Page 29 of Love Beyond Wanting
“Forgive my rudeness, sir.I was in the middle of mixing a tincture.I would’ve forgotten where I was had I stood to greet ye the moment ye entered.Now, what else can ye tell me of the woman’s symptoms?”
Maddock could find no immediate words as he stared at the man in front of him.Brachan bore a striking resemblance to a younger Nicol.The man had the same green eyes, the same spotty stubble, and the same distinct chin.
“The…she…the lass is trembling all over without end, and as I said, she has a fever and a horrible cough.She passed out in my arms earlier in the day.Might I ask ye lad, what is yer surname?”
“Young.My name is Brachan Young, sir.”
Maddock would’ve bet all he owned that the man would’ve said Murray, just like Nicol.
“Do ye have relations to the clan Murray?Ye look just like someone I know.”
Brachan’s mother stepped in between them.Her tone was suddenly far less friendly.“Clan Murray?Why would ye ask that?And what of yerself?What might yer name be, and where are ye from?”
Maddock couldn’t understand the woman’s sudden change of mood, but he said nothing of it.
“My name is Maddock and I live on The Isle of Eight Lairds.I thought mayhap ye might have relations there, for yer son looks just like my friend and master, Nicol.”
The woman’s hands moved to his arms as she tried to push him back toward the door.He didn’t budge.“Get out of my house, sir.While I hope the lass recovers, we willna be giving her aid.”
“If I have done anything to offend ye, I am truly sorry, but I am afraid I canna leave without yer son’s help.The lass may truly die without it, and I willna allow that to happen.”
Brachan moved toward his mother, placing a gentle hand on her back.“I will help them regardless of where they come from, Mother.We canna live in fear forever.I will be back by morning.Doona wait up.”
Maddock turned to follow the man as he brushed past his mother and stepped out of the house.
“The lass is at the inn, aye?”
Maddock called after him as Brachan moved in that direction.“Aye, first room at the top of the stairs.”
Maddock slowed to watch Brachan as he made his way to the inn.The man even ran like Nicol.
If Brachan’s appearance hadn’t been enough to convince him, the reaction of the boy’s mother would’ve done the job.
Nicol had a son.
One that wasn’t Freya’s.
One that Maddock suspected Nicol knew nothing about.
Chapter 18
“There ye are, lass.Sit up and drink this for me.Every bit.I know it tastes horrid, but ’twill help ye with that cough.”
Hands were on me, gently lifting me from where I lay on a thin, worn mattress in the middle of some obscure village in the middle of seventeenth century Scotland.So far, this century wasn’t treating me too kindly.
I knew I still had a fever.My vision was slightly blurry as I struggled to open my eyes, and I felt so weak I could barely hold up my head.
The man sitting next to me was new, but his eyes were kind and warm and his tone was so reassuring that I didn’t doubt his claims that the medicine would help.Shakily, I opened my mouth to accept the wooden cup he brought to my lips.The stench of the thick liquid nearly made me gag, but as I was already warned, I inhaled through my nose and swallowed every drop of the man’s potion.
“Thank…thank you.”
“No need, lass.’Twill make ye sleepy.Doona fight it.I’ll be here when ye wake up.We will see how ye are feeling then.”
Whatever was in the concoction worked quickly, as my eyes were already drifting closed.
By the time I woke, it was morning.When I opened my eyes, I was no longer worried I would die.My fever had broken, and I was able to push myself up.Mr.Crinkles crawled up my legs to collapse in my lap and purr.He’d been worried.And so had my mother, if the tears running down her face were any indication.But instead of kissing me, she walked right over to the medicine man, threw her arms around him, and kissed his cheeks up and down.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.Is she well?Will she live?I mean, I can see that she’s much better, but is she…is she out of the woods yet?”
