The Highlanders: A Smitten Historical Romance Collection by J’nell Ciesielski & Naomi Musch & Janet Grunst & Jennifer Lamont Leo

Author:J’nell Ciesielski & Naomi Musch & Janet Grunst & Jennifer Lamont Leo [Ciesielski, J’nell]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Smitten Historical Romance
Published: 2019-11-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

“WENONAH!”

Wenonah jumped as Lac-lan burst through the door. She quickly pulled her dress closed. “Something is wrong?” Fear scattered her wits.

His face was flushed, but a smile spread across it, showing white beneath his dark beard and mustache. His green eyes were wide. “I’ve taken a big doe.” He gestured at his leg. “I’ll not be able to shoulder the weight yet. Have ye a length of rope?”

Wenonah nodded as her breath eased out in relief. She retrieved the rope from behind her bedding. A doe. She would smoke and dry the venison, and today she would put a loin on the spit for their supper. Her mouth watered in anticipation. “I come help too.”

His glance shifted warmly over her. “I’d be happy for yer help, but ye’ve Waaseyaa, and ye mustn’t overdo it.”

“Wenonah strong. Able.”

“Aye. I won’t argue with that. Ye’ve waited on me hand and foot, all while ye’ve had yerself and a newborn to care for, but I won’t have ye draggin the deer. Ye can come if ye want, but I’ll draw the load. I am well enough.”

His consideration touched her, and she agreed. Were he a man like Catahecassa, he would have expected her to handle the work alone.

Ten minutes later, with Waaseyaa in her cradleboard and Lac-lan carrying a pack Wenonah had retrieved from her cache, the two set out to bring back the venison. Wenonah smiled inwardly at the way Lac-lan strode through the woods, his limp not keeping him from pressing on to the task. She offered him her skinning knife, and he grinned in thanks as he took it and slit the belly of the animal.

The deer was cleanly shot, her hide barely damaged. Later, Wenonah would soak it in ash lye and prepare it for scraping. The skin would make a nice hunting shirt. Lac-lan’s shoulders stretched and bunched his waistcoat across his back as he worked over the deer. Wenonah sized him up. Yes, she would make him a shirt from this hide as a gift.

“Hand me the pack.”

She set it beside him, open at the top. Lac-lan carefully put the two long loins and heart inside. “This meat will feed us for some days, Wenonah. It’ll help ye keep yer milk up for Waaseyaa.”

Warmth spread through her to her fingertips at the expression of his thoughts. She doubted even Abraham Woolsey would have thought of her needs so.

Lac-lan soon had completed the dressing and had the hind legs bound together with the rope so that he might drag the deer back to the cabin. He tore off a clump of long grass and rubbed it between his hands. “I’ll hoist it in that oak tree on the north side of the cabin. That’ll make it easier to skin and quarter.”

“Wenonah cut meat.”

He shook his head. “I told ye—I’ll do the work. Ye can do the cooking.” One side of his mouth lifted in half a grin and he winked. “I’ve gotten used to it.”

She blushed and let a smile slip out.

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