They did wait and somewhere around dawn his fever finally broke, and they were able to roll him so they could change the soaked bed covers and put on fresh.
Agnes was exhausted. Nan had fallen asleep in the chair by the hearth despite Agnes insisting on finding her a bed. She wanted to be close when William awoke as according to her, he would have a nasty headache from the poison for a few hours.
Agnes lay down beside him and though his fever had broken, his skin was still hot to the touch, as if the poison clung to him,unyielding in its purpose. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but images of him with arrows sticking out of his shoulder and thigh would give her no peace. She rolled over to her side and put her arm across his chest hoping the steady thud of his heart would settle her.
After a time she finally dozed, but only for a few minutes before William started shaking. She got up to get a cloth, and Nan woke at the same time.
“Time to mix the next set of tonics, lass.”
While Nan pulled other plants from her satchel, Agnes mopped William’s brow. She hated this. Hated seeing him in such a state. And she hated not having full understanding of the true danger surrounding them.
Neville knocked and entered just as they were pouring more mixture into William’s mouth. This tincture reeked of something rotten. Thankfully, though he choked on it a little, he swallowed it.
“He will sleep now for the rest of the day and by then the poison will have run the worst of its course,” Nan said. “Now I’ll take that bed.”
“I have it already arranged,” Neville said. “Tell Connor outside to bring you to the white room.”
After she left, Neville turned to Agnes. “The king has sent many guards to ensure our safety.”
“But how did he know we were attacked?”
“William had anticipated such and instructed one of the guards in your party to travel to Stirling instead of here with a missive and a request for added protection.”
“He hadn’t told me that.”
“He didn’t want you to worry.”
“But I had good reason, didn’t I?” The stress of the last several hours welled within her, threatening to spill over. Shedidn’t want to unleash it on Neville, but he was unfortunately the only one present at the moment to whom she could vent.
“My lady, protecting his family is his lordship’s highest priority.”
“I understand that, but in doing so it is he who has been fighting for his life on that bed.”
Agnes clenched and unclenched her fists. She was tired of everyone around her making decisions having a direct impact on her without her consult or awareness.
“I am sorry, my lady. Is there anything I can have brought to you?”
“Aye, a platter of food and mead, and the same for Nan. And I want parchment, ink, quill, and wax seal.”
Neville tilted his head to the side, but thankfully said nothing. She expected him to obey her without question. He was not familiar enough with her to challenge her. She was finished with letting everyone else work on solutions and, by God, she would take matters into her own hands. She was the one who’d traveled to Stirling with her uncle. She could have forewarned Fin, the queen, and William. But she had been so enchanted by the king’s court and William that she’d focused on her own childish desires rather than the safety and protection of others.
She’d brought the devil to court.
And she would remedy this business if it was the last thing she ever did.
Neville returned with all the items she had requested and quietly waited. Good. He knew his place and that pleased her and made her respect him all the more. After she broke her fast, she sat down to write her own missive.
Your Honorable Majesty;
I write to you in good faith to express my sincerest thanks for your kindness to us in sending your guards forour protection. Your generosity is unmatched, as is your grace. I share with you, the earl has succumbed to injury due to poisoned arrows in his shoulder and thigh. He has weathered the poison and will heal in full according to the healer who attended him. I ask one further favor of you. Would you kindly spare one of your surgeons to come see to him to ensure his limbs will sustain no permanent damage. I fear that expertise may lie beyond our healer. I also wish to inform you, I am writing a missive to your wife to continue my friendship with her as I am hopeful I am no longer suspected of treason. I humbly await your reply,
Your faithful servant,
Agnes Montrose
Anges folded the letter and sealed it then pulled new parchment to start her next letter.
Your Honorable Majesty, my dear friend;
