Page 7 of Highlander’s Captive Bride (Troubles of Highland Lasses #4)

7

A fter several days of quiet despair at her failure to pinpoint the cause of Elodie’s suffering, Daisy had what she thought was a good idea. Fresh air and sunshine sometimes did wonders for the sick, and Elodie had been lying in her stuffy sickroom for too long, in Daisy’s opinion.

“Poppy, it’s a fine day out today, and I think it would be a good idea if we took Elodie outside for some fresh air and let her get a bit of sun on her face. It might do her some good, and it cannae do her any harm. Will ye help me?”

“Of course, Daisy. I’ll get her dressed,” Poppy replied with enthusiasm. She went over to the bed. “Ye’d like to go outside, would ye nae, lassie?” she asked.

Elodie immediately smiled, looking genuinely pleased at the prospect. “Och, I’d love to see the sun,” she said, her face brightening, “and it’ll be grand to feel the breeze on me face. ’Tis always so hot in here.”

In a short time, Daisy and Poppy had helped the little girl out of bed and got her dressed.

“I feel a wee bit better just being in me clothes again,” Elodie told them with as much excitement as she could muster in her weakened state.

Poppy summoned Jamie from his station in the hallway to carry Elodie. Daisy laughed inwardly to see the brave warrior falling over himself to serve Poppy, realizing by then that he had a huge crush on the pretty maid. Poppy seemed to relish his presence, too, and as cynical as she felt, Daisy sensed romance in the air.

Before long, she, Poppy, and Elodie were ensconced on a blanket on the castle green, with Jamie lurking nearby, as always. The warm sun shone down upon them, and it certainly appeared to Daisy that Elodie was in better spirits just from being in the open air.

They laughed and chattered amongst themselves, and Daisy felt more positive about Elodie’s prognosis than she had in days. They were engaged in making daisy chains—Elodie had decided that her new healer should have a daisy crown to match her name—when Daisy spotted a familiar figure heading towards them.

“Da!” Elodie called excitedly, seeing her father coming towards them. “Look, I’m making a daisy chain for Daisy.” She held up the delicate article for his admiration. She might as well have been blowing in the wind for all the notice he took of her handiwork.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Bellamy shouted as he came up to them, his ire clearly directed at Daisy. “She shouldnae be out here. She’s sick, d’ye nae understand that? What are ye playing at, woman?” he demanded. “Get her back inside, at once!”

Daisy watched in horror as Elodie’s face fell, along with the daisy chain she had so carefully wrought. Her little face screwed up, and she began to cry.

“But I like being outside, Da,” she sobbed. “’Tis nice. I havenae seen the sun in ages, and I feel better, too.”

Daisy stood up, glancing at Poppy, who looked terrified. Conscious of Elodie’s distress, she reigned in the anger that threatened to overwhelm her. “I assure ye, Elodie’s quite all right. The sunshine will do her—”

“I told ye to get her inside, now! Jamie,” Bellamy called, hailing his right-hand man.

Jamie rushed over to them, clearly wondering what was going on. “What is it? Is she taken sick again?” he asked, looking down at Elodie with sympathy in his eyes.

“Take her back indoors, to her chambers, will ye?” the Laird ordered in a hiss.

“But, Da, I dinnae want to go back inside. Please, let me stay,” Elodie begged, tears rolling down her face.

“Take her. And ye go with her, Poppy. I dinnae want to see a repeat of this nonsense,” the Laird barked, ignoring her plea, much to Daisy’s fury.

Daisy clenched her fists as Jamie gently scooped up the crying child, preparing to follow him and Poppy inside.

But as they hurried off, with Elodie’s cries still echoing in her ears, a hand grabbed her arm tightly.

“Nay, ye’re coming with me,” the Laird ground out, practically dragging her after their disappearing figures.

“Let go of me! Ye’re hurting me arm,” Daisy demanded as he pulled her up the stairs and down the hallway to her room, her feet hardly touching the ground.

But he simply ignored her protests. She glimpsed Poppy vanishing into Elodie’s chambers just before he shoved her inside her room and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

“What foolish game are ye playing, woman? Are ye out to kill me child? Is that it?” Bellamy yelled in Daisy’s face, his own red with anger.

“Ye stupid fool!” Daisy yelled back, her hands on her hips, more than ready for a fight. “She’s been shut in her chambers for days. I took her outside because I thought the sunshine and fresh air might do her some good, and they were until ye came along with yer big clodhopping boots, shouting the odds to all and sundry and scaring the child half to death. Could ye nae see she was enjoying herself?”

