Catriona blinked, her forehead wrinkling with pain as she shuddered and coughed. “I’m here, husband, but I’m so verra cold.”
Magnus stripped off his cloak quicker than any of the others could remove their coats and draped it across her. Father William kept his bloody hands in place under the cloak.
“Better, love?” Alexander pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, her salty tears wetting his lips. “Warmer now?”
“Aye,” she whispered with a trembling smile as her eyes closed.
“What have ye done to ma wee lassie?” Mrs. Aberfeldy cried out as she emerged from the stairway and hurried toward them. Her steps slowed, and she faltered as she reached Calum’s body. Her plump face wrinkled and twisted with grief. “And my poor laddie,” she whispered. “God love him and forgive him.”
With a shake of her head and clutching both hands to her breast, she rushed to Catriona. “His own sister,” she whispered. “May God forgive him.” Her distraught look hardening with determination, Mrs. Aberfeldy clapped her hands and stood as tall as her round body would allow. “Hie to the kitchen and tell Cook ye need the litter we keep in case someone falls ill.” She grabbed hold of Sutherland by the ear and pulled him to his feet. “Hie with ye now. Run, boy! I’ll no' have my dear sweet lassie lying on this hard floor to suffer her wounds like a felled deer.”
“Old woman!” Knocking her hand from his ear, Sutherland looked to Alexander. “The old cow makes sense. I’ll fetch the litter and we can move her to her bed 'til the healer gets here, aye?”
“Aye,” Alexander agreed. He didna give a damn what they did. Only two things mattered right now: him staying at Catriona’s side and keeping her alive.
Alexander ignored Mrs. Aberfeldy’s continued squawking, intent on Catriona and stroking the silk of her cheek. “Open your eyes, sweetness,” he begged. “I fear ye’ve left me when ye close them.”
“I’m no' but resting,” Catriona said with a soft sigh. Her eyelids fluttered open the least bit and she seemed to struggle to focus on Alexander’s face.
“Once ye’ve healed,” Alexander said, determined to keep her talking. “We need to be about the business of making a bairn or two. What say ye?”
A wan smile trembled on Catriona’s lips as her eyelids dipped then opened wider. “Twins. A pair of boys. Aye?”
“Aye,” Alexander agreed. “A pair of sons just might make up for your stubbornness and the scare ye’ve put into me this day.”
“I didna think…” her voice trailed off and her eyes closed.
“Ye didna think what, love?” Alexander lifted her closer and stroked her cheek faster. “Catriona—speak to me, lass. Ye didna think what?”
To his profound relief, Catriona opened her eyes, looked confused for a moment, then smiled. “Fear. I didna think ye feared anything.”
“Ye are wrong, Catriona,” Alexander whispered as her eyes closed again. “I fear losing ye, m'love. I canna bear the thought of facing this life without ye.”
“Always and forever, my husband. Always be with ye,” Catriona promised in a breathy whisper without opening her eyes. “This life…and the next…swore it. Remember?”
“This life, Catriona,” Alexander said, not caring that hot tears filled his eyes and burned down his cheeks. “Dinna give up on this life. I beg ye.”
Sutherland burst from the stairwell with the litter clutched in one hand. A pair of white-capped maidservants scurried after him, their arms piled high with linens. Four scullery lads toting steaming hot kettles of water followed the maids. As the servants filed by, they spared worried glances at Catriona and Alexander, before rushing to the stairwell and ascending to the next floor.
With a clap of his hand to Alexander’s shoulder, Sutherland gave him a grim smile. “The word of their freedom is traveling fast, brother, and all appear to be taking the news verra well.”
None of that mattered now. All that mattered was Catriona.
Alexander bent and kissed her forehead then whispered against her skin. “I’ve got to move ye a wee bit, lass, so we can get ye to your bed, aye?”
A cold, icy hand of dread twisted his heart when she didn’t respond. With a hard swallow, he pressed his face close to the end of her nose and her parted lips. He thanked God in Heaven above when he felt her breathing brush against his face. She yet lived. As long as she lived, he wouldna give up hope.
Sliding his arms beneath her, he eased her onto the litter. He walked beside her as Sutherland and Graham carried her between them up the stairs to the next floor. Mrs. Aberfeldy and three maids were already scurrying about the room. One stoked the fire while another swung more kettles from the irons on the hearth and set them to boil. The smallest of the three lasses ripped linens into bandages and stacked them on the table beside the bed.
Yanking the comforter and layers of blankets to the foot of the bed, Mrs. Aberfeldy waved the men forward. “Easy now, lads. Settle her with care.”
Alexander shifted Catriona from the litter to the bed then stepped back. Father William stood at the foot of the bed, rosary beads in one hand, cross in the other, still mouthing fervent silent prayers.
“Out with ye now,” Mrs. Aberfeldy took hold of Alexander’s arm as she shooed the priest and the other men from the room. “Out with ye whilst I cut that dress away and get her ready for Elena.”
“I’ll no' be leaving, old woman.” If she valued her life, the fickle housekeeper had best heed his tone. Catriona had told him she no longer kent where Mrs. Aberfeldy’s allegiances fell. She wouldna tell him why she felt that way. Seemed almost ashamed to speak of it. But if Catriona didna trust the woman, then neither did he and he’d be damned if he’d leave his dear sweet love alone with her.
Mrs. Aberfeldy released his arm as though the touch of it burned her hand. Her eyes flared wide and reflected the alarm that Alexander had intended to instill in her. “Aye then,” she said with a meek bob of her head as she lowered her gaze. “As ye wish.”
Father William gathered the rest of the men and herded them all out the door. “Come, my brothers. We’ll give our lady the privacy she deserves and say our prayers in her sitting room.”
Alasdair and Ian left but Sutherland, Duncan, Graham, and Magnus stood firm, all with their attention trained on Alexander.
“What say ye, brother?” Graham asked.
Alexander nodded. “I’ll be at her side but if ye’ll stay close and pray for m’lady’s healing, I’d be most grateful.”
“'Twill be done,” Graham said then the four men filed out the door.
