Page 38 of A Fearless Rebel

It hurt. Keithen gritted his teeth. “What are ye doing?”

“Ensuring it doesn’t fester,” she replied calmly and then dipped the needle in the whisky. Each stitch burned. Keithen was glad when the last one was completed.

Once she finished with his arm, she did the same to his left shoulder which, thankfully, had only a small cut.

With quick moves, she mixed several items to make a poultice that was placed on his bruises. Then she examined Ewan and also cleaned his cuts and sewed one shut.

By the time she was done, they were bandaged in clean cloths and fed a light stew.

She walked beside him up to the bedroom and sat on the bed when he laid upon it. “I am glad to see ye are not hurt too badly. Yer mother was very worried.”

The way his wife hovered made him wonder if she was worried, as well. “Thank ye for caring for my wounds. Ye are quite good at it.”

“I studied healing,” she replied, her gaze meeting his. “It felt good to be needed.”

Unable to help it, Keithen yawned and lifted up to place a kiss to her lips.

Ava slipped from the bed and lowered to a chair. She lifted an embroidery hoop and studied her work.

Just as his eyes closed, Keithen saw something that looked to be a bruise just under the cuff of her sleeve.

“What happened…” his words slurred as he spoke.

“What?”

“The bruise…”

Ava pressed her lips together. “Rest.”

He’d have to ask her later. At the moment, whatever she’d given him pulled him to a deep slumber.

The touch of a hand on his face could have been his imagination, but it felt so real.

Chapter Twelve

There were several places at Fraser Keep that Ava could go without the glares of either servants or villagers. Her days were spent between her bedchamber, Lady Fraser’s sitting room and a new garden she’d begun working on. The long hours tilling the dark earth and preparing it for planting gave her purpose. Although she’d not be able to plant anything for a long time, it would be ready when the snow melted in the spring.

Ava would plant herbs and a variety of plants with healing properties. She hoped to convince Keithen to go with her into the forest to forage for the necessary plants.

A woman came around the corner and watched her. Ava pretended not to notice, but caught a glimpse of the skirts.

“Ye are doing well here,” Flora said. The village woman who cared for Catriona neared. “This area may not receive enough sunlight for plants to thrive.”

Ava smiled. “There is afternoon sun here, which I think lasts longer than morning sun.”

The woman watched her for a few moments. “I was very angry when ye first came here. I did my best not to be because what yer father did was not yer fault. But still, I did not like ye.”

Not sure what to say, Ava kneeled and began digging with her spade. Tears threatened to overflow. Why could she not become accustomed to being an outcast? She was unwanted wherever she went.

When a droplet hit the back of her hand, she took a breath. “I do not expect anyone to care for me. But I do hope that someday ye and the others will be kind.”

Flora lowered to sit on a small stool. “I cannot imagine what it is like here for ye and must admit to admiring how ye carry on.”

“What choice do I have?” Ava replied with a sniff. “It is my lot in life and I must accept it.”

“I lost my husband the day yer father sent his army to attack us. Up until then, we’d been living with his threats over our heads. Every day, I worried about my husband and what would happen if the Mackenzie attacked. My worst fears came to be.”

Ava sat back on her heels and sighed. “I am so very sorry.”