“Aye, but it did,” Ewan bit back. “I don’t want it to ever happen again. You will gather the men after the questioning. I want to address them.”
It was well past midnight before Ewan trudged wearily up to his chamber. They’d questioned every single clansman, even the children, and no one could recall seeing anything untoward. The men practicing archery swore that none of them was responsible, and yet the arrow had been a McCabe arrow. There was no doubt about that. Afterward, he’d given his men a dressing down about being more careful in their training. If they couldn’t keep the people of their own clan safe from themselves, how were they to protect them from outside threats?
Ewan let himself into his room, and Maddie stirred from her position by the fire.
“How is she?” Ewan asked in hushed tones.
Maddie rose and crept silently to stand in front of Ewan. “She’s resting better now. She was in pain before, but after I gave her the tisane, she calmed and was able to rest better. I changed her dressing an hour past. The bleeding has stopped. You did a fine job stitching her, Laird.”
“Any sign of fever?”
“Not yet. She’s cool to the touch, just restless. I think she’ll be just fine.”
“Thank you, Maddie. You can retire to your cottage now. I appreciate you sitting with Mairin.”
“I was glad to do it, Laird. If you have need of anything else, send for me at once.”
She bobbed a curtsy and then walked by him and out the door.
Ewan undressed and slipped into bed beside Mairin, careful not to jar her. As soon as his body touched hers, she stirred and snuggled into his arms like a warm kitten on a cold night. She uttered a deep sigh against his neck and proceeded to wrap her legs around his while throwing one arm over his body.
He smiled. She was a possessive thing in bed. She considered his body her territory and she had no compunction about laying claim whenever he got near. Not that he minded. In truth, there was something about having a warm, sweet lass wrapped around him that appealed to him more than he’d ever thought possible.
He touched one strand of hair, allowing it to curl around the tip of his finger. He wasn’t a man ruled by fear, but when he’d realized that Mairin had been shot, he’d experienced a wash of terror unlike anything he’d ever known. The idea that he could have lost her didn’t sit well with him.
He could make a lot of excuses, including the biggest, that if she died, Neamh Álainn would never be his. His clan would never be rebuilt. Revenge would never be his. All of those things were true. But the simplest truth was that he hadn’t wanted to lose her. None of the other things had even crossed his mind when he’d frantically examined her injuries.
Aye, the lass was getting under his skin. He’d been right about her from the moment he’d first laid eyes on her. She was definitely trouble.
Chapter 20
When Mairin awoke, the pain in her head overshadowed the pain in her side. She licked over her cracked lips but it wasn’t enough to rid herselfe horrible taste in her mouth.
What on earth had the laird done to her? All she remembered was him ordering her to drink some foul liquid and having to choke it down. Even the memory made her stomach lurch precariously.
She rolled, testing the tenderness in her side, but ran into a warm, snuggly body. She smiled and curled her arm around Crispen and hugged him tight.
He opened his eyes and snuggled closer to her bosom. “Are you all right, Mama?”
“Aye, dearling, I’m perfectly well. I hardly feel a pinch. ’Twas just a little cut.”
“I was scared.”
His voice wavered and her heart squeezed at the uncertainty in his voice. “I’m sorry you were afraid.”
“Did it hurt? Maddie told me that Papa had to stitch you up. I would think that would hurt a lot.”
“Aye, it did, but not overmuch. Your father had a good, steady hand and he was quick about it.”
“Papa is the best,” Crispen said, with all the confidence a young boy has in his father. “I knew he’d take care of you.”
Mairin smiled and kissed the top of his head. “I have need to get out of this bed. I’ve lain here so long that my muscles are all stiff and sore. Would you like to help me?”
Crispen scrambled from the bed and then made a big show of aiding Mairin to her feet.
“You should go to your chamber and dress for the day. I’ll meet you below stairs. Perhaps Gertie will have food for the both of us.”
He gave her a huge grin and then scampered off, slamming the door behind him.
Mairin stretched as soon as he was gone, and winced. It truly wasn’t bad. She hadn’t told a lie. Just a twinge or two when she moved wrong. It certainly wasn’t enough to keep her abed.
She turned to retrieve a gown from her wardrobe, when a flash of color caught her eye. Her gaze was drawn to the small table sitting near the window. On top of it lay a neatly folded pile of fabric.
It was her wedding dress. Forgetting all about her injury, she hurried over and delved her fingers into the sumptuous fabric. Then she yanked it upward and allowed the dress to unfold. Why, it was as good as new. There was no evidence of the rend.
She hugged the material to her chin and closed her eyes in delight. It was silly to be so emotional over a dress, but a woman only got married once, didn’t she? She frowned. Well, most of the time. She wouldn’t think on such matters as the laird dying and leaving her a widow.
She stroked the dress one last time, enjoying the softness as it glided over her fingers. Then she carefully put it away so it would keep until the next time she had an occasion to wear it.