Chapter 19
Lilliana woke up from the most restful sleep she’d had since her wedding night. She stretched luxuriously and then reached for Bramble, who was lying by her side.
“Good morning, Bramble. It’s good to see you. I thought you’d abandoned me for the kitchens.” She ran her hand down his side. “Look at you. Have you grown fat? They’re feeding you well, I see.”
Bramble meowed sleepily before getting up and stretching.
Lilliana smiled. “There you are. Now, I’m going to have to leave you because Old Fergus and I are going hunting… for contagion. It’s going to be quite exciting. We’re off to the glens to collect samples.”
She paused, realizing that she’d never felt as useful and fulfilled in London as she did now in this Scottish backwater.
Bramble did not look particularly impressed.
“Hmm. How… curious,” she murmured to the cat as she picked up the jug to wash her face.
“What do you think of this, Bramble?” She held up one of the woolen skirts she’d bought from the local seamstress, along with a warm cotton shirt and a plaid to cover her head and shoulders. “Do you think I’ll fit right in?”
Bramble simply meowed.
Lilliana laughed. “Yes, me too. I think I’ll fit in just fine with this get-up.”
Fog still lay thick over the landscape at this hour. Lilliana paused to appreciate the beauty of it, even as she shivered at the thought of being out in the cold. She had really come to appreciate the warmth of her plaid and completely understood why Highlanders favored them.
Once dressed, she turned to Bramble. “Will you come down to breakfast with me or stay here?”
She paused as Bramble walked towards and then past her out the door.
“Mmm…” She closed the door behind her. “I wonder if the Laird is at the breakfast hall. I would like to see him before I go off to the wilderness.”
As they walked down the corridor, her thoughts took hold.
That kiss last night…
She sighed loudly. Bramble just waved her tail in the air, paying her no mind.
I wish he had done more than kiss me last night. We were so close to doing more.
She knew that her relationship with her husband was changing. Slowly but surely.
Patience. That is the key.
She smiled in greeting as she ran into Moira at the entrance to the breakfast hall. “Oh, were you able to sort out the problem in the kitchens last evening?” she asked.
Moira rolled her eyes. “Those two arenae to be sorted out. Only endured,” she said with a grin. “It is good I ran into ye, though, because I have a message.”
Lilliana raised an eyebrow. “Really? From whom?”
“Well, from two people, I suppose. First, Old Fergus sends his regrets. He’s feeling his bones this morning and willnae be able to join ye.”
Lilliana’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. “Oh, that’s unfortunate. Can I help in any way?”
“Ach, nay. A bit of rest, and he should be back on his feet. However, the Laird has offered to take his place. He’s down at the stables. He asks that ye join him there once ye’re finished with breakfast.”
Lilliana’s heart sped up, and she fought to keep from blushing. “Oh,” she said in a completely different tone. “That’s…” She floundered, unable to find the right word.
Moira gave her a knowing grin and patted her on the shoulder, saying, “Go, lass”, before heading off to the kitchens.
Lilliana took a deep breath and made her way to the high table, where she ate breakfast as fast as possible. The thought of being out with just Kayden was strangely exciting. She could hardly wait.
As they reached the stables, Lilliana saw a groom saddling a single horse.
She frowned. “Are they not expecting both of us?” she asked.
Kayden smiled down at her. “I thought it best we take one horse.”
She turned sharply, eyes wide. “Why?”
“The terrain is a little unpredictable, and ye’re nae familiar with it. It’s safer if ye ride with me.”
Her chest expanded as she took a deep breath. She blushed when his eyes drifted to it. They slid away soon enough as he bent to hoist her into the saddle.
She had to remember to breathe with his strong arms bracketing her body. His hands clutched the reins, and she tried to figure out where to put her own.
She sat stiffly, tense and self-conscious. Kayden did not seem to notice, looking relaxed and pointing out various landmarks as they rode. His hair was loose on his shoulders, and when he turned his head, she could feel it brush against her plaid.
She had never been so aware of another person.
“Here we are,” he said.
She looked up to see the loch from which the village got its water supply. She had not even noticed their approach, so preoccupied was she.
