Page 47 of Bride Takes a Charmer (Highland Vows & Vengeance #3)

I n a dark shadowy place, as if she floated beneath the depths of the deepest sea, Sorsha heard her name.

The voice that called to her was muffled.

A man’s deep tone penetrated the fog and implored her to awaken.

She didn’t want to, but then she heard the cries of Gillian and Luthor.

She pulled herself toward their voices, bit by bit, until she was able to open her eyes.

She blinked. It was bright. But then she focused on her sweet children who stood watching her with tears in their eyes.

“ Shhh. Do not weep.” Sorsha couldn’t recall what happened to her and how she’d ended up in her bedchamber. She wondered why the children were crying.

“Mama, are you hurt?” Gillian stared at her unmoving.

Sorsha took stock of her body, testing to see if she could move. Pain thrummed in her head and a more intense pain ached in her back and leg. She reached out to take Gillian’s hand and was shocked by the state of her own hand. Scrapes had bloodied her skin and now they were scabbed over.

But the last thing she wanted was the children worrying about her so she retracted her hand and slid it under the blanket that covered her.

“I will be all right, bun. Worry not.” But even as Sorsha spoke the words, she didn’t hold truth to them. The way she felt and the pain that made her want to moan seemed to thrum through her. “Where is Shaw… ah , your da?”

Luthor shifted forward and touched her forearm. “He is talking with the healer in the hallway.”

“Get him, please, and Luthor, take Gillian with you. Watch out for her.”

“Aye, Mama, I will.” Luthor took Gillian’s hand and led her from the chamber.

As Sorsha waited for Shaw, she tried to reason how she’d gotten hurt and how she had returned home. A flash of a memory came to her, that of her falling. Had she fallen from a cliff? Wherever it was, the fall was of a great height.

Shaw stepped into the room and hastened to her. His manner was grim and concern darkened his deep gray eyes. Tears sprang to her own eyes. His joyful gaze was shadowed.

“Sorsha, love…do not move. Stay still. The healer needs ye to remain as still as ye can until he can look ye over.” He set a light kiss on her forehead. “God Almighty, I am glad to see ye awake. Ye have been here for almost a sennight.”

“What…?” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I am so parched.”

Shaw grabbed a cup that sat on the bedside table. “’Tis only water to wet your throat.” He held it to her lips.

She sipped it slowly. “What happened?”

“We shall talk about it later. For now, the healer wants to recheck ye. Ah, here is Louis now. When we got home, he had to set your leg and stitch ye up.”

“Does this hurt, Milady?” He inspected her by pressing on her arms and head.

“Nay, Louis. My head hurts a little but not because you pressed on it. What’s on my leg? Why can’t I move it?”

“Aye, ye probably bumped your head when ye fell and it will take time for it to clear.”

“Your leg was broken. I have splinted it after I set it. Ye will have to stay off your leg for a while, Milady. It shall hurt for a time.” Louis handed her a drink which tasted a wee bit foul but she gulped down the entire cup.

“That should ease your pain, Milady. Rest for that is the best cure for now.”

The healer continued his ministrations and when he finished, he clicked his tongue.

“’Tis quite remarkable, Milady, that ye did not suffer more significant injuries.

From what the laird told me, ye fell a good distance.

Until we know for certain that ye did not hurt your insides, ye must stay abed.

As to the rest of ye, ye suffered scrapes which I have already covered with a healing balm. It shall take time for ye to heal.”

She blinked and tried to keep her eyes open but it became impossible. Finally, Sorsha fell into a deep and dreamless slumber. When she awakened again, her eyes immediately went to Shaw.

He sat in a chair near the window casement with his eyes closed.

The shutters were opened and a stream of fresh air tousled a tapestry that sat on the adjacent wall.

She watched him and regarded his handsomeness.

His hair was pulled back into a tie behind his neck, showing his high cheekbones and straight nose.

He hadn’t removed the whiskers from his face and dark hair covered his jawline.

