Chapter 10
Modesty is secondary when it comes to someone’s life.
Those words kept bouncing around in Leana’s mind as she ran, holding the hem of her skirt so she wouldn’t trip over it on her way to Hunter’s room.
Being a woman could be so uncomfortable sometimes! At times like this, she would have given anything to be able to wear pants. But right now, she was in no mood for lamenting, for she was filled with worry about little Hunter’s health.
It seemed that everyone was equally concerned about Hunter's welfare, as Kenneth soon caught up with Leana. It was evident that concern was pushing the Laird to hurry, for he was soon in front of Leana, opening the door for her, and as the healer hurried into the warm room.
A maid stood beside Hunter, tending to him during a coughing fit that seemed to never end. She anxiously held a handkerchief over his mouth to prevent drool or vomit from staining his clothes.
Leana hurried over to him. “Hello, ye,” she said, smiling as she sat down beside him.
Her expression changed to one of complete calm, almost as if there was nothing to worry about. Not because there was, but because experience had taught her that one had to be careful with children.
She preferred to show Hunter that she was calm so that he would be calm.
If she seemed scared or worried, the boy would be worried too.
“Hello, Miss Healer,” Hunter muttered, but then he began to cough again. Dark circles rimmed his eyes, and his skin was a pale, milky shade, as if he hadn’t slept at all the night before. “Have ye come to play with me?”
“That depends.” Leana smiled, gently taking his wrist and holding it. “What games do ye have to offer?”
While they were talking, Brenda and Valerie burst into the room.
“Me little bairn! Me little Hunter!” Brenda cried, approaching the bed. She took the handkerchief from the maid and wiped her son’s face with the dry part. “What has happened, me darlin’? Are ye feelin’ very ill?”
“I’m fine,” Hunter promised.
But Leana could detect the lie in his words, as well as his smile.
Twisting around, she saw that Kenneth was still standing in the doorway, having not let go of the handle yet. His knuckles were white from the pressure he was applying.
“Could ye bring me some clean, dry towels, a bucket of hot water, and some mint-and-honey tea?” Leana asked the maid, who immediately nodded and hurried out.
Valerie came over and stood beside her. “Do ye ken what ailment me cousin is sufferin’ from?” she whispered, her brow furrowed in concern.
“Nae yet. But we’ll find out,” Leana replied calmly.
She took a deep breath and focused on Hunter, giving him another smile without letting go of his wrist.
“So, did ye say we should play a guessin’ game? I like it. Ye and I have a mystery to solve.”
“Oh, really?” Hunter looked curious. Beyond the discomfort, he still possessed the innocence and curiosity of a child.
Good. That’s a good sign.
“Of course. We need to find out what’s wrong with ye,” Leana replied, winking at him.
“Well… But I warn ye, that’s a tricky one. Nay one’s been able to figure it out yet,” Hunter muttered before he started coughing again.
Leana immediately put a hand on his chest. She felt all eyes on her, following her movements, but she didn’t care. She had to find out what was affecting his health so badly.
“Daenae worry. I like a challenge.” She gave him a conspiratorial smile. “Can ye tell me how ye’re feelin’ right now?”
“Dizzy,” Hunter replied immediately.
Leana nodded. “Other than that, do ye feel tired? Any pain anywhere in yer body?”
“Me chest hurts, me throat hurts, and me head hurts a little,” Hunter said.
“Well, that could be the cough.” Leana lifted a hand and ruffled his hair. “The headache… is it like a stabbin’ sensation, like lightnin’, or is yer head spinnin’?”
Hunter laughed. “Ye say some pretty funny things for a healer. It hurts like I was playin’ spin and fell to the floor.”
“All right. Just play along a little longer,” she encouraged, smiling.
But it was clear that her questions were making everyone nervous. Maybe it was because the castle wasn’t used to the methods of a more empathetic healer, or maybe it was because they didn’t understand what her questions were about.
But for her, their interaction was helping build a clearer picture of Hunter’s illness. For example, by holding his hand, she could check if his pulse was too fast or too slow. She could also check his temperature by brushing his hair back from his forehead.
Everything she did around him, from the games to the smallest gestures, was part of the diagnosis, but only she knew that.
However, she needed to process the information a little more thoroughly. She needed to know if something in his environment was really affecting him.
“Hunter, I think I want to play another guessin’ game with ye, but alone. Some secrets arenae meant to be shared,” she whispered, wiggling her eyebrows.
It was a new idea for him, exciting and fun. “Sure!” he replied.
Leana turned to Valerie and Brenda. “Do ye mind givin’ us some time alone? Hunter and I have a secret or two to share,” she requested.
She didn’t want to pull a worried mother away from her sick son, but she needed to know what was going on, and she understood that Hunter might be afraid to say some things in front of his mother. If his illness involved mischief, for example, he wouldn’t say anything unless he feared a scolding.
At first, the request seemed to make Brenda and Valerie nervous. They turned and looked at Kenneth, as if to ask his opinion on the matter.
He nodded. “Let the healer talk to Hunter alone,” he ordered.
On the one hand, Leana was relieved that Kenneth was giving her space to treat Hunter as she saw fit. On the other hand, she was disappointed as she realized that Kenneth probably wouldn’t leave his brother’s side.
“I’ll be back soon, dearie, and we’ll read a story together,” Brenda promised, kissing her son on the cheek.
“Or we’ll do somethin’ more fun than readin’, like playin’ pirates,” Valerie joked as she tickled the little boy.
He couldn’t help laughing, which calmed his mother and Valerie. But he wasn’t fooling Leana. She could tell that he was faking his laughter, even exaggerating some of his movements, probably because he did not want to worry anyone, especially his older brother.
