“They werenae scared of me,” Flora said, making her presence known. Lucas stood behind her, glancing between the healer, her, and Elizabeth. “I just caught them off guard.”
“Ach, I think she may be correct,” Lucas said with a hint of pride. “I daenae think they were expectin’ ye to fight back.”
Annabeth chuckled from her place beside her daughter. “Men like those never expect a woman to be able to hold her own. Ye were unpredictable. They werenae goin’ to risk ye turnin’ on them if they did anythin’ to Elizabeth.”
“Precisely,” Lucas agreed with conviction. He placed a hand on Flora’s shoulder, then, not speaking until she turned to face him. “I’m goin’ to speak with me men. I must arrange interviews and proper punishments, as well as deal with the rest. Will ye be all right here on yer own?”
“Aye,” Flora said, ignoring the way her heart beat faster at the gentleness of his concern. “I believe I’m in good hands.”
“Good,” he replied as he took his hand back. “When ye finish here, go straight to yer room. I will have yer maid bring ye supper. Ye need to rest, and I cannae guarantee that there willnae be excitement in the castle.”
“I have nae desire to do anythin’ but rest when I’m finished here,” she assured him, a smile of her own settling on her lips. “I was already expectin’ to spend the rest of me evein’ in me quarters before the ordeal.”
He gave her a final nod, his eyes lingering on her a beat longer, before he turned to leave. She stood there, looking at the empty doorway, letting the warmth of his concern wash over her. It wasn’t until Elizabeth giggled from the examining table that Flora finally turned around.
“Uncle Lucas seems fond of ye,” Elizabeth said without preamble. “Are ye fond of him?”
Flora blushed, unable to come up with a response. Finally, she replied, “He rescued me twice.”
“Elizabeth,” Annabeth said before her daughter could speak again. She caught Flora’s eye, with an apologetic look on her features. “Perhaps it’s time we get ye to yer chambers. Ye need rest, and Flora needs to have that cut on her face looked over. I daenae think now is the time for interrogations, aye?”
“Aye,” Elizabeth said, taking the healer’s hand as she slid from the table, her feet hitting the ground less than gracefully. “I’m tired.”
“I’m sure ye are,” Annabeth said, leading her toward the door. As she passed Flora, she lowered her voice to say, “Thank ye for protectin’ her.”
Then, the two were gone before Flora was able to say anything in response. The door closed behind them, leaving Flora alone with the healer. Slowly, she crossed the floor, settling herself on the edge of the raised surface.
“We must stop interactin’ like this,” the healer said, grabbing a tincture from her collection and wetting a flannel with the contents of the bottle.
“I ken,” Flora agreed, sucking in a breath when she dabbed at the cut. “I promise ye, I will endeavor to stay out of trouble.”
“Ye seem like a wonderful woman,” the healer said kindly in what was an obvious effort to distract Flora from the pain. “Perhaps the two of us should share a cup of tea once ye’ve rested up.”
“I daenae even ken yer name,” Flora observed, feeling a bit ashamed that she hadn’t asked before this moment. She had her voice back; the least she could have done was inquire about the woman who’d helped her in her first hours at the castle. “But I would like that very much. I’d like to have friends within the castle.”
“I’m Agnes,” the healer said easily, discarding the cloth and taking hold of Flora’s chin, shifting her face to catch the light as she examined the contusion. “They did this to ye? Was it a palm or a blunt instrument?”
“A palm,” Flora said matter-of-factly. “It was a reaction to me throwin’ a knife and killin’ one of the men. They were climbin’ aboard the carriage. I dinnae want them gettin’ to Elizabeth.”
“Ye’re a brave thing, ye ken?” Agnes said as she plucked a jar of honey from her shelf, drizzling a bit on her finger and dabbing it against the wound. Her touch was gentle but precise. “Most women I ken would shut down from fear, but nae ye.”
Flora nodded, not knowing what to say. She didn’t feel particularly brave. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t scared or that she’drun into danger with the intention of rescuing Elizabeth. She was just doing what was necessary.
“Let me see yer arms,” Agnes said as she wiped her hand clean. “Once I’m sure ye’re nae hurt anywhere else, I’ll send ye on yer way.”
“Ye’re sure this group was actin’ independently?” Lucas asked, his arms crossed over his chest as he took in the scene. “They seemed highly trained. We cannae rule out the possibility of them bein’ connected with the men that organized the hunt. Or connected with the clan that tried to abduct Elizabeth three years ago.”
His guards had the man chained up in the dungeon, his arms affixed to the wall with iron. Though they’d conducted a preliminary interrogation, Lucas wouldn’t accept that this act of violence was completely random. Not only did they attempt to kidnap both Elizabeth and Flora, but they also killed so many of his men. He knew for a fact that the loss of Ryan, Elizabeth’s favorite and his most trusted guard, would be devastating.
He refused to believe that a group as coordinated as they seemed was nothing more than bandits. Coincidences like that didn’t just happen. They needed to be taken seriously.
This man nearly took away Flora in the same way those bastards who organized the hunt did. Anyone who threatens this woman will face me wrath.
“We cannae ken for sure,” one of the guards said, glancing at where the man had passed out, the shackles cutting into his limp wrists. “He wasnae makin’ much sense. Probably the blood loss.”
Lucas grunted. “We’ll have to speak with James when he wakes. I’d get him now if I dinnae think the healer would come after me. I cannae afford to upset her. It’s hard to come by someone as talented as she is.” He sighed, realizing that there wasn’t more he could do at the moment. “Keep this man alive. I’ll send a missive to Hector since he’s leadin’ the investigation into the hunt. He’ll want to be here for the full interrogation. Perhaps he’ll ken where to press to get the answers we need.”
“Aye,” the first guard agreed. Then, cautiously, he asked, “And how are the girls? Its nae the first time either of them has been taken in this way.”
