Page 39 of Married to the Highland Devil
“Take my hand,” Elspeth said to her, and Amelia did that so they could walk out of the chamber together.
“Duncan!” Yvaine yelled some seconds later.
Amelia still stood at the foot of the stairs with Elspeth, and when she heard Elspeth’s gasp, she turned towards her.
“Go,” Amelia said to Elspeth. “Go to him. I shall only slow you down.”
“Son,” Elspeth called out in a shaky voice once she released Amelia’s hand, and Duncan’s growl followed in another split second.
“He is bleedin’,” Yvaine gasped, her tone a terrific sound that sliced through Amelia and made her whimper. “We need the healer, Amelia… We need ye.”
“Come with me, Me Lady,” Dahlia said behind Amelia and led her down the stairs to where the others stood.
“Arran,” Duncan said loudly then, but he sounded strained. “Arran was taken,” he explained. “Those bandits have him, and they might kill him if I dinnae go back.”
Amelia could not tell what was happening, but she heard Elspeth say, “Let the men worry about Arran… Yer bleedin’, Son.”
“I cannae leave him to die… I cannae…”
“Duncan!” Yvaine and Elspeth yelled at the same time.
Amelia tore her hand from Dahlia’s and lurched forward in the direction of Duncan’s voice. She could make out his shadow, so she fumbled around until she touched his hard chest.
“Let us take care of ye, Duncan,” Amelia said to him, inhaling deeply, so she could take in his thick scent and be certain it was him. She felt the warm, sticky liquid staining her hands when she moved her hand down his chest to his side.
Duncan groaned and touched her wrist. “Amelia,” he grumbled.
“I am sure your men will handle finding Arran; just let the healer care for you.”
“Amelia,” he whispered again, and this time, she felt him lean down and rest his forehead on her shoulder.
Amelia swallowed hard. “I shall need assistance.”
Two guards rushed forward and took Duncan from her arms while Dahlia rushed to call the healer again. They all walked to the healing chamber. Amelia was led by Yvaine, and once in there, she sat next to Duncan on the bed and began scouting his body for his wound.
“I need a wet cloth,” she ordered.
The healer arrived then carrying with him the scent of moss and turmeric in the herbs vial.
“My Lady, let me do it,” Elijah said to her, and she moved away to let him treat Duncan.
When he finally finished cleaning Duncan’s wounds, Amelia began humming a slow tune her mother had always sung when she treated the sick or injured to comfort Duncan and also herself.
“Give him a tonic made with wild lettuce for the pain. I can tell you how to make it if you need me to.”
“Thank ye, My Lady,” Elijah answered then sent a servant to bring him some wild lettuce while he continued applying the salve to the wound.
It took a while, and when he finished, he prepared the tonic and fed it to Duncan.
“That will be all, My Lady. The wound is deep, but we have stopped the bleedin’, and so he will need a few days to get on his feet again. The tonic we made will help him regain blood and also ease his pain,” Elijah said when he finished treating Duncan.
Amelia nodded. “Thank you, Sir,” she said.
“Please, My Lady… I am Elijah,” the man answered, and Amelia was sure he bowed his head before exiting the chamber.
Yvaine’s soft sobs became audible to Amelia now, and Elspeth drew closer to the bed, sat by her side, and took her hands. “Thank ye, Amelia. We couldnae have convinced him to wait and get treated if ye werenae here.”
“Who is Arran?” Amelia asked, remembering Duncan’s words before she had brought him here.