Kayden jumped off the horse and held out a hand to help her down. She took it reluctantly, suppressing a shiver when their skin met.
“Thank you,” she said breathlessly.
Her hand felt cold when he let go of it. But she refrained from voicing her discontent.
He reached for the bag, hoisting it over his shoulder. It was filled with various glass vials, which she had thoroughly washed before this excursion, perfect for collecting samples.
They walked over to the glen, and she looked around, not sure exactly what she was searching for. The water was clear, though there was a smattering of algae near the shore. The edges of the algae were slightly yellow. The water was also foamy.
Lilliana frowned, looking at Kayden. “Is this usual?” she asked, pointing to the algae.
He squatted down, leaning in to take a whiff. He frowned, straightening up. “There is a smell to it. I cannae be sure, but…” He shook his head. “Something’s wrong.”
“Help!”
The cry startled them both, and they turned to see a young boy running towards them.
Kayden immediately started in his direction, one hand on the sgian-dubh he had on his belt.
He grabbed the boy and tilted his chin up. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
The boy gestured frantically towards the woods, stuttering almost incoherently, “M-me maither! M-m-me sister…”
Kayden looked towards the woods and began to hurry in the direction the boy had come from. Lilliana followed behind, heart racing with anxiety.
They found the two women soon enough, writhing and moaning on the ground. Both of them were clutching their bellies. The stench of vomit permeated the air.
Lilliana went down on her knees, examining first the daughter, then the mother.
“What’s your name?” she asked the boy.
“It’s Conall MacCeasain, ma’am,” the boy answered, panting anxiously.
She nodded. “Alright, Conall, can you tell me what happened here?”
“W-We were on our way back from checking the snares. Rab—rabbit snares. W-We didnae catch any,” he said, and then looked at her expectantly as if waiting for permission to continue.
“Yes, and then what happened?”
“We stopped by the loch to rest and drink some water. But I spotted something that looked like a hare and ran after it. When I came back, they w-were l-like this.” He gestured to his family in despair.
“I see. So, did they drink from the loch?”
“Aye,” he said.
“And you didn’t?”
He nodded.
Lilliana looked at Kayden, her eyes wide. He returned the look, before turning to the women. “Can ye help them?”
“I could give them some milk thistle, and hopefully that will help, er, expel the…” She pursed her lips, reluctant to use the word poison. “Contagion,” she said instead.
He nodded. “Did ye come on foot, or do ye have horses?” he asked the boy.
“Foot,” the boy replied.
Kayden sighed. “Very well. We shall stay here with yer maither and sister. I’ll send ye with a message to the castle. Can ye deliver it?”
The boy nodded emphatically. “Aye, Me Laird.”
“Good lad. Ask for a man named Cormag at the stables. Tell him the Laird bids him to bring the carriage.”
The boy nodded again. “Aye, Me Laird,” he said, before taking off.
Kayden’s gaze shifted to Lilliana. “What can I do?” he asked.
“Get the blanket from the horse. We need to lay them down somewhere.”
He nodded and went immediately to the horse.
They had brought a warm blanket with them. Lilliana had assumed it was for the horse, to keep it warm in the cold mist. She was just glad they had it.
Quickly digging in her bag, she was relieved to find that she did have some milk thistle. She had brought a few herbs on the off chance they went to the village and saw some patients.
She feared that the illness was escalating if these women had gotten sick so fast. She noted the sweat on their foreheads and the slight rash that had developed on the daughter’s arms.
Kayden returned quickly and laid out the blanket. She sent him off to get some wood to start a small fire. She wanted to make a hot tea for the women to drink.
“Kayden?” she said as he laid out the wood. “I don’t think this is a normal illness. I think someone has a hand in causing it.”
He paused to look at her, his brow furrowed with concern. “Are ye sure?”
“I’m fairly sure,” she replied, biting her lip anxiously.
He nodded as he started building the fire. “Why would someone do that? Is it an attack against me or something else?”
“I can’t tell. But…”
He turned to meet her gaze and nodded.
