Plead Forgiveness (Loyalty Series) Page 18

  Gavin was still quite amazed at her easy acceptance of Arth when he answered, “Aye, but he is more wolf than dog, so he comes and goes as he pleases.”

  Unlike the Macleod women who cried out in fear at the very sight of Arth, Ella just continued to pet and pamper the huge beast.

  “Ye are nae afraid of him?”

  When Ella lifted her gaze, she noticed the numerous eyes staring at her as if she had just grown a tail. Turning to Gavin, she whispered, “Laird Macleod, why is everyone one staring at me in horror?”

  Going down on one knee beside her, he ran his fingers through Arth’s dark fur and explained, “Most are afraid of him, especially my mother and the other women in the clan. Arth keeps his distance from those who fear him, and stays mostly with me or one of the blackguard.”

  “The blackguard?”

  “’Tis the name of my most skilled, trustworthy and highest ranking warriors. They are the men who escorted ye here, to the Highlands of Scotland. My mother’s husband, Bowen, is also included in the guard.”

  She narrowed her eyes in faux anger, and then mimicked his accent as she corrected his last statement, “Escorted . . . Bah, ye mean kidnapped and dragged me here, to the Highlands of Scotland.”

  Gavin enjoyed hearing her teasing barb and loved her mock accent. He answered her in kind. “Mayhap, we did kidnap ye. But, we only dragged ye from yer horse so ye wouldnae toppled over from a strong gust of wind.”

  “A strong gust of wind wouldnae topple me over, and well you know it Macleod.”

  He burst out laughing at the outrage he heard in her voice.

  “Aye, ‘tis only a jest. Ye were exhausted,” leaning closer he whispered, “and I had plenty of room on my lap for ye.”

  “Laird Macleod, I believe Leif has just brought out your mount,” she retorted with a faint smile.

  Arth was a bit reluctant to move when she stood, but then found contentment once more when he leaned his massive head against her hip.

  As she continued to pet Arth, she heard Gavin chuckle, and asked, “Do I amuse you, Laird Macleod?”

  “Aye, ye certainly do,” he said as he stood towering over her. “But dinna change, I like ye just the way ye are.”

  When she blushed and tried to lower her head, he tilted her chin up, and said, “I will return with all due haste. See if ye can stay out of trouble while I am away.” He kissed her forehead before turning back to the others.

  Stunned speechless, Ella just starred at his retreating back. He was a danger she had not foreseen, and every moment with him was a threat to her heart. She knew they had no future together, and learned long ago that dreams only brought forth disappointment.

  Gavin, Paen, and Tavish, as well as twenty Macleod warriors were all mounted and listening to Lady Esme wish them safe journey. It had been decided by the laird to bring only his brothers and leave Osgood, Nicholas and Edric to see to Lady Ella’s protection.

  Even though Doran Castle was well fortified by high stonewalls and that he had over three hundred warriors at his disposal, Gavin still worried about her.

  The Macleods were second to only the Mackenzies, who held the most land in Scotland. With that much land, many men were needed to see to its protection. And now that Ella was here, he would add to that protection.

  His concern was not for an invading army, since it would be sheer lunacy for an English army to invade a Highland clan, but that Greystone or Montgomery would send a few in disguise to lay in wait of an opportune time to take Ella.

  Looking at the subject of his thoughts, he saw her kneeling before his mother and Bowen, speaking with Gabriel. She was cupping the child’s face, trying to soothe his distress. Gavin could not take his eyes off the tender act, nor could his men. Wanting to hear what she said to his nephew, he dismounted and walked over to them.

  “I must return to England, but I want you to know that I will miss you very much. And I will thank God everyday for bringing you into my life.”

  Gabriel wrapped his arms around her neck and sobbed, “I dinna want ye to go. Please, stay. I ken my papa and mama would love ye. And my grandfather, too. They will protect ye from the men who hurt ye. I ken they would. Please . . .”

  No one would ever know how hard this moment was for Ella, or that she was saying goodbye to her brother’s son, her nephew.

  “I wish I could, but they will hurt Aunt Eleanor if I do not go back. And I will not let anyone I love be harmed by those monsters.”

