The girl glanced in Jillian’s direction before giving over the cloth with a grumpy look. Annie ignored it and dipped the cloth again before sitting on the edge of the bed to apply it.
Niall’s eyes were still closed, but she thought his breathing was stronger. That, along with the two times his eyes had fluttered open, made her think he might be coming out of his laudanum-induced coma. She desperately wanted him to, but then wondered if the pain would be unbearable if he did. If he started thrashing around, it would only make the infection spread.
Annie lifted the sheet slightly to check Niall’s leg. Ian had left the bandage on so all she could see was the redness around it. The swelling hadn’t gone down, but she didn’t think it had gotten worse either.
She hoped the doctor wouldn’t be long in coming, although she didn’t know how long it would take for him to climb the mountain. Would he make it before nightfall or would he wait until morning? Annie bit her lip as she applied the damp cloth again. It seemed all they did was wait.
As if reading her mind, Jillian came to her side as Ian left the room. “It should not be long. Once the crone sees the stone, she will hurry.”
“Ye put a lot of faith in that stone,” Annie said, hoping she didn’t sound too cynical. Magical stones and local healers whose reputations were often more folklore than fact didn’t exactly set her mind at ease. But then she remembered the conversation she’d had with Mrs. O’Connor at the convent home regarding the Fae.Maybe one day ye will believe, she had said.
“Perhaps, but superstitions run strong in the Highlands. What Ian said is true. The healer has no liking for all the chattering the twins do. It is one reason I sent them.” Jillian winked conspiratorially. “To hurry her along.”
Annie smiled, in spite of the grave situation. She liked Jillian even if Ian did seem a bit imposing. “Where did your husband go?”
“He is going to send a messenger to Arisaig to let Niall’s family know he is here.”
“’Tis a good idea. Could ye send a post to his other brother in Glasgow—as well as my mother—to let them ken where we are?” Annie said and then paused. “Niall was going to take me to Arisaig to be safe.”
Jillian gave her a curious look and then shooed the maids out of the room. She waited until the door had closed behind them. “Safe from what?”
“My life might have been in danger,” Annie said.
Jillian studied her a moment. “Are you in trouble with the local authorities?”
“Nae. At least, I doona think so,” Annie answered as she thought about how complicated the whole situation was.
“I am only asking because if I do not, my husband certainly will,” Jillian said quietly.
Ian MacLeod would no doubt command to know not only how the stabbing had happened, but why it had happened. He and Jillian had the right to know if they were protecting fugitives. Annie swallowed hard. They certainly wouldn’t put Niall out since he was wounded and kin by marriage, but she was not related to them in any way. Ian looked formidable enough to toss her out and let her fend for herself.
Before she could begin to speak, Ian returned. The room suddenly seemed smaller with him in it.
“Annie was about to tell me what happened in Glasgow,” Jillian said.
Ian folded his arms across his chest. “And I was about to ask. ’Tis why I came up here.”
Annie swallowed again and told them what had transpired, from the time she got her position as manager of the warehouse to the magistrate raiding the place and finding the smuggled opium. Ian listened impassively until she came to the part of the weavers becoming angry and forming an unruly mob bent on finding her. Then his face darkened.
“What kind of men hunt down a woman?”
“They blamed me for their losing their money from the wool being confiscated,” Annie replied. She might as well tell himeverything. “I was the one who signed the paperwork, so they held me responsible.”
“Nae matter. They wanted to harm ye.”
“Aye. Owen and Aidan heard talk of lynching—”
“Lynching?” Jillian broke in, her eyes wide. “God’s merciful heavens!”
“Go on,” Ian said, his voice cold and hard as steel. “I’ll ken the whole story.”
“Well, they got to my mother’s boardinghouse with only a few minutes to spare. Niall and I went out the back door, but some of the men had already rounded the corner and blocked the alley. We—Niall—had to fight his way out.” Annie paused and looked at the bed where Niall lay far too still. “He risked his life to save me.”
“He is a Highlander. What else would he do?”
Annie frowned slightly and looked back at Ian. His tone was nonchalant as if the men of the Highlands risking their lives for women was a common occurrence. Was it? She had grown up in the city and knew next to nothing about the wilds this far north. Owen and Aidan had also been protective in defending the Progress Club women. Maybe that was part of an unspoken code they all seemed to follow. Maybe Niall would have taken the same action for any woman in peril. Maybe all these feelings she’d begun having for Niall since their escape were just one-sided on her part. He had certainly never said he cared for her in any special way. Unless, of course, she counted being called stubborn, which was hardly a compliment.
“Still, I will be forever grateful to him.” And she would. Niall had saved her life, but she needed to remember what Ian had just said. Niall had followed the Highlander Code and done what he considered was his duty.
