Col nodded and went round to the other side of the bed and sat to hold his son’s other hand.
They sat with him through the night, and by morning his breathing was better, although the swelling in his leg was worse. Callum came creeping in at midnight to see how he fared and was much relieved to discover that his brother yet lived.
With the dawn, Col jerked out of a doze to see Aihan curled up asleep at the foot of the bed. She had stayed with him and Rory all night, fetched and carried, prepared drinks, and wiped Rory’s body when he sweated. And regularly reapplied the ointment to his wound. When he asked her what it was, she said, “Chinese herbal ointment. Stop the skin from rotting. Snake bite often lead to skin rot. Ancient receipt.”
Necrosis.Col shuddered at the thought.
Chapter Seventeen
Aihan slept until midday at Mac’s insistence. Rising, she washed and dressed, then emerged to check on Rory. She found Fergus with him, and the boy was sleeping peacefully. His leg didn’t appear any worse.
“Mac asleep?” she asked Fergus quietly.
“Aye, lass.”
She nodded. “I go cook. You stay.”
Fergus smiled grimly and went back to mending his stockings.
She applied a little more salve to Rory’s leg and left to check on the other boy. She knocked on his door and waited. After a bit a quavering voice said, “Who is it?”
“It’s me,” she said.
Another moment or two and the door opened. Cam, as she was prone to think of him, looked pale and tired, and like he’d slept in his clothes.
“I going to cook, want to help?”
He shook his head, looking at the floor.
“Why not? I need yer help, Cam. Yer father is asleep, he was up all night with Rory and Fergus is watching him. How am I to cook if there’s no one to read the receipt for me?”
He looked up biting his lip. “All right. I’ll help ye.”
“Good. Ye want to wash and change first?”
He shrugged. “If ye want.”
“Aye, I do want.”
He ducked his head. “I’ll be down shortly.” He hesitated. “How’s Rory?”
“Better. Sleeping now. His leg’s nae worse.”
He managed a smile then.
“Good.”
She left him and made her way down to the kitchen. She had taken over most of the cooking from Fergus now. He still brought her rabbits and game birds that he caught in his traps or shot with his gun. And he would dress the beasts for her. She was widening her list of Scottish dishes, working through the receipt book; alternating them with Chinese-inspired dishes and sometimes serving a mix of both in the one meal. The men seemed to like the things she cooked, and she was enjoying her new role.
The events of yesterday and last night had left her with a slight headache and another kind of ache in her chest.These boys! So much hurt.
She could have cooked Chinese style today, but she wanted to pull Cam out of his melancholy. The boy had looked so miserable.
She set about preparing the kitchen for cooking and Cam appeared, his hair damp, wearing a fresh shirt and breeches, both of which showed signs of not fitting him anymore. The cuffs being too short and breeches somewhat tight.
“Rory does look better, don’t ye think?” he asked anxiously.
“Aye, I do.”
