Seduction of a Highland Lass (McCabe Trilogy 2)

Alaric nodded. “Thank you for saving her.”

Ewan offered a small glimmer of a smile. “Your faith in my abilities is humbling. If the lass lives ’twill be because of her own stubbornness.”

As Ewan was departing the chamber, Maddie hurried in. Alaric was grateful for her help. Together they stripped the bedding and Keeley’s bloodied clothing. Alaric wiped her down with wet cloths until chill bumps dotted her flesh.

“ ’Tis better if you leave her unclothed,” Maddie advised. “ ’Tis a large wound on her back and we’ll need to check it often. Lay her on her side and we’ll prop pillows behind her so she doesn’t roll to her back.”

Alaric did as Maddie suggested and when he was satisfied that she was as comfortable as he could make her, he stretched out beside her and gathered her in his arms.

He closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her soft forehead. “I love you,” he whispered.

Chapter 37

For three days Alaric never left Keeley’s side. She never regained consciousness no matter how much Alaric tried to rouse her. He begged, bullied, coerced. He promised her the moon. All to no avail. He worried that she wasn’t taking in any sustenance, and after so much blood loss she surely needed every bit she could get.

And then the fever set in. Her flesh was dry and hot, so very hot. She twisted restlessly in her sleep and demons seemed to plague her without mercy. Alaric held and soothed her. He bathed her and at one point sat in a tub of water, holding her in an attempt to cool the raging fever.

A week after it all began, Alaric was losing hope. She grew weaker by the day and she lay so still, it was as if she’d already passed on but her body had refused to shut down.

On the seventh day, Ewan and Caelen came for him. Alaric’s rage was a sight to behold. It took the combined efforts of his brothers as well as Gannon and Cormac to force him from Keeley’s chamber.

Rionna and Maddie took Alaric’s place as the men ushered Alaric outside the keep.

“Where do you take me?” Alaric snarled as he fought against their hold.

His brothers said naught but carried him to the loch and tossed him in.

The water was a shock. He sunk below the surface, all the air leaving his lungs in a rush of bubbles. How easy it would be to just breathe in and join Keeley. It killed him to think of her alone and afraid in some dark place, dead but not dead.

As the cold settled in, the instinct to live kicked in and he fought his way to the surface. He came above and gasped a deep mouthful of air.

“Glad you decided to stay with us,” Ewan snapped from the shore.

Alaric treaded water for a moment and glared at his brothers. “What the hell was that for?”

“You’re wasting away for nothing. You haven’t left Keeley’s chamber in a week. You won’t eat. You haven’t bathed. You haven’t even changed clothing. If the injury doesn’t kill her, ’tis likely your smell will,” Caelen snarled.

Alaric swam to the shore and trudged out, shaking the water from his long hair. He bared his teeth just a moment before he leveled Caelen with a tackle.

The two men hit the ground with a thump and Caelen grunted as the breath was knocked from his chest. He recovered quickly and rolled, thrusting his arm over Alaric’s neck.

Alaric slammed his fist into Caelen’s jaw and Caelen reeled back. Before Alaric could jump to his feet, Ewan hit him hard, driving his shoulder into his belly.

“God’s teeth, are you all trying to kill me?” Alaric demanded as Ewan pinned him to the ground.

“Just trying to knock some sense into your thick head,” Ewan growled. “Are you ready to listen?”

Alaric head-butted Ewan in the nose and then rolled until he was atop his older brother. “You’re getting to be an old man,” Alaric taunted.

Caelen leaped back onto Alaric and the three men rolled, fists and curses flying. God but it felt good to beat the living hell out of something.

Several long minutes later, the three men lay sprawled on the ground breathing heavily.

“Ah damn,” Ewan groaned.

Alaric looked over to see Mairin standing over her husband, her hands on her hips.

“You should be resting,” Ewan growled.

“And you should be doing something other than beating each other into pulps!” Mairin snapped. “ ’Tis disgraceful!”

“I don’t know. It felt pretty damn good,” Caelen offered from his position on the ground.

Alaric slowly picked himself up. “Is there any change with Keeley?”

Mairin’s expression softened. “Nay, she sleeps still.”

Alaric closed his eyes and then turned back toward the loch. Maybe a good swim would clear his head and he could bathe while he was at it. Ewan was right. Rotting next to Keeley did no one any good.

“Ewan, the king and all the lairds grow restless,” Mairin said. “They want to know what is to be done.”

“I know it well, Mairin.” There was reproach in Ewan’s voice, as if he had no liking for her bringing up the topic in front of Alaric.

Alaric ignored them both and waded back into the frigid water. He well knew that the king and the lairds waited for Keeley to die so that he could marry Rionna and seal the alliance.

Gannon tossed him a bar of soap and waited on the banks while Alaric completed his bath. Ewan and Caelen returned with Mairin, leaving Cormac behind with Gannon to see to Alaric.

He hadn’t gone mad with grief yet. Yet, being the operative word.

When he returned to the keep a half hour later, Rionna greeted him, her eyes red and swollen. His heartbeat tripped and sped up, hammering against his chest. “What is it?” he demanded.