  “Ye must love me too, because ye dinna let them hurt me.”

  “Aye, I do love you,” she imparted with a sad smile. “When two people endure and survive a great hardship together, an unbreakable bond is formed for life. You will always be with me, as I will always be with you.”

  “Aye, I believe that too. I just wish ye dinna have to go away. I love ye and want ye with us.”

  Ella felt strong hands on her shoulder and instinctively knew it was Gavin. Still holding Gabriel, she stood and gave the small child over to him.

  The wisdom and depth of her words impressed Gavin, as well as his family and the blackguard. When he took Gabriel from her and handed the boy up to Paen, the pain he saw in her eyes nearly felled him.

  “Truer words were never spoken, Milady,” Paen stated.

  Ella was comforted by his acknowledgement. Turning her gaze back to Gavin atop his mount, she saw that he stared at her with such intensity and possessiveness that a chill raced down her spine. It only lasted a moment, and then he was gone.

  She was bewildered by his behavior, but unable to dwell upon it. There were more important matters to attend to, such as Colban and his injury.

  31

  Half an hour later Ella, Lady Esme and Nicholas entered Colban’s small cottage, which was located on the edge of the village, half a furlong away from the stables. The injured man was in bed, his brothers and their wives by his side.

  “This is Lady Ella, and she is a skilled healer who has come to offer her help,” Lady Esme explained.

  Ella watched two large men, who looked very much alike, stand and walk over to her. Each bowed before introducing themselves and their wives, and then explained in detail how their brother was injured.

  “If you will allow me, I would like to examine him,” Ella said as she moved towards the bed. It was obvious that Colban was in a great deal of pain, and she was eager to get started.

  “Ye are English?”

  Ella froze at hearing those words. It was no secret the Scots hated the English, and they believed she was the latter.

  “Aye, she is English. She also has proven her worth, loyalty, compassion, integrity and skill to yer laird,” Lady Esme said acerbically.

  “And the entire blackguard,” Nicholas added tersely. “Give nae dispute, otherwise ye will step outside with me to discuss this matter further.”

  Iain gave no argument as wife, Helena, and twin brother, Boyd, dragged him out of the cottage.

  Rachel, Boyd’s wife, stood and said, “Please forgive his behavior, Milady. ‘Tis obvious he has nae been told about ye; but rest assure, Boyd will set him straight. We assumed he kenned or we would have told him ourselves. I regret the negligence.” She paused for a moment, and then said, “I would also like to offer ye my aid.”

  The pretty woman had curly, dark blonde hair, warm brown eyes, and a very pregnant belly. Her polite speech was spoken with confidence and honesty, two qualities Ella respected.

  “Thank you, Rachel. I would greatly appreciate your help. But first, I must examine his leg. Would you mind telling your husband, Iain and Helena to remain outside? The cottage is small, and too many bodies will make it overly warm and most uncomfortable for Colban.”

  “Aye, Milady. Would it be better for me to stay out as well?”

  “I would rather you stay and assist me in here, but the choice is yours.”

  Rachel had always wanted to be a healer, but never had the chance before now. She smiled at the English lady, and said, “Aye, Milady. I will ret
urn in a moment and help ye in any way I can.”

  By the time Rachel returned, Ella had given Colban a drink to dull his pain and uncovered his lower limbs.

  Ella did not gasp or give any other sign of distress when she unveiled the blue-blackish leg. With delicate fingers, she probed the lower leg until she felt the break in the bone, and then felt his uninjured leg for comparison. When her examination was completed, she turned to see Colban staring at her with nervous anticipation.

  “How bad is it, Milady? Will I lose my leg?”

  “Nae, you will not,” Ella confirmed positively. “You have a clean break, but it will need to be aligned properly. I will not lie to you, Colban, this will be very painful. But, in order to save your leg and prevent you from walking with a limp, it must be realigned.”

  His relief was immense.

  “Aye, do what ye must. I will endure any amount of pain in order to be able to walk and ride again.”

  Ella then walked over to speak with Lady Esme, Nicholas and Rachel.

