The door burst open and Mazey jumped in alarm.
“Maze!” Siusan yelled out. She jumped onto the bed and smothered Mazey in kisses. Mazey tried her hardest not to cry out, but a whimper escaped. “Maze? What happened?”
Baile rushed in. “Ye ran away from me so fast ah couldn’t keep up, Siusan. What are ye doing to poor Mazey?”
“What’s wrong with her? Is she broken?” Concern mixed with horror crossed her face.
“Aye, she’s a wee bit broken, but nothing rest can’t fix.” Baile sat on the bed next to Mazey and took Siusan’s hand. “She’ll be all right, lassie.”
Siusan cried pitifully, jumping into Baile’s arms. He looked as perplexed as Mazey felt. “What’s wrong, child? She will be fine. Don’t ye worry one bit.”
“Her bairn!” she wailed. “Her bairn…did it die? Ah wanted a sister to play with. A wee small one, not like Mally.”
Mazey hid her grin in her good arm and tried not to laugh. “Wee’un, my child is fine. She did all right. Ah look much worse than ah feel. The bairn is okay. And she’ll not be yer sister, but yer friend.”
Siusan sniffed and pushed her hair back out of her face. She rubbed a small hand over Mazey’s belly. A kick hit her hand. She giggled and grabbed her father’s hand and put it in the same spot. Mazey felt her face flush with heat. Baile politely waited while Siusan chattered on about what she would do with the baby once it was born. When the baby kicked Baile’s hand he smiled again and pulled his hand away with an apologetic look at Mazey.
“Are ye feeling up for a short walk? The trees outside are blooming.”
Mazey nodded and pushed herself up. “Aye. Ah’ll walk. If anyone can help, ah’ll need a bath soon. Ah’m covered in poultices from Cohlm and they smell mighty fierce.”
Baile took her by the arm and helped her to her feet. “Ah’ll arrange it today after supper.”
The walk outside was short, but refreshing. Her head ached, but the fresh air rejuvenated her. “How is yer arm?” Baile motioned at her wrapped limb. Cohlm tied it about her waist to keep it from moving.
“It’s painful, but ah’ll manage.”
“Ye’re a tough woman.”
Siusan ran ahead of them, picking up sticks on the ground and swinging them at leaves hanging low on the trees.
“Ah’m used to pain.”
A frown creased his brow. “Ye shouldn’t have to go through all that. Ye deserve better.”
“Ah dunno about that.” Siusan ran down a hill just out of sight.
Baile stopped her abruptly and stood in front of her. “Ah know. Ye deserve much better. Yer heart is good. When ah lost my Moire, my heart was hard as stone. Ah was harsh and unkind.”
Mazey arched a brow at him.
“Ah was. Ye didn’t see it. But ah was lost without her. The pain ah felt was too much for me. Ah shut everyone out. Yer not like that and for years now yer spouse tortured ye. Yer heart is still soft and pliable. Look at how you love on my daughter, my Nguyen, like she were yer own. Yer a remarkable woman.”
He pulled her into an embrace. She rested her head on his chest, his steady heartbeat sounded in her ear. Baile tenderly kissed the top of her head. “Ye’ll be safe here.” They called Siusan over and Baile helped Mazey back to the room.
“Maze, can ye brush my hair?”Siusan handed her the brush and sat on the stool, waiting.
Mazey’s good arm was dominant, so most tasks weren’t too difficult. “Aye, wee’un, ah will. But once we do, yer faither says we have to work on yer letters. He wants ye to read and write, remember?”
Siusan crossed her arms across her chest and pouted her lips. “Ah don’t see why ah need to learn stuff. Girls aren’t supposed to read.”
Mazey inwardly agreed while not saying anything aloud. Best not disagree with the clan chief. “Malmuira reads,” Mazey whispered.
“Mally reads too much,” Siusan whined.
Again, Mazey agreed, but kept her peace. “Well, ye have to do it anyhow. If ye’re faither asks for ye to learn it, ye best do what he asks.”
“Can ah feel yer bairn again? Yer belly is getting bigger.”
