Chapter 28 #2
The term seemed so strange to her after everything that they had been through.
She had been calling him Callum for the past twenty-four hours, but that did not erase the fact that her purpose in his life had been served.
What would happen to her now that Andrew had been found and the mystery of the stolen land deeds had been solved?
Would she and Callum return to their lives and pretend like nothing had happened between them at all?
The thoughts all collided in her mind at the same time. There had been too much happening after the battle for her to ask them, but now that things were more settled, her mind was a whirl.
“Is Iain all right?” Marion asked in a hoarse voice as she ran her tongue over her cracked lips.
“Aye, he came to save us when the battle here at the castle was over. We owe our lives to him; he came just in time to bring help.”
Marion’s eyes grew wider as she stared at Eleanor. “Where were ye and the Laird if ye were nae involved in the battle?”
Eleanor’s lips curved into a sad smile as she shrugged.
“I guess there is nay use in keepin’ the truth from ye now that it is all done.
” She began to tell Marion about everything that had unfolded, from the night that Andrew had left to finding Callum on the road and coming to the castle, where the rest of the story had unfolded.
“Saints preserve us, Mistress, ye have been through a lot.” Marion took a deep breath, still struggling to breathe despite her utter shock at everything that Eleanor had said.
“Aye,” Eleanor sighed and reached for the pitcher of fresh water beside the stretcher, pouring Marion a glass. “And now there is nothin’ left to do but go back home to Edinburgh.” She lifted the glass to Marion’s lips and placed a hand behind her friend’s head, helping her to drink.
Marion drank long gulps until there was nothing left in the glass at all.
She sighed contentedly and lay back down on her pillow.
“But, Mistress, does that mean that ye and the Laird never intended on gettin’ married?
” Her eyes searched Eleanor’s face as if she were trying to read every line for a reaction.
Eleanor shook her head, feeling a sad pang in her chest that she could not explain. “Nay, it was all a ruse from the start, and I am sorry that I lied to ye. Ye have been one of the only friends in me life that I could trust.”
Smiling sadly, Marion reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Are ye certain that ye daenae love the Laird, Mistress? I have seen the way that ye looked at him, and the way that the Laird looked at ye. Even that night when he had come to yer chambers. The looks in yer eyes were unmistakable…”
Eleanor’s cheeks filled with color as she looked away.
It was true that there had been something that night.
They had been together in a way that Eleanor had not known was possible, and even when he had touched her, her skin had burned with the desire of a thousand sparks of fire.
But none of that mattered now that the matter had been handled.
Will Callum remember that I will soon be leavin’ now?
Her chest clenched painfully again as the realization of her own feelings came to the surface. She cared for him far more than she cared to even admit to herself. She longed to know how he was doing, but a part of her wondered if he even cared that she was not by his side.
Marion was about to say more, but her words quickly failed when the door to the chambers opened.
Bran was the first to come bounding in as he headed straight for Eleanor and jumped up with his paws on her lap, nearly knocking her over.
“Down, boy,” Eleanor laughed as she received an onslaught of kisses.
How is Callum? Do I dare look for him?
Her heart ached a little, but Eleanor was glad that Bran had not been worse off. His front paw was bandaged, and he seemed to be bearing his weight well. Other than that, he was the picture of health.
“Down, ye silly beast.” Fiona shut the door behind her and came into the room carrying a tray. “It is good to see both of ye awake again.” She placed the tray on the table in the center of the room and reached for one of the glasses. Carrying the glass over to the bed, she handed it to Marion.
Marion accepted the glass, but frowned when she caught sight of the deep red liquid that was thick enough to coat the sides with a thin film. “And this, Fiona?” she asked with a worried note in her voice.
“Ye lost a lot of blood, lass. Ye will have to drink this mixture three times a day to replenish the blood that ye lost,” Fiona explained and walked back to the tray where she began to fiddle with pouches of herbs.
The concern in the young girl’s face only grew deeper as she eyed the glass warily. “But… but whose blood am I drinkin’?” She seemed a little nauseous as she spoke and held the glass at arm’s length.
Filling the chambers with peals of laughter, Fiona chortled to herself when she finally regained her composure. “So, ye think that I have bled someone else so that I may save yer life?” She shook her head in amusement.
Marion’s face grew slightly paler.
“Daenae fuss, lass, it isnae blood that I have ye drinkin’.
It is a root from the spice traders. It comes from across the ocean.
I cannae tell ye how it will help, but it will.
Trust me and drink yer fill.” Fiona smiled to herself and muttered under her breath.
“Imagine, me bleedin’ someone else just to save her life. ”
Running her tongue over her lips once again, Marion swallowed before lifting the glass to her lips and taking a sip.
“And?” Fiona asked as she watched intently with her eyebrows raised.
It took Marion a moment to speak again, but when she did, her lips turned up in a pleasant smile. “It is sweet, a little earthy like dirt, but also sweet with a hint of somethin’ else.” She lifted the glass to her lips and took another long sip.
Fiona tapped the side of her nose with her finger and smiled.
“That would be the spices that I added. The root, on its own, has a very earthy flavor despite its vibrant color. I added more herbs that will both please and heal ye in time.” She seemed pleased with herself before turning to Eleanor.
“And ye, Mistress, ye need to return to yer chambers. There is a very important someone waitin’ to see ye. ”
Eleanor’s heart leaped into her chest as she thought of Callum.
Had he been waiting for her to return to her chambers all this time?
She quickly got to her feet, feeling a rush of energy as she headed toward the door.
She had been hurt that he had not come looking for her, but she now looked forward to seeing him again.