A Laird and a Healer (Rebel Highland Brides #2)

Chapter 6

T he lad’s eyes were bloodshot and bleary, but the irises were a bright blue hue. Through her experience, she had learned that one thing recovering patients needed the most was a human connection to tether them to the world, and this is what she provided for Keith.

What she didn’t realize was that Keith was not the only one who needed healing, but the cure for his father’s wounds required an entirely different type of medicine.

Keith’s head jerked back and forth as he returned to consciousness from his dreamless sleep. He blinked frantically, and his face was lined with fear. Since the illness had robbed him of his strength, his features took on a gaunt look, making him seem older than he was. He stretched out his limbs and his hands and feet, just to make sure they still worked. He moved his mouth, and sucked in a panicked breath.

Tara reassured him again, squeezing his hand tightly and smiling at him, seeking to remind him that he was safe. It took him a few moments before he realized that he was awake again. When he calmed down, he stared at Tara with a furrowed brow and in his expression she could see shadows of his father.

“Who are ye?” he asked.

“I’m Tara. I was brought here tae help ye feel better. Ye hae been very ill,” she explained slowly.

Keith tried to lift his head, but faltered and groaned. He then attempted to push himself into a sitting position. Tara placed her hand against his back and helped him. He shimmied back, and winced in pain. Closing his eyes, he brought his fingers to his nose and massaged its bridge.

“My head feels strange.”

“It will get better. Ye just need a wee bit of time tae get used tae being awake again. Dinnae rush anything, and take things slowly,” she instructed.

He puckered his lips and cleared his throat. His voice was hoarse. Tara poured him some water and gently lifted the mug to his lips, tilting it so that he could take small sips. As soon as he tasted the water, he realized how thirsty he was and tried to guzzle everything down, but Tara took the mug away.

“If ye drink tae fast, ye are gaeing tae spit it up. Yer body needs tae get used tae eating and drinking again. Ye hae been through a lot.”

“In here?” he asked, still with a hazy look in his eyes.

“Aye, even though ye hae been lying in bed, yer body hae been daeing a lot of work. There was something grim inside ye, and ye hae been working hard tae fight it off.”

Keith leaned his head back and then placed a hand across his abdomen, massaging his stomach. “How long hae I been asleep?” he continued, getting more and more lucid with every passing moment.

Even just the few sips of water helped bring the color back to his cheeks. No longer was he completely flushed with an ashen shade. He was beginning to look more like a human again rather than a stone statue. His breathing became steady, and he became calm relatively quickly, which impressed Tara. It was clear that he possessed a lot of fortitude, a gift she assumed he received from his father.

“I am nae entirely sure.”

“Where dae ye come from?”

“The Knox Clan. I dinnae know if ye hae heard of them. But my last name is Gilmour.”

Keith nodded. “I know all the clans. Da made me learn. But what are ye daeing out here? Da says that we should never ask the other clans for help because it only tells them that we’re weak.”

Tara gave an intrigued nod. That certainly sounded like something Gordon would say. Tara sighed.

“Well, I was actually riding somewhere else when yer Da found me. I dinnae know ye were in trouble until I arrived. It seems that all others have failed, and me, a stranger from another clan, actually helped ye. Now, that I think of it, as soon as I saw ye, I was determined to wake ye up and prove I’m the best healer in the Highlands. Ye are my best work, lad,” Tara teased, gesturing theatrically.

Keith laughed and then smiled ruefully. His attitude and his appearance made him seem more mature than his age.

“Where did my Da find ye? Were ye on our land?” he asked.

“Aye.”

“Da says that anything in our land belongs tae us.”

“I know someone else who feels the same way,” Tara replied, thinking about her brother-in-law. Some people were terrible when it came to territory. “But dae ye think that I belong here? Everyone is so big, and grumpy.”

There was a playful tone to her words. She wanted to try to distract him from any lingering pain or discomfort he might have been feeling. Keith considered the question for a moment and then shook his head.

“Good,” Tara added. “I dinnae think sae either.”

She only hoped that Gordon would come to the same conclusion when it came time for her to leave.

“Where is Da?” he asked.

Tara noticed how he didn’t ask about his mother.

“He’ll be along shortly, no doubt. I want tae make sure that ye are well before I tell him that ye are awake,” she explained, and then asked him if it was acceptable to give him a quick examination.

