Either way, she had a feeling that things were about to change.
They went to the Main Hall to prepare supper, and in an act of supreme trust, Logan agreed to let her help.
The others came in from the big house. Helen didn’t appear bothered by what everyone guessed her afternoon consisted of. Ealar fell into a dining chair, swearing to Logan that their parents’ arrival had nothing to do with him.
Logan looked as if he were trying to believe his brother when he suddenly staggered backward. Everyone ran to him and he straightened again, but he pushed them away. He tried to move forward but clutched his belly. “’Tis fire,” he managed, then crumpled to his knees.
“What has befallen him?” Ewen bent to him.
Elspeth squatted close and examined his eyes. His pupils were full and black. His heartbeat was erratic. They could be signs of poison.
“Logan? Logan, what is it? What are ye feeling?” she asked urgently.
“Belly,” he managed.
“Heat in yer belly?” she pressed. “Logan?” She patted his cheek. He was barely responsive.
“What did ye do to him?” Steafan demanded of her.
But Elspeth didn’t hear him. “Logan, dinna sleep! My love!”
She looked up at Ealar in time to see Helen’s slight smirk when she set her gaze on Logan.
“What did ye do?” She stood up and went to Helen.
Helen remained quiet for a moment too long. Ealar’s dirk to her throat made her cry out.
“What did ye give him?” Elspeth screamed at her. “Please, please tell me.”
Ealar pushed the edge of his blade against her flesh. “Tell her!”
“Verra well,” Helen gave in with a cry. “I put Foxglove in his tea.”
The instant she heard, Elspeth wasted no time and turned to the others. “I need milk or ale. Mustard and charcoal. A bucket! Get me a bucket.”
She dropped to her knees before Logan and smiled at him. “Ye’ll fergive me fer this later.”
“I fergive ye now,” he told her while Ealar set a bucket before her. She moved it near Logan then stuck her fingers down his throat and made him retch into it.
His cousins and brother watched in astounded appreciation of her hopefully saving their beloved Logan’s life. Again.
“What are ye all still doin’ here?” she demanded of them. “Do ye want him to live or not?”
When the men all left to see to her needs, Ealar stayed behind with Helen. He was silent while Elspeth tended to his brother and silent while Helen begged for his mercy.
While Helen went on, filling the Main Hall with her excuses, Elspeth bent her lips to Logan’s ear. “Dinna go. I didna say ye could go, Mr. Cameron.”
She lifted her head and looked around for his cousins.
“Ye care fer him,” she heard Ealar say to her. “How did that happen?”
She turned her head to look at him. Would she deny it still? “’Twas easier than I ever could have imagined.”
“So, ye nae longer wish to kill him?”
Elspeth shook her head without hesitation. “I nae longer do. I want him to live.” She turned to look for the men again and then shouted, “Jamie! Ewen, Steafan!”
Jamie raced into the house with a jug.