As soon as Brenda and Valerie stepped out of the room, Leana ruffled Hunter’s hair. “All right, then. Secrets,” she intoned, as if they were in on some kind of conspiracy.
Inching a little closer, hoping Kenneth couldn’t hear her, she asked, “Have ye eaten anythin’ strange lately? Like pastries from the kitchen or strange berries in the woods?”
“Nope.” Hunter shook his head.
“Nothin’ new, then. Have ye nae tried any special snacks lately?”
Hunter shook his head again.
“Well, if that’s the case, what do ye usually eat?”
As Hunter described his meals, Leana made a mental list of all the possibilities.
Once, years ago, she had cared for a patient with similar symptoms. An old woman who had developed a strange allergy to eggs because her chickens had a disease that she caught by not washing the shells before cracking them. But that didn’t seem to be the case.
“What about the escapades?” Leana asked in a whisper, her eyes wide as if they were on an adventure. “Have ye been explorin’ the castle at night, naughty boy?”
She ruffled the boy’s hair, and he laughed.
“Nay. I havenae left me bed all night,” he promised.
Then it’s nae the cold.
The possibilities piled up in her head, but she dismissed them anyway. As Hunter spoke, she imagined an impossible number of scenarios, but she soon realized that his case was different. New answers created new possibilities, but none of them seemed to exactly fit his case.
And these endless, non-fitting possibilities began to worry her. What exactly was affecting the child?
“Is yer mouth dry again? Remember, ye must tell the healer everythin’,” Kenneth said from the door.
It was obvious that he had been listening intently to their conversation, even though Leana made sure to whisper. But he had the ears of a wolf.
“Dry… Does yer mouth get very dry when ye cough?” Leana asked as he approached the bed.
“Sometimes,” Hunter admitted, a little uncomfortable. “But nay, me mouth isnae dry right now.”
“Let me check,” Leana requested gently.
Hunter shrugged and opened his mouth wide, sticking out his tongue for her to see. But for the moment, everything seemed fine.
Sighing, Leana arranged his pillows and pulled the blanket up a bit. “Alright, Hunter. That’s all, for now.”
“Nay more questions, Miss Healer?” the boy teased as he fell back against the pillows. “Have ye solved the riddle yet?”
“Nae yet. But I will, daenae worry.” She gave him a smile and made sure he was well tucked in. “For now, I’ll ask the maid to bring ye some warm milk with honey. It will help soothe yer sore throat.”
“Thank ye,” Hunter whispered.
“Ye’re welcome,” Leana replied softly. Her tone changed only slightly when she turned to Kenneth. “Come on, Laird MacReid. Let’s leave, so Hunter can get some sleep.”
Obviously, Kenneth was reluctant to follow her order. He didn’t want to leave his little brother like that, that much was obvious. But Leana gave him a pointed look.
He is very protective of those he loves.
That thought stayed with her as they made their way out of the room and rang the bell for the nanny. As luck would have it, Hunter seemed to be falling into a deep sleep.
Although Kenneth looked calm, Leana soon discovered that he was far more restless than he had let on. She knew as soon as he grabbed her wrist and turned her around.
“Have ye found out anythin’ about his illness?”
“I have some theories, but nothin’ solid yet,” Leana replied, trying to keep her composure, even though it was impossible for her to do so with his intense gaze fixed on her face. Especially considering his proximity.
“And what do ye suspect, lass? What’s wrong with him? Is it somethin’ he ate? I’ll kill everyone in the kitchen if that’s the case.”
“Hold yer horses. Ye daenae have to kill anyone,” Leana sighed. “Whatever is causin’ Hunter’s discomfort has nothing to do with food.”
“Then what is it that’s affectin’ him?” Kenneth asked.
“I daenae ken yet.” Leana frowned. “Ye said this comes and goes randomly?”
Kenneth nodded. “Aye. He gets sick for nay apparent reason.”
The situation was frustrating, all the more so because Leana could tell that Kenneth needed answers from her right away. Unfortunately, she couldn’t give them yet.
Fortunately, he seemed unaware of her inner turmoil.
Leana furrowed his brow slightly. “Well, for now, I need to ease his discomfort. I’ll treat him first, then find out what’s causin’ it.”
“And ye leave him like this? A little milk and honey willnae ease his discomfort, lass.”
“It will calm him down for now. It will help him sleep, which is what he requires,” Leana explained, pulling her wrist out of his grip under the pretext of smoothing her skirt.
“I daenae expect blind faith from ye, Laird MacReid, but ye brought me here for a reason. Ye will have to trust me methods.”
“I will if ye do more than question him,” Kenneth retorted in an annoyed tone.
This man is impossible!
Leana was concerned. She had barely slept the night before, remembering the kiss they had shared, and now he was being difficult again.
Fortunately, his cold indifference—his clipped responses, the way he refused to meet her eyes—was unraveling the fantasy she'd woven overnight, pulling her back to reality with every distant gesture.
In a way, she was grateful for it, because hating him was more reasonable than wanting him. So, she shot him a glare and stepped away from him.
“If ye daenae like me methods, Laird MacReid, ye can go out into the woods and kidnap another healer. But in the meantime, ye’ll have to make do with me.”
She turned to leave, but he called after her, “Where are ye goin’, lass?”
“To the woods, with Valerie, to gather some herbs for the tonic I need to make. I hope nay other whiny laird tries to kidnap me before I’ve finished me chores,” she muttered, practically running to get away from Kenneth.
Her blood was simmering with anger. She didn’t know if she hated or wanted the man, but at that moment, it was easy to concentrate on one feeling.
She surrendered to the rage so that she could finally erase the memory of his lips from her mind. At least for a little while. Long enough to carry out her mission and not fail in the attempt.