She inspected his legs and arms, and pressed various points of his body, asking him if they hurt. There were parts of him that did not feel as tender as they had done, and his forehead was no longer doused with sweat.

“Ye hae been through a lot, Keith. I can tell that ye are a natural warrior, just like yer Da.”

“I want tae be,” Keith grinned. “Da says that one day all of this is gaeing tae be mine, and I need tae be strong tae keep hold of it because there are other people who are always trying tae take it from us.”

“And what does ye Da want?”

Keith took a moment to think. “He just wants tae be left alone. I asked him if we could visit other clans when he teaches me about them, but he says it’s a bad idea. He says the best thing tae dae is tae stay out of trouble. But I dinnae think visiting other people is trouble.”

“Ye cannae get any help from others if ye stay away from them.”

Keith nodded. “Da says that we dinnae need help. He says we hae everything we need, and we can take care of ourselves.”

“I’m sure he believes that, but ye needed my help,” Tara observed thinly.

She glanced towards the door, knowing that she should have called for Gordon. Part of her wanted to keep Keith to herself for a little while so that she could learn more about him, his father, and this land. He seemed more agreeable than his father, and surprisingly chipper considering all he had gone through. It seemed as though he wasn’t about to let his condition get the better of him and ignored his discomfort. She supposed it had been a little easier for him. To him, it had been like a long sleep, whereas for his father it had been an eternity of despair.

However, she could not in good conscience prevent Gordon from knowing that his son had regained conscience. Once she had performed all the necessary examinations, she rose from the bed and opened the door, calling to a guard that was patrolling the hallway. He came rushing up to her, and she told him to fetch the Laird, for his son had awoken. The guard looked shocked and then sprinted away with such speed that he stumbled. Tara turned back into the room, knowing she had only a short time to learn whatever she could.

There were a few hard questions that she wanted to ask, both about how he became ill, and what happened to his mother.

“Keith, dae ye remember what happened when ye got ill? Was it something ye ate? Did ye gae anywhere strange in the forest the day ye fell ill?”

Keith shook his head. “I felt a little strange. My stomach hurt, and then my head began tae ache. Da became very worried. He carried me here and summoned all the healers immediately. He was afraid because of what happened tae Ma?—”

Gordon came crashing in, bursting through the door. He stopped short of the bed when he realized that Keith was awake. His hand covered his mouth, almost as though he could not believe what he was seeing.

“Keith! Ye are… Och my,” he said, and then turned to Tara for a moment. “Ye did it.”

His gaze then snapped back to Keith. He fell to his knees and clasped his son’s hand. With his other hand, he caressed Keith’s forehead and cheek, as though Gordon needed to touch him to make sure this was not some illusion.

“He is well again, aye?” there was fragile hope in his eyes, as though he feared that all this might be taken away from him.

Tara inclined her head. “The fever has broken, which is a very good sign. I believe that whatever afflicted him has been driven off, but it will take some time for him tae recover fully. He needs tae drink plenty of water, but he should take things slow when it comes tae eating. His body is still sensitive and weak.

I know it seems strange given that he hae already spent plenty of time in bed, but he needs rest sae that his body can heal. There will be nae running about the keep for him soon,” Tara added this last part with a smile.

Keith pouted at this and looked disappointed. He turned to his father with an imploring look, as though he expected his father to overrule Tara’s judgment. In fact, she almost expected it as well.

“Dae what Tara says. She knows what’s best for ye,” he said gently.

Tara felt her heart flutter at this considered response. Gordon glanced at her, and then his lips moved softly. He mouthed a “thank ye” to her, and she responded with a smile. He might have been hard, and his temper ran hot, but at least he had the wherewithal to reflect on his actions and know when he was being unreasonable. Clearly he had time to think about their last interaction, and this gave Tara hope that she might be able to convince him to let her return home now that Keith was well.

But that could wait for the time being. For now, she wanted to give father and son a chance to bond and reconnect. She knew how proud Gordon was, and doubted that he was going to show the full force of his emotion while she was in the room.

“I should gae tae my room. I’ll be back tae check in ye in a while, Keith,” she smiled.

When she departed, she took another look at Gordon. His eyes were glistening.