She tried to shift her body to sit up but the contraption the healer placed around her leg was heavy. In her effort to reach the side table and the cup that sat upon it, she leaned to her side and moaned but couldn’t reach it. It woke Shaw, who moved quickly to her side.

“Ye finally awakened,” Shaw said and moved to sit. “How do ye feel?” He handed her the cup.

“I…think I am well enough. Maybe hungry.” She drank the water and handed the cup back to Shaw.

Shaw smiled. “Edra has been cooking nonstop awaiting the order to feed ye.” He rose and hurried to the door. He opened it and ordered whoever stood outside in the hall, “Tell Mistress Edra that we need a tray of food for Sorsha.”

When he returned to her, Sorsha smiled. “Who was outside the door?”

“Luthor. He is mightily concerned for ye and has stood outside our bed chamber door and declared that no other will protect ye. All the clan has been asking for ye as well.” Shaw’s words quieted.

“Shaw, I wish to sit up. Can you help me?”

He nodded and set his hands beneath her underarms and shifted her upward, careful not to move too quickly or dislodge her leg. “There is much I need to tell ye. But first, ye need to eat.”

“I can eat and listen at the same time,” she said grumpily. “While we await the food, tell me what happened.”

“We were at Cadge’s croft, remember?”

She started to shake her head, but that hurt.

So she closed her eyes and thought about it.

Finally, she recalled the man’s face. “Oh, that is right, the crofter. I remember waking up and you were gone. I packed up the tent and Corliss suggested that we go to the river to wash before we began the journey. Oh, Corliss. Is she—”

“What else do ye remember about her, Sorsha? ’Tis important.” Shaw sat beside her and took her hand. His thumb played over the back of her hand. He held her gently and peered at her as if he had many questions or awaited an answer that would displease him. “Tell me.”

“We were talking and…” Sorsha felt the pull of her brows as she considered that day.

“Corliss shoved me and I fell over the cliffside. I remember that I screamed and couldn’t believe what she…

said. She told me that she…” Sorsha swallowed hard and Shaw handed her the cup of water.

She drank deeply, emptying the cup before continuing, “Corliss said that she was close to getting everything she ever wanted and that I was the only thing standing in her way.”

“Then she pushed ye?”

Sorsha nodded. “When I was falling, I thought I was going to—”

“Shhh, sweetheart, say naught more.” Shaw caressed her hair and smiled lightly. “God answered our prayers…well, my prayers. I thought ye were dead and it crushed me.”

“How did you get to me? When I was lying there, I looked around to see if there was a way to make it back up the rise but I couldn’t see any.”

He sighed deeply. “Henny tied a rope around himself but it unraveled and he fell too. Only he did not make it. His injuries took him. We buried him as soon as we returned.”

“Oh, Shaw, this distresses me. He died trying to save me.” Sorsha pressed her hand on his leg. “I am sorry because ’tis my fault.”

“Nay, it was no fault of yours but another’s. The rope gave way and Henny fell but Walen was able to make it down the cliff. He stayed with ye whilst we sent for help.” He leaned forward and set his head next to hers. “I thought I lost ye.”

“Where is Corliss? Did she confess?” Sorsha needed to know where the horrid woman was.

“Corliss is being held by the clan until I have time to deal with her.” Shaw pressed his hand on the side of her neck, fondling the curve of her shoulder. “I held such guilt for what happened to ye. I trusted Corliss and did not suspect any discord between us. How wrong I was.”

“She is your sister, and of course, you would not think such things. Why would she want to hurt me? What do you think she meant when she said that I was in her way?” Sorsha couldn’t reason the woman’s motives for wanting to harm her.

“That morn, when I left the tent, we were asked by Cadger to find a missing ox. Most of us went to help the man except for Walen who I left to look after ye and Idris who was eating his morning fare by the fire. I never suspected Idris would try to kill me.”

Sorsha gasped at his admission. “What! Idris tried to kill you? When?”

“When I got back to the camp, Walen told me that ye and Corliss went to the river. I bade all to stay there whilst I went to fetch ye. On the way, Idris stabbed me in the back. Henny followed me and he attacked Idris and slew him.”

