Laird of the Mist (10 page)

― I did my best.‖ Hamish sank into the soft chair, clearly exhausted.―Now we will have to wait and keep a close eye on him. He‘ll need watching through the night, aye?‖
―It‘s fine, grandda,‖ Olivia answered softly as she sat down next to Ian‘s inert figure on the sofa.―I‘ll stay with him.‖
―Thank ye, lad.‖ Hamish gratefully received a glass of whisky from Carrick.―I gave him an injection of penicillin for infection and laudanum for pain. I pray they will do. The penicillin is veterinary medicine.‖
―Why veterinary?‖ Cat asked between sips of her own whisky. It warmed her and soothed the pain in her face.
―I havena license to prescribe since I retired,‖ Hamish regretfully sighed.―So I bought veterinary from a feed shop.‗Twas the best I could do in so short a time.‖
―I‘m sure it will be fine, grandda,‖ Cat assured him with a pat on his arm.
―How did ye light the fire so quick, ye wee pixie?‖ Hamish looked at Olivia suspiciously. He had prohibited them from bringing twenty-first century items unless deemed absolutely necessary for emergencies.
―I - uh - I brought a couple of lighters.‖ Olivia looked sheepish.―I‘m sorry, grandda. I just thought they might be important. I‘ll keep them hidden, I promise.‖
―Aye, well,‖ Hamish relented.―It seems ye were right in this case. Do keep them hidden away unless I tell ye, right?‖
―Right,‖ Olivia answered.―I just thought it couldn‘t do much harm if we are only here a short while.‖
―It seems we will be here a long while,‖ Hamish said thoughtfully.―We canna leave while wee Ian is so poorly, and as I told ye before, there is no guarantee we can go back. Ye must learn to do things in the fashion they do now, ye hear?‖
―I hear.‖ Olivia nodded.―I‘ll try.‖
―Fine then.‖ Hamish relaxed a bit and looked up at Carrick.―Thank ye for yer fine assistance, Carrick. Ye did a right fair job.‖
―I never saw such a thing,‖ Carrick spoke up from his place next to Cat.―Injections? The fine stitching? Ye saved my brother and I am most grateful to ye. Will he walk d‘ye think?‖
―‗Tis possible. They did not sever his Achilles, so he should. It will be slow for him for a time, at least,‖ Hamish answered, looking at Cat‘s still swollen face.―Caitriona, I must tend to ye now.‖
―I‘m really fine, grandda,‖ she protested.―I washed it clean and the whisky is helping the pain.‖
―Oh, aye,‖ Carrick reproved her.―Why was your face bloody then, when I first saw ye?‖
―Oh that,‖ she sputtered. She knew Carrick would be even more furious when she told him, but how could she not?―Camden - he - he tried to take up where he left off that night at the castle,‖ she explained.
―He tried to force his mouth on ye?‖ Carrick began to rise from his chair.
―Sit down, Carrick,‖ she said firmly.―He did. Ian hit him on the head with a tree branch and I bit his lip verra badly.‗Tis where the blood came from.‖
―Ye bit him and tasted his blood?‖ Hamish was instantly alarmed.―Nay, lass. Ye must have antibiotic immediately.‖
―‗Tis nothing.‖ Cat tried to wave him off.
―Oh aye, nothing.‖ Hamish was indignant.―A soldier‘s blood full of God-knows-what infections? Nay, lass, ye shall have the injection if Carrick has to hold ye down.‖
―Aye, Cat, I will.‖ Carrick stood staunchly before her, arms folded across his chest.―Do what yer grandda tells ye.‖
―Fine,‖ she said hotly.―Go ahead. Ye know how I hate those damned needles. Just do it quick,‖ she spat, rolling up her sleeve.
Hamish retrieved his bag and began rubbing her arm with the alcohol swabs he had brought. He filled the syringe and injected the penicillin.
―No so bad, was it?‖ Hamish smiled at her softly.―Much ado, aye?‖
―Only because of yer gentle touch, grandda.‖ She hugged his neck.―Ye should get some rest now.‖
―I‘ll no argue with ye, Cat.,‖ Hamish yawned.―But first, I need to examine ye a wee bit. Look straight at me, Cat.‖
Hamish picked up a nearby candle and shined it in her eyes. He set it down and felt around her face and head. Cat knew better than to argue at this point and sat still for him.
―No concussion, nothing broken,‖ he said at last.―I was worried as ye said ye lost consciousness.‖
―I did,‖ Cat answered him, sitting back in the chair.―But I didna think it was for long.‖
―Well, other than the nasty bruises and swelling, ye seem to be fine.‖ Hamish stood and smiled at her. ―We‘ll keep a watch on ye all the same, aye?‖
―Aye, that‘s fine. Come then.‖ She rose and entwined her arm in his.―Let me take ye upstairs and show ye where to sleep. Be right back,‖ she said to Carrick and Olivia as they left

