Page 32 of Deceived by the Highlander (Daughters of the Isle #2)
“Have ye heard from Hugh lately? I sent him a message from Rum, to let him know of my marriage, but didn’t hear back.” Something occurred to him. “’Tis always possible his father forgot to pass the message onto him.” Hugh’s father, alas, grew frailer by the year.
William frowned. “Now ye mention it, I haven’t heard from him in weeks. I can’t even recall the last time I saw him.”
“I spoke to him a few days before I left for Rum. He was on his way to speak to the earl.” Damn, he hoped to God the earl had nothing to do with Hugh’s apparent disappearance.
“I’ll visit his father on my way home,” William said. “’Tis strange, though. Hugh doesn’t usually go for so long without word.” His gaze shifted to over Alasdair’s shoulder. “The earl returns.”
Alasdair swung about. The earl was strolling their way, accompanied by a man in long, dark robes. When they were still some distance away, the earl raised his hand, and the other man halted while Archibald continued on his way.
“An interesting meeting,” he said when he reached them. “Do either of ye have need of a physician? I can vouch for Seoc Erskine’s bloodline but have no knowledge as to his medical expertise.”
Alasdair already knew the answer to that question. There was no way he’d subject Freyja to another patronizing old bastard.
“We appointed a physician some months ago,” William said. “Good God, the man doesn’t appear old enough to be qualified. I thought all physicians had one foot in the grave.”
Alasdair frowned and took another look at the stranger. William was right. Seoc Erskine looked scarcely ten years older than the three of them.
The earl laughed. “Aye, he’s fresh out of that fancy college in London. Lord only knows what new ideas he has. I’ll take him with me to Edinburgh when I leave in the morning. If nothing else, he can make some good contacts.”
“I’ll speak with him.” Freyja had spoken of the royal college with barely concealed longing. If Seoc Erskine wasn’t a pompous turd, then maybe he’d invite the man back to Dunochty so Freyja could question him. He was certain she’d enjoy that.
He made his way over to Erskine, who offered him a friendly smile. Goddamn, he didn’t think physicians had it in them to smile. Then again, he’d never encountered one as young as Erskine, or one who’d attended the royal college.
“Alasdair Campbell,” he said by way of introduction. “I hear ye went to the royal college.”
“Aye, and I’m eager to put what I’ve learned to good use.”
There was one sure way to discover if Erskine was as forward thinking as Freyja. “Tell me, what are ye thoughts on the medicinal use of the poppy?”
“’Tis a remarkable plant. I confess I’m fascinated by its properties, but with respect, I’m surprised that ye mention it. ’Tis not in common usage, although it used to be widely available.”
“Some physicians refer to it as the devil’s work.”
Erskine made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “Forgive me for being blunt, but that’s an old-fashioned outlook. I want only the best for my patients, and I consider all remedies on their merit.”
He had the feeling Freyja would get on well with Erskine. But he wouldn’t offer the man a position unless she gave her approval. He’d have no man disrespect her the way Lamont had.
And now for the final test. “My lady wife is a skilled healer. What are ye thoughts on that?”
“Nothing less than admiration. Indeed, my own wife shares my love for diagnosing medical ailments.”
“A happy state of affairs.” And he wasn’t just referring to Erskine’s obvious pleasure that his wife shared his enthusiasm for his profession.
It was the remarkable good luck that the physician had been at Castle Campbell today, so their paths had crossed.
“If ye’re willing, I should like to invite ye to Dunochty Castle to meet my lady wife.
And I must warn ye, she’ll not agree with anything ye say if she believes ye’re wrong. Just so ye know.”
“I shouldn’t wish her to. My wife questions everything, and I long ago discovered that is the only way to learn. There’s so much we don’t yet know, but I’m confident in time we’ll unlock all the mysteries of the body.”
He laughed. Damn, the man reminded him of Freyja’s passion when she spoke of her beloved calling. “My lady wife is the same. She speaks of an astonishing book that reveals what lies beneath the flesh. I cannot imagine such a thing.”
“The Fabrica.” There was a hushed note in Erskine’s voice. “An astounding set of volumes, and that’s God’s own truth.”
“Ye’ve seen these books?”
“Aye. At the college.”
Ever since they had wed, he’d wanted to buy Freyja something that showed her how proud he was that she was his wife. But with moving to Dunochty, and the discovery of their low stocks, he hadn’t found the time to search for the perfect gift.
He’d had a vague idea of a beautiful piece of jewelry. But while he was certain she’d be delighted by such a present, it wasn’t who she was. Collecting priceless jewelry wasn’t her passion.
Learning all she could about how the body functioned—now, that was her true passion. Freyja would be beside herself if he managed to acquire a copy of these elusive volumes that she had once, in breathless wonder, told him about.
Excitement surged through him. Until now, the idea hadn’t occurred to him. And even if it had, he had no contacts in an establishment as prestigious as the Royal College of Physicians, where one might reasonably expect to hunt down such specialized books.
But now he had Seoc Erskine.
“Seoc,” he said. “I need yer help.”
It didn’t matter how long it took or how much it cost to acquire the books. Because on the day he placed them in Freyja’s hands, she’d know how much she meant to him.