  “He will need to be secured to the bed, for the pain will be so great that he will be unable to prevent his body from jerking.”

  Turning to Lady Esme, she asked, “Can you find Osgood and bring him here?

  Lady Esme left immediately to fetch the big redheaded warrior.

  Nicholas asked, “Lady Ella, have ye ever done this before?”

  “Aye, but it is very unpleasant.”

  Turning to Rachel, she asked, “Can you see that Colban is bathed and his linen changed?”

  “Aye, Milady.”

  Over the next hour, preparations were made to realign Colban’s leg, as well as what he will need for the durations of his recovery. A long trestle table was brought in by Osgood and Nicholas for Colban to lie upon, which the injured man was secured to by long, leather belts, strapped at his chest and hips.

  “Even with Osgood and Nicholas keeping your body immobile, you will involuntarily jerk when I realign the bone. Are you still in pain?”

  “Nae, Milady. I feel verra little at the moment.”

  “Good. Rest now, for we will begin shortly,” Ella said as she squeezed Colban’s hand. She walked over to others and explained their duties.

  Osgood was assigned to hold Colban’s midsection and uninjured leg, while Nicholas would hold his injured leg. Lady Esme would ensure that the ankle and foot of his injured leg did not turn or twist. Rachel would remain by his head to hold a piece of wood for him to bite, but most importantly, she would to tell Ella when Colban fainted from the pain.

  “He will indeed faint, but it could be when I first start or when I finish,” Ella explained.

  When the moment was upon them, everyone stood in their ready positions staring anxiously at the healer. Ella took a deep breath, put her hands on the distorted limb, and prayed she had enough strength to push the bone back into place. She saw that Colban was staring at the ceiling, waiting for her verbal command that would bring forth intense pain.

  Ella knew the moment Colban heard the command, his whole body would tense, making it that much harder for her to get the bone back into place. She had already told the others that instead of a verbal warning, she would just nod her head. The others understood and watched carefully as she probed the bone to find exactly where she needed to apply pressure.

  As soon as Ella found the spot, she nodded, then thrust the heel of her hand into Colban’s lower leg while her other hand used the opposite side of his leg as leverage. The quick, forceful movement sent Colban into a tense spasm before blackness claimed him. Ella worked quickly, taking advantage of his unconscious state.

  Running her fingers along the bone, she explained, “This bone is called the tibia and appears to be straight.” Gesturing to the uninjured limb, she continued, “But, now compare it to Colban’s good leg. Do you see the difference?”

  “Aye,” Lady Esme began. “It looks straight, yet compared to the other ‘tis slightly off. Can ye fix it?”

  “Aye,” Ella affirmed as she pushed the bone further, matching its twin. “Now 'tis a bit better. It may look slightly different, but that is due to swelling. The bone is straight, but not connected, which only time can heal. I will use bandages soaked in a mixture of whitewash and lime from seashells to wrap his leg. In a day or two, they will harden and prevent further damage to the bone.”

  With Rachel’s help, Ella wrapped his leg with the wet bandages, and then requested Osgood and Nicholas to return Colban to his bed. With the bandages still wet, Ella placed extra linen underneath the injured limb, while the two warriors removed the trestle table from the cottage. Colban’s family was then brought back in and told the good news.

  “Thank ye, Lady Ella, for what ye have done for my brother,” Iain said as he took hold of her hand. “I would also like to apologize for my boorish behavior earlier.”

  She understood that Iain’s discourteous behavior was born out of fear. He obviously cared very much for his brother. “Think nothing of it, Iain. I was happy to help.”

  For the next quarter hour she gave instructions on how to care for Colban during his recovery.

  “Over the next few days his bandages will harden, forcing the bone to heal straight. He must remain in bed for a sennight. If he tries to move his leg or walk before the bandages have hardened, he will walk with a limp the rest of his life.”

  “Aye, we will make sure he stays in bed,” Boyd said with determination.

