Page 87 of My Notorious Highlander

She took the cloth from the basin of cold water, squeezed it out, and bathed his face with it.

He hissed and tried to draw away from her.

She pulled the blanket up to cover his bare shoulders. She had feared he would have a fever, but hoped it wouldn't be too severe. She might have to wake Flora and ask her what to do, for Jessie would never consider herself a healer. She hated to disturb the woman, who'd worked tirelessly for hours in her duties. But what if Torrin got too hot? Could such a fever kill him?

After rising from her chair, Jessie crouched by Flora and gently shook her.

Flora's eyes popped open. "Aye. What is it, m'lady?"

"He has a terrible fever."

"Och, nay." She scrambled up from the floor and poured some hot water, heating in the fireplace, into a cup. "We'll give him some willow bark tea, then," she whispered, sprinkling some ground up pieces of bark into the water. "And a bit more poppy for the pain." While it steeped, the healer pressed her hand against Torrin's forehead. "He is indeed scorching."

Jessie's stomach knotted, for she knew not what this meant. Please God, heal him and help him recover, she prayed, tears in her eyes. More than anything, she wanted to have a family with him.

When the tea was ready, Flora said, "Mayhap you can help him lean over this way a bit so he doesn't choke on the tea?"

"Of course." Jessie went to the back side of the bed. "Torrin?"

"Hmm."

"I'm going to help you turn over that way so you can drink some tea, aye?" She pushed at his shoulder.

When he tried to move, he grimaced terribly and growled a curse.

"I'm sorry," Jessie said.

"Och, m'laird, I ken it hurts," Flora said gently, as if to a child. "But if you drink this, 'twill help."

Jessie pushed harder at his shoulder so he could roll toward his right. 'Twas obvious that he was helping, for she couldn't have moved him so easily if he hadn't.

Flora held the cup to his mouth.

"Drink now, Torrin," Jessie whispered softly in his ear.

He swallowed several mouthfuls, took a few breaths, then drank the rest of the cup.

"Good. That will help," Flora said in an encouraging tone.

Torrin lay back, grinding his teeth together and hissing. Once he'd relaxed, he took several deep breaths. She stroked his forearm, lying on top of the blanket. He lifted his hand and closed it securely around Jessie's wrist.

Flora smiled slightly when she saw this, then returned to arranging the herbal remedies. Jessie pulled the blanket to his chin again but didn't remove his hand from around her wrist. Nay, she rather liked his tight, possessive hold, even in the face of such illness. 'Haps she could help give him the strength to pull through.

A half hour later, Flora was once again snoring beside the hearth, and Torrin was sleeping peacefully. Jessie touched his face, his whisker stubble brushing her palm. He was still rather warm, but the fever was less severe than before.

The rough feel of his stubble sparked the memory of when he'd first kissed her in the chapel, and how he'd talked about his whiskers being prickly and growing back quickly despite his best efforts to keep them shaved off. Tears burning her eyes, she wished he could tease her now… kiss her, make her laugh… and a lot more.

When his grip on her wrist relaxed enough, she moved around the foot of the bed to the other side. Sitting in the chair, she took up the wet cloth again and stroked it over his face, then traced his attractive chestnut-colored brows with her fingertip. She always loved it when he raised one of them, giving her a mischievous look.

His eyes still closed, he grunted and gently took hold of her hand. "Jessie," he said, no louder than a breath.

"Aye."

"Love you," he said.

Tears filled Jessie's eyes. Her throat tightened, and she swallowed hard. Once she was able to speak, she whispered, "I love you, too."

One corner of his lips quirked upward in the barest hint of a smile, then disappeared.