His face and ears were red, his anger betraying him.
“I dinnae think she meant…”
“I’ve spoiled her, allowed her to disrespect ye,” Alexander grumbled, his brow furrowed. “It’s about time I stop babyin’ her.”
“Calm down,” Helena urged, watching him closely. “Dinnae work yerself up over it. She’s a young lass…”
“But she?—”
“Enough,” Helena whispered, placing a firm hand on his chest.
He watched her closely now, his breathing returning to normal.
Helena nodded in approval, though she couldn’t shake the sting of Felicia’s words. “She’s close to ye,” she said softly. “I’ll try to be kinder to her.”
Alexander’s gaze softened, and he reached for the whisky on the bedside table, wincing slightly as he moved. “Ye have nothin’ to prove, Helena. Felicia’s young and headstrong.”
Before she could respond, the door opened again, and Michael and Alice entered, each carrying trays laden with food, water, and whisky.
Alice’s brow was furrowed as she set her tray down. They grimaced at Helena, who immediately slipped out of Alexander’s lap.
“What happened? Felicia just stormed past us down the hallway.”
Alexander smirked, gesturing to Helena. “She was worried about me, but Helena’s taken good care of her Laird.”
Helena nodded, eager to smooth things over. “She only wants to see ye recover. I cannae fault her for that.”
Alice exchanged a glance with Michael, then smiled. “Well, let’s eat and keep his spirits up. He’ll need it.”
As the food was laid out on the table, Helena felt a flicker of hope. Despite the challenges ahead, she was determined to see Alexander through his recovery, and perhaps, just perhaps, there was more to their marriage than she had first believed.
After eating breakfast together, and discussing how long Alexander would be bedridden, Helena volunteered to fetch the items he needed to work from his bed.
“I dinnae want ye to do that,” he protested.
Alice smiled as Michael looked over an old history book on the bedside table.
“Better literature might be a good start,” he joked, glancing up at Helena. “Something interestin’ to keep him sane.”
“I’ll go to the library and grab a novel,” Helena announced, rising from the bed.
“He could use some fresh clothes,” Alice added, sniffing. “He smells like blood, mud, and piss.”
“She doesnae have to do all of that!”
“The ledgers and his correspondence are on the desk in his study too,” Alice continued. “That should be all he needs, for now.”
“Be right back!” Helena smiled, seeing how annoyed Alexander was getting with Alice and Michael for ordering her around.
He caught her smiling at him, and she saw the possessiveness in his bright eyes.
“Dinnae be too long,” he murmured, before taking a sip of whisky.
“I’ll be back, I promise.”
Helena closed the door softly behind her, taking a moment to steady herself. The air in the corridor felt cooler, a contrast to the warmth of the room she’d just left, filled with the low murmur of Alice and Michael’s voices discussing the recovering troops.
Alexander’s smile lingered in her mind, and she blushed faintly, feeling its warmth settle in her chest.