  “After a sennight he can try walking within the cottage, but only if he uses a cane. In a fortnight and with the cane, he may take short walks outside. His strength will gradually increase, and if there is nae pain in a month, he may forgo the use of the cane. But, he’s not allowed to ride for at least two months from this day. I will give Rachel a small bag of herbs to alleviate pain, which he will need three times a day for three days.”

  Rachel asked, “How will I ken how much to give him?”

  Ella grabbed a few small bottles from her satchel, removed the linen that surrounded each one, and then filled an empty bottle with the herbs needed.

  As she handed it to Rachel, along with a small spoon, she said, “He will only need one spoon full mixed with mulled wine, nae more. Too much could make him fall sleep and never wake up. The jar contains more than he will require. If you would, after three days give the jar to Lady Esme.”

  Turning to speak with Gavin’s mother, she said, “You may have need of it one day, but please use it only for severe pain.”

  Lady Esme nodded.

  “I have explained to Rachel when and how to remove the bandages.” Ella was thoughtful for a moment, then continued, “When Colban wakes in a few hours, have him drink the tonic, which he will need again this eve.”

  “Thank ye, Lady Ella, for all ye have done,” Boyd began. “I give ye my word, yer instructions will be followed. We have also arranged for one of us to be with him until he is adequately recovered.”

  “’Tis good to hear. I will just clean up here and be out of your way. If it pleases you, I would like to check on him later today and again tomorrow.”

  “Aye, ye are always welcome,” Boyd said as he eyed the worn satchel she used for her medicinal jars and tools. He watched her try to organize various size bottles and shabby drawstring bags, along with other items needed to aid the ill and injured. He wondered why the English lady did not have a proper bag to hold such important items.

  He touched the threadbare sack and asked, “Lady Ella, how long ye will be staying with the Macleods?”

  “I will be returning to England either on the morrow or the day after. But, I assure you, I’ll continue to check on Colban until then.”

  “Ye are a good, lass,” Boyd said with a smile. “If ye need anything while ye are with us, please dinna hesitate to ask.”

  “Thank you. I will take my leave, but will return this afternoon.”

  After leaving the cottage, Ella learned what happened the night of Colban’s injury. Lady Esme, along with Nicholas and Osgood, then relay
ed stories about the well-loved stable master. By the time they reached the bailey and climbed the stone stairs to the keep, the midday meal had already begun.

  Ella was about to follow the others into the bustling hall, but stopped abruptly when she noticed her soiled gown. The beautiful, pale yellow gown that Lady Esme allowed her to borrow was covered with the wet mixture used for Colban’s bandages. Frozen outside the hall, she just stared down at what she had done.

  Lady Esme rushed back outside with Nicholas and Osgood on her heels. The sight of Ella standing perfectly still, greeted them a moment later.

  In that soothing maternal voice, Lady Esme asked, “Are ye well, sweetling?”

  Shame washed over Ella as she lifted her head and met their eyes. She shook her head and whispered, “I have ruined your dress, Lady Esme. Please forgive me, I-”

  The young woman’s words hit the heart like a lightning bolt, but Lady Esme would not let Ella finish her emotional apology.

  “My sweet angel, ye needlessly fash yerself. ‘Tis only a dress, and there are plenty we can have fit for ye.”

  “Oh, no! I will nae risk ruining another dress. I have clothes that I can change into. If you will excuse me.”

  Afore Ella could rush past the stunned trio, she was embraced by Lady Esme.

  “Ye are nae longer at Greystone. I give ye my word, nae harm will come to ye here.” She pulled back, pushed the younger woman’s blond hair from her face, and then continued, “Come with me, sweetling. There are many gowns to choose from.”

  Before Ella could protest, she was pulled upstairs to Eva’s old chamber, while Nicholas and Osgood smiled in relief, knowing she was in good hands.

  The two warriors then went in search of Edric. They were eager to boast of Ella’s healing skills and their contribution in saving Colban’s leg.

  32

  MACKENZIE

  The reunion between Gabriel and his parents was as joyful as it was tearful. When word came that Macleods had been spotted with Gabriel in tow, Keir rode out to meet them. He rode back through the gate a short time later with his son seated afore him and was greeted by cheers from at least a third of the Mackenzie Clan.