“A guard mentioned seeing a few the other day on his way back from bathing at the loch. Normally, they dinna bother people. I noticed ye were barefoot. That put ye at risk of stepping on aught that might hurt ye. But running toward one would threaten it, even if ye didna mean to. I was looking along the path just in case. I just wish I’d gotten to ye a moment sooner. Let me get ye to the keep. The healer needs to see that. It may have gotten more venom into ye than ye think. Ye may nae feel poorly now, but ye could soon.”
Greer’s arms shot out and wrapped around Thor’s neck, unprepared for how smoothly he rose with her still in his arms. Their picnic forgotten, Rose and Blaine hurried ahead to open the postern gate. Rose ran to find the healer as Thor carried Greer in through a side door that wasn’t frequently used. He took the servants’ stairs to reach her guest chamber. He placed her on the bed and made to stand up, but her hand shot out and clutched his leine.
“Dinna go. It hurts more than I wanted Rose to ken. I’m scared.”
Thor glanced toward the open door before he sat on the edge of the bed. He eased her grip on his shirt before holding her hand in both of his. He leaned forward and moved hair that nearly covered her eyes. He found the same trust in her eyes as he’d seen the last time he carried her, injured, to a chamber. It was the expression he remembered from years ago.
“I ken, wee one.” Thor’s hand cupped her cheek, and Greer’s eyes watered as she nodded. “I miss calling ye that.”
“I miss hearing it. I dinna want to die now.”
“Ye willna.”
“Ye always believe ye can decide fate. Ye dinna ken that. I dinna want to die with ye hating me, Thor. Ye may nae detest me, but ye canna stand me.”
“I’ve never hated ye, wee one. I havenae trusted ye, but ye ken the truth.” Thor’s heart raced. He didn’t want to make a deathbed confession, even if he wasn’t the one who might die. Greer face crumpled as she shook her head. “Greer, ye ken I still love ye.”
“I still love ye. But that doesnae mean ye like me, and it doesnae mean ye’ll ever forgive me.”
Rose and Una, the healer, cut their conversation short when they rushed into the chamber. Thor released Greer’s hand and stood from the bed. He glanced at Rose before he watched Una walk to Greer’s feet. He moved aside and gestured for Rose to take his spot. He positioned himself so Rose couldn’t see past him to what Una was doing. He knew the moment the older woman spied what he had. Her head jerked up, her gaze dashing from Greer to Thor when he waved his index finger in front of him. He shot her a warning glare before tilting his head toward his twin.
Una nodded before pushing Greer’s skirts back, so she could properly inspect the bite. She feathered her hands over Greer’s foot and up her calf, seemingly pleased with what she saw, or rather what she didn’t find.
“Lady Greer, I dinna think it got much poison in ye. How do ye feel?”
“Hot, nauseous, and lightheaded.”
Una’s expression tightened. That wasn’t what the experienced healer wanted to hear. She opened her cloth sack and rummaged in it. She pulled out two jars, one clearly honey, and the other something none of them recognized.
“Lady Rose, can ye have someone fetch a mug of wine, please?”
Rose hurried to fulfill the healer’s request. Una looked at Greer once Rose left. “The wine and honey will help the theriac go down. Ye are vera fortunate that Laird Keith traveled so frequently to Europe. He brought this anecdote back with him the last time he returned before following Our Majesty to France. He brought this a great many years ago, and it is stronger for having fermented.” Una pushed Greer’s skirts up farther until both of her feet rested, exposed, on the coverlet. “Ma lady?”
“They’re fine.” Thor answered for Greer, not looking away from Una. His gaze warned her not to press the issue. When Una nodded, he turned to look at Greer. Her appreciation was clear. She didn’t want to explain to anyone, but that didn’t mean Thor wouldn’t press harder than Una. He would know the truth to the scars across the bottom of her feet. It was clear someone had lashed her many times.
Rose ran back into the room and thrust a chalice at Una, nearly sloshing the liquid. The younger woman returned to her friend’s side as the older woman mixed the herbal concoction, honey, and wine.
“What’s in it?” Thor had a moment’s trepidation about allowing Greer to ingest something he didn’t know. He’d never heard of the medicinal, and he didn’t know the woman’s history as the clan’s healer.
“A great many things, lad. But none that will hurt our lady. Alone, each ingredient is fairly mild. Together, with ground snake flesh, it’s a powerful remedy for the ills of wild animal bites.” Thor narrowed his eyes, not liking the idea of Greer ingesting snake flesh if that was the very thing making her ill. “Lad, snake’s dinna die from biting one another. They have their own natural way of curing venom. They’ve been using this since the ancients in the land of our Lord.”
Thor relaxed enough to nod, but he observed every movement the woman made and stared at her as she offered the chalice to Greer. In turn, Greer watched Thor. Rose looked back and forth, still mystified by the pair. She hadn’t expected to find them holding hands amid what appeared to be an intensely private conversation. When Thor carried Greer to his chamber at Dunbeath, he’d carefully lowered her to his bed then hurried across the chamber to stand by the fireplace. Now he looked like he wouldn’t budge an inch.
“May I sleep?”
Thor wanted to refuse Greer’s request, fearing she would slumber and never wake, but Una said yes. The healer packed her belongings as Rose pressed a cool, wet cloth to Greer’s forehead. She drew the Gunn plaid that sat at the foot of the bed over Greer. Thor’s face darkened to a thundercloud. Greer offered him a reassuring smile before Rose pushed her brother toward the door. When they were in the passageway alone, having thanked Una, Rose turned on Thor.
“When the devil are ye going to tell me what’s going on? Greer refuses to. I confessed ma only secret to ye. But ye seem content to keep yers.”
“Ye kept it for three-and-ten years, Rose. I’ve only kept mine for eight. I’ll tell ye in five years.”
“Eight yea—That was when—”
“Aye. I dinna ask what goes on between ye and Blaine.”
“But ye kenned from the start how we both felt aboot each other. Ye encouraged us to be together. I didna keep that from ye.”
“Rosie, can ye let us sort out what lies between us before either of us has to explain what we dinna ken?”
