All of a sudden, she realized three things at once. She hadn’t drowned, she was inhisbed, and she was completely naked. Each was shocking enough, but together they were enough to toss her into a panic.
The sound of the door creaking open didn’t help matters. When she saw who it was, the riot of emotions swirling inside her grew much worse.
“I see you’re awake,” the woman said. “I brought you some broth.”
Flora had the most appalling urge to hide under the covers. Instead, she forced herself to respond. But what did one say to the leman of the man’s bed you’d just woken up in? “Thank you,” was all she could think of.
Seeing the question in Flora’s eyes, the woman explained, “The laird asked that I look in on you.”
“You’re a healer?”
She shrugged. “I have some skill with herbs.”
Among other things,she thought uncharitably.
Bending over Flora, she started her examination. Putting a gentle hand on Flora’s forehead, feeling the pulse at her neck. All of which seemed very strange. Eventually, curiosity got the better of her. “What is your name?” the healer asked.
The woman gave her a long look. “You know who I am?”
Flora nodded.
“Seonaid,” she answered.
She started to lift the plaids covering her, but Flora held them tightly, her cheeks on fire. “I’m fine.”
The woman lifted a perfectly arched brow. “Your modesty is wasted on me. You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before. It is your decision, but you nearly drowned, and then nearly froze to death.”
Flora’s blush intensified. “You don’t understand.” Her voice lowered. “I don’t have any clothes on.”
Seonaid shook her head as if Flora were addled. “You were freezing to death.” At Flora’s obviously perplexed expression, she continued, “You needed the heat of another against you to warm you quickly. ’Twas the only way.”
Flora’s brows gathered together across her nose. “I don’t understand….” Her voice fell off, and her eyes widened as comprehension dawned. The blush was nothing to the mortified heat that spread across her face as her embarrassment got much worse. Dear God. Itwashim. It hadn’t been a dream. How could he take advantage of her like that?
Seonaid must have read her thoughts. Her face flooded with anger. “He saved your life. You should be thanking him instead of worrying about your precious maidenly modesty.”
Flora flinched at the venom in the woman’s voice. And at the knowledge that Seonaid was right. Flora’s moment of misplaced outrage subsided. “I’m sorry, you must think me very ungrateful.” She bit her lip. “It’s just that I don’t remember much of what happened.”
Seonaid peered at her intently. Then apparently deciding that Flora was in earnest, she nodded. “I’m sure the laird will answer your questions when you are feeling better.”
Flora swallowed. The laird. Dear God, what would she do when she saw him? How could she ever look at him again, knowing what he’d done? What he’d seen?
Faint recollections came back to her, making it worse. Images that seemed hazy like a dream, but which she now suspected were very real. Big, strong arms surrounding her. Her cheek pressed against a warm, hard, and very masculine chest.
This time, Flora didn’t argue when the woman continued her examination. She even made Flora wiggle her toes and fingers, and Flora didn’t say a word in protest—though it seemed very silly indeed.
Finally, Seonaid finished her ministrations, handed her a sark that had been left at the foot of the bed, and declared her surprisingly well.
Flora quickly pulled it over her head. The thin linen gave her no small measure of relief.
“I will send up a posset for you to drink. And then you should rest.”
“Thank you,” Flora said, and meant it. Given the circumstances, she was surprised by the woman’s kindness.
Seonaid turned and walked to the door, then hesitated and looked back at Flora. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. The laird did nothing more than warm your body.”
A point she seemed happy to make.
“I know.” And she did. Flora recognized that despite his determination to have her, Lachlan Maclean was too honorable to prey on the weak and helpless. And last night she had been both.
