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Chapter Seven
Blair
“Yer learning fast, Blair,” said Tavis, an old man Laird MacBean had appointed to her studies. He had long grey hair and a long beard he often liked to pull when thinking about something. His eyes were gentle as he looked upon her, and Blair smiled, feeling like she was finally beginning to belong after three days of living in Castle Lachlan.
It was difficult adjusting to her new home. Alisa often ignored her whenever they saw each other in the hall, yet the first time she had smiled thinly at Blair. There had been a cruel gleam in her gaze as she said, “Yer still here, my child?”
Blair hadn’t known what to say, and Alisa had left before she could come up with anything.
However, Tavis had helped her by giving her duties and a routine. The greatest part was she never ran into Aindreas. He was either away on business or attending to his own obligations. She neither knew which nor cared so long as he remained far away from her.
“I’m just doing what is asked of me,” she said while watching the water boil, stirring the herbs around slowly and recalling another time she did the same in her tiny cottage. Tavis was the healer of Castle Lachlan, tasked with caring for Laird MacBean. He wasn’t quite as old as the laird, yet there was wisdom in his blue eyes. They spent their mornings gathering herbs and roots from the garden near Cook’s quarters, followed by intense readings on their uses.
Blair had already learned so much: about how peppermint could be used to help a cold. The smell of it could aid with breathing. If made into a tea, it could cure nausea or stomach pain, and if added to a bath, it could help with swollen muscles. She was amazed by how many uses peppermint had and wondered if she would be able to remember all the benefits for each and every one of the herbs in Tavis’s large book.
She frowned, recalling the word ‘Belladonna’ on one of its pages, knowing it was a poison. How could a poisonous plant ever be added to a healer’s guide? She did not know and worried if she would ever learn all the correct administrations for the plants.
“Nonsense,” said Tavis while taking her hand and leading her back to the table. “Ye have the hands of a healer.” He turned her hands over, gazing at her palms and giving a curt nod before releasing her.
Blair smiled while sitting down at the table, finding the book in front of her. “Do healers have different hands than others?”
She watched him tug at his beard, looking thoughtful for a moment before saying, “Actually, I have no idea. I just thought it sounded truthful at the time.”
Blair chuckled while shaking her head, feeling at home next to Tavis. His kindness was the one thing she looked forward to—that and her talks with the laird, who insisted on Blair treating him in secret every day.
“Now, let’s begin on—“
There was a knock at the door, and Tavis’s frustrated sigh made Blair giggle. She covered her mouth while Tavis stared at her knowingly. “I wonder who it is?” he said in a sing-song voice, hinting he knew exactly the person who stood on the other side of the door.
Tavis strode towards the door, throwing it open and scowling down at Daniel, standing with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. “Oh, why isn’t it Daniel,” said Tavis while looking the lad up and down. “And what have ye brought me? Flowers this time.” Tavis plucked the bouquet from Daniel’s hands, who stumbled forward to reclaim them.
“But, Tavis, sir, those are for—“
“Ah, Lavender,” continued Tavis, ignoring Daniel, whose mouth hung open in horror as the healer began cutting the flowers from the stem. “Ronda, the cook, will be so happy.” Tavis held up one bud for Blair to look upon. She stifled her giggles as Tavis said excitedly, “Do ye know these are good for burns? Not only that, but it makes a wonderful calming tea. I’ll make one for ye tonight if ye wish.”
Blair nodded. “That would be wonderful, Tavis.” She glanced at Daniel, who seemed to be visually drooping like the lavender petals Tavis stripped from the lovely bouquet Daniel had created. Blair wondered if she should inform Tavis that she believed Daniel had brought the flowers for her, but she didn’t want to cause the healer any unneeded awkwardness.
“Is that all, Daniel?” Tavis called from his place at the table, filling his vials with the leaves with deft fingers.
Daniel shifted on his feet, fidgeting with his fingers while he kept glancing at Blair. “Aye, that is all,” he said, sounding deflated. Blair felt sorry for the lad. He had come all the way up to Tavis’s tower, only to have his gift destroyed right before his very eyes. She may not have had much experience with boys, but she knew when a man was interested. Daniel had found several ways of speaking with her the past three days, either by giving her a tour of the castle, escorting her to the laird’s quarters, or simply carrying her basket after her morning quest through the gardens with Tavis.
“I suppose I should get to my duties,” Daniel said awkwardly while stepping back into the hall, unable to take his gaze away from Blair.
“I suppose ye should,” said Tavis.
Daniel nodded. “Alright, then. I will do that. Good day to ye—“
“The sun is shining quite nicely.” Tavis nodded at the window, his fingers dropping some lavender into his beard while he tugged at it. “I suppose ye should take yer break now, Blair. Get some sunshine into ye while ye still can. Ye think ye can escort her, Daniel?”
“Aye, of course,” said Daniel, smiling brightly. “I would be glad to.”
Blair rose, giving Tavis a knowing look as he winked at her. What a conniving old man, she thought while Daniel took her hand, resting it on his arm while the door closed behind them. They walked in silence down the long staircase, turning the corner into an extensive hall that opened into a beautiful garden. She glanced at Daniel out of the corner of her eye, smiling at him, opening and closing his mouth, reminding her of a fish as he thought of something to say to her.
For being Aindreas’s cousin, they looked nothing alike. Where Aindreas was golden, Daniel was pale. His arms didn’t fill his shirt like Aindreas. His shoulders weren’t broad. He was tall yet unusually thin. He wasn’t beautiful like Aindreas, but he was kind, gentle. His smile always seemed to warm her, and she felt at ease in his presence.
“Those flowers were for ye,” he rushed out, a slight tremble in his voice as he looked upon her.
Blair smiled. “I had a feeling.”