“How can sun and air cure her, eh? In her condition, she needs to be inside, where ’tis warm and she can be tended to,” Bellamy growled, his fists clenching and unclenching as he advanced on her.

“Dinnae try to intimidate me,” she snapped, not budging an inch. “If ye’re such a great healer and ken so much about what’s good and what isnae, then why d’ye nae cure her yerself, eh? Ye dinnae need me, it seems, ye great know-it-all.”

She took in a deep breath, then continued to yell in his face, toe to toe with him now. “Ye’re so big and proud of yerself that ye dinnae even care that ye spoiled it for her. Ye dinnae even care that ye made her cry. Yet, ye say ye love the child, that she means more to ye than anything. Well,” she scoffed, “ye have a funny way of showing it!”

“What are ye trying to say, woman?” Bellamy gritted out. “Are ye trying to say I’m nae a good faither to her?”

“Aye, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Ye hardly ever bother to come and see her, even though ye must ken it breaks her heart that ye shut her out. Oh, I’ve seen the way ye act. Ye can handle it for a few minutes, but then ye’re gone like a rat down a drain, Laird I’m so busy I cannae even make time for me daughter !

“If ye bothered to spend time with the poor, wee lassie, ye’d ken how it pains her that ye’re so distant. She thinks ’tis her fault, but if ye treated her like a real faither should, then ye’d ken that and do something to change it.”

* * *

Bellamy opened his mouth to shout back at her, but she did not give him the chance, continuing to enumerate his faults as a father, stunning him with her apparently endless invective.

He stared, openmouthed, at her, for he had never in his whole life been confronted by a woman in such a manner. Women obeyed him, batted their eyelashes at him, begged for the chance to warm his bed, and then pleaded to stay when he sent them away.

But here was this little madam, this little spitfire, who barely came up to his chest, laying down the law to him. It was shocking!

“Of course, she wanted to go outside. And if ye spent any time with her, then ye’d ken that,” she was yelling at him, her eyes glinting with unabated fury, her little hands clenching into fists as if she was going to strike him next.

He was at a loss as to how to defend himself as her accusations rained down on him like physical blows. They stung because he knew there was truth to them. He had to shut her up.

“Stop yer yelling, or I’ll—” he threatened, breathing heavily as they stood nose to nose.

But she cut him off, again. “Or ye’ll what?” she challenged.

“I’ll do this,” he muttered, suddenly grabbing her by the waist, pulling her into him, and covering her mouth with his own.

* * *

Daisy was cut off midsentence when he suddenly grabbed her and kissed her, stopping her rant immediately before she realized what was happening. Then, she felt his arms holding her tightly against his broad chest, pinning her against him, his mouth hot and wet on hers as he forced her lips apart and forcefully plundered her mouth.

She breathed in his scent as his tongue invaded her mouth, and the flame she had felt before flared up inside her, a flame she could not seem to resist. With a low moan deep in her throat, she parted her lips, her tongue meeting his in a tantalizing dance. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss, wanting more of him despite everything.

They finally broke apart, panting, backing away from each other in stunned silence. For several moments, they simply stared at each other, and she could see that he was as shocked as her by what had happened.

Suddenly, without a word, Bellamy appeared to collect himself, running a hand through his hair as if in distraction. Then, with one dark glance back at her, he stormed out of her room, slamming the door behind him.

With her entire body trembling, her lips still tingling from his ferocious kiss, Daisy stood motionless as the full implications of what had occurred sank in. She struggled to gather her whirling thoughts, suddenly assailed by guilt and anger. At herself and him.

What have I done?

Giving herself a mental shake, she forced herself to think calmly, to make sense of the situation. To do so, she knew she needed to be honest with herself, and that was painful.

Despite everything she thought she knew and believed about herself, she was forced to accept that the Laird of Murdoch stirred something inside her that she did not fully understand. The things he made her feel were completely unknown to her.

Ultimately, she decided that this dangerous, dishonorable desire for the man who had committed mass murder to kidnap her and bring her to his castle to do his will could not be sustained.

I must get away, somehow, and soon. I must get away from this place. And him!

* * *

That night, Daisy slept fitfully and woke up the next morning feeling tired. For now, added to the burdens of worrying about Elodie and the nature of her sickness and Violet needing her help was the confusion attached to the intense, intimate moment that she and the Laird of Murdoch had unexpectedly shared the evening before. Just the memory of it made her cheeks flush hotly.

