Gavin had allowed him to stay for the time being, aye, admitting to Cora that he hoped Tira might somehow recover from her despair. A messenger had been sent north to Sutherland country to let Hamish, Errol’s father, know all that had happened, his youngest son safe and well, but any reply would take another week or more to arrive.
It had been Gavin to inform Tira that Errol would remain behind, which had elicited such a flood of tears that he had decided it was best not to tell her that her father had died months ago—and Cora had withheld the somber news as well. Why threaten the progress being made?
Tira strangely hadn’t asked about him either, which made Cora wonder if she blamed her father for not doing more to find her…just as Errol had revealed a similar fear that first night.
Cora had really said little to Tira other than to report upon the improving health of her bairns and to encourage her to eat and sleep, not wishing to cause her any distress. For three days now Tira had even risen from the bed to walk around the room, her shaky footsteps at first as two maidservants supported her, growing steady and stronger.
The castle’s kindly healer, Ambrose, had visited often as well to tend to her womanly needs after childbirth, and sponge baths when Tira had been too weak to leave the bed had become warm soaks in a tub set near the fireplace. Her hair had been washed and brushed, too, the gleaming gold color unlike anything Cora had seen before.
In the sunlight spilling across the bed, Tira’s long tresses upon the pillow seemed to shimmer, a ragged sigh escaping her as she lowered the covers and glanced at Cora over her shoulder.
“M-my thanks, Lady?—”
“Och, dinna call me Lady, please. Your rank is no less than my own, and I’m your friend, Tira, first and foremost. On my way tae your room, I saw the tray carried out by the serving maidand you ate well without any coaxing from me, a very good sign. Now let’s get you up and dressed. A week is long enough tae mostly lie abed, aye? Your sweet bairns are just down the hall and it’s time you greeted them?—”
“No, no, no, I canna…” Tira began, the same frustration flaring inside Cora that made her fling back the covers and hold out her hand.
“You can and youwill. Your wee ones need their mother, and that’s you. Now take my hand and I’ll help you from the bed.”
Cora wasn’t sure if it was her frank tone or reaching out with a sigh of impatience that made Tira sit up and oblige her, but within a moment the younger woman was standing beside the bed in a swirl of white nightgown.
To Cora’s relief, Tira didn’t appear shaky at all, just startled, her eyes wide as Cora left her to fetch a gown from the chest at the foot of the bed.
“I think this one will do, a pretty blue. My seamstresses have been busy indeed these past days sewing gowns for you—and I believe it’s time you wear one, aye?”
Tira didn’t answer, but she didn’t protest, either, as Cora gently stripped her of the nightgown to toss it upon the bed, and then began to ease the silk gown over her head when a soft rap came at the door.
At once Tira gasped and turned to climb back into bed, but Cora caught her by the arm as a maidservant’s voice carried to them, requesting entrance.
“You see? Nothing tae fear, she’s here tae help us—aye, come in!”
Cora could feel the tension in Tira, who trembled now as the older woman entered the room, Tira’s eyes grown wider still as if she expected Errol to appear as well. She didn’t seem to relax until the door was shut, which made Cora sigh again at the task that lay in front of her.
How was she to coax Tira out of the room, let alone down the hall to see her bairns, when she was so clearly anxious about seeing Errol?
Fresh pity arose in Cora at how stricken he had looked while standing outside the door, her reminder to him of Gavin’s advice flying back to her.
Aye, mayhap she was forcing things, but how else would Tira begin to fully recover if she didn’t engage in the world around her? She wasn’t a raider’s captive anymore, but safe and surrounded by people who cared about her welfare and that of her children. If breathing in the sweet scent of her bairns didn’t help to revive her, what would?
Cora stood back as the maidservant finished with Tira by helping her don a pair of matching blue slippers and throwing a light shawl around her thin shoulders, and then brushing her hair for a few moments until it shone all the brighter.
In truth, Cora was stunned by Tira’s beauty, which brought Errol back to mind and how deeply he must love her not to be daunted at all by her avoidance of him.
Aye, the bairns first and then somehow…somehow if Cora could only bring the two of them together…
“You look lovely, Tira—och, now, no tears. You’ve cried enough for a lifetime these past days, you mustna be afraid. Come.”
Her gentle reassurance making Tira blink away the moisture welling in her eyes, Cora felt heartened as she seemed to square her shoulders and then walk with her across the room, though she hesitated as Cora opened the door.
“I willna leave you, we’ll see your bairns together. Take my hand.”
Tira nodded and clasped Cora’s fingers so tightly that she winced, but still she murmured words of encouragement as they walked down the hall lit by candles fluttering in wall sconces.
Her heart beat faster at the prospect of Tira seeing her bairns for the first time since they had arrived at Castle MacLachlan, and the maidservant hastened in front of them to open the door to the nursery as if she shared Cora’s hopeful excitement about the reunion.
She gently steered Tira in front of her only to feel her freeze just inside the door at the sight of Errol cradling one of the babies in his arms—his expression as stunned as the look of shock on Tira’s face when she glanced at Cora.
“Ah, God, I didna know he would be here,” was all she managed before Tira tried to push past her and flee from the room, though Cora caught her arm as Errol came toward them.