She reached over and gently touched his auburn curls, thick yet soft.
A scattering of freckles dotted his face. Faery kisses, she recalled from childhood. She had had a few
freckles on her nose as a child. When teased by her school friend, Emilia, her grandma told her that each
freckle was where a faery had kissed her. Emilia, who had no freckles, began to cry.―Why don‘t the faeries
ever kiss me?‖ she whined. The faeries must truly love Ian, she smiled to herself, hoping they were watching
over him now.
―How are ye feeling, Olivia?‖ Carrick broke her reverie.―Are ye up to the task, or would ye like some
sleep?‖ He sat down next to her and refilled her glass from the decanter.
―I‘m fine, thank you, Carrick.‖ She took a sip.―This must be terrible for you, finding your brother like
this.‖
―It is no easy, true,‖ he agreed, warming his glass between his hands.―I ha‘ always tried to protect
him, but I failed him now.‖
―Cat‘s always trying to protect me, too.‖ She touched his arm in sympathy.―But I mostly wish she
wouldn‘t. She can‘t protect me all the time, you know. She has to live her own life, and I‘ll bet Ian feels the
same about you.‖
―Mayhap.‖ He nodded, thinking it over.―I hope he lives long enough for me to ask him.‖ ―He will,‖ Cat reassured him from the door.―He‘ll be fine. Grandda is an excellent surgeon, even
under these circumstances. I have complete faith in him. At least I got him to bed, thank heavens.‖ She sat
with the others and stretched out her legs.
―If ye two will excuse me.‖ Carrick rose and reached for an oil lamp.―I must go look for Anne.
Hamish found her behind the barn, aye?‖
―I‘m going with ye.‖ Cat jumped to her feet.
―Cat.‖ He grabbed her shoulders.―Ye should stay with Olivia. What I find mayna be pleasant for ye.‖ ―She was my responsibility,‖ Cat argued.―I‘m going with ye.‖
―Well, if you‘re going out there...‖ Olivia grabbed her bag and dug through it.―You should take my
flashlight, not a lamp. Here, I‘m glad I thought to bring it. Don‘t have a lot of batteries, though.‖ She
extended it to Carrick.―And don‘t tell grandda!‖
―Olivia.‖ Cat sighed in exasperation.―Please dinna tell me ye brought yer iPod?‖ ―Well, I...‖
‗No.‖ Cat put up a hand to stop her, momentarily allowing her Highland accent to slip. ―I don‘t want
to hear it. And if you
did
bring it, you‘d best not let grandda catch you or he will redden your bum, you brat.‖ ―Okay.‖ Olivia blushed, recalling the spankings she deservedly received as a child.―Here, Carrick.‖
She was still holding the flashlight out to him.―Take this at least.‖
Carrick set down the lamp and took the flashlight. He had been enamored with it from the first,
wearing out several sets of batteries before he was satisfied.
―Thank ye, Olivia,‖ he said.―Verra helpful.‖
―Just sit there, aye?‖ Cat commanded her sister, recovering her speech.―We dinna ken how
dangerous it may be, so dinna go wandering. Just sit until we return.‖
―Oh, aye,‖ Olivia replicated Cat‘s accent, remembering that she was supposed to speak in the same
manner.―I shan‘t leave Ian.‖
―Good lass,‖ Carrick said over his shoulder as he led Cat out, flashlight showing the way. ―I wish ye hadna come.‖ Carrick tightened his hold on Cat‘s arm.―‗Tis no place for ye, Cat.‖ ―I‘ve seen blood before,‖ she replied.
They had gone halfway round what was left of the scorched barn. The rain had come and the fire
extinguished, leaving a charred ruin; roof open to the sky. As they reached the back corner, Carrick put out a
hand to stop Cat.
―Stay,‖ he ordered.―I see her. I‘ll go.‖ Carrick made his way to Anne‘s limp form laying a few feet
away.
―Oh, my God.‖ Cat stood behind him, holding her stomach.―Oh, Anne,‖ she whispered at the sight of
the lifeless girl drenched in blood and rain. Her throat had been cleanly and deeply cut, and her clothes torn
into ragged pieces.
―I told ye to stay.‖ Carrick turned to Cat, who was doing her best not to vomit.―I do wish ye‘d listen,
Caitriona.‖
―I‘m sorry,‖ she managed.―I didna ken...I didna imagine.‖
―Ye‘re in my time now,‖ he admonished her.―Ye dinna see much of this in yers, I ken. This land has
been at war since its beginning and‗tis a tragedy that we ha‘ seen too much of it. Now go to yer sister. I will
take care of the body and we shall have a proper burial in the morn, aye?‖
―Aye,‖ Cat answered quietly.―I‘m so sorry,‖ she said to ―Anne‘s greycorpse.―I‘m so terribly sorry.‖
With a remorseful look at Carrick, Cat turned away and headed back to the house. She was the reason for
Anne‘s hideous death. She was the reason they were all here in this brutal time. Would this nightmare ever
end? And, more importantly, could she ever forgive herself?

― Are ye awake, Cat?‖ Carrick whispered, as he pulled her closer to him in the warm bed.―I thought I heard ye say something.‖
Cat turned in his arms, careful not to brush her bruises against the pillow.―Aye, Carrick. I canna sleep. And ye?‖
―No. My mind willna stop. And I find I have a thing I must say to ye.‖ He released her and sat with the headboard against his back.―I pray ye willna take offense.‖
―Go on.‖ Cat rose up on her elbow.―I‘m listening.‖
―I am concerned for ye.‖ He stared across the room at the banked embers in the grate.―Ye dinna ken how it is here, in this time. Ye dinna ken the dangers. Ye must do as I tell ye.‗Tis for yer own well-being, aye?‖
Cat thought a moment. She was so used to doing everything on her own, without anyone‘s approval or permission. But hadn‘t she learned a valuable lesson tonight?
―I suppose yer right,‖ she admitted.―I am sorry. I am so used to doing things for myself and alone. I didna mean to be reckless. I will listen to ye, I promise.‖
Carrick sighed and pulled her into his arms again.―In the morn, I wish to hear the story of how ye came here and the events this night. But for the now, believe me when I tell ye that I dinna think ye reckless. In yer time ye have no the dangers as here. Ye are as independent as a cat, as ye are aptly named. I ask ye for yer trust, Caitriona, and to remember ye are no alone anymore, aye?‖
Cat‘s heart melted at the words of her protector, warrior, and partner.
―Aye, Carrick. I am no alone,‖ she answered, snuggling deeper into him. ―And neither are ye.‖