Page 2 of A Highlander’s Heart

Still, he rolled his eyes. “My name is Morgan Gunn, Second-in-Command, and nephew to the Gunn. Does that make my healing quicker?”

Ignoring his comment, she said, “This would go much easier on ye if ye calmed down and let me give ye a tisane which will make ye drowsy and help with the pain.”

Morgan waved her off. “I am a warrior. I doona need yer woman’s medicine.” He pointed to his ribs. “Just do what ye need to do so I can return to the battle.”

“The battle’s over, Emma, so this should be yer last patient.” Two of the Mackenzie men carried in another of the clan’s warriors and deposited him onto another bed. Emma’s healing hut was now full, and she hoped that the battle ending would keep out any more injured men.

“Who is the victor?” Morgan asked.

The two Mackenzie warriors who had just brought in the injured man looked at each other and laughed. “Yer laird dinna make a real effort. I have no idea what was on his mind, but it certainly was no’ winning.”

Morgan scowled then looked around the hut with narrowed eyes. “Where’s my horse? And my sword! I donnae want some Mackenzie using either one of them, especially against my own clan!”

Emma looked at the men for an answer.

They shrugged and shifted on their feet. “The blacksmith is looking yer beast over for injuries. If it doesn’t need to be put down, we’ll stable it with the rest of our horses until our laird tells us what to do wi’ it. And yer sword is also wi’ th’ blacksmith.

Morgan frowned. “Take good care of ’im. His name is Demon. An’ I’ll be up and out of here shortly. I want ma sword. Don’t be thinkin’ any of you Mackenzies will take it fer their own.”

Stubborn mon.

Then he looked up at Emma. “Get on with it, lass. I want to leave with my men.”

“They’ve already retreated and are on their way,” one of the Mackenzie men said. “They’ve left ye behind, mon. Yer the last Gunn here.”

Morgan made to get up, and Emma laid her forearm lightly against his neck. “Do. Not. Even. Try.”

He slumped back onto the bed and closed his eyes. “I am a Gunn. Ye cannot tell me what to do.”

“Aye, I can. Ye are in my healing hut, and I will tell ye what to do.”

“Just do what ye need to do, then.”’

“I doona ken why ye are so anxious to think ye can meet up with yer clan. Ye do realize ye are Laird Mackenzie’s prisoner?”

Although not happy with her statement, ’twas obvious he couldn’t dispute it, being familiar with the rules of war.

Emma began her perusal of his injuries. Without a doubt, when his horse landed on him there had been damage done to his ribs. Hopefully it was only bruising and not a break.

She gently placed her fingers on his chest, applying slight pressure. Still, he sucked in a deep breath at her touch, and turned quite pale.

“I suspect you have some, or at least one, broken rib.”

“Nay. Warriors don’t break bones.”

She sighed. “Well, maybe they doona break bones when their giant horse falls on their smaller bodies, but you do at least have a serious bruise on yer chest and there’s that gash on yer leg. ’Twill require stitching more like.”

He turned his head and faced the wall. As a warrior, he probably knew it would be a long time before he could comfortably swing a sword, and that didn’t even include how well the gash on his leg healed.

“Are ye sure you don’t want that tonic?” she said with a touch of sympathy even though he hadn’t done anything to deserve her compassion.

“I doona have any pain that I canno’ handle. I’m a warrior.” He thumped his chest with his thumb and immediately turned so pale that Emma feared he would pass out.

“Ye’re a stubborn mon is what you are.” She shook her head. “Warrior or no, hitting your chest is no’ a good idea. I will need cold cloths to ease the swelling on yer ribs, but I have to go to the kitchen to send someone to the creek to get water that cold.”

He grunted and lay still then, eyes closed.

While she waited for the water, she turned her attention to other warriors whose injuries were easily taken care of with stitching and a tisane or two. Once they had been seen to and bandaged, she sent them on their way.