Page 13 of A Healer for the Ruthless Highlander
“I didnae kidnap ye. Ye are me guest,” Kenneth reminded her, half in jest, half in earnest. For the first time, she gave him a smile. “But if ye like, I’ll send one of me men to get yer things. Ye’ll have everythin’ ye need in me castle anyway.”
“Well, ye keep sayin’ that. As long as ye do, I will ken that ye are conscious and that the poison, or infection, hasnae reached yer brain.”
It was obvious that she was beginning to feel comfortable with him, or at least confident enough to address him like that. And Kenneth didn’t mind. On the contrary, he watched her work and made all sorts of clever jokes, thinking about her abilities.
But he didn’t want to delve too deeply into the subject. It was dangerous to think what other hidden talents she might have.
Leana applied a honey-herb paste to the wound. “I willnae be able to remove the arrowhead until we get to the castle,”she warned, her lips twisting in a grimace that conveyed her frustration. “So this will have to do for now.”
She knelt down in front of him, her eyes flickering with a million emotions. “I need ye to take off yer shirt.”
Kenneth raised an eyebrow at her request, deeply interested. He knew what she was up to, of course, but that didn’t stop him from finding the situation amusing.
Anyway, he nodded. Though he rarely obeyed.
Leana reached for his shirt, but then she pulled her hand back, hesitating. After a moment, Kenneth pulled it over his head and stood naked from the waist up in front of her.
If he could, he would have paid his entire fortune to know what the lass was thinking. Her job must require her to treat naked men from time to time, and Kenneth was sure she took it as seriously as she could. But that did not prevent her eyes from wandering over his chest, lingering a moment longer than necessary on the muscles and the scars. Her lips pressed into a thin line.
He might have teased her under different circumstances, but she recovered too quickly and set to work immediately.
Once the paste was applied, she began to bandage the wound around the arrowhead to prevent it from moving. The constant movement bothered Kenneth, but he ignored it. Instead, heconcentrated on her, on the feel of her warm hands against his chest and the brush of her hair.
“That will have to do for now,” Leana whispered as she finished, her eyes meeting his.
If Kenneth had suspected it before, the look in her eyes made it more than clear that she was flustered. But the lass was stubborn enough to swallow her opinions and feelings.
So, she jumped to her feet and tucked all her supplies back into her satchel.
“We must hurry,” she urged.
“So, now ye will come with me?” he drawled as he put on his shirt.
“Ah,so ye admit ye took me against me will. That’s calledkidnapping,” Leana scoffed, jutting her chin proudly.
She put his cloak down, and as she did so, Kenneth noticed her sniffing it curiously and… happily, perhaps?
A small smile, drawn across her lips for a moment so brief he might have thought he was imagining it.
But he knew he wasn't. The gesture had been there, drawn across her dark pink lips and creeping up to her eyes, amidst bright sparks that lit her face for a moment.
“But, aye, I must accompany ye. Ye said ye needed me for something important.” She furrowed her brow. “Is it perhaps so that I can heal yer wounds if ye are wounded in battle?”
“Nay.” This time, Kenneth’s voice had regained some of its strength. He stood up after adjusting his shirt, the pain gone, his expression turning somber, shadowed. “I need ye for something very important. Much more important than me or anyone else.”
Leana opened her mouth to unleash another barrage of her endless questions. But before she could, he stepped toward her.
Silence fell between them, and the tension grew as Kenneth refused to admit the obvious—that he needed her to save someone else’s life.
Someone he simply couldn’t lose.
The sun was dipping below the horizon when they arrived at the castle, less than an hour later.
By then, Leana was exhausted. But most of all, she was worried. Her day had been stressful, to say the least. She was sure she required a bath, a good meal, and at least a few hours of sleep tofully recover. She felt like she was on the verge of collapsing, but her concern for Kenneth kept her on high alert, robbing her of her peace of mind.
Furthermore, she sensed that a lot was going on with him and he wasn’t telling her. It was obvious that he cared deeply about someone, but he wouldn’t say who.
Is the Laird married? If so, perhaps it is his wife who is in danger in some way? Or maybe even their baby?