As had become her habit, she rose, washed, and dressed, then sat patiently, waiting for Poppy to come and unlock her chamber door so she could attend to Elodie.

She waited. And waited.

“Where is the girl?” she grumbled to herself after a quarter of an hour. “Has she forgotten me?”

Impatient, she bolted from the edge of the bed and crossed to the door.

“Poppy! Where are ye? Come and let me out, will ye?” she called out, rattling the handle.

To her shock, the handle turned, and the door creaked open.

Astonished, concluding the girl had forgotten to lock her in the night before, she peeked into the hallway. It was empty. Hesitating no longer, she went straight to Elodie’s chambers.

“Did ye forget to lock me door?” she asked Poppy when she entered, eager to check on her patient.

The servant looked up from folding some clean laundry on the table, surprise on her face. “Nay, Daisy. Last night, the Laird came and said ye werenae to be locked in anymore. Did he nae tell ye?”

“N-nay. That is, I expect he did mention it, but it must have slipped me mind,” Daisy hedged, trying to conceal the blush she felt heating her cheeks as she crossed to the bed.

“Aye, he said it was vital that ye have the freedom to monitor the wee lassie’s progress as ye wish from now on,” Poppy supplied cheerfully, neatly stacking some clean pillowcases. “Though ’tis a mystery to me why he had ye locked up in the first place.”

“Hmm,” Daisy murmured noncommittally, concealing with a bright smile her shock at this unexpected yet very welcome sign of trust. “Now, how is the patient today?” she asked, leaning over the bed to see Elodie, who looked up from the pillow and greeted her with a wan smile.

“Good morning, Daisy,” the child said weakly. “I’m nae so bad today, but me tummy’s sore.”

“I’m sorry to hear it, hinny,” Daisy told her, noting her dull eyes and pale cheeks with concern.

She laid her palm on Elodie’s pallid brow and found it worryingly hot. She was familiar enough with her now to know that she always played down her suffering because she hated to be a burden and wished to please. Poppy was the more reliable source when it came to the true state of affairs.

“I did drink a little cuppa tea for breakfast, did I nae, Poppy?” Elodie added, looking at her faithful carer.

“Aye, she did that, Daisy, and she kept it down, too. I’ve ordered some gruel with honey to be brought up, so we’ll try to get that inside her shortly,” Poppy said, looking up from where she was stowing the folded laundry in a wooden chest. She shut the lid and came over to the bed, sitting in her usual chair and taking up her knitting.

Daisy sat on the edge of the bed and ran through her usual checks on Elodie’s vital signs. The results remained largely the same as before. Yet, she could not help noticing that the child’s stomach seemed slightly swollen. When she laid her hand gently on it, Elodie winced.

“My, it is sore, is it nae?” Daisy said, concealing how deeply the symptom worried her. “But a little sweet gruel may help to soothe it.”

That was true enough, for the healing power of oats was well known to benefit invalids. She tried to sound optimistic for Elodie’s sake, but there was no doubt in her mind that the child was fading by degrees.

The gruel duly arrived, and she and Poppy took turns spooning it into Elodie’s mouth. The girl ate it all, but she was listless and had some difficulty swallowing. Mercifully, the oats, honey, and milk appeared to have a soporific effect, for not long after she had eaten the last spoonful, she drifted off to sleep.

“I pray that stays down,” Poppy said softly, looking fondly at Elodie.

But Daisy could clearly see the concern in her eyes.

“I fear for the wee lass,” Poppy confessed. “She’s naught but a bag of bones. I dinnae ken how much longer she can last like this.”

The words pierced Daisy’s heart. She understood exactly what Poppy meant, for she felt exactly the same. But hearing her thoughts spoken aloud made her failure to heal the little girl weigh even more heavily upon her.

Daisy watched over Elodie for a little while longer. Then, hearing her stomach rumble, she rose and told Poppy, “While she’s sleeping, I’ll go down to the dining hall for a wee while to get something to eat. Can I bring ye anything?”

“Och, ’tis kind of ye to ask, Daisy, but I’ve breakfasted already. Ye run off now and get something for yerself,” Poppy said with a smile and a shake of her head.

“All right. I willnae be long,” Daisy promised and then slipped quietly out of the room, only to find Jamie standing in the corridor. He gave her a wry smile, and she sighed.

Clearly, the Laird’s trust only went so far. Apparently, though she was no longer to be locked in her room, she was still deemed enough of a risk to require an escort whenever she ventured out of Elodie’s chambers.