“Oh, gracious, Shaw. How badly were you wounded? Have you mended?” Sorsha took his face in her hands and held him. She peered into his eyes and when he closed them, she sighed.

“’Tis naught to worry over. Louis mended me. I hardly feel it at all now.”

“Promise me that you are healed.” She implored him with a deep gaze.

“Almost, sweetheart, but soon enough I shall be good. ’Tis beginning to heal. That is why I have waited to meet with Corliss. There is something else I must tell ye and ye might be daunted by it.”

She raised his face, feeling the tickle of his whiskers on her palms. “What is it?”

“I must meet with my allies soon…and vowed to at the end of October. ’Tis a matter of importance which is the only reason that I would leave ye now, especially with ye ailing.”

Sorsha patted the bedside on the opposite side of her hurt leg. “Come and lie with me.” Shaw rounded the bedside and with care, he shifted to position his body as close to hers as he could. She shimmied her bottom so that she lay more on her side and flung her arm over his hard torso.

“Shaw, there is naught you can do to help me improve. But I worry about this so-called meeting you are having with your allies. It will not be dangerous, will it?”

“I will not tell ye a falsehood. It could become dangerous, och I will have many allies with me and my soldiers protecting me. There is no turning back. We must go forth and—”

“Are you warring with another clan?” She pressed herself upward a little to better see his face but he avoided looking at her.

With his eyes lowered, Shaw was quiet for a long moment. “Aye, sweetheart, we are. We war with the Chattans.”

Before she could voice her displeasure at hearing his retort, the children ran into the chamber. Shaw reached for Gillian and set her daughter beside her. Luthor stood beside the bed until Shaw too hoisted him onto the bedding. Just seeing the children lightened her mood.

“Mama, are you well now?”

She smiled to appease her sweet lass. “I am well enough but I shall be stuck in this bed for a time. I am in no danger.” At least, she hoped that was the truth. Until Louis returned to check her over again, she was uncertain about her condition.

Shaw gently yanked one of her daughter’s tresses. “Gilly lass, ye know your mama is going to need tending to and I must leave. Will ye and Luthor make sure your mama has company whilst she convalesces?”

Both children nodded.

Sorsha grabbed Gillian’s hand and then Luthor’s. “I shall be quite content if you come and join me during the day.”

“Will you tell us more stories?” Luthor asked.

“Of course, I shall. Now, go and find Enid for the midday meal.”

Once the children left the room, she turned to face Shaw. “Please, tell me why you will war with the Chattans. It is not because of me, is it?”

“Our war with the Chattans is about ye, sweetheart, och it is also about justice. That Geoff used my sister and her husband to try to murder us… Geoff also dispatched his brother in order to overtake several clans’ lands hereabouts.

The clans want to confront him before he has a chance to call upon his allies.

They seek retribution for Rodick, who dealt fairly with them.

” Shaw sighed and pressed his hand under her chin to raise her face.

“My allies have their reasons and I have mine.”

“If you come across a maid called Aela, can you send her here?”

Shaw tilted his head as if questioning why.

Sorsha’s shoulders tensed in consideration of her maid being amid a war.

“Aela went with me to Tor when I first married Rodick. She cared for me and was my mother’s maidservant.

There is also a lad named Lister who attends her.

Rodick made him work in the stables. He too was sent by my mother to care for me after I left my family. They are all I have from home.”

“I vow that I shall find them and send them to ye.”

She took a soothing breath and nodded. “I just want them safe.”

“And all I want is for ye to be safe. ’Tis a miracle ye were not killed.” Shaw gave her a light peck of a kiss on her lips. “Now I must go because my allies await me. Try not to worry, Sorsha. I will return when I can.”

After he disappeared through the threshold, she wiped away a tear from her eyelash. The thought of Shaw going to war with the Chattans worried her far more than he knew. Her apprehension wouldn’t cease until he returned. She prayed that it would be soon.