Page 25 of Desire of a Highlander

Elodie grinned. “Come on.”

Elodie studied Faye from the corner of her eye as they carried the basket. The healer looked exhausted. This was hardly surprising, of course. She’d spent the past two days looking after first Elodie and then the new arrivals.

Elodie found herself thinking of Ronan’s story of how he’d found Faye living here alone. What would drive a woman to come out here to the middle of nowhere? She suspected her story might not be all that different from the refugees’.

They reached Faye’s cottage and Elodie took the basket from her and placed it next to the fireplace.

“Sit,” Elodie commanded.

Faye blinked. “What?”

“Sit down.”

“I beg yer pardon? Are ye giving me orders now?”“

“I am.”

The healer folded her arms. “Now tell me, lass. Which of us is the healer and which of us is the patient?”

Elodie pointed firmly towards a chair. “Right now? I’m the healer and you’re the patient. You look exhausted. Now, sit.”

Faye looked like she would argue. Then, unexpectedly, the older woman snorted with amusement. “Ye’ve been spending too much time with Ronan. He thinks he can order me around as well.”

Muttering under her breath, Faye lowered herself into the chair with an appreciative sigh and stretched her legs out.

The fire had been banked low during the day, which was helpful because Elodie had no clue how to start one from scratch. In her apartment she pressed a button and the flame-effect gas fire sprang to life, simple as you like. But remembering what she’d seen Faye do, she laid a few bits of kindling over the coals then crouched beside the hearth and stirred the embers with the poker until flames began licking at the kindling. Soon she had a cheerful fire crackling in the grate, chasing away the evening chill. She found the kettle and filled it before hanging it from the metal tripod over the flames.

Faye watched all this with obvious amusement. “Looks like ye have done that before, lass. “

Elodie smiled. “My mother believed that any problem could be solved by a good chat over a cup of tea.”

“A wise woman, clearly.”

Elodie nodded, feeling a sudden, unexpected pang. “Yes, she was.”

The kettle began to steam. Elodie found dried mint hanging from a bundle near the hearth and dropped some into two pottery cups sitting on the wobbly table. She poured in the hot water, stirred the drink, and passed one to Faye.

Taking her own cup in both hands, she took a seat opposite the healer at the scrubbed wooden table. Steam curled from their mugs and from outside came the sound of children playing and dogs barking. After the chaos of the day, it felt surprisingly pleasant. Comfortable, even.

For a while neither of them spoke but the silence wasn’t awkward. Just... companionable. Elodie wondered about that. Why did she feel so comfortable with these people she’d only just met? She should be champing at the bit to leave. To get home. And yet...

Faye sipped her drink. “I needed that,” she said. “It’s been quite the day.”

Elodie nodded in agreement. She felt her own exhaustion beginning to creep up on her. Her limbs ached and the heat from the fire suddenly made her feel sleepy.

Faye, she noticed, said not one word about Elodie’s escapades last night. She didn’t ask why she’d left. She didn’t ask where she’d been going or why.

“Thank you, by the way,” Elodie said suddenly.

Faye blinked. “For what?”

“For taking such good care of me when I first arrived here.”

The healer waved a hand. “No need for thanks.”

“Still.”

“Aye, well.” Faye took another sip of tea. “Ye’re welcome.”