Page 61 of The Wrong Highlander (Highland Brides 7)

“Sorry,” he muttered, through tightly ground teeth. There was no mistaking the expression on his face as anything but pain. Rory was sewing now. A lousy thing to have to suffer through, Evina knew, and rubbed Conran’s hand gently to distract him.

There was silence in the room for a minute, and then Saidh suddenly released a soft chuckle.

“What’s so funny, sister?” Conran asked grimly.

“I was just realizing that no’ one of us so far has managed a wedding where the bride, or groom, or both, weren’t healing from wounds, bruises or poisoning.”

“Hmm,” Rory murmured dryly. “Ye have all shown a distressing tendency to pursue rather adventurous courtships so far.”

“Ye make it sound like we each looked around for the most troublesome partner and chose them for that reason,” Saidh said with a scowl.

“Well, ye didn’t pack up and leave when arrows started flying and people started getting stabbed as any sensible person would do, did ye?” he pointed out.

Saidh opened her mouth, looking ready to scald him with a tongue lashing, but then snapped her mouth shut and shook her head before saying, “I hope finding the partner ye marry goes much more smoothly than everyone else’s has so far, Rory. But if it doesn’t, I hope I’m there to remind ye o’ yer words on this day.”

Rory paused briefly, concern flickering across his face, but then went back to sewing up Conran’s back without responding.

Saidh’s words had made Evina curious, however, and she decided she’d have to ask her what they were talking about later. It sounded like there might be an interesting story or two in there somewhere, she thought, and then glanced to the door as Tildy hurried into the room carrying a full tray.

“I passed the laird and Aulay Buchanan on the way up and they said ye were all up in m’lady’s room now, so I brought the food and drink here. But some o’ ye may want to go below. Laird and Lady Carmichael just arrived and Cook has the women serving the nooning meal a little early for them after their journey.”

“Murine and Dougall are here?” Saidh asked with excitement.

“Aye,” Tildy said heavily as she reached the table and set down the tray she carried. Shaking her head, she muttered, “I’m no’ sure where I’ll put them to sleep though. Every room is taken now.”

“Move Conran in here and give them his room,” Greer suggested. “That way we’ll only have to guard one room.”

“And I’ll only have to visit one room to tend them both,” Rory added, apparently liking the idea.

“And Conran can protect Evina if someone gets past the guard at the door,” Saidh put in.

Eyes wide, Evina glanced from person to person as they listed the reasons Conran should stay in her room with her, and then looked to Tildy, expecting her to refuse the idea. After all, she and Conran weren’t married yet and might never be. Evina still hadn’t made up her mind about that. But much to her amazement, the woman considered the suggestion and then nodded. “Aye. If we’re lucky Laird and Lady Drummond will arrive this afternoon and the priest can marry them at dinner. If no’, Lord Conran can sleep on a pallet on the floor, and I could always sleep in here as well to act as chaperone. Aye. A good idea,” she said with satisfaction, and bustled out of the room, apparently to arrange for Conran’s room to be prepared for his brother and sister-in-law.

“I suppose we should go down for the nooning meal and greet Murine and Dougall,” Saidh said once the maid had left. Smiling at Evina, she promised, “But we’ll bring Murine up to meet ye after we eat, won’t we, Jetta?”

“Aye.” The petite woman smiled widely. “I think the two of ye will like each other.”

“Oh,” Evina said weakly, and then watched the two women bustle out of the room with Greer following.

“I suppose we can’t go eat?” Alick asked, looking uncertainly at Geordie. “We have to guard the door once Rory is done, right?”

“Go ahead,” Geordie said easily. “I’ll guard the door until ye’re done and then go down and eat once ye’ve finished and come up.”

“Thanks. I’m hungry,” Alick announced, and hurried from the room as if afraid Geordie might change his mind and retract the offer.

Evina glanced around with bemusement, amazed at how quickly the room had emptied. It had been crowded with people just moments ago, but now there was just Geordie, Rory, herself and Conran.

“Whoa!”

Evina glanced sharply to Rory at that sharp cry, her eyes widening when she saw him grabbing Conran by the arms as he started to topple sideways in the chair. Geordie immediately moved to his side to help hold their brother upright, and Evina shifted her gaze to Conran’s face, only she couldn’t see it. His head was bowed, his hair hanging down and hiding his features from her. Even as she noted that, Rory stepped to the side and caught him under the chin to lift his face, revealing that his eyes were closed and his face slack. He’d lost consciousness.

“Is he all right?” Evina asked with concern.

“Aye.” Rory let Conran’s head lower again and returned to his position behind his back to continue his work. “He lost a lot of blood. I’m surprised he lasted as long as he did. He just needs rest and some food to build his strength back up and he should be fine . . . so long as infection doesn’t set in,” he added.

Evina nodded and retrieved her hand from Conran’s to lean back in her chair with a sigh. Scents from the food on the tray Tildy had brought up were wafting around them. It smelled delicious, but she wasn’t really hungry. Instead, she was suddenly weary. A lot had seemed to happen this morning, and she was still recovering from her own wound.

“Geordie, help Evina to bed. She’s still recovering and should be resting,” Rory instructed without seeming to even glance her way.

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