Page 32 of Plaid Attitude
By the time the sun was sinking in the west, Nicola sat back on her stool with a weary sigh and rubbed her lower back. Coira was beside her and accepted her sister’s weight when Nic leaned against her hip.
“He’ll live, I think. ‘Twas his heart, of course, but the spasm wasnae strong enough to kill him, yet. Another one like that, and he might become one of the Oliphant ghosts.”
“How do we prevent it?” Coira asked in a low voice, her chest tight with worry.
“We cannae, no’ really. Nae stress, nae concerns…alleviating that will alleviate most of the risk, but no’ all.”
Coira nodded, already mentally cataloging all the changes she’d need to make in Da’s solar to accommodate this new reality. “He didnae have many concerns to begin with—”
“Thanks to ye,” Nic said with a little nudge.
“Aye, but I’ll take it all on. Tonight—now, I’ll sort everything out. He’ll no’ have to worry about aught ever again, just getting healthy—”
Her sister cut her off when she stood and took her by the arms. “Coira,” she said seriously, “No’ tonight. Tonight—now—ye need to rest. I’ve seen what stress ye’ve been under this last sennight, and likely long afore that. Go rest, and tomorrow we’ll start to worry about the future.”
But Coira glanced at their father, lying so still and frail against the sheets. “Tonight, Da—”
“I’ll be here,” Nicola reminded her gently. “I’m used to being up at night with patients—and Relic!—and this willnae hurt me.”
“And me,” Mother announced from the other side of the bed. “Ye think I’ll be able to sleep when my Olaf is like this?” She shook her head. “I’m nae healer, but I’ll no’ abandon him.”
‘Twas strangely romantic, coming from a woman who’d always seemed rather self-centered.
Reluctantly, Coira nodded, seeing she wasn’t needed here. “I’ll just go check—”
“Ye’llrest, Coira,” her sister said sternly, shaking her a bit. “Healer’s orders.”
“But—”
‘Twas Doughall who interrupted her this time, stepping to her side and sliding an arm around her middle. “Healer’s orders, milady,” he repeated, even as he turned her toward the corridor.
Coira swore she saw him wink at her sister as the door closed behind them.
In a bit of a daze, she allowed Doughall to walk her toward the chamber she used to share with Nicola, the chamber she’d rearranged for weekly sword lessons with Bess. But it wasn’t until she heard him latch the door behind her that she blinked and realized what was happening.
“Doughall, what’s going on?”
His smile was downright sensual as he sauntered toward her. “Do ye ken, ye shorten everyone else’s name, but no’ mine?”
When he stopped in front of her, she frowned up at him. “’Tis because yer name would be Doooooog then, which is ridiculous.”
His grin grew as he trailed a callused finger down her cheek. “Aye, ‘twould be.”
She shuddered from sudden need.
“Why are we here?” she whispered.
His hand shifted to cup the back of her neck, and he tugged her forward. “Because ye need to rest.”
That’s what Nicola had said. But here and now, with Doughall so close to her—hislipsso close to hers!—Coira didn’t feel like resting.
“Tell me how ye’re feeling, Coira,” he commanded.
She didn’t think of disobeying. “Overwhelmed.”
It wasn’t until the words were out of her mouth that she realized shewasfeeling overwhelmed; that was it exactly. She’d had a thousand things to handle in the last sennight, and now she had a million more.
He blew out his breath and pulled her against him, tucking her head against his shoulder and wrapping his arms around her.
