Page 135 of Laird of Smoke
He looked at her with suspicion, as if she were offering him poison.
The guard groaned and clutched his abdomen.
The physician frowned and reluctantly reached for her satchel.
He pulled out the vials, reading the markings until he came to the one with ginger.He uncorked it and sniffed at the contents.Then he dribbled a wee bit on his palm and tasted it.Satisfied, he spilled a few drops upon the guard’s tongue.
The guard grimaced in disgust and tried to spit it out.“’Tis poison!Ye’ve poisoned me!”
“Nay!”he barked, closing the man’s jaw with his hand.“’Tis only a strong flavor.Ye’ll be fine.”
As the guard began to wheeze, likely making the effect of the ginger worse, the physician shook his head and shared a smile of amusement with Eve.
“Go on then,” he told the guard.“Lie down for a while, and ’twill pass.”
The man’s eyes were watering when he left, but he nodded.
When he’d gone, the physician corked the vial and slipped it back into her satchel.“I’m ne’er sure whether ginger is a healin’ herb or a clever distraction.”
She gave him a conspiratorial smile.“I suppose ’tis good medicine, as long as it works.”
“That ’tis.Thank ye, lass.”He shook his head.“I’ll have to speak with the cook.I’ve used up all my ginger just this morn.”
“Ye’re welcome to mine,” she said.“Take as much as ye need.”
“Ye’ve got quite a treasury o’ herbs,” he remarked.
“We practice some medicine at the convent.”
“The king said ye were a spy.”
“I fear His Grace was misinformed.”She lowered her gaze.“O’ course, as a woman o’ God, ’tis my duty to forgive.”
“Yearea nun then?”
“Aye.I’m Sister Eve from the convent near Mauchline.”
“Peter Macgeil,” he said with a nod of his head.
“I’m glad to meet ye, Peter Macgeil.And please help yourself to any herbs ye require.I have just one request.”
“Aye?”
“Would ye be so kind as to bring me a chamberpot and linens?”
As she predicted, Peter looked horrified that the king had forgotten such a simple necessity.He glanced at her shackles in concern.
“I can manage,” she assured him.
He brought her the chamberpot and abruptly left to give her some privacy.
Using it was not an easy feat, but having her hands bound before her made it possible.And the fact she made no attempt to escape in his absence made Peter trust her that much more.
A few more soldiers and a maidservant came in with stomach complaints, and Eve prayed aloud for them while Peter administered the ginger drops.
Finally a warrior arrived with a serious gash in his forearm, one he’d earned from what was supposed to have been a practice match.Judging by the scars that roped his arms, it wasn’t the first time he’d been injured.
Peter examined it, winced, and clucked his tongue.
