Page 29 of In Bed with a Scot

“Aye, me laird,” Cara replied. She disappeared back into the kitchen, then reemerged with a clean cloth, a bowl of water, and a cup with an herbal salve in it from the healer. She began to clean Madden’s wounds as gently as she could.

Smiling, Madden took the cloth from her. “I thank ye fer yer kindness, lass, but I can tend tae me own wounds.”

“As ye wish,” Cara replied, then returned to the kitchen.

“Why dinnae ye let the lass help ye?” Asked Arran.

“I’m sure she has plenty tae dae without fussing over me,” he answered.

Arran looked up into Madden’s face. “Ye are a good man, Kinnaird. It is a true shame that me sister didnae choose a man such as ye tae wed.”

“A true shame,” Madden murmured in agreement, his mind turning to the weeping woman upstairs.

—

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CHAPTER TWELVE

Madden retreated to his and Lorcan’s room to tend to his wound. Squinting into the s surface of a shield hanging on the wall, he attempted to rub the blood clean from his face and apply the salve onto the cut over his eyebrow without causing the blood to flow anew. He was concentrating so hard that he did not hear anyone come up behind him until it was almost too late. Spinning around, he grabbed his assailant and placed his blade to their throat.

“Unhand me,” the assailant shrieked.

“Isabelle?” Madden asked, recognizing that turn of phrase and releasing her from his grasp. He returned his blade to its sheath. “What were ye thinking sneaking up on a warrior like that!? I could have killed ye!”

“I heard about yer fight with Bain, and I wanted tae make certain that ye were nae harmed beyond mending,” Isabelle admitted, looking at his cut with concern on her face.

“I am well,” Madden replied. “It is nae but a wee scratch.”

“What were ye thinking getting in tae a fight with him? He could have killed ye.” She frowned at him in disapproval. “Ye are only going to fuel his suspicions that I am an unfaithful wife. Dae ye wish tae see me murdered in me own bed?”

Madden shook his head. “I am sorry. I did nae mean tae bring ye harm. I simply could nae sit there while he spoke that way about ye. If it had nae been me, it would have been yer braither.”

“Aye, but I cannae be accused of being unfaithful with me own braither. If he had fought Bain, he would have had the protection of the entire clan behind him. It would have been a matter between lairds.” Sighing, she took the cloth and salve from him. “Sit down,” she commanded, gesturing towards the chair near the bed and Madden obeyed. Stepping forward, she proceeded to thoroughly clean his wound, then applied the salve. She was competent and made quick work of it.

The feel of her hands upon his skin, the nearness of her body, was having an undesired effect upon Madden’s person. He wanted her with every fiber of his being. “Why did ye marry him?” he asked. “Why did ye wed Bain Sutherland?”

Isabelle shook her head. “I had nay choice.”

It was the same answer that she had given him before. “Daes he have something on ye? Daes he ken something about ye that ye dinnae wish fer anyone else tae ken? Daes he have something that belongs tae ye? What is it that binds ye tae him? It is nae love.”

Isabelle’s eyes met his, tears glistening in their beautiful depths. “It could never be love,” she whispered. “I could never love such a beast.”