“Often.”
“But not always?”
She swallowed. “Nay. Nae always.”
In the silence that followed, Andrew came tiptoeing forward, eyes wide with anxiety.
“Laird, is this wise?” he whispered. “Herownmedicines? We ken she can poison a man and leave nay trace…”
Nora growled under her breath, fixing him with a furious, unblinking stare. “If I really did possess such skills, lad, I can assure ye thatyewould be the first I’d try them out on.”
Andrew paled, shrinking back. “Me Laird, she threatened me.”
“Enough of yer whinin’!” Creighton roared. “If ye have nothin’ useful to say, get...”
Nora held out a hand, and to her amazement, Creighton fell silent.
“Andrew,” she said firmly, meeting his eye. “I’m nae a witch, and I’m nae a murderer. What I am is a healer. Ye are fond of wee Laurie, are ye nae?”
Andrew’s lower lip wobbled. “Of course I am. She’s a wee angel. Except, of course, when she’s nae,” he added in a mumble.
“Then ken that I want to help Laurie. I want to heal her. “I’m sure that ye daenae trust me, and I am nae askin’ ye to trust me in anythin’ else. Trust that I want to help her, aye?”
Andrew swallowed thickly, his wide-eyed gaze dropping down to where Laurie lay, sweat-drenched and insensible.
“Aye,” he echoed, nodding tightly. “Aye. I… I’m sorry, me Laird. I’m sorry, Lady Nora.”
At that moment, the nurse hurried back in with broth and warm water, still sniffling as she fought back tears. Theo followed quickly, carrying the tarrowfoot paste. Nora directed Creighton to wipe Laurie’s sweat with the water while she prepared to mix medicines into the broth.
“Here, lassie, take a wee sip of this,” she whispered, ladling a small spoon into Laurie’s mouth. The little girl screwed up her face. “Aye, I ken, the medicines make it taste strange. But ye must drink it, love, ye must drink it.”
Four spoonfuls later, Laurie’s eyes flickered behind her lids. Slowly, slowly, her eyes cracked open. Creighton gave a ragged gasp of relief.
“Nae out of the woods yet,” Nora whispered to him, then placed a hand over Laurie’s forehead. “How do ye feel, Laurie?”
“The broth is bitter,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.
Nora let out a slow breath. “Then we’ll have shortbreads brought for ye to eat with it.”
This time,everybodywho was not Nora or Creighton rushed to fetch the treats.
CHAPTER 11
THE FOLLOWING DAY
Movement caught Nora’s eye.She glanced up from where she kneeled in the earth, high up to one of the Keep windows.
Laurie stood there, silhouetted in the glass, swathed in blankets and shawls. Her nurse stood behind her, diligently clinging to the little girl. When their eyes met, Laurie brightened and waved cheerfully.
Smiling to herself, Nora waved back.
The heat of yesterday had somewhat dissipated. The sky was heavy and cloudy today, iron-gray with the promise of rain. While the air was still a little warmer than it ought to be at this time of year, the oppression had gone. There’d be a thunderstorm sooner or later, no doubt.
The nurse whispered something in Laurie’s ear and whisked her out of sight. No doubt she didn’t want the little girl standing at the window too long, in case she got a chill. Very wise.
Only now, just at midday, did Nora feel safe enough to leave Laurie, even for an hour or two. The little girl’s fever had dissipated a good deal, but not completely. For now, the worst was over, but she might relapse.
Hence Nora’s frantic search through the Keep’s kitchen garden. The MacColl healing chambers were worse than she had expected. The infirmary desperately needed airing, sweeping, and dusting. No healing chambers should have that many cobwebs. The apothecary room was poorly stocked, and she already had a list of a dozen medicines that needed to be prepared and placed on the shelves for the place to be considered adequately ready for an emergency.
