Niall sat on the bench by the door waiting for her, beside him a small sack which probably contained their food. He winced slightly as he stood, and Annie noticed, for the first time, that he favored his injured leg as they walked outside to the horses. And, also for the first time, instead of vaulting onto the gelding’s back, Niall led the animal to a mounting block. Annie frowned. Niall would never do such a thing unless he was in dire pain.
Thankfully, the doctor wasn’t that far away.
****
“What do ye mean, the doctor is nae here?” Annie stared at the middle-aged woman who’d opened the door to the doctor’s cottage. “We saw the shingle out front. Is this nae the right house?”
“’Tis. I am his wife.” The woman pulled her woolen wrapper closer to avoid the morning chill. “He is nae here.”
“When do ye expect him back?” Niall asked, his lips white at the corners.
The woman shook her head. “I doona ken. ’Tis an outbreak of typhus at Killin, northeast of here. My husband left two days ago to tend to it.”
Annie heard Niall stifle a groan and felt like she’d just swallowed lead. What were they going to do now? The physician probably wouldn’t be back for several days. Even if he came back earlier, would he be carrying the disease? Typhus was highly contagious. News of an epidemic in Ireland just last year had travelled to Glasgow. Another epidemic had occurred in London’s Newgate prison just this year and spread to the city. A travelling cooper had brought the news. In addition to fever—which Niall probably already had—the disease caused delirium and coma. Annie’s mother had burned the bed sheets the man had used and scrubbed every inch of the room with lye soap after he’d left.
“Do ye have any clean bandages that we can have?” Annie asked. “And maybe a salve?”
The woman looked at her suspiciously. “Just what is wrong with ye?”
“’Tis nae me—”
“My wife is making much ado over a slight scratch I received with a ruffian who insulted her yesterday,” Niall said quickly, “but I would appreciate a clean bandage if ye have it. I have coin, of course.”
The woman opened the door wider. “Come in, then.”
She left them to sit on a wood bench just inside the door while she went to get the supplies. Annie turned to him as soon as she disappeared. “I am your wife now?”
“’Tis better that she think us married, lass.”
Annie frowned. “I thought I was supposed to be a lad.”
“That would have been better.” Niall looked at her cap. “But half your hair is down.”
Annie’s hands went up and found the offending tresses. “Bloody hell!”
Niall managed a smile. “Ye are acquiring quite a vocabulary.” Then he put out a hand to stop her from pushing the hair backunder the cap. “Leave it be for now. We doona wish to raise any questions.”
“I’m sure the woman already has some,” Annie replied, “or do women in the country often wear breeches?”
“’Tis nae unheard of,” Niall said. “The doctor’s wife already saw we had two horses. ’Tis easier to ride astride in breeches. The farther ye go into the Highlands, the more what is practical applies.”
“Ye doona think she will wonder though?”
“She might.” Niall shrugged. “What would make her more suspicious is for you to have your hair tucked back up and looking like a lad when she comes back with the bandaging.”
A young girl of perhaps three-and-ten appeared in the hall. “My mother bids ye come with me.”
“Where are we going?” Annie asked.
The girl gave her a look as though she were daft. “To my da’s office so my mother can tend the wound.”
Niall shook his head. “’Tis nae necessary—”
“Aye,’tis,” Annie hissed at him. “Ye did nae let me check this morning for festering.”
He sighed and stood. Annie noticed his limp was worse as they followed the girl down the short hall to a room toward the back of the house.
He was shown a seat and the girl shooed from the room by her mother before she turned back to him. “Where is this wound?”