Lilliana was glad that he took her seriously. If there was a malevolent force out there, doing something to their water, it would require more than medical intervention to resolve the problem.
She took some water from their water skins, rather than collecting it from the loch, and boiled it, adding in the milk thistle and a dash of bloodroot. She also put in some willow bark for the pain.
With a silent prayer, she offered a few sips first to the mother and then the daughter. She leaned back, praying it would work and that she had not just made things worse.
It was not long before the mother groaned, getting up and rushing off into the woods. They could still hear her vomiting. The daughter soon stirred, clearly also wanting some privacy, but weaker than her mother. Lilliana helped her off the blanket and found a private spot for her to purge in peace.
She walked a few yards away, giving them what privacy she could while remaining close enough to assist if needed. The forest air was sharp with pine and damp earth.
After a few moments, the mother emerged, pale but steadier on her feet. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, embarrassed.
“I am sorry ye had to see that, Me Lady,” she said hoarsely.
“There is nothing to apologize for,” Lilliana replied gently. “It is a sign that the body is fighting. That is good.”
The woman studied her for a long moment, as though reassessing something. “We were afraid it was a curse,” she admitted quietly. “Or a punishment.”
Lilliana shook her head. “It is neither. And even if someone has meddled, that is no fault of yours.”
Behind them, the daughter appeared, leaning weakly against a tree. Lilliana went to her at once, steadying her elbow.
“It burns less now,” the girl murmured, “in me belly.”
“That is because your body has done what it needed to,” Lilliana said. “You must drink only boiled water from now on, even if it tastes flat. Promise me.”
The girl nodded solemnly. “Aye.”
The mother reached for her daughter’s hand, then looked back at Lilliana. “We didnae ken what to make of ye when ye first came,” she confessed. “An Englishwoman, speaking of herbs and sickness.”
Lilliana offered a small smile. “And now?”
The woman hesitated only a second. “Now I think ye may have been sent for a reason.”
The words struck deeper than Lilliana had expected.
Before she could respond, the distant clip-clop of horses’ hooves echoed through the trees.
Kayden got to his feet. “I think the carriage is here,” he announced.
The mother went to find her daughter.
Lilliana rejoined him by the fire. “I think we can put it out. They should be able to travel now that they’ve expelled the toxins from their bodies.”
Kayden nodded, turning to watch mother and daughter approach. It was not long before a familiar carriage came to a stop, and the boy hopped out, still looking worried.
“Ma!” he cried before running to his mother and throwing himself in her arms.
She murmured soothing words to him, rubbing his back comfortingly. He let out a relieved sob before moving out of her embrace and taking his sister’s hand to help her walk. She looked better but was still much sicker than her mother.
The women, together with Conall, all climbed into the carriage, while Kayden took the horse they’d arrived with. With Cormag driving the carriage, they all made their way to the village.
The mother, after registering their surroundings, began to thank Lilliana profusely for helping them. “I want to thank ye, Me Lady, for what ye did for me daughter and me. I cannae imagine what would have happened if Conall hadnae found ye.”
“Please, it was my pleasure to do so. Your son is the true hero of the day. He ran for help as soon as he saw you both collapse.”
The mother smiled at Conall proudly. “He’s a good lad.”
Lilliana nodded, smiling as well. “Could you tell me exactly what happened?”
The mother shrugged. “We were heading back to our croft after checking the traps. Beth here felt thirsty”—she nodded towards her daughter—“and we stopped by the loch to drink. Conall ran off after a rabbit, and just as he returned, both Beth and I began to feel addled. Our bellies hurt.” She shook her head.
“It came on so fast. Me neighbor, Isaac, suffered from the sickness, but he didnae fall ill so quickly.”
Lilliana nodded. “We’ll find out who is responsible for this, don’t you worry.”
“Aye,” Kayden called from atop his horse, leaning slightly in the saddle so his voice carried through the open window. “Daenae trouble yerselves. Me wife and I will see it sorted.”
Lilliana glanced at him through the open frame. He met her eyes, giving a firm nod, and she returned it with a small, determined smile.
It was strangely comforting to feel, even for a moment, that they stood on the same side of the battlefield.