Page 11 of Never Marry a Highlander

Chapter Five

Lorenatossedandturnedon her bed, her shift and bedclothes wet with sweat.Her hair felt sticky and while the heat from the fever was gone, she still felt weak and somewhat nauseous.

Her brother had never allowed her a personal maid, so it had always been her job to find a maid to arrange a bath.She took a quick glance in her looking glass and realized if she went in search of a maid they might begin to arrange for her burial.

She opened the door and looked down the corridor.No maids.She returned to her room and attempted to comb some of the tangles out of her hair.Without much luck, she grabbed a dressing gown from the bottom of the bed and wrapped it around her.She’d gone no more than a few steps outside her door when she had to lean against the wall, a bout of weakness overcoming her.

“Lady Lorena!”One of the guardsmen strode up to her.“Are ye unwell, lass?”

“Aye.Can ye find me a maid and ask for her to have a bath set up?”

He studied her for a moment.“Can ye make it back to yer bed?”

She nodded.“Aye.”She drew herself up and walked slowly back to her door and entered her bedchamber.She held her hand up to her forehead.No fever, but the weakness and body aches continued.

Black dots appeared in her eyes, and she took a deep breath and made it to the bed where she collapsed.Sometime later a soft knock on her door made her realize she’d fallen asleep.“Aye.”

One of the maids entered with a string of men carrying the bathtub and buckets of water.She lay on the bed watching them, too weak to move.How was she to take a bath without drowning?

“Here now, what’s this?”Bridget had entered the room, making her way over to Lorena.

“I’m having a bath.”

The healer shook her head.“I doona think ‘tis a good idea, lass.Ye seem verra weak.Ye’re liable to drown yerself.”

The weakness, nausea and body aches got to her, and she began to weep.“I need a bath.”

Just then Craig entered the room, clean, his hair still damp from his swim in the loch, carrying a bundle of dirty clothes under his arm.“What is wrong?”He dropped the clothes by the door and walked over to Lorena.Sitting alongside her on the bed, he put his arm around her and looked at Bridget.

“The lass wants a bath, but she’s verra weak.I’m afraid she’ll drown herself.”

“Are there no maids to assist her?”

“Nay, they are all preparing for the evening meal.I canno’ assist her because I was on my way to see one of my soon-to-be mothers whose husband sent for me since she’s having pains, and he is all in a dither.”

Craig looked down at Lorena and used his thumb to wipe the tears from her face.“I will help ye with yer bath.”

With that problem apparently solved, the men, the maid who brought the men with her and Bridget all left the room.

Lorena sighed and leaned against Craig’s powerful chest.“Ye canno’ help me with my bath.”

He shrugged.“Everyone has left, it appears if ye want a bath, yer choices are limited.”

She hung her head, the greasy, sticky mess of hair falling in her face.Most of her life she’d taken her own baths since servants were few both here and at her deceased husband’s home.She weighed the two options in her mind.A continued smelly, sticky body or allowing this man—her husband she reminded herself—to help her.

“Aye.”‘Twas not the time for modesty.She looked up at Craig.“I would ask ye if ye ever helped a lass take a bath, but I’m afraid of yer answer.”

He grinned and said, “Stand up so I can remove yer clothes.”

Thankfully, she was too sick to care that she would be naked in front of her new husband.With a gentleness she didn’t think a warrior capable of, Craig slid the dressing gown off her, and eased her shift up her body and over her head.Before she could even blush, he lifted her and carried her to the bathtub.He eased her down and she sighed as the warm water washed over her.

“Ye’ll have to tell me where yer special soaps and things are.”His voice seemed rather raspy.

She sat up, and when she realized her breasts had left the water, she slid back down and pointed to her wardrobe.“There is a box in there with my soap and oils that I generally pour into the water.”

He brought the things over to her, looking a bit nervous.Was he afraid she would drown while he watched?“You will need to go to the kitchen to get a warm linen to dry me.”

Craig cleared his throat and smiled.A very strange sort of smile.“I shall be right back.Doona drown.”