The Highlander Series(186)

She turned her head to the side and then groaned. Jesu, but moving hurt.

Her entire body was as limp as a well-used cleaning rag, and her skin was sticky from sweat. And she was naked. Not a stitch of clothing on, and the furs were in a bunch at her feet.

Embarrassment swept heat through her body once more. She was probably scarlet. Lord only knew who’d come and gone from her chamber during her fever.

A moan started to escape but she curled her lips and snarled. Enough was enough. How much more pitiful could she become? She’d already wasted who knew how much time abed acting like a sickling child. How many days had she lain here senseless? ’Twas embarrassing.

She raised one hand and then let it flop back to the bed. Her throat still pained her, but the fever was gone, though it had left her as a weak as a newborn.

And speaking of newborns, she needed to look in on Mairin to see how things progressed with the babe. Which meant she had to get up.

It took several long, exhausting minutes before she was able to push herself to the edge of the bed and sit up. She’d love a full-blown bath, but she didn’t have the strength to manage it.

She dragged herself over to the basin and wet a cloth. She took her time wiping down her body until she felt somewhat human again. She was tempted to go jump in the loch, frigid temperature and all.

After washing, she pulled out one of her dresses and faced it down like she was about to do battle. With a rueful smile, she realized she was. It took all her strength just to make herself presentable, and when she was done with all the trappings, she collapsed onto the bed and sat there girding her loins to go belowstairs.

By the time she staggered to the stairs, she prided herself of the fact that she hadn’t fallen on her face. Indeed by the time she worked her way to the bottom, her blood had sped up from its sluggish rate.

Breathless, but pleased, she pushed her way into the hall and looked around to see who was about.

Mairin was seated next to the fire with her feet propped on a stool with a pillow. Keeley smiled and set off toward the hearth.

When Mairin looked up and saw her, she gasped. “Keeley! What are you doing out of bed? You’ve been quite ill. You should be resting still. You bent Alaric’s ear for being up too soon.”

Keeley settled into the chair next to Mairin. “Aye ’tis true, I make a rotten patient but a strident caretaker. I expect those under my care to do as I say and not as I do.”

Mairin burst into laughter. “Well, at least you make no bones about it.” Then she reached over and grasped Keeley’s hand. “Are you all right? You still look a bit pale to me.”

Keeley grimaced. “My throat still pains me and my head has a hollow ache that unsettles me, but I couldn’t take another moment of lying in bed. I feel much better now that I’m up and about.”

Mairin fidgeted in her chair and repositioned her feet on the cushion. “ ’Tis the truth I’d love to lie in bed today. The babe is pressing on my back and I find it too much to even stand for more than a moment.”

“You should go up to bed then. ’Tis important not to overtax yourself.”

Mairin smiled over at her. “You sound so motherly and yet you won’t take your own advice.”

“ ’Tis a healer’s prerogative,” Keeley said cheekily.

Both women were startled when Ewan swept into the hall with the king’s messenger directly behind him. Unsure of whether she was to show respect for the king’s man, Keeley scrambled from her chair and stood ramrod straight as Caelen and Alaric entered the hall after the messenger.

Mairin struggled to push herself from her chair. “Ewan?”

Ewan crossed the room and pushed her gently back down. “Nay, don’t get up.” He looked to Keeley and nodded for her to also take her seat. He frowned slightly as if just noticing she was up and around, but he dismissed her with a glance and turned his attention back to the messenger.

“ ’Tis a missive from the king I bring you. He asks that I wait for a response,” the messenger said.

Ewan nodded and gestured for the messenger to sit down at the table. He then motioned for refreshment to be brought from the kitchen.

He unfurled the scroll and spent a few moments reading before he looked up again. It was Alaric his gaze found.

“ ’Tis a message about your forthcoming marriage.”

Alaric’s brow went up, and he glanced quickly at Keeley before returning his gaze to his brother.

“The king expresses his satisfaction with the match and his excitement over the alliances we’ll form. He’d like to travel here for the marriage and for the neighboring clans to be invited so that he may hear their vows of allegiance in person.”