Page 29 of A Healer for the Ruthless Highlander
She ruffled the boy’s hair, and he laughed.
“Nay. I havenae left me bed all night,” he promised.
Then it’s nae the cold.
The possibilities piled up in her head, but she dismissed them anyway. As Hunter spoke, she imagined an impossible number of scenarios, but she soon realized that his case was different. New answers created new possibilities, but none of them seemed to exactly fit his case.
And these endless, non-fitting possibilities began to worry her. What exactly was affecting the child?
“Is yer mouth dry again? Remember, ye must tell the healer everythin’,” Kenneth said from the door.
It was obvious that he had been listening intently to their conversation, even though Leana made sure to whisper. But he had the ears of a wolf.
“Dry… Does yer mouth get very dry when ye cough?” Leana asked as he approached the bed.
“Sometimes,” Hunter admitted, a little uncomfortable. “But nay, me mouth isnae dry right now.”
“Let me check,” Leana requested gently.
Hunter shrugged and opened his mouth wide, sticking out his tongue for her to see. But for the moment, everything seemed fine.
Sighing, Leana arranged his pillows and pulled the blanket up a bit. “Alright, Hunter. That’s all, for now.”
“Nay more questions, Miss Healer?” the boy teased as he fell back against the pillows. “Have ye solved the riddle yet?”
“Nae yet. But I will, daenae worry.” She gave him a smile and made sure he was well tucked in. “For now, I’ll ask the maid to bring ye some warm milk with honey. It will help soothe yer sore throat.”
“Thank ye,” Hunter whispered.
“Ye’re welcome,” Leana replied softly. Her tone changed only slightly when she turned to Kenneth. “Come on, Laird MacReid. Let’s leave, so Hunter can get some sleep.”
Obviously, Kenneth was reluctant to follow her order. He didn’t want to leave his little brother like that, that much was obvious. But Leana gave him a pointed look.
He is very protective of those he loves.
That thought stayed with her as they made their way out of the room and rang the bell for the nanny. As luck would have it, Hunter seemed to be falling into a deep sleep.
Although Kenneth looked calm, Leana soon discovered that he was far more restless than he had let on. She knew as soon as he grabbed her wrist and turned her around.
“Have ye found out anythin’ about his illness?”
“I have some theories, but nothin’ solid yet,” Leana replied, trying to keep her composure, even though it was impossible for her to do so with his intense gaze fixed on her face. Especially considering his proximity.
“And what do ye suspect, lass? What’s wrong with him? Is it somethin’ he ate? I’ll kill everyone in the kitchen if that’s the case.”
“Hold yer horses. Ye daenae have to kill anyone,” Leana sighed. “Whatever is causin’ Hunter’s discomfort has nothing to do with food.”
“Then what is it that’s affectin’ him?” Kenneth asked.
“I daenae ken yet.” Leana frowned. “Ye said this comes and goes randomly?”
Kenneth nodded. “Aye. He gets sick for nay apparent reason.”
The situation was frustrating, all the more so because Leana could tell that Kenneth needed answers from her right away. Unfortunately, she couldn’t give them yet.
Fortunately, he seemed unaware of her inner turmoil.
Leana furrowed his brow slightly. “Well, for now, I need to ease his discomfort. I’ll treat him first, then find out what’s causin’ it.”
