“I hurt,” she whimpered.
His touch gentled as he smoothed the hair from her face. “I know, lass. I know you hurt. I’d bear it for you if I could. Promise me you’ll fight. Promise me!”
She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to fight, and the pain screaming through her insides made her want to curl into a ball and close her eyes, but when she tried, Ewan shook her until her teeth rattled in her head.
“Ewan, what’s wrong with me?” she whispered, as another wave of pain overwhelmed her.
His face was grim and going more blurry by the minute. “You’ve been poisoned.”
CHAPTER 27
It had been many years since Ewan had prayed. Not since the birth of his son, when he’d prayed over his wife’s bedside as she struggled to bring forth the life within her.
But he found himself offering fervent prayer now as he stood over Mairin’s bedside. Maddie flew in behind him with Bertha on her heels.
“You must make her vomit, Laird,” Bertha said. “There’s no time to waste. We don’t know how much of the poison she took in and she must rid her stomach of all its contents.”
Ewan bent and grasped Mairin by the shoulders, rolling her to the edge of the bed so her head hung over the side. He took her face gently between his hands and pried her mouth with his thumb.
She twisted and fought against him but he tightened his grip, refusing to give way.
“Listen to me, Mairin,” he said urgently. “We must rid your stomach of its contents. I must make you vomit. I’m sorry, but I have no choice.”
As soon as her lips parted, he thrust his fingers to the back of her throat and she gagged and convulsed. With only one arm to hold her, it was difficult.
“Help me hold her,” he barked to Maddie. “If you can’t do it, call one of my brothers.”
Bertha and Maddie both leaped forward, pressing their full weight against Mairin’s body.
Mairin gagged again and she vomited onto the floor.
“Again, Laird,” Bertha urged. “I know ’tis difficult to see her in such pain, but if she’s to survive, it must be done.”
He’d do anything to keep her from dying, even if it meant causing her agony. He held her head and forced her to retch. Again and again she heaved until nothing more would push itself out. Her entire body was so rigid, it was a wonder she hadn’t broken any bones yet.
Still he pressed on, determined to keep her alive. Finally Bertha touched his arm. “ ’Tis done. You can release her now.”
Maddie got up and wet a rag with water from the washbasin and thrust it at Ewan. He wiped Mairin’s mouth and then her flushed, sweaty forehead.
Carefully he eased her back onto the bed and then stripped the clothing from her body. He tossed the garments aside and instructed the women to clean the chamber to rid it of the noxious smell.
He sat by Mairin’s side as he pulled the covers to shield her nakedness. He watched anxiously, feeling so helpless that it kindled a rage so deep that he burned with it.
He could hear the commotion outside his chamber door, knew his brothers were there, and others, but he wouldn’t take his eyes from Mairin.
The women rapidly cleaned the mess from the chamber and removed the offending clothing. Moments later, Maddie returned, shutting the door firmly behind her.
“Laird, let me take over her care,” she said in a soft voice. “She’s emptied her stomach. There’s naught to do but wait now.”
Ewan shook his head. “I won’t leave her.”
He ran a finger through her limp hair and touched her cheek, alarmed by how cool her skin felt to his touch. Her breathing was shallow, so light that many times he’d leaned his head down, afraid that no air escaped her nose any longer.
She’d slipped into unconsciousness. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t stirred or cried out from the vicious pain assaulting her. He didn’t know what was worse. Hearing her helpless cries or seeing her as still as death.
They both frightened the hell out of him.
Maddie stood by the bed for a long moment, and then with a sigh, she turned and left the chamber.
Before Ewan could recline on the bed beside Mairin, his brothers burst into the chamber.
“How is she?” Alaric demanded.
Caelen didn’t speak, but the storm was there in his eyes as he stared down at Mairin.
Ewan touched Mairin’s cheek again and ran his fingers underneath her nose until he felt the light exchange of air on his skin. There was so much turmoil churning in his gut. Rage. Fear. Helplessness.
“I don’t know,” he finally said. The admission twisted the knife in his belly until he had the same urge to vomit as Mairin.
“Who did this?” Caelen hissed. “Who could have poisoned her?”