Highland Magic by K. E. Saxon Read Free Book Online

time.
    Reaching out, she placed her palm first on
his hot brow and then over his flushed cheek. Still dry. She looked
over her shoulder at the still-slumbering physician and then toward
the wash basin a few paces away. With less trepidation than she’d
felt upon entering—now that she knew how hard the man slept—she
made her way over to the basin and doused a cloth in the cool
water. After ringing it free of excess moisture, she brought it
back to the bed and lightly ran the cloth over Callum’s face and
neck. If, by chance, he awakened, she felt sure he’d be in too
groggy a state from the draught to recognize her. And the dimness
of the chamber, as well as her lad’s attire would also help to keep
her identity hidden.
    Since the ministering seemed to soothe him,
she repeated the exercise several more times. Thankfully, tho’ he
mumbled in his sleep, he never fully awakened or opened his eyes.
After awhile, her legs and back became pained and weary, so she
decided to settle next to her patient on the bed to continue the
task. His face contorted and he groaned when the indention of the
mattress rolled him onto his sore shoulder. She held her breath,
for if anything would awaken him, this would. He resettled on his
back, but his eyes never opened.
    Curious to see how badly he’d injured himself
when he’d burst through the barrier in the cave opening, she took a
quick peek under the top edge of the woolen blanket. ‘Twas wrapped
tightly, so ‘twas hard to tell how much damage he’d caused himself.
She dared do no further investigation, however, as, from the look
of things, he wore naught else. After resettling the blanket snugly
over his chest, she bathed his face with the cool cloth and
dribbled very small amounts of water into his mouth that, even in
his stupor, he managed to swallow. She continued in this vein for
the next two hours.
    At some point, the physician awakened and
moved toward the bed, but she managed to scoot over to the other
side and hide between the bed’s edge and the curtain while the man
checked on his patient. Afterward, he lay back down on his
makeshift bed and quickly fell into what seemed to be an untroubled
slumber once more.
    Finally, a couple of hours before sunrise,
Callum’s fever broke. Unfortunately, his eyes opened then as well
and there was not one tittle of confusion in them when he saw her.
“Branwenn!” he croaked.
    “Nay, ‘tis but a dream you are having!” she
whispered as she hastily descended from the bed. “And what, pray,
are you doing dreaming of me, you lewd-minded devil!” she said,
deciding ‘twas the kind of comment he would expect from her in
life—and in a dream.
    “‘Tis no dream,” he said sleepily. Callum’s
eyelids drooped, then shut completely. “For, why would I dream of a
laddish bairn...such as”—He yawned loudly—“yowww?”
    His harsh words caused a sharp pain in her
heart and Branwenn’s eyes misted. In the next instant, however,
fury overcame hurt and she drew her fist back and nearly punched
him in the arm before reason won out and, scrubbing the tears from
her eyes with the back of her hand, she took the opportunity to
escape before the rest of the household rose for the day.
    * * *
    The next time Callum awoke, ‘twas nearing
sext. Pulling back the bed curtain, he peered out, squinting when
the bright light coming from the window stabbed his bleary eyes. He
blinked a few times and rubbed them to ease the pain. How long had
he been asleep? Hours? Days?
    He began to stretch, curving his back and
lifting his bent elbows up in the air. “Aargh! Oww! Holy—”
    The door flew open and his mother barreled
forward, followed closely by his paternal grandmother, Lady
Maclean. “Callum, dear! Which of your injuries pains you? I will
call for new bindings forthwith.”
    “I am well, Mother, fear not. I only meant to
stretch a bit and was instantly reminded of my sore shoulder,” he
said, flinging the sheet over his bare nether