Una rounded a dwelling. “Take her to my cottage, my lord.” She quickly ran ahead of him to open the door.
Annis began to stir when Brogan placed her on the bed.
“She cannot see the blood. She will faint again if she does,” Brogan said and reached for her hand.
Una was quick to fetch a bucket of water and with Brogan’s help cleaned the blood off, so she could examine the wound.
“A minor wound that needs to be wrapped after salve is applied to it and it will heal nicely,” Una informed him.
“See it done,” Brogan ordered, sitting on the edge of the bed and keeping his wife’s hand cradled in a cloth in his lap.
Annis’s eyes fluttered, fighting to open.
“A minor wound, wife. You are good and your finger will be wrapped soon,” Brogan explained. “Keep your eyes on my face when you open them.”
“There you go again, thinking I cannot get enough of your fine features,” Annis said, a slight smile touching her lips as she slowly opened her eyes.
“How could you not when I am such a handsome devil?” he teased.
Annis chuckled.
“This may sting a bit, my lady,” Una warned as she made ready to apply the salve.
“My husband’s attempt at humor stings much more,” Annis said playfully, then winced when the salve settled into the wound.
“You wound me, wife,” Brogan said at his wife’s teasing stab, though more so for the pain she felt.
Annis remained silent as Una wrapped her finger, the cloth going down to circle her wrist and be tied to hold it firmly in place.
“Does any blood seep through?” Annis asked, her eyes still focused on her husband’s face.
“Once cleaned, it barely bled, but I bandaged it with extra cloth to make certain none will seep through,” Una said.
Brogan held her bandaged finger up for her to see for herself. “All good.”
A knock sounded at the door and Una went to answer.
“Whatever is wrong with me?” Annis said, shaking her head. “I must find a way to stop this weakness.”
“My lord,” Una said, preventing Brogan from responding to his wife. “It is Risley. He asks about Lady Annis and wishes to apologize.”
“For what? He did nothing wrong,” Annis said, recalling the incident, but not the bloody part. “Bring him here.”
Risley entered, pale and his hands trembled. “I am so sorry, my lady.”
“Nonsense, Risley. Accidents happen with tools. It was no one’s fault. Worry not about it,” Annis said, annoyed that her faint had brought the young man such worry. “Now you must return to work and think no more on it. There is much work to be done.”
“Aye, my lady, and thank you.” Risley bobbed his head as he backed out of the cottage.
Una gathered the bucket and bloody cloths and took her leave as well.
“Help me up,” Annis said, reaching out to her husband.
“You feel well enough?” he asked and eased her hand away to settle both his hands at her waist to lift her to sit up.
“A minor wound to my finger does not require bed rest,” she said, though remained as she was, a slight lightheadedness having taken hold of her.
“Yet you pale again,” he said, concerned.
She rested her hand on his arm. “I am not fragile, Brogan. Please do not treat as if I am.”
“I know you are not fragile, but that does not mean I do not worry about you when something like this happens.” His face suddenly brightened. “I have a thought. I do not know if it would work, but you never know it might. And what harm is there in asking.”
“What is it?” Annis asked excitedly.
“The witch. Why not ask her if she can help you?”
Annis’s eyes went wide. “That is brilliant. I will ask her.” She pushed at him to move off the bed.
Brogan held her firm. “I did not mean now. We will not be going anywhere until Rudd returns with more warriors. And do not bother to argue with me on this.”
“We can at least visit with the witch. The warriors cannot go there with us. She will not show herself and it will anger her.”
“I wonder how the mercenary got on her land without being detected,” he said.
“I will ask her,” Annis said. “Now please move so I can get up and make sure everyone knows I am well.”
“Don’t you want to know what Rudd and I discussed?” he asked, trying to delay her.
“That can wait until later. This is more important. I do not want the men to think me weak.”
Brogan could argue with her and make sure the men did not think that, but he would not do that to her. This was for her to do and so he moved off the bed and reached out to help her to her feet.
“I will be close by if you need me,” he said.