Page 17 of Mending a Highland Heart

Chapter Nine

Charlotte blinked her eyes. The candlelight that shone from either side of her bed felt too bright for a moment, and then she felt it, a sharp, searing pain in the back of her head. She instinctively placed her hand behind her head and groaned. She spotted Mrs. MacLean to the side of her.

“Oh, lovely, dear, yer awake! We were so worried for ye! Angus was especially grim. He’s waited in the hallway for ye for a long while, wanting tae see ye once ye awoke.”

“I’m certain he wishes tae scold me for my reckless behavior,” Charlotte said, her voice slightly raspy after riding in the storm.

Mrs. MacLean chuckled. “He does like tae have the appearance of a sharp, harsh man, Mistress, but I can assure ye, he is as sweet as a lamb. He has a good heart, but he would never show it, especially nae tae someone he fears. Take it from me; I’ve known the boy a long time.”

“Fears?” Another wave of pain hit Charlotte, and she laid back again.

“Come, I have brought some tea for ye that will help with the pain and the dizziness. There is a cut in the back of yer head, but it is nae large or deep. Now that yer awake, we can take a proper look at it, and ye can guide me with yer expert ministrations.”

Charlotte smiled. “Thank you, Mrs. MacLean. Oh, and thank you for assisting me out of my wet things. Is Liam all right?”

“Aye, he carried ye in, he did. He felt very sorry for what happened.”

Charlotte nodded.

“May I let Angus in now?”

Charlotte sighed. “I suppose, since he is waiting outside for me. But I cannot promise to be friendly, Mrs. MacLean.”

The old woman laughed once more. “Good tae know ye have nae lost yer wit, lass.’ And she left and spoke softly in the hallway, and Angus came to the door.

She straightened as his arrival, trying to prepare herself for the onslaught of wise words and admonitions that were to come her way. She knew that she had pushed it too far, but she didn’t want to neglect her patients. They were in a far worse state than she, and they were helpless without her. She had to do what she did, so she tried to think of what she would say in reply.

Mrs. MacLean left the room, but she left the door open, wisely. Angus looked a little awkward, which was unusual for the man. But she realized this was the first time they had seen each other since last night when she’d kissed him, hard, deep, and fast. The rush of the memory to her mind brought a fresh wave of pain, and she winced.

Angus stepped forward, his hand slightly outstretched. “Are ye well, lass? Shall I call for Mrs. MacLean tae return?”

“No, thank you. I am fine. ‘Twill come and go for a day or so. But I am not permanently injured,”

Angus then pulled a chair from by the fire and sat down next to Charlotte’s bed. She held tightly to the bedclothes like armor, and they covered most of her form. She was unnerved by the strange and intimate gesture of his nearness, even after all that had happened.

His voice was soft at first. “I am glad ye have awoken. I was worried we would have tae alert yer father.”

Charlotte nodded. She had prepared herself for an argument, but this man was not doing what she had so expected. “I…I am sorry if I worried you or anyone else. I only thought of my patients. I couldn’t abandon them.” She breathed as if she meant to keep going, but further words eluded her.

He nodded and kept his eyes fixed on hers. It looked like he was studying her again, and even in her dizzy state, she could feel the tingle in her stomach that his gaze always evoked. He didn’t say anything else, and Charlotte looked at her hands. She didn’t understand what was going on. Where was the fury? The rage? The misunderstandings? It felt oddly like last night at dinner when they had gotten along so well for a time, and she had felt surprisingly relaxed in his presence, saying things she would never normally say.

But, the evening could not end as it had the other night. Certainly not. Even so, she felt the urge to kiss him once more. It came to her like a flash. She didn’t expect it, not after her firm resolution to forget all about it. But when she stole a glance at his mouth as he sat next to her, she remembered the feel of it on her own, and it sent shivers of pleasure through her.

In order to move away from this train of thought and break the silence between them, she blurted out, “Last night. You must forgive my behavior. ‘Twas the wine. I normally do not have so much. Well, not so much when in the presence of just one other person.”

Once she uttered the words quickly and falteringly, her face flushed, and her cheeks felt like they were burning. She felt like she had no control over her body, and she listened in horror as the words left her mouth. She was powerless to stop them. She waited and watched as Angus’ mouth turned up in a slight smile. He rubbed the back of his neck like he had last night by the hearth after she’d kissed him. She could not forget that.

“I never expected ye tae be so apologetic, lass.”

That was all? That was all he had to say after that?The heat inside of Charlotte’s body began to slowly move from embarrassment to anger.

But, he continued, haltingly, as if he struggled to find the words. “Dinnae think of it, lass. ‘Tis over now, ‘Twas nae that I stopped ye, anyway.”

Charlotte’s fingers curled around the blanket she held so tightly. When would this humiliation be over? she thought with agony.

“True enough,” she said and smiled weakly, remembering the feel of his arms around her back, pulling her tightly to him as if he never wanted to let go. She looked down to see that Angus’ hands had moved to the side of her bed, laying there comfortably, as if they had always been there. But had they? She couldn’t remember.

She laid her hand down next to them, surprised at her actions. There was a fresh silence between them as they both seemingly struggled to find the right words. Charlotte didn’t know what to say next. It was as if all thought had left her brain, and all she could think about was how close Angus MacLean was to her in her bed and in her bedclothes.

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