Chapter Thirteen #3
A pain-filled growl echoed from beyond the door and Jessie wanted to rush inside.
Instead, she paced and clasped her hands together.
A needle-like pain shot through them and she examined her palms. They were scraped raw from where she'd held onto the rocks.
She would have to rub some salve on them.
Her shoulders were also sore from being near wrenched from their sockets.
"Torrin is tough as a cliff-face," Iain said, his voice rough. "I'm certain he will be up and around in no time." Although, with that worried frown, Iain didn't look convinced.
Jessie nodded. "I hope you're right."
A string of loud male curses issued forth from the room. Saints! He had to be in horrible pain. She wished she could do something to help ease it.
During the ensuing half hour, Dirk and Isobel, and several others stopped by to see how Torrin was faring, and then left. All she knew was that he was in agony, given the noises emanating from inside the room. Soon, all grew quiet.
Too quiet.
Fear flashed through Jessie. She knocked at the door, then barged in.
"How is he?" she demanded, rushing to the bedside.
"Shh. He is sleeping," Nannag whispered. "You'll wake him."
'Twas true. His bare chest rose and fell evenly with his deep breaths. But she couldn't see his wounds for Flora held a linen bandage pressed firmly against them. "Did he pass out again?"
"Nay. 'Twas my sleeping potion, lass." Nannag gave a reassuring smile. "He but needs to rest for a few hours. Come back later. I'll watch over him closely."
"I don't mind staying and helping." In fact, she wanted to. She would enjoy watching him sleep and breathe, for it meant he was alive.
Nannag shook her head. "Go get yourself something to eat… and some wine. You need it."
Releasing a calming breath, Jessie glanced back at the open doorway, where Iain and Struan stood, staring into the room with much concern. She supposed everyone could see how distraught she was… which meant, everyone knew how much she cared for Torrin.
Jessie nodded. "I thank you."
"You're welcome. Flora and I will take good care of the lad for you," Nannag whispered so the men wouldn't hear, then winked.
"He will be well?" Jessie asked hesitantly, keeping her voice low.
"Oh, aye. He lost some blood, but he is a strong, young warrior. We stitched him up good, and the bleeding is slowing. He'll be like new soon." Nannag gave her a knowing smile.
Jessie's face heated. "Very well. I'll be back soon."
When she stepped into the corridor, Iain asked, "How is he?"
"Sleeping. Go in if you wish, but Nannag will likely run you off after a minute."
With a faint smile, he nodded and stepped into the room. A couple of Torrin's men followed him.
She found Aiden lurking farther along the darkened corridor. "How is Torrin?" he asked.
"Sleeping. Nannag says he will recover. I pray she's right."
"Aye. I like him. And I'm so thankful you were unhurt, sister. Dirk told me what happened out there."
"He told you about Haldane?" she asked.
Aiden nodded. Dropping his gaze, he swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I'm just glad he didn't take you with him when he fell off that cliff."
Tears burned her eyes. "Me, too." She drew Aiden into a tight embrace. He was far too thin. "You need to eat more."
"Aye, sister." His tiny smirk reassured her.
"Well, if you will excuse me, I must go clean up. I'm a mess." She strode to her chamber and found her pup where she'd left him, asleep before the hearth. He leapt up and scurried toward her.
"Are you hungry, Greum?" She found some leftover hard cheese sitting on her bedside table and gave it to him. That would occupy him while she washed up and changed clothes. She didn't know where her maid was, but she was fully capable of taking care of herself.
Thankfully, the maid did show up a few minutes later, and Jessie asked her to take Greum out for a walk in the courtyard.
Heading toward the great hall a few minutes later, Jessie came upon Dirk and Isobel exiting their chamber.
"How is Torrin?" Dirk asked.
"He is sleeping, thanks to Nannag's potion. She says he will recover."
"Thank the saints," Dirk said.
"Jessie, you didn't tell me you almost died out there," Isobel said. "I'm so thankful you were unhurt." Isobel drew her into a fierce hug. "Oh, pray pardon. You must be sore."
"Just my shoulders a wee bit, and my hands." She showed them her scraped palms.
"Saints!" Isobel said. "I cannot imagine having to hold onto the rocks to avoid falling down a cliff."
"Aye, 'twas the most frightened I've ever been. And to think my own brother wanted me to die."
Isobel shook her head, blinking back tears. "I'm glad Haldane's dead, and I'm not going to apologize for saying that." She gave her husband a defiant look.
"As am I." Dirk raised an auburn brow. "He refused to change his evil ways, and he got what was coming to him. I always knew only death would stop him from trying to kill me. I'll have to thank Torrin when he feels better."
"McMurdo pulled you to safety?" Isobel asked her.
"Aye, 'twas unbelievable." Jessie had never been more shocked and grateful in her life.
"'Twas not out of the goodness of his heart. 'Tis simply that he wants the tomb in the church so badly."
Jessie nodded. "I wonder why?"
Dirk shrugged. "Who can guess what goes on in such a twisted mind? But I believe he fears that the people of Durness will desecrate his remains after he dies unless they are sealed up safely in the church."
"I see. Well, I'm glad you had that to offer him. Aiden said you told him about Haldane."
"Aye." Dirk frowned, looking morose. "The lad took it hard, but he said he knew 'twas going to happen sooner or later. And though Aiden caused big problems for Erskine and the clan, he said he was glad he got to talk to Haldane one last time."
Jessie nodded, tears burning her eyes once again, more so for Aiden's grief than her own, because the two lads had always been so close.
"I've been meaning to ask you," Dirk said. "Why is Torrin here? Not that I mind him visiting."
Jessie glanced at the clan members passing by them in the corridor. "What do you think?" she said in a hushed voice.
"Come inside the room." Isobel pulled her into their chamber and Dirk entered, too, closing the door behind.
"I can guess why he's here, but I might be wrong," Dirk said. "When we stopped by Munrick a few weeks ago, he again asked for your hand."
Jessie's face felt scorched of a sudden. "He said he came to protect me from MacBain." Jessie explained how the two men had run into each other far south of Durness and traveled north together.
"And did he protect you?"
"Aye. He broke MacBain's nose when he tried to barge into my chamber in the middle of the night.
Then, when MacBain tried to kidnap me, Torrin rescued me and had MacBain and his men thrown into the dungeon.
The next day, he had his men, along with some of the MacKays, escort the brigands off MacKay lands. "
"Saints! I'm glad he's here, then. Have you changed your mind about marrying him?" Dirk inquired.
"I'd rather not discuss it at the moment," Jessie said, unwilling to share her conflictive feelings.
Dirk gave a wee smile. "Very well. We'll talk about it later."
"What happened on the ramparts when you fell?" Jessie asked Isobel, wanting to know, but also hoping to change the subject.
"After you left, Seona and I were watching that horrible battle below, on the beach." She shook her head. "Dirk fell and I thought McMurdo had stabbed him."
"'Tis my leg, you see," Dirk said. "My calf is still weak from where Gil's arrow went through it weeks ago. I stumbled and fell. Which was fortunate, for it allowed McMurdo's blade to miss me."
"Thank the saints. And I'm glad you were not hurt terribly when you passed out," Jessie told Isobel.
"Seona caught part of my fall, but my head slammed against the battlement.
" She gently rubbed the side of her head.
"They helped me inside, though I wanted to go back out and see what'd happened to Dirk, but the guard wouldn't allow it.
And then Nannag examined me and told me—" Isobel pressed her lips tight and glanced at Dirk. "Can I tell her?"
He smiled back, love shining in his pale blue eyes. "Aye, of course."
"Nannag told me I am with child," Isobel whispered.