The Bewitching Twin(90)
Aliss stood. “Not to me. Rest—you need it. I will see you later.” She left the room, leaving the door ajar behind her and Fiona with her mouth hanging open.
She didn’t expect anyone to understand. They would have to understand the depths of her commitment to her healing work to understand her issues with love. She loved healing. It fulfilled her, made her feel worthwhile, and she gave it all she had.
Did she truly have room left to love?
At least love properly? While Rogan filled her mind daily, healing occupied her mind a good portion of the day, so that she often forgot about sharing meals with him. If she loved him as strongly as he did her, wouldn’t she be more thoughtful of him?
He had made it clear that he did not mind her absentmindedness. However, she did. She did not think it fair, especially since he was so attentive to her.
“You look worried.”
Aliss jumped in fright, her hand flying to her chest.
Tarr reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I am sorry. I did not mean to frighten you. Your expression had me concerned about Fiona.”
She took a breath to calm her racing heart and walked with Tarr to a table in the empty hall. “Fiona is fine; she rests.”
“The babe—”
“From what I can tell he seems fine, just fussy,” Aliss said, and attempted to move his worries off the babe. “I am surprised that Mother and Father didn’t come with you.”
“Your father suffered a sprained ankle—”
“Is he all right?” she asked, concerned, then realized Tarr was grinning. “He didn’t sprain his ankle?”
“Let’s just say your sister has been a bit difficult to deal with lately.”
“Mother remained behind willingly?”
Tarr nodded. “Insisted that she needed to look after her husband, though she secretly informed me she would be rested and ready to resume care of her daughter upon our return.”
“She will be upset and worried when you don’t return home soon.”
“I will send a message so they do not worry, though the clan had looked forward to your return. Wagging tongues had it that Fiona would not be half as difficult to contend with if you were there.” Tarr paused, clearing his throat. “Your sister misses you, especially now.”
Guilt squeezed at Aliss’s heart. “I should have been there all along for her. We have always been there for each other. I have been selfish.”
“It wasn’t your fault you were abducted.”
“But what followed is my fault.”
“I would say love should take the blame,” Tarr said. “And we certainly can’t argue with love, and I don’t think you’re selfish. It is good we are here now with you in Fiona’s time of need.”
“I would swim the sea if need be to help my sister.”
“Fiona would have done the same if I had not talked sense into her the day we discovered you were abducted and a ransom demanded.”
“We think alike,” Aliss said, and then asked, “Who occupied this isle?”
“The land belonged to my mother’s people. An older brother of hers occupied it for years until he died. My grandfather bequeathed the isle, then uninhabited, to my mother when she wed with the stipulation that her firstborn son inherit it.
“My father reminded me often enough that this isle belonged to me and should pass to my son and that I was to allow no one to take it from me.”
“Yet you surrendered it to Rogan?”
“My mother told me one day that this land would bring peace to many. She was right. This land has brought clans together and will keep sisters close. It has served its purpose.”
Chapter 37
“I am feeling better,” Fiona said the next morning, when Aliss checked on her. “I slept soundly and I have had not a pain or ache.”
“Which means you want permission to get out of bed,” Aliss said.
“I beg you,” Fiona said with clasped hands. “I promise I will take it easy, rest, do nothing, worry not, just please, please let me out of bed.”
Aliss pulled back the covers. “After breakfast you can come with me to my healing cottage and rest there, then we can talk when I’m not tending someone.”
“Wonderful,” Fiona said. “I have missed talking with you.”
“And I with you, Fiona,” Aliss said, extending her hand to help her sister. “Though I talk with you often in my head.”
“I do the same, I must confess . . .” Fiona said, pausing to slip out of her night shift and into her day shift and tunic. “You mentioned when first we found you how you spoke with me often in your head after the abduction. I did the same, encouraging you to be strong and reminding you every day that I would come for you.”