Page 76 of The Laird's Secret Bairn

“Nay, perhaps it isnae. But it will be sooner than ye think, and I’d rather ye be prepared for it than caught unawares.” Kenna sighed, softening. “Ye should send her to bed, Dougal. Daenae let her sit in that chair until dawn breaks.”

“She willnae go easily. Ye ken how stubborn she is.”

“Aye, I ken it well, which is precisely why it must be ye who convinces her. She’ll listen to ye where she’d argue with anyone else.” A faint, knowing smile touched her mouth despite the weariness in her eyes. “Go to her. Make her eat something proper, and see that she rests. She’s exhausted herself near collapsing, and it’ll do Lily no good to wake up and find her fallen ill from neglecting herself.”

“And if she refuses?”

“Then ye’ll simply have to be more persuasive than usual, will ye nae?” Kenna’s smile widened slightly at whatever expression crossed his face. “I’ve seen the way ye look at her, Dougal. I daenae think persuading her will prove so very difficult, once ye set yer mind to it.”

“Maither.”

“I’m only saying what I see.” She patted his arm, the gesture familiar and grounding after the horror of the day. “Go on, then. I’ll sit with Lily a while longer. She’s nae in any danger now, and Skye needs looking after every bit as much as she does.”

Dougal nodded, some of the tension leaving his shoulders at the certainty in her voice. “Thank ye, Maither.”

“Go,” Kenna said again, gentler this time. “Before ye lose yer nerve.”

As expected, Skye did not want to leave Lily’s side, but Dougal wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Not this time.

She protested when he pulled her up by the arm and led her out of Lily’s room and to her own, which was down the hall. She tried to pull away, but she was weak from not sleeping and eating properly. The stubborn lass could barely fight against him, much to his amusement. His grip wasn’t even that firm.

He led her up the stairs, one hand steady on the small of her back, and didn’t stop until they’d reached her door.

Skye had a frown on her face. It couldn’t be more obvious that she was not pleased with him at the moment, but he was not going to back down. She needed to take care of herself after using all her energy to watch over Lily. He did not know how else to express his gratitude.

“Ye need to eat,” he urged, nodding toward the tray a maid had left by the hearth. “Ye’ve had nothing since Lily was poisoned—daenae even try to deny it. Ye havenae eaten except a few bites of toast.”

“It’s food,” Skye protested.

Dougal rolled his eyes. “Skye, do ye really want to have this argument with me right now?”

“I’m nae hungry, Dougal. I daenae have much of an appetite.”

“Eat regardless. Lily would want ye to take care of yerself, and ye ken that.” He pulled a chair close, waiting until she sat before he’d allow himself to relax slightly. “I willnae leave until ye’ve had something. Ye are stubborn, but ye have yet to see what true stubbornness is.”

Skye picked at the food, if only to placate him, and he watched every bite as though it mattered a great deal.

He felt relief wash over him. At least, she had eaten enough to fill her belly. That was all he cared about.

“Now,” he said, once she had pushed the plate aside, “a bath. Ye’re still shaking, lass, whatever ye claim.”

He drew it himself and tested the water’s temperature with his hand before helping her out of her gown, careful, unhurried, nothing of the hunger from nights before in his touch. When she sank into the warm water, some of the tension finally left her shoulders.

“Thank ye,” she said quietly.

“Ye neednae thank me for that. I should be the one thanking ye for everything ye have done since Lily fell ill.”

“I was scared, Dougal. Really scared. But I couldnae allow meself to show it. I was afraid that if I did, I would be letting Lily down.”

His jaw tightened. “I shouldnae have let the bastard leave alive.”

“Ye think it was Angus.”

Dougal bit back a growl. He didn’t want to direct his anger at Skye. She was not to blame. In fact, she was the one who had kept him sane throughout the whole ordeal. Without her, he didn’t think he would have been able to keep his head straight.

“I ken it was him, or someone under his command. Who else could it be?” He knelt beside the tub, his forearms resting on the edge. “I’ll have every soul in the kitchens questioned by morning. Every servant, every guard who’s come and gone this past fortnight. The person who poisoned Lily is going to die by me sword. I can promise ye that.”

Even Councilman Ewan had come round asking after the details, wanting to ken exactly what the healer had found and whether Angus was suspected. Dougal had thought little of it at the time. Ewan sat on his council and Lily's safety was the whole Highlands' business he claimed.