Page 70 of Bride Takes a Charmer
“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 atime.” 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 openedit 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 togetting 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—”