Chapter 11 – Healing at the Family Estates
Elizabeth woke.
The bed she was on was soft. She shifted. She was lying on her stomach. She lifted her head and then moved to sit up. As she did, she came face to face with a startled Jamie who had been sitting by her side in a chair, resting.
His head whipped violently away after looking at her and she looked down. She blushed realizing she her breasts were bare and her chemise, a clean one, was around her hips. She crossed her arms about her chest at a futile attempt at modesty and then chose to lay down once more.
She then laid there thinking of how ridiculous that was on both sides. He had seen most of her and kissed most of her in the three times they had been...intimate. She could not think of the first time as love making. It was rape, but non of Jamie's fault. While he had been the active member, it was Randall who had raped them both doing that and she knew it.
She hated that man.
She looked at him as he looked out the window. "Jamie?"
He looked back and took a breath. He cocked his head at her. "Urr ye better noo lassie? ye hud a fever fur four days. We worried ye wid die o' it. Finally it broke lest nicht. Ah praise god fur it. Ah cuid nae abide yer death due tae whit ye suffered fur o' me."
She looked at him. His hair was washed and redder in the low light of the room. It was nearing sun set. "You are kind Jamie. How are you?"
"A'm weel enough. Mah wounds ur healing."
She nodded and sighed. "Vhere?" She asked looking about.
"This is ma uncle's estates o' Beannachd. It means blessing. We wull remain 'ere fur a while langer 'til we ur baith fully recovered."
She nodded. She remembered the name from the older man saying it. "Your uncle. Dougal?" She asked.
"Aye." He said sitting forward.
She nodded.
The door opened to reveal a woman and two others. With them were two men carrying a large basin for bathing. The leader of the group looked at Jamie. She barked at him in Gaelic and he nodded.
He turned to Elizabeth and bowed a little. "Ah wull return in a while mah dear. This lass is Mistress Mackenzie, mah uncle's guidwife. She wull see ye healed 'n' weel."
The lady of the household shooed him from the room and then the other men as well as the women poured buckets of hot water and cool water to even out the temperature. The maids had towels and tallow soaps for her to use as well as herbs.
The Mistress looked at Elizabeth. "Come then, my dear." She said.
Elizabeth went and stood up, the chemise falling to the floor. Suddenly nervous about her body she covered herself with one hand down and the other about her chest.
The lady chuckled. "Ah hae seen mair o' ye 'n' th' laddie than ye wull ever ken. Come noo. In ye gang. Git some o' th' blood 'n' dirt fae ye."
She sighed and then stepped into the warm water. It was warm, but not too hot. She sank in and gasped as it touched her wounds.
The lady kept her there for the few seconds until her body acclimated to the moist heat.
Elizabeth settled them in the water relaxing as the heat seeped into her body and helped her feel better. Mistress MacKenzie gently lifted a mug and let water wash down from her head. Her head had dried matted blood and spiky hair where it was starting to grow anew. The lady washed the girl's head gently, but firmly, looking at the cuts. "None tae deep, juist wee. Mist hae bleed lik' hell though."
Elizabeth nodded.
The mistress then took a cloth and moved to the girl's back. The girl flinched as the woman gently washed the dried blood away. "Broon paper 'n' vinegar mended ye weel enough. Th' cuts wull pain ye fur loads mair days, bit wi' yer fever better ye wull be able tae shift aboot. Fàilte tae mah hame. Whit's yer name then?"
"Elizabeth." She said. "My friend call me Lizzy."
"Lizzy fits ye better." The lady said smiling.
Elizabeth nodded sitting back letting the heat soak into her bones for a moment. Then she reached for the soap and began to scrub her body. The Mistress watched her as she set her clothes about on the bed. The girl was scrubbing so hard she was causing her skin to become like a boiled crab and bleed in some spots.
"Lass. Stop!" The mistress said.
Elizabeth froze looking at her.
"Na need tae tae dae mair damage than whit haes bin dane tae ye. Relax. Yer washed 'n' wash. Noo time tae git ye oot 'n' bandage ye sae ye kin dress 'n' donder aboot. Fresh air wid dae ye guid." The lady of the estate said.
Elizabeth nodded and then stood up a little shakily. The woman helped her step out and then handed her a rough spun cloth to dry with.
The mistress looked at her as she took her hand and then bandaged the worst cuts on her back. From there she helped her into a clean chemise, a corset, pockets, petticoats, sleeves, and a top the cover the corset.
Elizabeth began to feel more human. Then the lady helped her put her stockings on, tying them at her knees to hold them up. Last were her shoes. There were none that would fit her elf like feet so the lady put cloth within to help the girl and then tied them.
Elizabeth stood before a mirror a moment and then sighed as the lady then put a mop cap on her head to protect it from the elements and the sun. She looked like a servant more than a duchess she was, but then these people had no idea who she was.
Mistress MacKenzie then gave her a pair of woven fingerless gloves to keep her hands warm. The girl was small and the nights were cold. They walked out together into the hall. The girl was still a wonder to the lady of Beannachd. She had no signs of work on her hands, they were soft and though her nails were cracked there was no signs the girl had done labor before. There were signs of violence all over her body, from her flogged back, for which she had suffered much like Jamie, though his count was clearly higher, he had the stubbornness of a mule to live, and bruising on her wrists and thighs. The wrist bruises looked like manacle bruises, but her thighs had finger marks. The poor girl had suffered much and they needed to care for her.
It was nearly two months that the pair dwelled there. Slowly the bruises faded and the cuts became scars. The girl bloomed with their care becoming the beautiful lass that Jamie remembered. He spent as much time as he could with her, enjoying her company and she is.
