Page 51 of In Bed with a Highland Brute

“I will recover then?”

“Aye, Wilson and Callie think ye’ll be fine. They say each person can respond differently tae an adder bite, but ye have responded well and the wound looks better than it did yesterday. They rebandaged it this morning whilst ye were fast asleep. Aye, ye’ll be fine.”

“Thank God.” Eloise rested back on the pillows, her fingers wrapped around the steaming cup.

“How did it happen exactly, Eloise?” Avery leaned forward, his brows furrowing deeply. “One minute, all was quiet, then ye were screaming.”

“Harper was frightened by the snake. Petrified tae the spot, she refused tae move.” Eloise shook her head slowly, thinking back to the moment and the strange dream she’d had of Harper. “Why would she nae move? It would have been so simple fer her tae step away. In truth, she angered me.”

“Ye and I both ken that fear can dae strange things tae people.”

“Aye, I suppose. I just wondered if there could be another reason. Some other possibility as tae why she didnae move,” Eloise whispered, afraid to say the words aloud.

“Yer mind is overactive in yer state. That is all.” Avery assured her with a soft smile. “Harper was very upset by everything. She’s been tearful. Aye, it was fear.”

“Aye, I am sure ye are right.” Eloise nodded. She decided it was her own anxieties and fears after being bitten that were making her look into a situation that offered up no further explanation. “It was an unfortunate incident. Aye, that is all.”

“Good, I am glad ye agree.” Avery nodded at the cup. “Now, remember what I said and drink all of that. Callie says ye are tae stay in bed fer at least another day, so ye take the pressure of the ankle. Tomorrow, if ye still continue tae feel better, ye can walk again.”

“I could try now?” Eloise insisted, leaning forward, but Avery offered a stern glare.

“For me own sake, dinnae try. If Callie sees I let ye out of that bed, there will be hell tae pay.”

Eloise laughed softly and raised her cup to her lips again.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Nae more, Beatrice.” Murdoch tried to shake the maid off again. He left the keep door and marched across the courtyard, intent on returning to Eloise’s side now that he had seen his father and brother that morning to give them an update on her condition.

He’d been shocked by how the news about the snake bite had affected his father. Fergus had paced up and down in his study for some time, explaining he had been sleepless the night before. He did not sit down until Murdoch gave him the good news that Callie and Wilson believed Eloise to be recovering.

“Murdoch,” Beatrice called, racing to catch up with him. She cut in front of him, bringing him to a halt in the courtyard.

Staring at her dark eyes, he was shocked that at one point he had found her attractive, when now he felt nothing but a longing to escape her. He supposed the one night they had been together, he was in his cups. Nothing else really made sense.

“There is nae harm in it,” she whispered and sidled toward him.

“Nae harm? Ye are aware ye are chasing a man who is betrothed tae another woman through this courtyard?” he asked sharply under his breath.

Her attempt at a sultry smile didn’t even falter.

“I could be a mistress. I dinnae have tae replace her, Murdoch.”

“Dae ye nae hear yerself?” he snapped and walked around her, the sharpness of his tone at last succeeding in making her smile fade. “I have nae wish tae return tae that one foolish night, Beatrice. Accept that.”

He walked away, glancing back just once to check that she did not follow him. Her black hair that had escaped her plait shivered in the breeze. She did not hurry after him again.

“Madness,” Murdoch muttered as he left the courtyard and hurried toward the river at the side of the estate, heading to Wilson’s cottage.

Only a selfish woman would pursue a man when his betrothed has been fighting fer her life all night. Aye, true madness!

Murdoch repeatedly cursed under his breath as he reached for the cottage. Outside, he caught sight of Wilson in the river, up to his knees as he searched between the reeds. Callie was knelt on the riverbank, collecting some of the reeds together and weaving them.

“She’s inside, Murdoch,” Callie called to him, a much more calm expression on her face than the one he had seen the night before. “I have made Avery promise nae tae let her out of the bed.”

“Aye, very well.” Murdoch hurried into the cottage to find Avery standing from his position beside the bed. Murdoch’s eyes shot to Eloise on the bed. She was awake, perhaps a little pale with her hair mussed from sleep, but otherwise she looked like her old self.

He stared at her, struggling to know what to say as the relief washed over him.