Highlander Medieval 06 - Her Highland Hero Read Online Free PDF Page B

Mary hurried into her chamber, frowning at her. “You are not returning to the great hall? Your suitors await you. They wish to dance with you.”
    “Mary, you of all people know how I feel about Marcus.”
    “Aye, and also how we canna always have our own way. I left my people behind to stay with your mother, to protect her, to be her companion when she was so far from home. We were childhood friends, you ken? She loved your da as much as you do. I had to sacrifice my Highland ways and my Highland family, but now I am here for you.”
    “Oh, Mary.” She took her maid’s hands in her own. “If you wish to return—”
    “Nay, my place is here. Someday I would love to cradle your bairns.”
    “If they are Marcus’s,” Isobel said bitterly. She turned and strode to the window, then peered out at the hills, the trees, and loch in the distance.
    “Do you want me to take down your hair?” Mary asked.
    Isobel wanted to leave and steal away with Marcus. That’s all she wanted to do.
    ***
    Marcus hadn’t felt this bad in a long time as a healer stitched his wound shut and used some kind of herbs in a poultice on the injury. Finbar and Rob were standing nearby, arms folded, brows furrowed, their eyes narrowed with worry. The sun shown into the small room furnished with a bed, chest, table, and a chair. He must be in the tavern, though he wished he was home, and Isobel was with him.
    “I will live.” Though the way Marcus was feeling, sore, aching, his back burning, he wasn’t certain. His voice was dry and raspy. He was lying on his stomach and thought if he had to move from this position, he’d never make it.
    “Can we resituate him so that he can sit and drink some mead?” Finbar asked the healer.
    “Aye, but carefully. His belly may not be able to take any food or drink so soon. Take a care that you dinna pull his stitches loose.”
    Marcus wanted something to drink, but he wasn’t sure he wanted it that bad.
    “Aye, we will take the best of care of him. Come on, old man,” Finbar said as he and Rob helped Marcus to sit up.
    His head swam as soon as he did, his stomach roiling, his back raging with pain.
    “He is going down,” Rob warned and caught Marcus before he fell off the bed and onto the floor.
    When the darkness faded, Marcus realized he was sitting up in bed against the pillows and sunlight no longer shown through the window but was replaced by nightfall.
    He groaned. “How long have I been out?”
    “Three days.” Rob poured him a tankard of mead.
    “My horse…”
    “He is being cared for at the stable in the village.” Rob handed him the tankard.
    Marcus noticed then that Finbar was no longer in the room. “Where is your brother?”
    “The word has spread that you were attacked by the Sassenach. Because of the incident, skirmishes at the border have begun. Finbar is watching the situation and trying to negotiate with Isobel’s da.”
    Marcus swallowed several gulps of mead to soothe his parched throat. “Isobel?”
    “From what we have learned, she is safe, locked up in the castle, but fine.”
    “Does she know about…” Marcus let out his breath in exasperation. “About me?”
    “I am certain that her da and his staff will attempt to keep the news from her. How are you feeling?”
    “Better.”
    Rob looked skeptical.
    “Like I have been run over by a hundred galloping horses ridden by the MacLauchlan clansmen, if you must really know, but I am not as dizzy as earlier. And my appetite has returned.”
    “Good. We will return home as soon as you are able to travel. We have sent word to our kin and they will help to escort you home in case we have any more trouble along the way.”
    Marcus grunted. But he knew Rob was right. He wanted to fight every last one of the brigands with his own sword. The way he was feeling, he didn’t think he could ride anywhere very far and still stay upon his horse, or even stand still and swing his sword.
    He wished more than anything to get word