“Your skilled hand saved him,” Greta said. “The stitched wound is tender and red but looks to be healing well.”
“More good news,” Tavia said, relieved that so far things were going well for Lath. “I will take but a moment to speak with him, then let him continue to rest.”
“I will wait here,” Bhric said, releasing her hand slowly.
As soon as Tavia entered the cottage, Bhric waved Hertha away and spoke in a whisper to Greta. “What did you mean yesterday when you said there is more to my wife than I know?”
“That, my lord,” Greta said, leaning on her staff as she turned, “is for you to find out.”
Bhric wanted to command her to tell him but knew it would do little good. Greta was a respected and wise healer and not one to take to commands, and he would not disrespect her position in the tribe. Hertha, however, was under his command. He turned to her.
“I gave my word, my lord,” Hertha said, knowing what he would ask having heard snippets of his and Greta’s conversation. “Besides, it is best Lady Tavia tells you herself… in her own time.”
* * *
Hume nodded when Tavia entered the cottage. “My lady.”
“She is here?” Lath called out anxiously from the bed.
“I am, Lath,” Tavia said and went to him.
Lath reached out his hand. “I owe you far more than I can ever repay you.”
Tavia took hold of his hand. “Nonsense. I did nothing more than help family.”
Lath smiled. “Aye, you are family now, part of the Clan MacShane and we are lucky and grateful to have you.”
He winced as he spoke, bearing the pain as best as he could, though with help from one of Hume’s mixtures. Tavia knew such pain, but unfortunately there had been no mixture to help ease it.
“Healing will take time, the pain easing more and more each day,” she said, the memory of her own healing still fresh in her mind.
“If the young, brave lass in your tale was able to do it when her leg wound was far worse than mine, then so can I,” Lath whispered, keeping true to his word that he would not utter a word of what he had heard.
“I am confident you will,” Tavia said. “Now I leave you to rest. It is the best thing for you and will help you heal fast.”
“Then rest I shall,” Lath assured her.
“I will visit again,” Tavia said.
Lath sent her a weak smile. “I appreciate that, my lady.”
“You saved him and his leg,” Hume whispered, walking with her to the door.
“I gave him a chance. He does the rest,” Tavia said and greeted her husband with a smile after leaving the cottage. “Now I am hungry.”
Bhric found himself smiling as well. “As am I.”
Their hands joined. Bhric was not sure who had reached out first or if they both had reached out together. But it mattered little since he found himself eager to hold her hand again, to connect with her, to feel her small hand disappear into his large one, to feel close to her.
Close.
Why suddenly did he wish to be close to her? Granted he wanted to learn about her, see what he may have failed to see in her, but close? Exactly how close did he wish to be with her?
Several barks and a squeal of delight had them turning their heads to see Uta running around playfully with Bones, the large hound.
Bhric shook his head. “That hound is ruined.”
“They make a happy pair,” Tavia said with a brief chuckle.