Page 69 of Wedded to the Devilish Highlander
It’s nae me place to ask him about that. If we were to be married proper, I’d want to ken, to help him, but I’ll be gone soon. I shouldnae meddle.
Still, her father had passed three years ago, and she knew something of the hurt he was feeling.
Reid suddenly coughed, sounding like a wild animal. Eileen almost fell over—she would have if Archer hadn’t been holding her. She struggled from Archer’s grasp and reached out as her brother convulsed, his chest expanding and the bandages becoming redder.
“Nay,” Archer uttered, pulling her hand back. “Let the healer do her thing.”
Eileen struggled against him, but he was far too strong for her. She could only watch as the healer pressed a hand to Reid’s shoulder, pushed him down onto the bed, and then poured a black liquid down his throat.
Read coughed and spluttered as the healer held his mouth shut. Eileen ached to run to the bed and push the healer away from her brother, but she was helpless in Archer’s arms.
“She’s helpin’ him,” Archer reminded her. “She’s helped many of the men here. She kens what she’s doin’.”
The tears came again, blurring her vision as the shape of the healer hovered over Reid before straightening up.
“He needs his rest,” the healer insisted.
Reid’s breathing slowed a little, but there was still a wheeze in every inhale.
“I’m nae goin’ anywhere,” Eileen declared.
“We’ll sleep in the chair,” Archer said, nodding toward the corner of the room.
The healer offered a tight smile. “I’ll bring some blankets.”
“Thank ye,” Archer said.
He led Eileen over to the corner of the room, where he sat down first and then pulled her onto his lap. The healer’s chambers were colder than his bedroom, but as soon as Eileen was on his lap, warmth seeped into her. She listened to her brother breathe, making sure he was still alive.
Reid looked more relaxed in his sleep after whatever the healer had given him.
The healer returned with a blanket and handed it to Archer, who then urged, “Ye need some sleep. Ye’ll want yer strength for when he wakes up.”
“I cannae sleep at a time like this,” Eileen mumbled.
“Ye must try,” he insisted.
Eileen watched her brother for a moment before she lay back a little. Archer spread out the blanket and pulled it over them. Eileen rested the back of her head on his chest, his breathing evening out. She melted into him, feeling safe in his arms.
Her head rose and fell with every deep breath he took.
“I’ll stay awake and watch over ye and yer braither,” Archer said. “The moment he wakes up, I’ll wake ye.”
“I just?—”
“Shh, shh, shh,” Archer murmured. “I’m nae suggestin’ it; I’m commandin’ it. Sleep, Eileen.”
Eileen sighed. She took a deep breath, unable to keep her eyes off her brother. She couldn’t sleep at a time like this.
Yet, a few minutes later, her eyelids grew heavy, and Archer’s warmth seeped into her bones so pleasantly. She tried to keep her eyes open to watch over Reid, but sleep pulled her under before she was able to do anything else.
Eileen’s eyes snapped open as someone shook her shoulder. She looked around wildly to see Reid still on the bed, asleep, his chest rising and falling. The healer sat on a chair beside the bed, holding a small stub of a candle close to the book she was reading.
“I need to leave for a bit,” Archer whispered.
“I’m awake,” Eileen croaked. She looked toward the door to see Calum standing there. “What’s goin’ on?”
“The scouts have a report to give. I’ll return here as soon as I hear them,” Archer explained.
