“Now, where do ye think ye’re going, lass?” When Graham turned Kate around to have a look at her, his expression changed to concern. “Hell, yer wound is bleeding. What in blazes did ye do?”
“She looks like she had a bath,” Angus offered, coming up behind Graham to see what the fuss was about.
“Did Callum toss ye into the water, then?” Jamie passed the others and rushed to her side.
“Jamie, why the hell would he toss her into the water, ye lackwit?” Brodie smacked the younger warrior on the side of the head, hoping to knock some sense into him.
Jamie glared at him. “Because she’s a Campbell, why else?”
Kate shook Graham to gain his attention from the others. “You knew I was bait to bring my uncle to Callum. I must go to Kildun!” Her teeth began to chatter, and Jamie near barreled over Brodie to retrieve a plaid from the ground to cover her.
“We cannot let ye do that, lass,” Graham said gently.
“But he is a loathsome coward,” she argued, trying desperately to make them understand. “My brother will be the one to die!” She leaned against Callum’s horse when another wave of pain washed over her.
“Who is a loathsome coward?” Jamie asked, thoroughly confused.
“Callum is,” Brodie answered.
Jamie’s shoulders straightened. “I take offense to that.”
Angus snickered, then guzzled some brew from another pouch he had hidden beneath his plaid.
“Kate.” She heard Graham speak her name. She dabbed her head with the back of her hand, wondering when the air had turned so warm. “Yer wound has opened, lass.”
“Hell, she’s bleedin’ all over m’ plaid,” Brodie complained, sincerely upset.
Angus belched, then swiped his hand across his mouth. “Since when d’ye mind someone else’s blood on yer plaid?”
“Please!” Kate shouted at the men. “You do not understand. My brother . . . he will look for me. You must let me go! I will not let him die because of me!”
Callum was securing his plaid over his shoulder when he stepped out from within the trees. He stopped as her plea reached him and pierced him like an arrow. He’d meant to frighten her, to open her eyes to the truth, but her desperation to save her brother’s life was too familiar to his own. Despite the darkness that consumed him, he clung to one love. That of his sister. He defied the law in honor of his name, but he had given up his soul in exchange for Maggie’s life. He would not force Kate to do the same. He was glad he had listened to Graham and not killed Robert Campbell.
Callum called her name. She turned, along with the others, as he picked up his steps again and moved slowly toward her.
“I willna harm yer brother.” Aye, ’twas his voice he heard promising to spare the young Campbell’s life yet again. His voice that sounded uncommonly gentle to his ears. “I willna kill him. I swear it,” he repeated, reaching her.
“Even if he comes to fight you?” Kate questioned, needing to be certain.
“I vow he will walk away unscathed.” His gaze dropped to the blood seeping through her shift. “Come.” He pressed his hand to hers, thankful that she did not pull away. Her confidence in his word produced a warm smile he could not resist giving her. “Yer wound needs tendin’.”
Her expression went from appreciative to terrified in an instant. “You will not attempt to burn it, will you?”
Callum bit down on his words. He would not lie to her. He closed his fingers around hers instead. “I’ll no’ do anything that’ll pain ye overmuch.”
He turned to Angus. “Give me yer brew.”
The hulking warrior gaped at him. “All of it?”
A seething glare from his laird stilled the remainder of Angus’s protests, and he handed the pouch over.
Callum cut a quick glance to Graham next. The commander nodded, knowing what needed to be done. He pulled a small dagger from his belt and headed for the cooled campfire, motioning for Jamie to gather more leaves.
“She needs to come oot o’ her undergarment. She’ll catch a wicked fever soaked through like that,” Brodie muttered with a tight smirk when Callum walked past him.
His cousin spoke true. She needed to change into her dry kirtle before she was unable to do it herself. Of course, Callum was not opposed to undressing her. But his control was already on the brink of shattering from just looking at her in her wet shift, her dark waves clinging to her fluid curves.
“I would know what you mean to do,” Kate demanded weakly while he led her toward the trees.