Jamie worked for his uncle while the girl found simple pleasures in such things as finding duck eggs and chicken eggs. She loved feeding the animals and learning about the area.
Mistress Mackenzie taught her sew and the girl worked on a simple sampler, finding it a little difficult at first, but then her small nimble fingers worked quickly and were able to go from clumsy to making art.
Her first piece was a thistle and though she had stabbed herself several times with a needle and her blood helped color part of it, she had managed to be determined to finish the piece. Dougal and his lady admired her determination.
She certainly was beating the odds.
Dougal had whispered rape., something he didn't hold with in the slightest. A woman could be beaten with a belt for disobedience by her father or husband, but he drew the line at forcing a woman to bed.
Elizabeth walked into the sunlight of the courtyard of the house and blinked in the surprisingly bright sunshine.
Dougal was seated in the shade talking to two younger girls. He stood up and walked toward his wife and the young woman who looked down shyly.
"Guid lassie. We wur worried ye wid nae survive. Keek at ye noo. A beauty 'n' a fighter. Jamie wis richt. Yer a true asset tae th' mackenzie"
She curtsied to him bowing her head. "I underschtand I must sank you fur all dis."
He smiled a little. "Yer smile is enough sweet lassie. Ye hae suffered enough. Come. Jamie wis wanting tae see howfur ye faired."
She straightened and allowed him to lead the way to the stables. Jamie was there with a horse. Clicking to make it go around in a circle. Dougal smiled as the filly pranced. Jamie noticed them and nodded as he spoke in Gaelic, stepping closer he caressed the nose and offered an apple before letting the filly trot away.
He walked to the fence, smiling at Elizabeth. "Ye keek sae muckle better. Color in yer cheeks. Come. Hae dinner wi' me then lassie?"
Dougal nodded to them and walked back toward the house. Elizabeth watched him go. "Vere fur dinner?"
"In th' haugh nearby. Thare is fresh honey fur us, some ham, crowdie, breid, 'n' butter. Yi''ll need yer braun as ah dae."
She looked at the tall man a moment.
He seemed to read her thoughts. "Ye dinnae need tae be scared o' me. As lang as a'm wi' ye or th' mackenzie, yer safe." He lifted a basket and then offered his hand to her.
She smiled and took it.
They went to the meadow and she sat down as he did in the grass listening to the insects and other noises like the small stream. He laid out the meal and she dove in, discovering that she did indeed have an appetite.
Jamie smiled watching her as he cut apples with his dirk as well as the cheese and ham. She sipped the wine he had brought, looking about.
He smiled at her and touched her mop cap. "This is a funny bunnet fur ye lassie. Ah prefer ye."
She sighed. "No hair." She protested.
"It wull graw back." He reached and took her hand in his and caressed it softly. "'twas dane tae pity ye as wis ither hings. Kin ye ever forgive me fur mah pairt? ah care fur ye elizabeth. Deeply. Truly. Ah wull see na harm tae ye. Ne'er again."
She looked up at him. "You help."
He laughed without humor. "Helped? ah forced masell oan ye. Ah cannae be forgiven fur that. Mibbie ye wull forgive me nae saving ye th' torment, bit that is an unforgivable sin."
She shook her head and touched his large hand. "Forgiven." She said. "You are kind Jamie. Good man."
He sighed. "If ye say sae. Ah think masell lower than dirt."
She shook her head. "Good Jamie." She said. She looked up at him, her eyes searching his intently. "Help me."
"'n' ah aye wull be 'ere fur ye. Anythin'. Juist ask."
She sighed.
They fell into silence.
Jamie watched her as she looked about, her breast lifting against the confines of her corset to breath. She was beautiful to him. It was more than his sense of duty to her. He really did care about her. He moved and cleaned everything up and out it in the basket.
"Did ye ken randall pat a cost oan oor heids. Ten piece sterling fur me 'n' twenty fur ye."
"Vhy?" She asked.
"Mines is fur murder. Yer fur speirins. O' value yer. He juist wants tae fin' ye. 'n' he wull nae hae ye!"
"Mord? You could barely hold horse..."
He nodded. "Ye 'n' ah baith ken this. As does Dougal."
She frowned a little. "Vhat ve do?"
"Whin we ur able we gang tae France. Ah wull keep ye safe."
"France?" She made a face.
"As mah guidwife. Ah owe ye that muckle. Ye wull hae mah name, mah clan, mah fowk, 'n' if necessary, th' protection o' mah body as weel."
She blinked at him. Was that a proposal?
She got to her feet feeling a bit unsure. She walked away into the meadow. He watched her. Perhaps it was too much to put on her so close to becoming conscious again after five days. He knew two things, however. He would marry her and he would keep her safe.
He meant it, she knew it. He would keep her safe. Just as she had read in his character. However, something suddenly made her feel uneasy. It wasn't him per say, but something made her feel off.
She took a breath feeling hot. She lifted a hand to her head as she blinked, her vision wobbling. Suddenly she felt like ice. With a soft cry she dropped like a stone to the earth as her knees gave out from under her and she landed in a heap of clothing and limp body.
Jamie was on his feet instantly and went to her.
He touched her face. "Lass? Lass? Lizzy?! Elizabeth!" He called.
He shifted the basket on his arm and lifted her in his arms. She looked like a doll as her head lolled back. He pressed a hand to her breast.
She yet lived. What had caused her to faint? Surely not his offer of protection?!
Baffled he carried her back toward the manor home, her head cradled to his chest like a child.
Nearly there he felt her move a little and he drew up short looking down at her. "Lass?" He asked.
She blinked and looked about and then up at him. "Was?"
He pressed a kiss to her brow and moved quickly into the home passed the startled forms of his aunt and uncle as he made his way to the girl's room.