked.

Nodding, Ella continued to hold onto the healer’s hand with a tight grip.

“I dinna think it is a good idea,” Dashiell said as Ella looked at him.

“Mayhap if she knows magic…,” Paige said.

Dashiell and Mai glanced at Paige and frowned, which caused her to suddenly look at the rushes on the floor.

“All right,” Dashiell said. “But you are in no condition to run around the castle yourself. I will help you to the ladies’ chamber. If you upset Lady Olivia in any way or make the situation more difficult than it already is, I will return you here at once.”

Ella nodded, then Dashiell helped her to stand, but she became unsteady on her feet, so he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the ladies’ chamber. When they arrived, the other ladies stared at Ella in Dashiell’s arms.

“What is she doing here?” one of the maids asked as Dashiell carried Ella into the chamber and set her in a chair next to the bed.

“She wants to help Olivia,” Dashiell said.

Olivia stared at Ella, who reached for Olivia’s hand, took hold of it gently, and began to hum a tune.

“You must leave now,” Mai said to Dashiell.

“Aye, if you need me, I will be outside the chamber.” He worried about Olivia and her bairn, but also about Ella should she faint again from the loss of blood this time.

Olivia relaxed, and Ella touched her forehead like Mina had taught her to lessen a person’s pain. She placed her hand firmly there and spoke silently. Olivia nodded and took a deep breath. The woman’s dark hair flowed over the bedding, her forehead sweaty, and her dark brown eyes widening.

“What is she doing?” the maid asked.

“Whatever she is doing, it is working. The baby is nearly here,” Mai said.

After a few more minutes, Paige exclaimed, “There, oh, the baby is a boy! Oh, Olivia, you have had a son.”

Olivia smiled as she waited to see her son, and then Ella patted her hand and stood to leave. “Wait, young lady,” Olivia said.

Ella hesitated as she clung to the bedpost with her good arm, her head spinning. She knew she needed to lie down before she collapsed.

“Thanks be to thee.”

Ella smiled and nodded, but as she made her way to the door, her hand trembled slightly as she reached out to open it. Her fingers felt clammy against the cool metal handle, and she struggled to keep her balance.

Her steps were unsteady, and her vision blurred. Before she could unlatch the door, her knees gave out, and she knelt, struggling to regain her composure before one of the maids rushed over to help her. She hated feeling so weak and out of control.

“My laird!” Paige called out from the ladies’ chamber, and Dashiell feared the worst. That Ella was causing trouble for Olivia as she gave birth or was in peril herself.

He rushed into the room and found Ella unconscious in Paige’s arms on the floor. His heart pounding furiously, he lifted Ella off the floor. He glanced at Mai to learn what she felt about Ella’s condition.

“Ella has lost a lot of blood. She needs to lie abed for at least the next week.”

“And Olivia and her baby?” Dashiell asked, thinking the lass hadn’t been able to help her.

“Mother and son are doing fine, with Ella’s help, I might add. She needs to be one of our healers. I will see to the lass in a moment after I have finished what needs to be done here,” Mai said. “Dinna let her escape you again.”