“The abbess was pleased that you had finally sent for your sister. It seems that Wintra is a spirited lass and is like her brother when it came to following rules. Though it had taken time, the abbess insisted that Wintra had learned the proper behavior for a young woman.”
Wintra had had an independent nature since the day she had been born and she had always been inquisitive wanting to know everything. Cree hoped they hadn’t changed his sister that much. She also had been a loving and affectionate child. He had hated the day he had left her at the abbey and tried to explain that he had had no choice that at least there she would be kept safe. She had wanted none of it. She had wanted to go with Cree, had begged him to take her. His heart had broken completely that day when he rode off and left her crying and screaming his name.
“The nuns were busy packing her things and getting Wintra ready for her return home to her brother,” the cleric said. “The abbess was thrilled when I told her what plans the King had for Wintra.”
Cree’s heart lurched in his chest and he felt every muscle in his body tense. “What plans?”
“The King feels that you have served him well and he is pleased with your beneficial marriage arrangement and so that you do not have to worry over your sister’s future he is preparing a similar marriage arrangement for her.”
Cree sprang out of the chair. The King was looking to benefit himself and no one else. “To who?”
“The King did not share that information with me. I am sure he will let you know in due time. But rest your mind, the abbess insisted that Wintra has acquired all the skills necessary to serve as an obedient wife.”
Cree had hoped to arrange a marriage for his sister. One that she approved of not one forced on her. He had also wanted to have some time with her before she wed and went off with her husband. He supposed he wanted to make amends for having been forced to leave her at the abbey. “Did you tell my sister the news?”
The cleric shook his head. “Of course not, it was not my place, though I cannot say whether the abbess spoke to her about it or not. Regardless, this would be exciting news for her. It isn’t every day the King arranges a marriage for a peasant lass. Wintra is a lucky young woman.”
There was some truth to his words, but Cree couldn’t help but think that Wintra might not agree.
Chapter Twenty-five
No soon as Lila left Dawn, then a knock sounded and Elsa entered.
“I’ve come to see how your wound fairs,” Elsa said placing her healing basket on the table.
Dawn smiled and nodded to let her know that the wound was doing well.
“It doesn’t pain you?”
Dawn held up two fingers barely separated.
Elsa nodded. “A little that is good, but I will have a look anyway.”
Dawn removed her blouse and eased down her skirt to make it easy for Elsa to examine the wound. Elsa thoughtfully draped a shawl over her so that she would not take a chill. She talked as she unwound the bandage.
“All is well with you and Cree now that he knows of the babe?”
Dawn broke into a huge smile and nodded vigorously.
Elsa seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “I am so happy and relieved to hear that. And I wouldn’t doubt that he has a plan to see that you two wed.”
Dawn’s eyes popped wide.
Elsa patted Dawn’s shoulder. “He would never let a child of his be born a bastard, though he had expressed concern over your affliction being passed on to a babe.”
Dawn shrugged, her eyes questioning, and her finger counting off the fingers on her other hand wanting to know when Cree asked this of her.
“Not recently. It was when he talked to me about preventing conception.”
Dawn, herself, had feared passing on her affliction to her child and she had also worried that Cree would not want a child with her for that very reason. But since he had learned of the babe he had not mentioned the possibility and she wondered if it troubled him.
She certainly did not want her child to suffer as she had, but then with Cree as her father she would have a far better life than Dawn had had as a child. And if what Kirk McClusky said was true, it would mean that if Dawn gave birth to a daughter then she would surely be voiceless just like all the McClusky women before her. But then Old Mary had predicted she would have a son, but what would happen when she had a daughter?
“Do not worry yourself,” Elsa said with another pat to her shoulder. “Your child will be who he is meant to be and I have no doubt that Cree will love him with his whole heart just as he does you.”