Mist Warrior (25 page)

“
Lass, we need to get him out of here,
”
Duguald said, looking up at the tower fearfully.

“
Not until I know how bad he's hurt. If we move him too much
,
we could make the injury worse.
”

A young lad ran in with a water bucket and the cleanest cloths he could find. Catriona carefully tended the wound, her fingers gently probing the bone around it.

Richard groaned, the
n
coughed, trying to blink open his eyes.

“
Richard,
”
she called.
“
Richard, can you hear me?
”

He tried to look over his shoulder
,
but groaned again.

“
Where does it hurt?
”
she asked, fear rising within her.
“
Can you feel your legs?
”

“
Aye,
”
he said, his voice rasping.
“
I can feel my limbs.
”
He sucked in his breath and groaned again.
“
Oh God!
”

“
What?
”

“
My ribs. It hurts to breathe.
”

Catriona
quickly checked him and discovered two cracked ribs. If that was the worst of it, he was very lucky indeed. T
he beam could have easily driven
a broken rib into his lung. She looked up at Duguald.
“
Get him to his shelter, I'll tend to his wounds there.
”

“
Aye, lassie.
”
He and Gavin carefully picked Richard off the ground. As they carried him out, Catriona turned to Branan. Jaime helped him to his feet.

“
Are you sure you're all right?
”

“
Aye,
”
he said.
“
But I vow
,
I pulled every muscle in my back.
”

“
I'll tend to you as soon as I finish with Richard.
”
She gripped his arm and impulsively kissed his cheek.
“
Thank you, Branan, you just saved the life of the man who hates you.
”

He shook his head.
“
I helped the man who offered his life in place of yours.
”

****

Catriona followed Duguald and Gavin. They placed Richard on his pallet and she worked quickly, cleaning his wound and stitching it closed. He seemed to fade in and out of consciousness, his eyes opening occasionally to stare, glazed, at the wall only to close again and remain that way for a long time. She knew he wasn't completely coherent as he did not react to pain. Gavin remained with her while Duguald went to check on Branan.

She worked in silence, needing Gavin's help when it came time to wrap Richard's broken ribs. When she finished
,
she brewed a tea and again, she and Gavin worked to get Courcy to drink it. Finally
,
she finished and Gavin placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“
'Tis all right, sister, he is alive. It could have been much worse.
”

“
Aye,
”
she replied and called for Courcy's steward, Edmund.
“
He is resting well,
”
she told the worried man.

His expression eased
,
but he continued to twist his wool cap in his hands.
“
We need to get him back to Brackenburgh. If he is gone much longer it will be Kr ia and asuspicious.
”

“
Take him in a wagon. As long as you travel slowly, he should be all right.
”
She handed him several steeping bundles of the tea she had used.
“
Make sure he drinks this three times a day. Do not allow him to get out of bed until his ribs begin to mend. Do you understand me?
”

Edmund nodded.
“
I do not doubt my lord will listen to the wisdom of his betrothed in the matters of healing.
”

“
I hope so, otherwise I'll have to clout him over the head.
”

“
I will make sure he understands that.
”

“
Good.
”

Together, Edmund and his men took Richard to a wagon. Soon they departed and Catriona went to check on Branan.

****

“
Sweet Jesu,
”
Branan growled. He knew better than to move
,
but he had to find a way to ease the agonizing pain in his back. His leg shifted only slightly and his muscles clenched again, sending fire th
rough every part of his body. Branan
sucked in his breath
,
fighting to clear his vision.

“
Och, laddie, I keep tellin' ye not to move,
”
Duguald said.

Never had Branan imagined such misery from a strained back. The pain confused him...and worse unmanned him. It
was just a foolish muscle spasm.
W
hy then
,
did it make him feel as helpless as a babe in swaddling? A part of his mind insisted that if he would just ignore the pain, if he could master it, he would be able to move. He wasn't bleeding to death, a sword had not tried to spill his guts on the ground, he wasn't fevered into a delirium, he didn't have a broken bone shoved through his flesh...but in the face of K thd tothis pain...he was utterly lost.

“
Here comes the lassie now,
”
Duguald said.

Nay
! Branan's thoughts screamed, his shame battering his wounded pride.
Doona let her see me like this, Duguald, please!

Catriona entered his shelter without so much as a by your leave. Branan squeezed his eyes closed, willing her to be gone. Duguald had stripped him and helped him to his pallet. Now he only had his plaid partially covering him.

“
And how be Lord Courcy?
”
Duguald asked Catriona.

Branan stopped his silent diatribe in order to hear her answer.

“
He is doing well, Duguald. Only the cut on his back and two cracked ribs.
”

“
That be good to hear.
”

Branan also breathed a sigh of relief. He may have had his disagreements with Courcy
,
but that was no reas
on to want the man dead. Plus, Branan
feared what it might do to Catriona since Courcy had saved her life. She would have been guilt-ridden if he had died.

“
And as for you,
”
Catriona said soft, kneeling next to his pallet.

Branan's eyes flew open. She gave him a perfunctory glance
,
but a soft blush highlighted her cheeks. Branan's embarrassment burned again, his plaid only covered the essentials, his fruitless struggling to find a comfortable position had shifted the thick wool. Yet
,
he could not help but wonder what she thought of him. Many a lass had c
omplimented his powerful physic,
a part of him wondered if Catriona would find his body as pleasing...and a tinier part actually hoped for it. Mentally, he kicked himself–and even that made his back hurt worse.

“
Now,
”
Catriona said, rummaging through the items she brought with her.
“
Duguald, would you be so kind as to start a pot of water to boil. I have some Valerian Root tea that will do wonders for Branan.
< Kanart /span>
”

“
Aye, lassie,
”
he replied.

Branan watched Catriona search through a small box where she kept her herbals and medicants. She pulled out a small ceramic jar.

“
Branan, can you turn over on your stomach?
”

“
I'm afraid no, lass.
”

“
All right. We will help you.
”

“
Help me?
”
he yelped.

“
Duguald, when you are finished, I need you for a moment.
”

“
Of course, lass,
”
he said and approached.

“
Brace yourself in front of Branan. Branan, hold strong to Duguald's hands and use the strength of your arms to pull yourself on your side. I will help from over here.
”
She moved to the other side of his pallet.

“
From over where?
”
he asked, trying to keep the panic from his voice.

“
I will brace your back and legs as you turn on your side, keeping your body straight. It will be painful, but not as much as if you twist to do it yourself. Just remember, do not use your back and legs
,
but the strength of your arms. Duguald, don't try to pull him, simply act as his anchor and let him do it himself.
”

“
As you will, lass.
”

Branan, his heart thundering like a drum, stared up at Duguald.

Catriona knelt then placed one gentle, warm hand on his ribs and the other on the outside of his thigh.

Duguald gazed back at him, his eyes sparking knowingly. Damnation, he enjoyed Branan's discomfiture.

“
Lad, I ken how ye feel
,
but perchance it would be better to do this quickly and have it finished.
”

That was probably the sagest advice he had heard yet. Gripping Duguald's hands and trying to ignore Catriona's vibrant touch, Branan managed to turn himself over. But the pain was enough to make him forget the warmth of her hands. He snarled against the agony.