“They went to heal someone. Beth usually goes with Gavin now that she’s not the Lady McClain. Then they don’t have to spend as much time apart.”
“Oh,” Alyssa said, feeling sad. “Do we know how long they’ll be gone?”
Holli and Heather exchanged a look, but neither of them called Alyssa on her strange behavior. “About a week,” Heather said. “The other clan is two days ride from here, and he usuallyends up with a whole line of people to be healed once he goes somewhere.”
“What does this clan do without them?” Alyssa asked, genuinely curious.
“They go to Gillian,” Heather said. “She learned about healing from her own mother-in-law. She tried to teach me, but I didn’t have enough interest. Not with Gavin always around.”
“I see.”
Alyssa spent the rest of the afternoon, with her fingers sewing as they were supposed to, but her mind was gone. Thinking about all the places she wanted to explore as soon as Kendrick gave her the okay.
But…why was she listening to him anyway? He was her husband, sure, but she was a modern woman, and the word obey hadn’t been in her marriage vows. At least she didn’t think it had. The whole day was confusing in her head.
She really wanted to spend some time in the woods. She didn’t know why they drew her so strongly, but they really did.
As she daydreamed, the other two talked about different things happening with the clan. “Bonnie says that Anella is doing much better than she was. She hasn’t kept her up all night since the day Gavin healed her,” Heather said.
“I always forget that she’s your grandchild as well,” Holli said shaking her head. “I’m so focused on the child I’m carrying that it feels like it should be the only child in our world.”
“Still calling him Herbert to annoy Bryson?” Heather asked.
“Well, yeah,” Holli said. “He’s easily annoyed at times.”
“Kendrick was always my troublesome child,” Heather said. “He was such an angry little thing. I felt like I was always having to stop him from trying to beat up one of the boys in the village.”
Alyssa had tuned back into the conversation. “What would he fight about?”
Heather laughed. “The most common fight he was in was over who had the prettiest mother. Isn’t that the sweetest thing?”
Alyssa smiled and nodded. What she wanted more than anything else was a nap, though. “How long until supper?”
Heather and Holli exchanged a look. “About two hours,” Holli said. “I think. I still have some issues with telling time here.”
“Two hours is right. Why?” Heather asked.
Alyssa shook her head. “I’m just really dragging today. I think I’m going to go back to the cottage and take a nap.”
“Use one of the upstairs rooms,” Holli said. “Turn right at the top of the stairs and Kendrick’s old room is the sixth door on the left. I’m sure you’ll feel cozy in there.”
“I think so too,” Heather said. “Go on upstairs.” She looked at Holli. “Are there sheets on the bed?”
Holli nodded. “I keep Kendrick’s made up because sometimes he’s here late, and he’ll crash upstairs, rather than going home to his lonely cottage. Or at least that’s what he did before he married Alyssa, of course.”
“Of course,” Heather said. “Do you want me to show you which room?”
Alyssa shook her head. “I’m sure I’ll be able to find it. Sixth door on the left.”
Heather nodded. “Go sleep. We’ll wake you for supper.”
Holli watched her go with a frown on her face. “Alyssa never naps.”
“No, she doesn’t. I hope Beth and Gavin get home soon. I think there may be something wrong. Probably just pregnant, but it could be anything. I don’t want to lose my friend.”
“I think Kendrick would be one hundred percent behind you on that,” Holli said.
Alyssa ignored them both as she climbed the stairs and went to the room they’d indicated. She was going to sleep the rest of the day away.