Tara had finished updating her notes regarding Keith’s condition, but she still held the quill in between her fingers. Dark ink dripped from the nib. Her mind was awash with thoughts about Gordon, and she knew she was never going to be able to rest until she put them down on paper. She found that writing a journal was a good way to unwind because the thoughts traveled from her mind to the page, and it often brought a sense of calm to her.

She fetched the pages of her makeshift journal from beneath the mattress and smoothed them out over the surface of the desk, before she began writing, taking care because the crumpled paper was easier to tear.

Keith regained consciousness today. I feel proud that I was able to heal him, and I am glad that one of my remedies worked. However, there is still some mystery surrounding the origins of his illness. He was about to tell me when Gordon interrupted us. Keith mentioned something about his mother. I am still confused about her. Is she even in the Keep? Why was she not rushing to her son’s side when he awoke? Why have I not seen her at all? Was Gordon angry with her? Did she perhaps give Keith something to eat and that caused his illness? The thought that she might be locked in a dungeon below my feet as we speak gives me chills.

I don’t like to think of Gordon being that cruel, but in truth he is a hard man to fathom. He is at once a lion and a lamb, so quick to anger, yet also with a vulnerability that runs deep. I don’t care what he says, I know that he was weeping during the night. His love for Keith is fierce, yet he is too proud to be open with other people.

Even though he brought me here to save his son, he still treats me like an enemy, although I hope this will change soon given that Keith has recovered. Surely, he cannot find more ways to be upset with me? I have done what he asked, and it is time for him to release me.

Unfortunately, I know that men do not always make reasonable decisions. I remember when we were captured by Ryan, and he made a deal with Caroline. Everything was done on his terms, and the choices she made were forced ones.

I fear that I might have to struggle with a similar issue. How long am I going to have to tend to Keith? How long before Gordon believes that Keith has fully recovered? And given that there are no healers here any longer, will he be willing to let me leave?

All I want is to return home. I want to see Caroline, Allan, Nessa, and Ryan again. I miss my sisters dearly. I was making great strides in my studies and I feel as though I am ready to take a step forward. I wish to be a better healer. Taking care of someone by myself, without any of the elders to rely upon, has shown me that I am capable of being responsible for others. I am ready for my life to being in earnest.

This adventure was not something I sought, but all in all, I have handled it far better than I thought. I am learning new things about myself with every passing day, and I am stronger than I ever thought possible.

I hope that my family is not too worried about me. I wish that I could get word to them. Perhaps Laird Abernathy will grant me that small courtesy as a reward for saving his son. On a selfish note, I cannot wait to return and tell Shea about what I have accomplished. She will turn green with envy upon learning that I healed the son of a Laird. My renown will grow, and soon none of them will be able to accuse me of benefiting from Ryan’s favoritism.

But to accomplish that I must return, and for that Gordon must set me free. This Keep is cloaked in mist and I feel isolated. Even if I managed to escape of my own accord, I wouldn’t know in which direction to turn. Everything hangs in the balance, and he has my future in his hands. I only hope he is gentle with me now that Keith has been saved.

Tara placed the nib down and blew the ink dry. When this was completed, she placed the papers back beneath her bed. She took a deep breath and waited, knowing that she might have to be patient for Gordon to summon her again.

However, it didn’t take as long as she might have thought. There was soon a curt knock on her door. She opened it, expecting to find Gordon standing there, perhaps with a more audible sentiment of gratitude on his lips. Instead, it was a guard, staring at her with a blank look.

“The Laird requests yer presence for dinner in the main hall,” he announced, and then informed her how long she had to prepare, which wasn’t very long at all.

Tara’s heart fluttered beyond her control. She hadn’t expected dinner. Given the way he had treated her so far, she assumed that he would have simply approached her room and told her what he expected of her next. Laird Abernathy was not the type to take requests. This land was his, after all, and he wanted things to be on his terms and his terms alone.

Tara smoothed down her hair and made herself as presentable as possible. She thought back to the moment when she, Caroline, and Nessa had first been captured by Ryan. Tara had quivered with fear, while Nessa had snarled like a wild animal. But Caroline remained composed. She maintained her elegance and met Ryan with a disciplined stare. She did not give into anger, nor did she act meek. She was the daughter of a Laird and acted as such. It was a timely lesson to remember.

Tara had just saved Laird Abernathy’s son. He was in her debt, and she could not afford to forget it.