Page 62 of Eloping with the Laird
‘Nay. Not that long. Several days you were in and out of wakefulness, but we were lucky to have you conscious long enough for food, tonics, short walks and some attempts to reverse your illness. Do you not remember?’
He blinked, trying to shake off the fog now that some of the aching in his head was fading. ‘Nay.’ He stilled. ‘Wait, did you say you were reversing my illness?’
‘The side effects for now. We discovered what was causing your sickness, and with some luck, time and proper medicine, we should be able to reverse some of the effects of the poisoning over the next few months. Already you seem stronger and have better colour. It may be faster than we had dared hope.’
‘What?’ he said.
Was recovery possible? Would he live to see and hold his own child? To perhaps even have more children and grow old with Moira. He couldn’t believe it. Surely, he had misheard.
‘Did you say you can make me well again? That I will live?’ He felt light as if he were floating on water, his body buzzing with the news that he might not die. That he could live and have a life as he’d never allowed himself to fully imagine. His chest tightened.
Wait.Where was Moira? He scanned the room, but she was nowhere to be found. Perhaps she was out with Uncle and the hounds again. ‘Where is my wife?’
‘Aye. You do have your wife to thank.’ The doctor rattled on, packing up his instruments in his satchel. ‘She never gave up. Insisted we gather every item you used to see what ailed you. We determined it was the litharge you used to sweeten your wine. It seems to contain low doses of lead. Small levels, of course, so not immediately fatal, but over time your body collects it, making your condition worsen. We are working on medicines and herbals to help counteract it in your body and absorb it, so in time you will fully heal.’
Rory stared at him. ‘Where is Moira? She is always here by my side.’
The doctor avoided his gaze. ‘Much has happened. I will fetch your uncle. He can tell you all.’
Rory grabbed the doctor’s arm before he could leave. ‘What has happened? You will tell me. Now.’
Sorrow and uncertainty rested in Wilkes’s eyes, and a pit the size of a loch opened up in Rory’s stomach as he awaited the answer.
‘She was taken by the Frasers a few days ago. They claimed she had to answer for her crimes. She is to go before their clan elders today.’
To see to her fate.
The doctor didn’t need to say the words for Rory to work that out. He rose from the bed, too quickly, and almost fell face first to the floor. His damned body. It never did what he wished for it to. The doctor helped him regain his balance. ‘Get me to my uncle,’ he commanded, trying to think. The shock of her not being here cleared his fog. His pulse picked up speed. ‘Why did no one stop her? Why did no one protect her?’
None of it made sense. His uncle, his men, would have fought to the death for her. He was certain of it. How had the Frasers seized her so easily?
‘Uncle!’ Rory called as he gained his bearings and made his way through the hallways. It was taking far too long for him to find him. Where was he?
Finally, he heard his uncle. ‘Aye. You’re awake!’ He smiled and pulled him into a tight embrace. ‘To see you alive and well does me good. Does us all good.’ His smile faltered as he scanned Rory’s face, and his arm fell away from Rory’s shoulder. ‘I see you have heard of Moira’s absence.’
‘Absence?’ he scoffed. ‘You make it seem as if she were away on a trip. Was she taken or did she leave willingly? And why would you have allowed either to happen?’
‘Sit,’ his uncle answered. They settled into two chairs at the large table in the main hall.
Rory clung to the arms of it to prepare himself. He knew he wouldn’t like the answer.
‘They came to our door demanding she answer for her supposed crimes against her late husband. They threatened to blockade the roads, hold back any needed supplies and keep anyone from leaving or entering the gates. The men were ready to battle as were we, but...’
‘Moira intervened.’ Rory scrubbed a hand down his face. He could imagine the scene unfolding. To avoid bloodshed, she left with them.Lord above.Why did his wife have to be so noble?
‘She also did it to save you. She knew Dr Wilkes wouldn’t be allowed in, and we’d just found what we thought was the poison. He’d gone to the village to run some tests on it to confirm what he believed to be true. He was due to return the next morn with the results, which he did. She saved your life in more ways than one that day.’
‘How could you have allowed her to go?’ Rory pleaded.
‘We had little choice. Have you met your wife, my son? She has a mind of her own. There was no stopping her. I could see it in her eyes. She wanted to plead her case and bring an end to their claims against her. She said it was the only way to move forward with her life.’
‘What is our plan? We must rescue her and bring her back to us. To Blackmore. Tell me that you have at least been working onthatwhile I have been ill.’
‘Aye. We have been planning as you slept, knowing full well that when you woke you would want to do just that. I’ll ready the horses and send word to the MacLeans and the Stewarts to join us in route to the Frasers. We can be assembled and ready to leave in an hour’s time.’
Rory blanched. ‘Wait. The MacLeans and the Stewarts? They have agreed to assist us?’
‘Aye. Moira bid me send word to Laird MacLean, as she believed he would offer aid without question, which he did. He said he owed her a debt. And Bran. He is enraged and eager to help now that he is aware that Moira is with child. He will bring a small band of soldiers to join our own.’