They exchanged pleasantries and news on Elodie’s condition while Jamie escorted her to the dining hall, lingering nearby when she sat down and ordered some ham, eggs, porridge, and tea. The food arrived just as Nadia appeared and came to sit with her.

“Good day to ye, Daisy,” Nadia greeted, smiling as she slid onto the bench opposite. “Can I join ye?”

“It looks like ye already have,” Daisy replied, eyeing the young woman with amusement as she salted her porridge. “I’m jesting. I welcome yer company,” she added, seeing Nadia’s nonplussed expression.

“Och, I thought ye were serious,” Nadia said, sounding relieved. Her smile reappeared.

“As long as ye dinnae mind me eating,” Daisy quipped, setting about demolishing the bowlful of creamy oats.

“Of course nae. I’ll be joining ye soon, for I’m just waiting for me toast and preserves to come, so dinnae hold back on me account.” Nadia paused for a moment before leaning forward and asking, “How’s little Elodie this morning?”

“Ach, not much change, I’m afraid. Every day, she grows weaker,” Daisy confided between mouthfuls, feeling a little guilty for her own healthy appetite.

Nadia looked truly downcast at the news. “Aye. I thought as much. ’Tis surprising, is it nae, how quickly she’s grown so sick and thin?”

“’Tis worrying, indeed,” Daisy agreed, not needing to be reminded.

“Have ye nae any idea yet what ails her?” Nadia inquired.

Daisy shook her head. “Nay. ’Tis still a mystery, but I’m trying me best to find out.”

Nadia nodded, looking thoughtful. But she said no more on the subject, for, just then, her toasted bread arrived, along with a small dish of butter and another containing berry jam. She picked up her knife and spread the butter and jam over the warm, crusty bread. She took a dainty bite and chewed on it.

Then, she asked more cheerfully, “Have ye heard about the Beltane celebrations? I’m on the organizing committee with some of the clanswomen. After I’m done here, we’re meeting up in the servants’ hall to start making some new banners and garlands to decorate the halls. Och, ’tis goin’ to be a wonderful party this year, better than ever,” she gushed.

Daisy smiled. “Och, ye ken, I’ve been so busy, I’d quite forgotten ’tis almost time for Beltane,” she admitted, feeling a little excitement at the prospect of the festivities as she sipped her tea.

“Ye have to come,” Nadia told her in a breathy voice. “It’ll be grand. We always have so much fun, and the Laird always makes sure there’s plenty of good food and drink for everyone.”

At the mention of Bellamy, Daisy’s heart skipped a beat, and she silently willed her cheeks not to show the heat that suddenly blossomed in her chest at the memory of her tongue hotly entangled with his. He had been deliberately avoiding her since their embarrassing encounter.

Well, that suits me fine. I have nae wish to repeat the experience .

“Aye, ’tis one of the best times of the year, I reckon, welcoming the first day of summer,” she said, keeping her tone even. “I look forward to it,” she added. Then, she set about eating her ham and eggs, with the germ of an idea beginning to form in her mind.

“D’ye think Elodie will be well enough to attend?” Nadia asked. “She’ll be so disappointed if she cannae come.”

“Let’s hope she’ll be better by then,” Daisy told her, loath to admit that she feared the poor child might not even make it that far.

They chatted a while longer about inconsequential things before finishing their breakfasts.

Nadia dabbed at her lips with a napkin, brushed the crumbs from her dress, and got to her feet. “I must go,” she declared. “The committee is expecting me.”

Daisy also rose. “I’ll walk with ye,” she offered.

The pair made their way out of the dining hall together, with Jamie strolling not far behind.

“Will ye tell Elodie I’ll be up to see her later, please?” Nadia requested as they went down the hallway.

“Of course. Ye always cheer her up. I’m away to her chambers now, to check on her,” Daisy told her.

They reached the great hall and parted at the bottom of the staircase.

“I’ll see ye later on,” Nadia said with a little wave.

She crossed the hall and disappeared down another hallway Daisy was not familiar with. So occupied with her own thoughts was she that she was halfway up the stairs before something occurred to her.

If Nadia was supposed to be meeting the Beltane committee in the servants’ hall, as she had said, then, Daisy assumed, she must have forgotten. For the girl had not turned to go that way and was, in fact, heading away from the kitchens, where the servants’ hall was located.

But it seemed unimportant, so Daisy dismissed it and carried on upstairs, with Jamie at her heels.